Durian

Durian

The durian, Southest Asia’s most highly prized fruit, is also its most controversial because of the overpowering odour.  It is the only fruit banned from airline cabins, hotels and some public transport.

Native to Southeast Asia, the fruit of the very tall durian tree is roughly the size and shape of a spiky football.  Inside the tough skin are five white segments enclosing two or three portions of soft cream-coloured flesh, each wrapped around a single large beige seed.  Both the flesh and the seed (after boiling) are edible.

The durian is surrounded by folklore.  It is reputed to be an aphrodisiac (there is a Malay saying that when the durians are down, the sarongs are up).  It is also claimed to be dangerous to drink alcohol when consuming durians.  The Chinese believe the durian is very “heaty” to the body (but this does not stop them consuming vast numbers of them just like everyone else!)

The famous 19th-century naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, describe the durian thus: “It is like a buttery custard flavoured with almonds, intermingled with wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry and other incongruitues…. it is neither acid, nor sweet, nor juicy, yet one feels the want of none of these qualities for it is perfect as it is.”

Durians should be eaten within hours of their falling or being harvested, and fruits which have split open should be avoided as the flesh deteriorates quickly when exposed to the air.  Roadside stalls spring up near durian orchards or in special markets in towns during the season.  Most durian lovers cannot wait to take the fruit home and ask the vendor open it (usually with the aid of a pair of gloves and a strong knife) so they can devour it immediately.

Today’s durian are almost all hybrids and each has its special characteristics.  Durian is best consumed fresh, although inferior quality or over-ripe fruit is also cooked to make sweetmeats such as dodol or make into durian jam.

More Tropical Fruits: http://www.1tropical.com

Penang Fruits: http://www.malaysiavacationsnet.com/penang/penang-fruits.php

According to Webometric Ranking of World Universities, the Top 10 universities in South-East of Asia are :

1. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

2. NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, SINGAPORE

3. KASETSART UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

4. CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

5. PRINCE OF SONGKLA UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

6. ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, THAILAND

7. CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

8. THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

9. ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY OF THAILAND

10. KHON KAEN UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

Out of the top 10 ranking South East Asia universities, 2 are from Singapore , and the balance 8 universities are from Thailand . Also, on the Top 100 list, Thailand has 41 universities, Myanmar 18, Indonesia 14, the Philippines 13, and Singapore 7.

In Asia , the Top 10 universities are :

1. UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO

2. NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY

3. KYOTO UNIVERSITY

4. BEIJING UNIVERSITY

5. KEIO UNIVERSITY

6. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

7. UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

8. CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

9. NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY

10. NAGOYA UNIVERSITY

Out of the Top 10 ranking universities in ASIA, 4 are from Japan, 5 are from China, and the remaining 1 is from Singapore. We are also nowhere near the Top 100 universities in Asia. In terms of Global Ranking, None of Malaysia’s universities are anywhere near the TOP 1000 universities.

Read and find out more on Malaysia. Please click Malaysia

pending only two days in Penang can be a serious challenge. thanks to the island’s amzing diversity.  Penang boasts a UNESCO world heritage site in the historical city of George Town, the world’s smallest national park and unarguably the best street food in Asia.  On the plus side, Penang is a very small island and you can easily drive around it in just under two hours.

Day 1 – exploring town:

“Sacrifice” your free breakfast and head out to a nearby al fresco food court or coffee shops to try some local breakfast favourites – Kueh Teow Tung (chicken noddle soup), nasi lemak (coconut rice with spicy fish curry) and roti canai (a Southern Indian Pancake).  Wash these down with a sweet iced coffee or tea.  Fresh tropical fruit juice are also great thirst quenchers!

Roam the streets of George Town and take in the sights of Little India, the various museums, temples, art gelleries, wet markets and clan house.  Tired of walking? Hop on a trishaw, sit back and take in the sights.  Most trishaw peddlers are friendly guides and can give you a decent commentary as well as top tips on where to eat.  Penang’s wide variety of food is the result of many cultural influences including, Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian and Thai.

After lunch, head over to the Botanical Garden - the oldest botanical gardens in SE Asia – to enjoy a gentle stroll.  Just outside the Garden’s front gate is  a jeep taxi service that takes passengers up to the top of Penang Hill (the funicular railway will be closed until November 2010).  Penang Hill offers great panoramas of the island and is a good escape from Penang’s heat and humidity.

Penang really comes alive at night and the seafront restaurants and watering holes along Gurney Drive are perfect places to watch the crowds go by.  For some late night shopping, Gurney Plaza offers everything you would expect of an international shopping mall.  Upper Penang Road and Tanjung Marina in Georgetown are also popular nightspots with the locals.

Day 2 – Green Penang

To see a more laid-back side of Penang , rent a car or scooter and motor off to the Penang National Park at the tip of Teluk Bahang.  The scene drive will take you past the beaches of Batu Ferringhi (Penang’s bustling tourist belt) and the more secluded beaches of Teluk Bahang.

There are plenty of junle trekking routes to choose from at the National park office ranging from gentle walks to more challenging hikes – the National park contains six habitats 0- a meromictic lake (a lake that occurs seasonally, where there is a distinct layering of fresh water and salt water), wetlands, mangroves, mudflats, coral reefs and turtle nesting beaches.

For a more leisurely way to pass the day, visit the Tropical Spice Garden to get close with hundreds of varieties of tropical spices, fauna and flora.  Watch the sun set at one of the Batu Ferringh’s many beachside bars and restaurants and in the evening visti the famours night markets.

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1)The Abraj Al Bait Towers are under construction in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is expected to be 601m (1,972 ft) tall when completed in 2011.It will then become the second-tallest building in the world. It will also be a building with the largest building in the world with a floor area of 1,500,000 m2 (16,150,000 sq ft) and the tallest hotel in the world.

2)The Tokyo Sky Tree under construction in Tokyo’s Sumida district is expected to be 634m (2,080 ft) tall. It will be a broadcasting tower to replace the old Tokyo Tower. Construction began in 2008 and completion is expected in 2011, with public access in the spring of 2012.

3)The Pentominium, under construction in Dubai, is expected to be 516m (1,693 ft) tall and have 120 floors. When completed, it would be the tallest all-residential building in the world. Construction began in 2007 and completion is expected in 2013.

4)The Shanghai Tower, under construction in Shanghai, next to the Shanghai World Financial Center and the Jin Mao Building, is expected to be 632m (2,073 ft). Completion is expected in 2014.

5) India Tower is under construction in Mumbai’s Marine Lines, is expected to be 720m (2,360 ft) tall. It is design for use as a hotel and residential. Construction comment started in 2010 and it is expected to be completed by 2016

Click here:  Malaysia Garden of Light City

Click here: to find out attarction at “Rice Bowl of Malaysia”

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Selangor|The Heart of Peninsular Gateway of Malaysia

The architecture ingeniously combines elements of traditional Chinese culture with the modern architectural styles of the time, which makes it one of the well-constructed buildings in China.
(Image by Rocking Fact)

click here:  Beautiful island in Malaysia :  Pearl of the Orient.  This Island been identified by Yahoo Travel as “Top 10 Island to Explore Before You Die”

click here:  To view  Morrish Islamic architecture bridge in Malaysia