Cafe scenic is set in a vast garden ground with wooden houses and pavilions that give a bit of a kampung aura to the cafe.  The stained glass windows didn’t look too striking when I am looking at it from the outside, yet the effect that it created was a resplendent warmth when I entered the cafe.    

The wheels from the pushcart are great center pieces in various parts of the cafe.

The wheels make lovely chandeliers.  My favorite painting in the cafe is just behind the wheels, with a golden harvesting scene.

The wheel makes pretty unique patterns for the windows too.

The exterior of the cafe doesn’t seem too “scenic” so the “scenic” part must be inside the cafe – appropriately so with lots of paintings and arts on the walls.

Cafe Scenic’s menu embraces the kampung ideology too with a mixture of Malaysian food like laksa, ayam percik with nasi kerabu, nasi gulai ikan kerapu , and western dishes such as pasta, steak and lamb shanks.  Soup & salad range from RM 10 – 18, and mains range from RM 19 – RM 45.

The grilled chicken smothered with rich mushroom sauce that sat atop a bed of French fries was excellent (RM 29).  The lightly peppery skin still sizzled when my knife cut through the slices.  Would have been nice to have a bit more French fries.

The seafood aglio olio (RM 24) was average.  Seafood was fairly fresh but too bad they seemed to have been blanched in water before tossing together with the spaghetti instead of being stir fried with aromatics – I could still taste the water retained in the seafood.  The chili flakes were a bit flat in taste while it did add some prettiness to the dish.

The classic English dessert trifle was very tempting, especially when it is packed in a cute little jar like that (RM 9).  In layers of moist sponge cake, canned fruits, custard and jelly, the taste didn’t wow me too much – I think I would liked it better with the use of fresh fruits and a more natural flavored jelly.

Here are a few more details I like about the cafe – coconut lamp,

and this awesome long seat- it’s subtle, yet all individualistic with all its pores that seem to have a story behind each and every one of them.

More Info
Pork Free
Scenic Cafe Facebook
Address : Lot 49364 Jalan Raja Dihilir (Tambun Road), 30350 Ipoh, Perak
Tel : +605 5488 116
Opening Hours : 11 am – 10.30 pm.  Closed on Wednesdays.

Tittle Tattle Houzz Cafe is a lovely place to enjoy a nice cuppa with its whimsical butterflies and playful atmosphere.    Serving simple pastas, sandwiches and coffee, the pricing is slightly more affordable than other fancy cafes. 

Comfortable sofas and cushy chairs are really inviting.

The patchwork sofa has an old-schooled charm to it.

Seats at the porch.

The cafe has a few fun corners – with a heart made of comic strips behind the ordering counter,

air-conditioners camouflaged in music sheets, scrabble tiles on the wall,

and a mouse’s residence with hanging laundry.

My foamy capuccino (RM 8) was sprinkled with unsweetened chocolate powder that read “TT” (for Tittle Tattle) and I loved the Tiffany blue cup that it came in.

Two unconventional ingredients – creamy guacamole and rice cracker were put together to create an unexpected sparkle (RM 6).  Toasting the rice cracker before serving to make it crispier would have been perfect.

The quiche was also served rather unconventionally in a cup – and hence the name quiche-in-a-mug (RM 8).  It was well balanced with egginess and cheesiness, and it had bacon bits and diced onions that gave an aromatic whiff.

I left Tittle Tattle Houzz Cafe with a 95 % satisfaction – only to realize that I needed to discount the satisfaction 20 minutes later – as I felt quite thirsty, possibly from some MSG being used.  I thought the ingredients used were robust and should be able to stand alone without the help of MSG – I guess a 95 % satisfaction was too good to be true.

More Info
Tittle Tattle Houzz Cafe Facebook
Address : 17, Jalan Medan Ipoh 3, Bandar Baru Medan, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Opening Hours : 11 am – 5 pm.  Closed on Mondays.

Cafe de Eight is located in a small lane in Ipoh old town that exudes a poetic atmosphere.   Its Chinese name is literary too – 8 号咖啡洞 – which translates to “Coffee Cave No. 8″, definitely a name from someone who reads too many books or watch too many movies.  Cafe de Eight is discrete with a tiny little sign and you might even miss is as it is hidden among wholesale stores.  

Besides the “old and chic” motif which is seriously a tad overused by now, Cafe de Eight has added in its own character with books and movie-inspired items and murals.  I think I am probably from the same era as the owner as I am familiar with some of the Chinese books on the shelf- with a mix of romance, thriller and history.

The movie stuff is kind of from my time too. Pulp Fiction painting, posters of Before Sunrise, and Forrest Gump ring a bell ! Only that the Forrest Gump here seems a bit confused about what coffee to drink instead of what to do about his future.

The collage made of 365 pieces of pockets of various colors is the center of attraction.  Each pocket is a particular date (indicated by dates on the x axis and months on the y axis), you drop a piece of postcard in a pocket and that postcard will get sent to the desired address on the desired date in the future.

I like the idea – a nostalgic cafe with a futuristic approach.

Postcards can be purchased from the counter.

Cafe de Eight serves some pretty affordable meals with pastas and burgers from RM 12 – Rm 14, sandwiches from RM 5- 8 and drinks from RM 4 – 12).  I just hope they won’t increase price later on.

