Travel Possibility

The ensaimada is a Mallorcan treat of the highest order. In fact, ask any Mallorcan about traditional regional cooking and the first item discussed is the ensaimada.  Mallorcans like them so much that every year they celebrate the National Ensaimada Festival.

Exactly what is an ensaimada? Given the Moorish influence in many other aspects of Mallorcan life, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the origin of the word ensaimada is Arabic. Its meaning is derived from the word saim which means pork lard. The ensaimada is not an Arab creation, but rather, it is said to have been invented by a baker in Argentina and later brought back to the country of Mallorca by returning emigrants.  It has been described as a light, airy, spiral shaped delicate pastry which is sprinkled with confectioners sugar.   There are many types of ensaimadas, either sweet, filled with custard, almond puree, apricots or chocolate. Those preferring a more savory treat will enjoy the ensimadas with a filling of sobrasada sausage.  Sounds just like many of the worlds’ great pastries, however, the big difference is in the ingredients of the pastry dough.

How is it made?  It’s an old recipe dating back to the seventeenth century.  The ensaimadas are made completely by hand, nothing has been mass produced yet. The ingredients are basic; sugar, flour, eggs, water and yeast.   The dough is then kneaded until soft. A handfull of dough is rolled out until very thin. Lard is spread on one side and the dough is then rolled up to create a pinwheel shape.  Much like a croissant the lard is used to create a more airy pastry. It’s decided that ensaimadas are enjoyable by themselves, but the majority agree that the beverage you serve them with is just as important to the entire experience. For the most part, hot chocolate and coffee rule.  Often served in cafes or in five star hotels Mallorca as a dessert or snack, ensaimadas can be eaten at any time of day or for any meal.

There are two science centers, or museums in Kuala Lumpur.  The first is the National Science Center.  The Prime Minister in 1996 was Mahathir Mohamad.  He opened the center in November of that year.  The center is just northwest of the city and is in Bukit Kiara atop a hill.  The center’s goal is the promotion of technology and scientific study in the country of Malaysia.  The first building that comes into view looks like a futuristic, geometric sculpture, a cone with a dome on top.  In this building, there are many exhibitions dedicated to the environment, to the ideas of the future, to famous inventions of the past.  One enters the center through an underwater tunnel where fish swim in the aquarium overhead.  This leads into the environmental exhibit of a man-made rain forest, with descriptions of the exotic and tropical plants and animals that are indigenous to the rain forest .  The center is designed to promote education in areas such as chemistry and biology, to robotics and computer sciences.  Everything about the natural world, and the created world of data analysis and communications technology, all areas of and relating to science and how these studies have changed and will continue to change the world in which we live in.  This is a perfect stop when traveling with the whole family, as many interesting hours can be spent in this building.

One other such center, which is great for children, and is located close to the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia hotels and other tourist attractions is the Petrosains.  This is different from the National Science Center in that this museum does have many educational exhibits from the various sciences, but it also includes the dinosaurs.  The time period that many children find extremely interesting.   The effects that earthquakes have had throughout the years, and how human life is forever changed by natural disasters and by discoveries in the natural world, such as petroleum are topics that are investigated by visitors through the interactive nature of this center.  Many find the study of the sciences a grueling endeavor, but the goal at Petrosains is to illustrate how enjoyable learning can be, that it can actually be a fun way to spend an afternoon.  Both of these centers are wonderful, fascinating options when deciding how to spend the day in Kuala Lumpur.

British tourists are being warned not to travel to Bangkok unless their trip is “absolutely essential”.

The Foreign Office has also advised travellers to review their plans for travel to other parts of Thailand after violent clashes between police and anti-government protests began in the capital yesterday.

British residents in Bangkok and other affected cities should stay indoors and await further travel advice, the Foreign Office said.

The main railway station in the city is closed but the travel through the international airport is continuing unaffected and the main access road is open. The border crossing between Lao and Thailand in Nong Chai is closed and there are reports of road blocks in Chiang Mai and Lampang in northern Thailand. From The Map Seeker…