Welcome to Swinging By

These are the places of interest that I've been to and I would like to share them with you. I hope you find them interesting too.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

2018 Lunar New Year Décor in the Malls

This is the Year of the Dog but it wasn’t welcomed with any fanfare nor given place of honor.

The malls that I visited have beautiful décor, with lots of lanterns and floral displays but the star which the décor was for, was nowhere to be seen. It is such a pity because the dog is man’s best friend and is credited with many positive traits.

The Mid Valley Mega Mall had huge gilded cages and lovely peach blossoms. Red Peonies and red lanterns abound.



Entertainment was not lacking. The lion dance with two lions prancing atop the decorated stands drew applause from the crowds.

A group of musicians with Chinese musical instruments played a medley of pieces to entertain the people who thronged the mall.
                                                           
Over at the Pavilion, an upmarket mall in the city was also inundated with floral décor. They had huge artificial rose petals cascading down from the atrium ceiling. Masses of different varieties of flowers greeted visitors. It was a breath-taking view.





The KLCC mall had something different. They set up an ancient Chinese village house with its neighbouring small shops. The designers paid a lot of attention to the little details to make the rustic setting authentic. Trays of tea can be seen "drying" on raised supports and there was a working water wheel!





 However, in a mall on the outskirts of the city, I saw some figurines of a family of Dalmatians outside a village house put up in its center court. There was also a Rottweiler. This was a lovely surprise, even though the Dog was not given prominence as it ought to have been.

At least, these few dogs gave me a happy feeling and I’m pleased that this little known mall did its part to place a few dogs in its décor. Kudos to it!!

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Christmas Décor Around the Malls



Each year long before Christmas draws near, the shopping malls are prettily decorated to draw in the crowds in the hope that they will purchase gifts for the season. Christmas songs are also played to add to the festive atmosphere.

I didn’t go round to all the malls as the traffic was very heavy and I didn’t fancy being caught in the traffic snarl. So here are a few photos taken in four different malls.
                                                       Kota Kinabalu Imago
                                          Children in little dinghies in the artificial moat
                                                      Close up of the pretty Christmas trees

                                                               A Railway Engine
                                                           Huge Teddies were the rage
                                                           The Red Telephone Kiosk

                                                          The Gardens Mall                                                   
                                                                  The Gardens Mall
                                                                      The Pavilion
                                                          The Reindeer outside Pavilion
                                                               Gingerbread & Snowman
Bangsar Village
 
                                             Bangsar Village centerpiece made from jerrycans

There are many more photos which I haven't uploaded here but the sight of the pretty decor was very joyful and uplifting. Not many people were buying as they were there mainly to enjoy the lovely decorations, the music and air-conditioning.

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Deepavali, the Festival of Lights



Deepavali is around the corner and the buzz has already begun. For the Indian community, there is the excitement of preparing for this event.  Deepavali is the celebration of the good triumphing over evil. 

Apart from buying new garments and preparing delicacies and food for visitors, some will have beautiful kolams outside their front doors. The kolams welcome the Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity.  


The kolams vary in size and are very colourful, drawn using rice flour and rice dyed in various colors.  Some designs can be very intricate.  The shopping malls have large ones.

Rituals are part of the celebration and an oil bath is de riguer. It symbolizes cleansing. The celebrants don new garments and welcome guests who visit their homes and join in the celebrations. There is much good will and bon homie at these open houses (a practice common in Malaysia where friends and friends of friends drop by to enjoy the company and the food).

Oil lamps are lit and placed on the kolams.  You can also find oil lamps in the homes of the Hindu community. The lights from these lamps are a reminder of one’s inner light.  Light is a metaphor for consciousness and knowledge.

Here's wishing my friends Happy Deepavali!