Chủ Nhật, 28 tháng 2, 2010

Jawa Mee & Char Kuey Tiaw at Jin Shan (金山) Kopitiam, Butterworth

Jin Shan (金山) Kopitiam (N5 24.851 E100 23.079) is located Taman Bagan, Butterworth - Penang Mainland. This is one of my favorite kopitiam at Butterworth which I will visit it every time...

The foods here are not Very good but most of them are above average. There are many stalls selling the authentic Penang foods. One of my favorite food is Jawa Mee (Noodle).

Jawa Mee, or Mee Jawa, is a Penang Nyonya-inspired noodle soup. Despite its name, Jawa Mee has its origin in the Peranakan kitchen far and away from Jawa. The type of Jawa Mee sold by hawkers has the noodle swimming in a transparent tomato-based gravy. It is topped with boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, one or two prawns, fritters, slices of beancurd, a sprinkling of fried grounded peanuts, and chilli paste to taste. Source from here.

Jawa Mee of Butterworth

It's very difficult to find a decent Jawa Mee at Johor Bahru area, most of the hawkers at JB are not really know what is 'Jawa Mee' and they normally sell 'Mee Rebus' to imitate this famous food of Penang!

Friends told me that there is another stall located along Jalan Raja Uda which is famous of the Jawa Mee, but I am not able to taste it in this trip. The Jawa Mee served in this kopitiam was above average, and I love to have it at least Once when I visit Butterworth.
Rated : 3.5/5

Char Kuey Tiaw of Jin Shan Kopitiam
Another famous food I ordered is Char Kuey Tiaw (Fried rice noodle) which is also very famous in Penang. Same as the noodle above, taste average.
Rated : 3/5

If you happen to pass by this kopitiam, don't mind to have a try on variety of Penang foods which serve here. It might not the best, but at least temporary ease your temptation of the delicious Penang Food! :)

Location of Jin Shan Kopitiam

Thứ Sáu, 26 tháng 2, 2010

Jewish Culture/Music/Etc Festivals 2010

 Posters for last year's Quarter6Quarter7 Hanukkah festival in Budapest. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber



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A number of Jewish culture festivals of all sorts take place around Europe in the spring and summer (and beyond). Some are dedicated just to music. Some to film. Others are much broader. As far as I know, there is no central web site where you can find information on all of them. I will begin to post information here on dates and venues. I ask my readers to please send me information to include!

The culture festivals and other smaller events make good destinations around which to center a trip. Some, like the annual Festival of Jewish Culture in Krakow, are huge events lasting a week or more, which draw thousands of people and offer scores or sometimes hundreds of performances, lectures, concerts, exhibits and the like. Other festivals are much less ambitious. Some are primarily workshops but also feature concerts. Many of the same artists perform at more than one festival.

 The list will be growing and growing -- and again,  I ask my readers to please send me information and links to upcoming events. Thanks!


ALL OVER EUROPE -- 11th annual European Day of Jewish Culture. The first Sunday in September -- Sept. 5. Events take place in nearly 30 countries. The theme this year is Art and Judaism.

AUSTRIA

April 22-27 -- Vienna --  Stay Jewish! (Film Festival)

October 14-November 14 -- Vienna -- Yiddish Culture Autumn (web site under construction)

November 6 -  21 -- Vienna -- KlezMORE festival (this year's program is not up yet)

CROATIA

Aug. 23-31 -- Opatija -- Bejahad 2010


CZECH REPUBLIC

July 8-11 -- Boskovice -- Boskovice Festival. Mainly jazz, but also an emphasis on Jewish culture, given the importance of the well-preserved former Jewish quarter, cemetery and Jewish museum in the restored synagogue.

July 29-31 -- Trebic -- Seventh edition of the Trebic Jewish Culture Festival, held in the Czech Republic's most extensive preserved former Jewish quarter

FRANCE

April 9 - July 18 -- Paris -- Radical Jewish Culture exhibit (and concerts), Jewish Museum

June 13-28 -- Paris --  6th Festival of Jewish Cultures

July 5-9 -- Paris -- Klezmer Paris festival Lots of workshops from an all-star international team of  musicians and teachers.