I was glad I ordered the pork burger as it was fantastic (RM 14) ! I was expecting either pork patty or pork fillet in the burger – well it was a big chunk of deep-fried pork patty with a crispy crust, all moist and juicy inside, sandwiched with cheese, pineapple and lettuce.

The burger is easily one of the best in town with its secret weapon -crunchy deep fried pork lard.  Definitely will return for the burger.

Non-alcoholic mojito was a good choice with the burger – most likely in the combination of lemon juice, sprite and crushed mint leaves.

Enjoy more photos below :)

More Info
Non – Halal
Cafe de Eight Facebook
Address : No 8., Jalan Koo Chong Kong, Ipoh, Perak.
Tel : +605 241 2758
Opening Hours : Mon – Wed, Fri 10 am – 7 pm (closed on Thursdays), Sat- Sun 8.30 am – 6pm.

Wihan Phramongkhon Bophit is a fully restored temple since 1957 with history that dates back to the 1600’s.  It enshrines one of the largest Buddha statue in Thailand- Phra Mongkhlon Bophit, with a total height of 16.95 meters tall.   It is located right next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet so the two places can be visited together in one go.  

The buddha statue was thought to be originally constructed in 1538 during the time when the Ayutthaya Kingdom flourished.  It was badly damaged when the Burmese attached Ayutthaya and it is today restored to its former glory.

The statue height is 12.45 m tall, lap width is 9.55 m wide and the base is 4.50 m high.

The rest of the temple is filled with smaller buddha statues in gold leaves.
More Info from History of Ayutthaya
Address : Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand
No Entrance Fee Required.
Getting to Ayutthaya : Take the BTS Skytrain to Victory Monument, and take the mini vans to Ayutthaya.  The vans leave when they get filled up within 15 – 30 minutes.

Ernest Zaracharevic and Old Town White Coffee teamed up to add an artsy vibe to Ipoh’s old town.  The murals and wall arts are reflections of Ipoh’s past and present, drawn on perfect canvases of tattered and worn walls.  Total of seven murals are drawn and they are simply brilliant.    

It all started off as a small packet of kopi-o as a sneak preview, painted on a blue-white checkered metal door.  You might just walk past it, thinking it’s somebody’s drink hanging there.

Location : opposite Kong Heng Kopitiam, Jalan Bandar Timah.

1.  Kopi-O Mural 



Then the kopi-o packet got super sized and became giant kopi-o’s, dangling happily and dancing away at the top of the wall.  Mind you they are ICE kopi-o’s as you can see the water droplets on the packet.

Location : At the car park opposite Maybank, Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

2. Old Man Drinking Coffee  
White coffee is part of Ipoh’s heritage.  Roasting  for the past 60 years and still ongoing, it is served in many traditional coffee shops in Ipoh.  The old man looks intrigued – perhaps amused by the revitalization of Ipoh’s old town?

Location : On the side wall of Oldtown White Coffee’s branch at Ipoh Padang, Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

3.  Two Kids on a Paper Plane


Just a little further down the same road is the mural of two kids on a paper plane.  I am sure everyone played with a paper plane at some point during childhood – except that I never played with one so big I could actually sit in it !

Location : Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

4.  Little Girl and Bird Cage

Another children related mural is the little girl reaching for the bird cage.

Location : Jalan Bandar Timah.

5.  Tin Dredge and Tin Mining


The tin dredge mural is my favorite because tin mining was a major industry once upon a time and very much of Ipoh’s prosperity was linked to it.  Black and white add a sense of time to the past glory of tin mining, yet history still lingers, sometimes appearing as a subtle reminder in road names such as Jalan Leong Sin Nam, named after a wealthy tin mine owner.

Location : Jalan Panglima

The TT5 Tin Dredge is one of the very last remaining tin mines in Malaysia is in Batu Gajah, about 30-40 minutes drive from Ipoh.

6.  Old Man with Trash 
Perhaps Ernest Zacharevic got his inspiration from this uncle here?

Location : at the small lane behind Jalan Market.

7. Humming Bird    The humming bird mural could not be more suitably located as it is right underneath a pigeon hole – a cute contrast when a real pigeon flies in and out from the hole, right above his larger-than-life mural counterpart.

Location : At the car park on Jalan Panglima.  (the car park is directly behind the car park where the kopi-o mural is drawn)

Coffee Tag is another new place to enjoy coffee in a simplistic industrial chic outlet in Ipoh Garden South.  Coffee is the main thing here with some adventurous coffee concoctions like durian coffee and nutella coffee.  There are even more choices for coffee than food.  

I had a difficult time trying to decide to go with the durian coffee or nutella coffee (alsoknown as “Naughty” Coffee in Coffee Tag).  In the end, I went with durian because it’s seasonal and nutella will always be waiting.  

Durian coffee (RM 10) is extremely intricate, with flavors of pungent and creamy durian intertwined with a fairly robust coffee brew.

Chicken curry with bread (RM 14) is not too bad.  The bread is sliced delicately with a pleasurable chewy texture, whether eaten on its own, or dipped into the chicken curry and mopping up the curry sauce.   The bread reminisces weakly of a French baguette but it’s not quite there yet as the crust still needs to be crispier.  The curry is a tad too mild with scant chicken pieces.

