Final Plan for Vietnam Trip

I am going to Vietnam via Hong Kong from April 25 to May 8, 2009.
Here is the detailed plan, a little bit different than before but mostly to do with activities in HK.

April 25 Sat 2:55AM YVR to HKG 7:10AM+1 day CX889
April 26 Sun 7:10AM HKG, Nam Fung Road feng shui woods walk, Causeway bay shopping, dinner
April 27 Mon HKG HK Botanic Garden painting, Mong Kok's HK Flower Market and dinner
April 28 Tue CX1791 HKG14:55 to HAN 15:55 (Vietnam Air) hotel pick up, Hang Gai shopping for silk, then Little Hanoi for dinner
April 29 Wed Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake, 36 Streets Walking, Tamarind Cafe for lunch, Cathedral shopping, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, Green Tangerine for dinner
April 30 Thur Perfume Pagoda, Hanoi
May 1 Fri Halong Bay on Valentine Junk
May 2 Sat Halong Bay, Hanoi
May 3 Sun Hanoi Temple of Literature, Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Craflink (before 12:15 or after 1:15), DongXuan Market, Infostones Bookshop, Ngyuen Freres, Emperor dinner
May 4 Mon Cuc Phuong National Park
May 5 Tue Cuc Phuong National Park
May 6 Wed Cuc Phuong National Park, Hanoi
May 7 Thu Hanoi, Highway 4 cooking class AM, pick up custom made shirts PM
May 8 Fri CX1790 HAN 11:05 AM to HKG 13:55 (Vietnam Air) then HKG 16:35 CX838 to YVR 13:50

Paintings done 10 years ago

These several paintings were done more than 10 years ago on Aristolochia species. The one in the middle is based on a rare photo and also a drawing of Aristolochia decandra once cultivated in Kebun Raya Bogor. Now the plant is nolonger there.

Thinking about vacation 2010

I know it is a bit early to think about the future vacation but this one will take lots and lots of planning and coordination. I want to claim an award ticket from mileage to Japan but also get a side trip to Malaysia. Here is the trip plan.

Jan 17 Sun YVR to Tokyo by JAL
Jan 18 Mon arriving in Tokyo, afternoon, transfer to Blue Wave Inn Asakusa, then shop at Biggym Ueno
Jan 19 Tue Yayoi-Yumeji Museum (Hirezaki Eiho's Ukiyoe exhibition), then 1-3 pm Koishikawa Botanical Garden glasshouse; then Nagano's Mandarake comics shopping, Tacoche store visit
Jan 20 Wed Kanda Jimbocho bookstores tour 10 am to 4 pm, then Asakusa shopping and temple visit late afternoon and dinner
Jan 21 Thur morning train to Kyoto, morning to Toji the monthly market, then check in to Kyoto Garden Hotel and go for lunch at tsukemono place, shop for Rakugan at Kamesuehiro, walking and shopping on Sanjo dori: Sanjo Daimasen, Koromo, Ishikurokoho, shopping at Shijo, then Kyoto Rumieru
Jan 22 Fri Kyoto Botanical Garden painting inside glasshouse day time, late afternoon go to Chokyudo to buy confections, then walk in Nishiki market and shop at Daimaru
Jan 23 Sat Post Office, then Kyoto Botanical Garden painting, late afternoon, Soiree Tea Place, dinner Raimen place
Jan 24 Sun early train from Kyoto to Tokyo and flight to Kuala Lumpur, arriving late afternoon to hotel and then and shop at KLCC, dinner at Madame Kwan's Nasi Lemak Restaurant
Jan 25 Mon bus to Cameron Highlands staying at Bala's Holiday Chalets, mountain walk and hike
Jan 26 Tue Cameron Highlands, Tea Plantations, Orchid, Butterfly, Strawberry, Rose, Honey Bee, Cactis Farms, hiking
Jan 27 Wed Cameron Highlands, afternoon bus to KL
Jan 28 Thur Taman Negara 3 days / 2 nights
Jan 29 Fri Taman Negara
Jan 30 Sat Taman Negara to KL, Full moon night see spectacle of Thaipusam at Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown
Jan 31 Sun early morning from KL sentral bus to Thaipusam Batu Cave, back to KL, Craft Complex
Feb 1 Mon Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden, Lake Garden, Central Market, Chow Kit Market
Feb 2 Tue KL flight to Tokyo then to YVR
Feb 3 Wed Rest! Too exhausted!

West Malaysia

I am researching on attractions in West Malaysia. This is the flower I will get to try to make Nasi Kerabu (blue salad rice)! Details soon.