November 6-13 -- Lyons -- International Jewish Music Festival 

Nov.21-Dec. 13 -- Paris -- Jazz'n'Klezmer festival, 9th edition.

GERMANY

March 5-14  -- Fürth -- Fürth International Klezmer Festival (12th edition)

July 3-August 2  -- Weimar -- Yiddish Summer Weimar

October 17-31 -- Dresden -- The 14th Yiddish Weeks Dresden

November 20-30 -- Munich -- The 24th Jewish Culture Days, Munich (devoted this year to Jewish Berlin)

HUNGARY

April 2-4 -- Budapest -- Mini-Israeli-Film-Festival, Kino cinema club

August 5-8  -- Bank Lake -- Bankito Festival

August 26-Sept. 6 -- Budapest -- Jewish Summer Festival


 ITALY

 March 11 -- Barletta --  Festival Musica Judaica 2009-2010

April 17-21 -- Ferrara -- Festival of the Jewish Book in Italy


April 23-May 23; Sept. 26-Oct. 31 -- Casale Monferrato -- OyOyOy Festival

October 9-13 -- Rome -- International Festival of Jewish Literature

October 23-27 -- Rome -- Kolno'a Israeli Film Festival

NETHERLANDS

April  18-25    -- Leeuwarden -- Yiddish Festival Leeuwarden (takes place every other year)

Oct. 28-31 -- Amsterdam -- International Jewish Music Festival

POLAND

April 9-11 -- Warsaw -- Festival of New Jewish Music

April 20-25 -- Warsaw -- Jewish Motifs International Film Festival

May 23-28 -- Wroclaw -- 12th Simcha Jewish Culture Festival (note -- other events take place May 5-9, with the gala re-opening of the newly restored White Stork Synagogue)

May 15-23 -- Warsaw -- "Otwardatwarda" festival

May 23-26 -- Warsaw --  13th Jewish Book Fair

 June 13-19 -- Sejny -- Musicians' Raft

June -14-16 -- Bialystok -- Zahor Festival of Jewish Culture

June 19-20 -- Chmielnik -- The Eighth "Meetings with Jewish Culture" festival

June 22-26 -- Piotrkow Trybunalski -- Days of Judaism

June 26-July 4 --Krakow -- Festival of Jewish Culture --20th Edition!

 July 13-17 -- Kazimierz Dolny -- Klezmer Music Festival

July 23-25 -- Poznan -- 4th Tzadik Jewish Culture Festival

August 11 -- Lublin -- Shalom. Meetings with Jewish Culture

August 12-14 -- Rymanow -- Shabbat in Rymanow

August 28-Sept. 5 -- Warsaw -- Singer's Warsaw Jewish Culture Festival

October 4-6 -- Slupsk -- Meetings with Jewish Culture 

ROMANIA

May 24-27 -- Timisoara -- Jewish Culture Days


May 26-29 -- Bucharest -- Czech Nine Gates Festival

June 19-22 -- Sighet -- Sighet Jewish Festival

September 2-5 -- Bucharest -- World of Yiddish Festival

RUSSIA

March 29-April 4 -- Moscow -- Yiddish Fest


SWITZERLAND

March 6-April 25 -- Geneva - Printemps Sefarade

U.K.

Feb. 27-March 7 -- London -- Jewish Book Week

June 21-24 -- London -- Cantors Convention

August 8-13 -- London -- KlezFest

Ukraine

July 25 -- L'viv -- LvivKlezFest

October 3-10 -- Kharkov -- Days of Jewish Culture

Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 2, 2010

Chinese New Year 2010 at Bukit Gambir, Muar

Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is commonly called "Lunar New Year", because it is based on the lunisolar Chinese calendar. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year's Eve is known as chú xī. It literally means "Year-pass Eve". Sources from Wiki.

The period around Chinese New Year is also the time of the largest human migration, when migrant workers in China, as well as overseas Chinese around the world travel home to have reunion dinners with their families on Chinese New Year's Eve. More interurban trips are taken in mainland China in this 40-day period than the total population of China. This period is called chunyun (春運 or 春运, Pinyin: chūn yùn). Sources from Wiki.