Banana chocolate chip muffin is all cute and lacey, presented in a cup with alternating blue strips.  It’s light and fluffy, hardly sweet with the chocolate chips being the major contributors of sweetness while almond slices add a crunchy texture.  The banana flavor could have been stronger for this otherwise lovely dessert.

Other seating areas in Coffee Tag.

Overall a pleasant place for coffee which I wold go back again considering their coffees are not too pricey within the range of Rm 5.5 to Rm 10.  The food has plus and minus points with the overall tastes and flavors being too mild.

More Info
Coffee Tag Facebook
Address : Lot 5G, Ipoh Garden Plaza, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah Utara, Taman Ipoh Selatan, Ipoh, Perak.
Tel : +605 545 3426
Opening Hours : 10 am – 6pm.  Closed on Wednesdays.

Morganfield’s is an American casual dining restaurant.  It’s not an American franchise but it has replicated the American dining experience in terms of  atmosphere, the classic American dishes and the interior design.   So well that you might just think you have been teleported to America for dinner.   

It is retro and it caters to everyone from the family-friendly cozy seats,

to the elegant bar for those that love a bit of booze.

The menu is an eye candy with the food that came to our table looking more or less as illustrated on the menu.

Our blended coolers are refreshing concoctions.  The Begonia (RM 12.90) has a pleasant sour note, infused with flavors of kiwi, strawberries , apples and lime.  The Virgin Apple Mojito (RM 14.90) is a little less exciting as it is the drink I order when I don’t know what to drink but it’s still a good old favorite.

The Onion Blossom (RM 14.90) is a work of art – coated with a crunchy batter, the thinly sliced onion that remain adjoined with neighboring pieces is best eaten with the smoky BBQ sauce.  The crispiness is almost that of potato chips.  The only thing is, it’s a bit oily.

It’s all about the ribs at Morganfield’s.  We had two classic rib dishes – Full Slab Sticky Bones (RM 69.90) smothered with sticky, smoky and distinctive hickory BBQ sauce.  It’s all glossy and enticing – best eaten with hands, pulling the soft ribs apart easily, generating sheer satisfaction and you get to lick your fingers afterwards.  The French fries here are worth a mention too – fried till crisp with a fluffy inside.

The baby back ribs (RM 49.90) are of imported meat from Iberico pigs from Spain, glazed in a sweet sauce consisting of Jack Daniels.  The baby back ribs are even softer than the sticky bones that they easily melt in your mouth.  It’s too soft even; I still  favor the sticky bones that’s just a tad tougher with more texture.

We ended our meal with two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon and volcanic chocolate lava cake topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel (RM 15.90).  Warm chocolate sauce oozed out from the moist cake, and nothing can go wrong with the chocolate and vanilla combo.  It’s very very sweet – but that’s pretty much the kind of sweetness you would get in America.

More interior photos of Morganfield’s.

Morganfield’s currently has a 20% discount on food and dessert excluding alcoholic beverages, if you make a reservation through www.Offpeak.my. Our bill came up to about RM 180 (excluding wine) , so a 20 % discount would be a value saving of RM 36. The discount is applicable from Monday to Friday, 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm, excluding eve and the day of public holidays. Find out more about Offpeak here.  

More Info
Morganfield’s Facebook
Address : C4.03.00, Level 4, Pavilion KL Shopping Mall.

www.Offpeak.my is an all new dining concept in Malaysia that launched on 18th of August 2014 and already with more than 60 restaurants offering various kinds of discount.  To name a few, the restaurants include Morganfield’s at various outlets, La Bodega and The Burger Factory.  The concept works like this – restaurants are offering discounts through the website to patrons at certain time slots, for example 2pm to 5pm.  Different restaurants offer discounts at different time slots so basically it’s dining discounts throughout the day.    

To try out www.Offpeak.my, I booked Morganfield’s in Pavilion, which is offering a 20% discount on food bill (excluding alcoholic beverages) from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday.  My friend and I ate a lot considering there were only two of us – we ate blooming onion, full slab signature sticky bones, baby back ribs in Jack Daniel sauce, chocolate lava cake; drank two coolers and two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon.  The food bill was about RM 180 (excluding wine) but thanks to the 20% discount, it was a good deal at RM 144, a saving of RM 36 that was well worth it.

The website is straight forward and easy to use.  You can search for restaurants via restaurant name, location and cuisine.

Once you have found the desired restaurant, click into it and the discount details will appear on the right hand side, which is also where you would enter your reservation details by indicating number of pax, date of visit and the specific hour of visit.  Do read the fine prints carefully as different restaurants may have different offers – some may have discounts on all food and drinks, while others may have discounts on specific menus.

Then, sign in with a Facebook account, or register to create a new account.

And voila, the booking confirmation pops up, which is also sent as an email to your inbox.

Currently, booking through www.offpeak.my is a service that is free of charge.  So make use of this freebie while you can.

**With Thanks to offpeak.my for extending the invitation to me.  All opinions and pictures are my own.

 Chokodok Reggae House Cafe & Backpackers  is an eye catching piece located on Hugh Low Street just opposite the police station.  The facade is painted with representative colors of green, yellow and red, also found in the cafe itself with images of the late, phenomenal Reggae singer Bob Marley.   It’s a halal cafe so it’s good news to our Muslim friends as a good number of cafes in Ipoh are pork free or non-halal.  

