Must-try in Malaysia...Durian, the King of all Fruits

Yummy Durian!!!

If there's one thing that most Malaysians do not agree with the rest of the world, it's the taste of Durian (note: the use of upper case D here...:)
To many non-Malaysians (unless they are from Indonesia, Thailand....or some other SEA countries), Durian is the worst, foul-smelling fruit on earth. But for us, it's taste is simply heavenly...a gift from God... fit only for the kings. Hence, we crowned this fruit, the King of all Fruits!

Durians oh durians!

Watch out! Never sit under a durian tree :)

Must-try in Malaysia

A tempting dessert you simply can't miss
if you are travelling in Malaysia.

ABC in Malaysia is the tasty acronym for a delightful dessert, Air Batu Campur (literally, mixed ice). It consists mainly of shaved ice, beans (red beans), jelly and syrup.

A prairie dog! For the first time in my life I saw ... not one but a few prairie dogs!!
Devil's Lake is apparently one of the best places to spot prairie dogs.

Aren't they adorable and cute?!!!
Prairie dogs are herbivorous mammals. Their favorite food include grass, roots and seeds.
Wanna learn more? There's a website dedicated to these rodents...PrairieDog.com
(oppsss...just kidding....that's Prairie Dog, Le Patissier...visit it to order your birthday cake...hahaha)
Ok...to learn more about the REAL prairie dog, go to
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/prairie-dog.html

Devil's Lake, North Dakota

My first glimpse of dawn...as the train approaches the station in Devils Lake.

Devils Lake! What a name for a place that's both charming and peaceful!


Summer 2009...I was getting ready to return to my home country after 2 years of studies in Florida. Because of my love for Amtrak, I've decided to treat myself to another train journey....this time, cross-continental...from DC to Los Angeles. As I looked up the list of possible towns/cities I could stop by along the way, the name Devils Lake caught my eyes.

Devils Lake?!!! Hmmm....spooky....

I read the description on Amtrak's guide regarding Devils Lake...

The Indians called this remnant of a glacial sea the “Evil Spirit Lake” because they believed its shattered walls and loose rocks were the result of a mammoth struggle between thunderbirds and water monsters

...Ah...how interesting!!!

I did more research on the Internet and found beautiful, breathtaking pictures of Devils Lake... I was captivated! That's it....Devil's Lake would be one of my stops.
I was there for about 24 hours only...but in that 24 hours I discovered so much about Devils Lake that it remained till today, one of my favorite destinations. More than just a beautiful tourist spot, I learned that Devils Lake is a place that's rich in history...