After the reunion dinner, some families go to local temples, hours before the new year begins to pray for a prosperous new year by lighting the first incense (Joss Stick) of the year; however in modern practice, many households hold parties and even hold a countdown to the new lunar year. Sources from Wiki.

Big Dragon Joss Sticks are light up

I usually spent my Chinese (Lunar) New Year at Bukit Gambir - Muar once in 2 years. The routine is the same every year where everyone put on their New shirts and trousers after shower before having our Reunion dinner. Some families celebrate their Reunion during lunch. After the dinner, everyone are preparing for the Big day! Tables for praying, fire crackers and fireworks are in order.

Chinese New Year is the time to celebrate the family reunion and thanksgiving. Normally the Chinese will pray to gods for good luck, wealth and the family ancestors. The ceremony will take hours and follow by the burning the fire crackers and fireworks...

There are many items on the praying table...

Foods and others on the praying table



Once the clock hit 12 midnight on the Eve, everyone are ready...most of them will pray for luck, wealth, everything they want on the coming year...

Family members (include children) are ready for the praying ceremony

I'm always Love to capture the 'Fire' where all the joss sticks burns togerther...

The joss stick or another word 'Incense' burning...

After the praying ceremony, it's time everyone were waiting for...Fire crackers time!
They will burn as many as they can...

The common fire crackers on Chinese New Year

After the loud fire crackers noise on the Chinese New Year Eve (midnight), the show continue with the Fireworks!
Yes, you are right! It's a sleepless night!!

And you see all the children are happily holding the fireworks everywhere at this Serom and Bukit Gambir area.

The Chinese New Year atmosphere was very much better in the small towns or villages compare with the city area in Malaysia. I'm not sure about other country...
At this moment onwards, every Chinese are fill with Happy and Excitement!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Mythology
According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien (Chinese: pinyin: nián). Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nien ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people. One time, people saw that the Nien was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nien was afraid of the colour red. Hence, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nien. From then on, Nien never came to the village again. The Nien was eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nien became Hongjun Laozu's mount. Sources from Wiki.

Thứ Ba, 23 tháng 2, 2010

Poland -- old Jewish cemetery in Przemysl returned to Jewish ownership

An article in the Jerusalem Post on the return of a descrated, centuries-old Jewish cemetery to Jewish ownership. Nothing remains visible at the site except the broken frame of a gate.
The cemetery, located in the city of Przemysl, near Poland's border with the Ukraine, dates back to the 16th century and served local Jews, as well as those in nearby towns such as Jaroslav, Pruchnik, Kanczuga and Dynow, for hundreds of years.

But the Przemysl municipality, which took over the site following the end of World War II, resisted calls to return it.

At a meeting last week, however, Poland's government-backed Regulatory Commission, which resolves claims regarding Jewish communal property, instructed city officials to turn the cemetery over to Jewish control.

The decision marks a triumph for the Warsaw-based Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland, and especially for its president, Monika Krawczyk, who led the effort in recent years to recover the graveyard.

Hungary -- Update on Jewish Heritage Travel's Hungarian edition

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

I've been informed that the Hungarian language edition of "National Geographic Jewish Heritage Travel" will be launched at the Budapest International Book Festival in April. (I hope this is true, as the pub date has been postponed already a couple of times...)

For anyone in Budapest around that time, I am scheduled to give some sort of presentation at the Book Fair at 5 p.m. on April 23....The Hungarian edition is being published by the Hungarian branch of the parent publisher, National Geographic.

Each year the Budapest Book Fair honors one country, and this year it will be Israel, with special guest Amos Oz. He and I are to be among about 100 foreign authors from two dozen countries, as well as some 400 Hungarian authors who will be highlighted as part of readings, signings, talks, etc.

The Book Festival takes place in the Millenaris exhibition space.  It draws about 50.000 to 60.000 visitors annually and features tens of thousands of books.