With an eclectic mix of DIY wood furniture, bamboo furniture, old-fashioned floor tiles, Chokodok has that chillaxing atmosphere, like the kind you feel when you hear reggae music.

Even the dudes that work there seem to be taking things easy.  It was too bad that there was no reggae music being played to complete the whole reggae mood.

Chokodok serves a mix of Malaysian and Western cuisines like nasi goreng,  nasi kampung, burgers and chicken chop, fairly reasonably priced without any addition charges for tax and service.

I wanted to try the nasi goreng but it was unavailable during my visit so I resorted to the chicken chop (RM 19) which is a decent piece of succulent meat that’s lightly charred and topped with peppery gravy.

Milo (RM 3) can’t go wrong because it’s Milo, but I should have told them no sugar.

I was at the cafe at about 6 pm, which was still quite hot.  Other than that the experience was an enjoyable one.  Looking forward to try the nasi goreng there at night when it’s  much cooler.

Enjoy more photos of the the cafe interior below.

More Info
Halal.
Address : Jalan Sultan Iskandar, Taman Jubilee, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.  (opposite the police station)
Opening Hours :   5.30 pm to 12 am.

Potpourri House Cafe is located behind and adjoined to the Adonis Birdal House.  In romantic white with sweet floral motifs, the cafe has a blissful atmosphere about it, especially with couples taking their pre-wedding photos beside the cafe.  The cafe serves western cuisine and dining at night in the garden grounds is beautiful.  

The cafe is elegant with the white grand piano and lovely decorations.  It would have been nice to just lightly scent the cafe so it lives up to its name of “potpourri”.

The Smoked Duck Spaghetti has an intriguing addition of fresh shitake mushrooms, which gives the dish an oriental twist (RM 21.80).  The duck slices are sumptuous, rich in flavor and there are many more pieces hiding beneath the three pieces that you see at the top.  (I am beginning to suspect that Patisserie Boutique, B.E.D and Potpourri House Cafe all buy the smoked duck from the same supplier as the smoked duck slices taste similar?)

The lime and orange fusion tea is a bit meh – too plain and hardly distinctive (RM 12.80).

A different section of the cafe.

Potpourri House Cafe carries light meals like burger, spaghetti and tortilla wrap in the range of RM 15 – RM 22, which is still in an acceptable range that’s a tad more expensive than most other cafes in Ipoh. Their mains such as salmon and steak are pricey in the range of RM 38 – RM 58.

More Info
Pork Free.
Potpourri House Cafe Facebook
Address : No 2, Jalan Woodward, Ipoh, Perak.  (Behind Adonis Bridal House that’s behind Heritage Hotel.
Tel:  +605-2546886
Opening Hours :  11 am – 10.30, closed on Mondays, except public holidays.

Basked in sunlight by day, moonlight by night, the reclining Buddha, “Phra Buddhasaiyart”, draped in yellow cloth at 37 m long sleeps peacefully on a lotus pillow.  While Wat Lokayasutharam is categorized as a temple, the temple grounds are barely visible.    

The Buddha itself and the tilting prang behind him are the only recognizable remains of the temple.

The miniature Buddha and Buddha’s feet are favorite places for devotees to place gold foil during their prayers.

More Info
Getting to Ayutthaya : Take the BTS Skytrain to Victory Monument, and take the mini vans to Ayutthaya.  The vans leave when they get filled up within 15 – 30 minutes.

Duolun Cultural Street (多伦路名人街) is lined with rows of beautifully manicured trees that has exquisite fusion of architectural styles combining Chinese, South East Asian, European and Islamic influences all in one street.  It is quiet and does not have the busy vibe nor the crowd like the rest of Shanghai and it’s the ideal place for those that like to go off the beaten path. Statues of famous writers and activists such as Lu Xun and Mao Dun, are erected on this road not by coincidence as these were the people that resided on this street, or in the vicinity of Hongkou district where Duolun Street is situated.  Each statue has a placard that gives a brief explanation about the person.    

This is the statue of Lu Xun (鲁迅, 1881 – 1936) and his disciples.  He is the founder of the New Cultural Movement and a pioneer in modern Chinese literature.

Uchiyama Kanzo, a life-long friend of Lu Xun.  Kanzo published many of Lu Xun’s books and also played a role in protecting Lu Xun during the revolution period.

Mao Dun (矛盾 1896 – 1981), also an activist and a leader in the  New Cultural Movement.

Ye Sheng Tao (叶圣陶 1894 – 1988), a writer and publisher.

Rou Shi (柔石1902 – 1931)- an activist and educator.

Qu Qui Bai (瞿秋白 1899 – 1935) – a prominent leader in the Communist Party.

The first half of the street is mostly of Chinse or Chinese-European architecture, with the most eye-catching building being the unusual Hongde Church (鸿德堂) built in Chinese architecture.

No. 66 on Duolun Street was built by the Xue family in the 1960’s with an European influence.

The second half of the street is mostly Chinese architecture or a fusion with south east Asian or Islamic concepts.