Red Indian Show and Animal Musical Parade at A'Farmosa, Malacca

After our dinner, we proceed to the show area and waiting for the Red Indian Show & Animal Musical Parade at Cowboy Town of A'Farmosa.

 
Waiting for the Red Indian Show

The show started at 8.30pm. You will see there were four (4) Red Indians standing in the middle of the passageway. Some kind of starting ceremony...

The Chief of the Red Indian was continue playing the fire show for the whole night! As you can see from my follow photos...



Initially, everyone were curious on what he did, but after 10 minutes...I saw most of the visitors felt boring about it...Too bad, I think this was the only thing he did for the night! Haha!
Follow by the group fire performance.

The Red Indian group performance

The Red Indian Show last about 45 minutes, then the audiences have 5 minutes break time for their Ice-scream...

The Ice-scream stall...

I keep alert of this gate on my left and waiting for the Cowboy for photography. But when they ran out, I couldn't snap a good pictures of it! :(

They had made the show really interesting during the Animal Musical Parade. I noticed the curious and happiness of my daughter face, I'm glad that we didn't waste our trip here!

The Cowboy of the Cowboy Town

The Red Indian

Follow by the animals...I had miss the chance to capture the group of Chickens and Ducks ran out from the gate...they were too fast...

The elephant group


The Tiger



After the animals, there were groups and groups of peoples continue on the parade to celebrate Christmas! It was a Great Atmosphere!


The fake snow machine in actions!

They also invite the visitors to play some games and provided some goodies for them...

After the show end, the fireworks continue and last for about 15 minutes...so beautiful!!

The Fireworks at Cowboy Town, A'Farmosa

The show was Great and Interesting! My daughter and  my wife were enjoyed the show very much!!

The Red Indians still continue their performance at the 'Fun-fair' area until midnight! You won't have a chance to miss the show at all! haha!


My daughter was enjoying the Fun-fair ride in the till midnight. But the ticket was a bit expensive compare with other ride within Malaysia. (MYR4.00 per ride)

We were there till 12.30am, the town was still crowded when we left...

Thứ Ba, 16 tháng 2, 2010

The Ranch Steak House at A'Farmosa Resort, Malacca

They are two restaurant in the Cowboy Town of A'Farmosa Resort, Malacca. One is the Chinese Food Restaurant called Huang Di Restaurant and the other called The Ranch Steak House (Western Food Restaurant). We choose the Western Food Restaurant because I LOVE Steak!

The Ranch Steak House of Cowboy Town, A'Farmosa Resort - Melaka

The ambience and atmosphere was Great when we stepped in the restaurant. Quite a  numbers of customers was there and the staffs were courteous. We like it very much!

The ambience & environment of the restaurant

The counter

The mezzanine session

Our table was exactly under this beautiful lighting...

We did our order immediately.
I got a Mushroom Soup for my daughter, my wife ordered the Grilled Chicken Chop and I had a Sirloin Steak.

The Grilled Chicken Chop with Broccoli, mash potato and corn. (MYR25.00)


The Sirloin Steak with Broccoli, Mash Potato & corn. (MYR38.00)

We were UTTERLY disappointed with the foods of this restaurant! The Chicken Chop was Tasteless if without the sauce, the Sirloin Steak also Tasteless except the sauce!! The Mushroom soup of my daughter was below average! My friend told me the reason was because of the frozen chicken & sirloin! That's make it Tasteless! Honestly, the food they serve was not justified with the Cost they charge! Frankly speaking, I don't mind to pay more for a GOOD food.
I will never come back again and will advise my friends to avoid this restaurant!

The damage was almost MYR90.00 for 2 adults and one child. (Included drinks)

Environment rated : 4/5

Food rated : 2/5

Even the nice environment inside the restaurant, doesn't mean the customers have to suffer from the bad quality and pricey food! Please improve the standard of the food and achieve a Good Image of Malacca for the Malaysia Tourism. Otherwise, the tourist will definitely pissed of by the food!