I like this part of the street that has traditional buildings, red framed windows and old-fashioned geometric patterns on the walls and railings. Images of iconic writers are carved onto the walls, making this part of Duolun Street a bit like an art gallery.

Another section of the street with traditional buildings and a nostalgic aura.


You can do a bit of shopping here – which is mostly along the lines of antiques and books. Quaint cafes and tea houses are dotted along the street as well.

Notable buildings on this part of the street include the Residence of Kung Hsiang Hsi, No. 250 (孔公馆) with Islamic influences.   He was a powerful politician and banker during the revolution period and he married one of the famed Song sisters, Song Ai Ling.

No. 145 on Duolun Street was built in the 1920’s with South East Asian influences and it used to be the dorm of University of China Arts.

One of the entrances into Duolun Street.

The Duolun Art Museum is located along the same street so swing by if you are a fan of arts.

More Info
Address: Duolun Lu, Hongkou District, Shanghai
Getting there : Take Metro Line 3, exit at Dongxing Baolu Station (东兴宝路站).

The most prominent feature of Wat Phu Khao Thong, or Temple of Golden Mountain, is the marvelous square-based stupa.  The temple is thought to be established by King Ramesuan in 1387, built to commemorate victory over the Burmese army.  The temple grounds also consist of an active monastery in the vicinity. 

In front of the stupa, there is a small altar with many rooster figurines on it – I am not quite sure if the roosters are a subject of worship but it was an interesting sight.

Wat Phu Khao Thong was the last ruin that I visited on my day trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya so unfortunately I didn’t get to explore this one too much.  It would have been nice to climb the stairs and see the view.

Getting there : Ayutthaya can be easily visited as a day trip from Bangkok. You can take the sky train to the Victory Monument Station’ he mini vans station is just across from Victory Monument Station.  The mini buses leave once they get filled up.  Rate is about 120 Baht per person.  Journey is 1.5 Hours.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a little medieval town that is almost too beautiful to be true. Known for its exhilarating Christmas Markets, it also served as an inspiration for Disney’s Pinocchio and parts of the movie Harry Porter and the Deathly Hallows were filmed there.  It’s 1.5 hours away from Nuremburg and easily reached by train.     

At the splitting point of Castle Road and Romantic Road, it is one of the rare places that was not completely destroyed during World War II like Nuremburg and Dresden. Rothenburg was only partially destroyed because the U.S Assistant Secretary of War, John J. McCloy, recognized its beauty, offering to not bomb the rest of town in exchange for surrender.  The then town mayor Thömmes accepted and the town is now so well preserved that it is reliving the medieval experience from more than 1000 years ago.

The amazing “megastructure” of Rothenburg is the original, intact city walls that circumference the town from tower to tower.  The above tower is the gun powder power.

There are many access points to various towers and it is possible to circle the town by walking on the narrow pathway on the city wall.

This is the Roder Tower; it’s the closest entrance into town if you are coming by train.

In splendid colors, timber-framed houses adorned with flowers on the windows make this immaculate town very fairy-tale like.

The signages too are gorgeous to marvel at.

Rothenburg is quite small and easily strolled around by foot.  If you have a bike, it would have been nice but not necessary.  One of the first places you will encounter is Market Square, where boutique stores and cafes flourish.

Notable buildings in this area include the Town Hall with two distinctive architectural styles – Gothic at the rear and Renaissance at the front.  The former City Councilors Tavern with the clock is now the Tourist Information Office located right next to the Town Hall.

The Historical Vaults are underneath this building, providing insights to 30 years of war in the dungeons.

The Meat and Dance House (on the left) once held dual fuctions where dances were held on the top floor while meats were sold downstairs by the butcher and hence aptly named. St Mary’s Pharmacy is on the right.   Geroge’s Spring is rightin front of the two buildings.

St Jacob’s Church.

Kathe Woflhahrt’s Christmas Store is in the same vicinity with a life-sized wooden nutcracker soldier at the entrance to greet you.  I don’t celebrate Christmas yet entering the store, seeing all the glowing ornaments, wooden toys, giant neon Christmas trees, it was quite magical.  Some parts of the store are completely dark with flickering light bulbs, and figurines of Santa Claus and his reindeers are sleighing across the ceiling, it is instantly Christmas no matter which time of the year you visit.

  
Most part of the store does not allow photography, so you’ll have to see the fantasy yourself.  The Christmas Museum is adjacent to Kathe Wohlfahrt.

A popular dessert you would find all over town is the “schneeballe”, or snowball.  Cafes are selling them at every corner and I just could not resist buying one.  It’s a ball of deep-fried pie crust, coated with chocolate that’s just the right size to hold in my palm.  As yummy as it looks, I didn’t enjoy it that much as the pie crust was not crisp enough, a tad mushy and the chocolate was way too sweet.  It was filling – I couldn’t finish one on my own and what was supposed to be a snack became my lunch.

Another popular snack would be these giant pretzels that are even bigger than my face.

Moving to the left of Market Square is the ash-pink St John’s Church, with the hybrid cement and wooden structure being the fish pond – where they kept fish in the old days.

The Criminal Museum is just behind the church.

As scary as the Criminal Museum may sound, the baroque garden and the vineyard behind it may ease a bit of eeriness.

Moving a little further down, the “Plonelein” and the Siebers Tower are a favorite spot for shutterbugs – probably one of the most photographed places in Rotherburg.

By this point, a lot of people stop exploring further to the spital tower and spital bastion, as there are no shops in that area and it seemed very quiet there.  I actually quite liked this part of town without the hustle and bustle.

The Spital Bastion has a Latin inscription at the entrance – “Pax intrantibus salus exeuntibus” – which translates to “Peace to those who enter, in good health to those who leave”.

Designed in a figure of eight with two inner circular courtyards, the Spital Bastion is the strongest fortification the town has.

Inside Spital Bastion.



Other buildings in the vicinity include the, Stoberlien Tower, a small arena,

the Holy Ghost Church,

the infirmary quarters that once took care of the sick and the poor,

and the cute yellow building, the Hetereiter House, was where the infirmary kitchen was on the ground floor, and where the infirmary manager stayed on the first floor.

Moving to the castle gate on the west, the area is on high ground with beautiful gardens that overlooks the Tauber Valley, which is also essentially where Rothenburg ob der Tauber got its name from.

It is called the Castle Gate but the castle no longer exists as it was destroyed by earthquake in 1356.  The mask the remains on the gate wall is the defense mechanism back in the old days, where hot tar was poured onto the intruders through the mouth.

As charming as Rothenburg is, it also had some terrifying Jewish history even before the times of Nazi Germany.  The Jews were brutally burnt to death in 1928.  The Jews suffered mostly an ill-fate through out the years, sometimes coexisting with Christians, sometime they were expelled from the city and by the time Hitler came into the picture, the Jews were were completely wiped out in Rothenburg.  The square memorial, depicting Jews in flames now stands in front of St Blais Chapel.

Rothenberg ob der Tauber was truly enthralling and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Don’t fall asleep while you are on the train getting there or coming back, because the country side with flat plains and yellow flower fields are just as enchanting.

Enjoy more photos below :)

More Info
Rothenburg Tourism Website
Getting there (from Nuremburg by Train) : Requires at least one transfer at Ansbach.  Trains leave Nuremburg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber frequently.  Check Deutche Bahn for train details.

Ketps is a cafe with almost 100 % emphasis on desserts and coffee.  In addition, the coffee served are a bit more “engaging” with DIY coffee art and 3D coffee art.  A lot of girls (and boys perhaps?) will be really excited to have a go at DIY coffee art and falling in love with the bubbly, foamy 3D characters.  The desserts are pretty-looking with some creativity, but I am not too into them in terms of flavor.  

We took the set combo (RM 45), which includes one coffee for DIY art, one 3D coffee, two desserts and a complimentary mini tiramisu.  The coffee for DIY art arrived “kosong”, with a white-foamed surface, and a small tub of melted chocolate with a tooth pick.  So I had my very first go at coffee art,  where I wrote “Hello There !!” with my terrible “chocolate writing” using the tooth pick.

The two little 3D piggies having a mud bath seemed to be enjoying themselves.  I think the set combo is pricey, probably due to the 3D coffee.  I had one in Cafe 55 in Penang and it was RM 15.

Both desserts are well presented with a nouveau mix of ingredients.  The mango mousse had peanut bits and an ooze of mango puree was hiding within which was a nice surprise.  It was definitely eye-candy, but the mousse was heavy and I am not a big fan of the mango and peanut combo.

The dense panna cotta was carried in a charming wine glass, in alternating layers of lychee jelly and panna cotta, which are essentially two items with mild flavors, and neither is making each other stand out.

The tiramisu despite being complimentary, it was my favorite among all the desserts. Simple and classic.  The chocolate sponge cake was moist, soaked in alcoholic liquor, topped with mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder.

The cafe’s basic interior.

Overall the coffee was not bad; coffee art and 3D coffee was fun; and I expected more of Ketps’ desserts since coffee and desserts are their two only fortes.

More Info
Non Halal (desserts contain alcohol)
Ketps Cafe Facebook
Address : No. 22-22a, Jalan Medan Ipoh 4, Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, Ipoh 31400, Perak, Malaysia.
Opening Hours : Mon – Thurs 3pm – 12 am.  Fri, Sat 1pm – 1am.  Sun 1pm – 11 pm.

LC n LY cafe is not located in your usual prime areas in Ipoh like old town, but in the Falim industrial area on the way to Menglembu.  Thanks to that, the food here is decently priced and nett-priced.  The menu consists of a good selection of local and western food; it’s the typical kind of Ipoh cafe menus before the advent of boutique cafes.  

I like the new idea of having pink ink written on the mirrors as menu instead of the chalkboard menu which is almost becoming a pre-requisite for any new cafes.

I’ve had too much pasta and chicken chops lately so I went for the Fried Rice with XO sauce (RM 10.50).  It was a good stir-fry with sausage slices, diced vegetables and it had an intense “wok hei”; like the one you would get as the last course at a wedding dinner from a good Chinese restaurant.

I had an extra bit of bliss when I drank my Mocha (RM 7.90) because of a very simple reason – it was served in a coffee cup much larger than the usual ones I have encountered, so I could enjoy the lingering smell and foamy brew a little longer.


The cafe’s interior is simple but refreshing.  New York and Paris seem to be their favorite cities.