Thứ Hai, 15 tháng 2, 2010

Poland -- Women's lives and history in Bialystok Jewish Cemetery

 Tombstone of Esther, daughter of R. Alperik,  in the Bialystok cemetery. The epitaph (trans. by Heidi M.Szpek) reads: "Here lies a proper, God-fearing and upright woman, [in] secrecy she performed her many righteous deeds. Our beloved and precious mother, Esther daughter of R. Aperdik. She died Tuesday 11th Tishri 5669. May her soul be bound in the bond of everlasting life. [In Russian] Estera Wolkomirskaya.. She died 24 October 1908." Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber

By Ruth Ellen Gruber

Just in time for Purim (which falls this year on Feb. 28), the scholar Heidi M. Szpek has published another fascinating article in the online Jewish Magazine on the Jewish cemetery in Bialystok.  It focuses on the women named Esther whose tombstones are found there, and what we can learn about their lives from the epitaphs and carvings.
She was important, upright, modest, and extraordinary in the performance of good deeds. She was kindhearted, pleasant, precious, and God-fearing. She was a girl, a young woman, not yet a mother, a mother, and an elderly woman. She was a martyr, a Rabbi's wife, the descendant of a prominent rabbinic lineage, the crown of her children's head, and an Eshet Hayil – a "woman of valor". Such are the virtues and character of not one Esther but of the 38 women named Esther as remembered in the extant Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian and Polish inscriptions on the Jewish tombstones in the Bagnowka Jewish Cemetery in Bialystok, Poland.
Of the over 2000 extant inscriptions, nearly half remember women (including girls). Among these women, the name Esther is rivaled only by that of Chayya and Sarah. Each time I translate the inscription of an Esther I contemplate whether Bialystok's Esthers emulate their namesake, the biblical Esther, or the rich legends of Esther preserved in rabbinic literature. ( Read full article in the online Jewish Magazine. )
 Szpek is a Professor of Religious Studies and Philosophy at Central Washington University (Ellensburg, Washington) who is currently writing a book on the Jewish epitaphs from Bialystok (I linked to another of her articles HERE). She has worked with Tomasz Wisniewski (who has posted photos and translations of the epitaphs on Bialystok Jewish tombstones on his web site www.bagnowka.com)

In her Esther article, Szpek illustrates how the imagery and inscriptions tell how women died in childbirth, or how young girls died before marriage. (For more on imagery on Jewish women's tombstones see my (Candle)sticks on Stone project.) But she also notes that women in 19th and early 20th century Bialystok fulfilled roles that went far beyond the home life of wife, mother, sister and daughter:
 Women were also nurses, social workers, administrators for Linas Hatzedek, which gave aid to the poor and sick, and for the Bialystok Relief Society. Women were students and teachers; they served in the administration of the Bialystoker Youth Society, one organized and served as 'mother' of the Bialystoker Orphans. Women were youth athletes, founders of the Maccabi Sport Club, and actresses in the Habimah Players. Women were needleworkers at the "Ort" workshops in Bialystok, active Zionists in Poale Zion and embraced the socialist ideals of the Bundists. They sat on strike committees as early as 1901, and continued to march against unfair labor practices in the 1930s. Women managed their late husbands' estates, served as leaders in the Bund, even dying in the tragic Sabbath Nahamu in July 1905 when the Tsarist Army rose up against the protesting Jewish Bundist workers.
Read full article in the online Jewish Magazine

Purim is Judaism's most joyful holiday, and Esther, of course, is its heroine. The Jewish bride of the ancient Persian King Ahasuerus, she (with her uncle Mordechai) foiled the plans of Ahasuerus' wicked advisor Haman to to annihiate the Jewish people. The story is told in the biblical book of Esther. The  scroll -- the Megillah of Esther -- is often kept in a decorative contained and is read out in the synagogue, in full, on the holiday (giving rise to the Jewish expression "the whole megillah" meaning a long and detailed account, i.e. chapter and verse.)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Esterka.jpeg

Another Esther figures in Polish legend -- in the 14th century King Kazimierz the Great was believed to have a Jewish mistress named Esther (or Esterka). There is an Esterka street in Krakow's old Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, and her name is associated with castles and other sites.

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