Food is pretty affordable here with western meals mostly in the range of RM 9.90 – RM 20.90 with some premium dishes like cod-fish at RM 58.90; fried noodles (you can choose any kind) and fried rice are in the range of RM 7.50 to RM 13.90.

Coffee is from RM 4.90 to RM 7.90.  A few of them are at RM 15.90, confusingly named LC N LY Coffee, LCLY Coffee, LC Coffee and LY Coffee.  It turned out that these coffee consist of a bit of alcohol like whisky, brandy, etc – but I don’t know which one is which – so it’s something I look forward to try in the next visit.

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Address : 15 Persiaran Menglembu Suria, Pusat Perniagaan Mengleumbu Suria, 30200 Ipoh, Perak.
Opening Hours : Closed on Wednesdays.  Other days 11.45 am – 3pm, 5.30 pm – 10 pm.

With the opening of Nam Heong Food Court at Soho Complex, popular hawker food stalls are gathered under one roof, including Stadium Stall 18 Fried Koay Teow, “Pak Kong” (White House) Chicken Rice, K10 Fish Ball Noodles, Facey Noodle House and of course the famous dim sum and white coffee from Nam Heong itself.   It is a convenient and fashionable way to get a gist of Ipoh hawker food, housed in a stylish building, covered by rippling silver square tiles that are constantly displaying a varying facade with the ever-changing play of light and reflections.

All the food stalls are located at the ground floor, and there’s no need to walk among them, choosing the item of your desire.  All you need to do is go swiftly upstairs via the escalator, and order everything from the tablet equipped on every table.

Ordering hawker food has just gotten savvy, speedy and never been easier.  Gone were the days where the staff would come to your table to take order, be it kopi-o or teh-ais, and roar on that message to the back of the kitchen. Ordering is in real-time such that food is instantly labelled “unavailable” on the menu when it is finished, and made available again once replenished.

White Coffee from Nam Heong (RM 1.90).

Delicately-fluffy with BBQ chicken filling and a dash of white sesame seeds, the Chicken Puffs (RM 1.90 per piece) from Nam Heong are a hit with Ipohrians and out-of-towners alike; grabbed in no time as soon as they are out from the oven.

The curry noodles from Dong Gu Teng which I didn’t get to try as there were too many options on the table and it was finished before I got my hands to them;

Chicken Hor Fun (RM 6.20) is listed under “Tin Heong” , which made us curious of where exactly that is.  We suspect it is from “Thean Chun”, but perhaps a tad toned down in terms of flavor compared to the original one.

I must admit that this is the first time I have been distracted by too much food we ordered, and not keeping track of which original store the food came from – including the popiah (RM 2.50 per piece) – wrapping satiating proportions of sengkuang and crunchy bits in thin popiah skin with a dab of chili sauce; 
  
Sotong Kangkong smothered in sweet sauce and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts;

and Chee Chong Fun, where you choose your desired sauces like chili sauce, mushroom sauce, sweet sauce, white sesame seeds, etc, all through the tablet as well.

Old-fashioned wooden chairs, nostalgic floor tiles and a sleek interior design portray a marriage of the past and present.

The pricing is a tad more expensive than the original stores which I think is reasonable given the luxury of air-conditioning and trendy atmosphere.  Despite waiting systematically (numbers were given), with a crowd for a table, the turn over time was fast at about 15 minutes.  Food was served even faster.  Before you finish talking about the latest topic with your friends, the food would have already arrived at your table.

Just when I thought ordering hawker food through tablets all seems too advanced and maybe some of that hawker vibe is lost, I realized no napkins and tissue papers were provided.  We still had buy the small 30 cents packet of tissue, just like the good old days, so I guess that part of hawker food essence is kept.

More Info
Non Halal
Address : Block B, 2-14, Soho Ipoh, Jalan Sultan Iskandar Shah, 3000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

The Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremburg, or Documentation Center for short, is housed in the North Wing of the unfinished congress hall built by the National Socialist Party. Nuremburg being the home-base for the party, the unfinished congress hall is the largest architectural remains built by them and no other place would be more suitable to hold a permanent exhibit of “Fascination and Terror”, which showcases the rise and fall of Adolf Hilter, the progression of National Socialist movement and the crimes committed.  Special attention were given to events, things, people, architecture related to Nazi-ruled Nuremburg, with the Nuremburg trials being the closing chapter for this tormented piece of history. 

Different views of the congress hall.

The congress hall is situated in what is now today a park with a beautiful lake in the vicinity.

The left wing of the congress hall is the entrance to the museum.

The building is left as is, with the most part of it being concrete and bricks.

This part of the congress hall is made opulent with red-marbled pillars, reserved for celebration events for the National Socialists.

Hitler started off his political career being eager to help Germany change for the better after the First World War; where Germany was made to accept the Treaty of Versailles with conditions to make territorial concessions and repay for war damages which eventually led to Germany’s deteriorating economy.

With increasing political power, Hitler was well received and respected,  he reached a godly, messiah status with the Germans, where they fondly refer to him as the “Führer”. Hitler statue heads were mass produced so the common folks could keep a statue of him at home.

A copy of “Mein Kempf” (My Struggle), written by him while he was in jail.

His political success was no fluke; for he was a tactful, manipulative man that excelled at propaganda.  He took many considerations into account when constructing the congress hall and rally grounds.  The central road, known as the Great Road in the rally ground is a 2 km long road, aligned to the old Nuremburg castle, which signifies a connection of old Nuremburg glory and a (then) present Nuremburg lead by the National Socialist Party.  At Zepplin Field, a special lighting effect known as the “Cathedral of Lights” were shot into the sky during night Nazi rally parties, linking the notion of sacredness and solemness to Hitler.

A compelling image is the tens of thousands of soldiers, all lined uniformly, listening to their “Führer”.  Ironic too, when the “Führer” became one of the most evil man in mankind.

Hitler and the Nazi Party’s crimes against humanity were eventually exposed and there was a whole lot of information of who those people were;


and eventually trialed at the Nuremburg Trials.

At the end of the exhibition, there is a Jewish memorial with millions of cards scattered on railway tracks , each one with the name of a Jewish person and his or her life lost during Nazi’s reign.   The railway tracks were the most common way to send off the Jews to their doomed fate in concentration camps.

If you are in Nuremburg, the Documentation Center that entails one of the darkest piece of German history is not to be missed. Definitely fascinating, intriguing and terrifying.

More Info
Documentation Center Official Website
Address : Bayernstraße 110, 90478 Nuremberg, Germany
Tel : +49 (0) 911 231 7538
Opening Hours : Mon – Fri 9 am – 6 pm.  Sat – Sun 10 am – 6pm.
Entrance Fee : 5 Euros for adults.  See Documentation Center official Website for more detailed info.

Getting there : S2 Line to Docuzentrum Station.  (The journey is not long, about 10 minutes or so but it is on a commuter line, the trains are less frequent, so do check the schedule at DB Bahn for precise schedule).

The Zeppelin Field is an iconic landmark in Nuremburg at a massive size of 312 m x 285 m that’s bigger than 12 football fields.  The smaller podium that’s protruding from the main grand stand was where Hitler stood, conducting Nazi party rallies, speaking to hundreds of thousands of his soldiers.   

The field got its name as an air ship was landed at the location by Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin.

The original podium was much grander with pillars spanning from both sides of the main grand stand. The pillars had been removed as they were deemed unsafe.

The grand podium also once had a large swastika sign  that was bombed by the Americans which marked the end of Nazi era.

I couldn’t help but trace the path that Hitler might have walked.  First, up the stairs to enter the rear door at the main grand stand; pushing the central door open as if making a debut; walking down the stairs to the smaller podium and up four flights of stairs again; which all seems very dramatic.

And finally, he is on the podium, perhaps holding the railings, looking at the swastika-flag-encompassed-field that holds a capacity of 200,000 people, packed in silence and respect, waiting for him to start.

Zeppelin Field was even more sacred at night, designed with special effects to have lights shot up into the sky, creating a ritualistic and even somewhat holy aura.

The field has a few information boards that give you sufficient information about the field itself.  If you would like to know more about Nazi Germany history, it would be nice to visit the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds prior to visiting the field.

Enjoy more photos below.

More Info
The field is part of the Nazi party rally grounds.  It is within walking distances from the Documentation Center.
Getting there : S2 Line to Docuzentrum Station.  (The journey is not long, about 10 minutes or so but it is on a commuter line, the trains are less frequent, so do check the schedule at DB Bahn for precise schedule).

In popping colors of yellow and blue, Mustard Sandwich House Cafe serves humorously-named sandwiches like Cowboy Hotpants, French Kiss and Smoky Virgin.  Yellow has got to be an inevitable color at this cafe since it’s called “Mustard” Sandwich House Right? 

Chamomile tea is simple and soothing (RM 4.90).

I had to stir up the layer of chocolate syrup that’s hiding at the bottom of my Cafe Mocha (RM 9), unwilling messing up the coffee art during the process.  The cookie is a bit Famous-Amos-ish with a lesser crunch.

I picked the the Awesome Pig Sandwich (RM 15.90) to see if it’s really that awesome; well, it’s quite alright with a pretty salad that consists of red cabbage leaves, lettuce and alfalfa drizzled with tangy vinaigrette, Doritos chips and of course the poppy-seed-studded-charcoal-bun sandwich.

Awesome Pig is essential a “bacon” sandwich as described on the menu, so I was surprised when it wasn’t quite the streaky bacon I was expecting, but ham-like, pink, fleshy slices that would have been gorgeous if just grilled lightly to bring out extra flavor.  (Do you call this kind of meat bacon I wonder?)

There are two sections to the cafe.  The front section is fresh with clean-cut contours,  and the motivational posters are patting you at the back, telling you “it’s all right to eat more”.

You probably won’t realize there is a rear section embellished with geometric lines unless you decide to use the loo.  Choose to sit at the benches with cushions,

or at the coffee bar with an enormous wall full of framed coffee images.

Mustard Sandwich House is located on Jalan Chung Thye Phin, on the same road as Kinta Medical Center.  Looking forward to try the French Kiss Sandwich as it has a key ingredient that I am yet to savor – pig’s tongue.

More Info : Non Halal
Mustard Sandwich House Facebook
Address : No. 7 Jalan Chung Thye Phin, Ipoh, Perak.
Opening Hours : Mon, Wed – Sun : 8 am – 3 pm.