登山

踏上登山之路，始于茅草山。屈指一算，大概是一年前的事了… ….

许多人登山，越登越高、征服了一座又一座，视世界最高峰珠穆朗玛峰为极终目标。我就是少了那份野心和大志，来来去去就是那几座小丘。

到了寡妇山两次，只在山脚流览，就是没有兴趣耗钱折磨自己登上东南亚的最高峰。人的耐力、毅力就如此衡量的吗？大地是如此征服的吗？

登山，其实不必那么复杂。什么成就感、山征服了又如何……都跟我扯不上关系。更不来负离子这一套！

简简单单的登山，并不在乎山有多高、或破什么时间记录，而要不慌不忙、走走停停，才能享受登山的乐趣，才不会错过美丽的风景。

古早味 之 姓氏桥 Penang's Clan Jetties

到槟城的姓氏桥，不禁百感交加。浓浓的乡音、熟悉的水上人家、海风的味道，仿佛回到儿时阿嘛的家。

姓氏橋位于檳城渡輪碼頭不遠處，是華人抵達檳城最早的聚落。

房屋都搭蓋在海上，底部用桩柱支撐，並用木板鋪設成橋樑作為村里的街道，是馬來西亞一處典型的水上人家聚落。

早期，聚落的住戶都按姓氏區分勢力範圍各自組成社區幫會，因此而形成今日的姓林桥、姓周桥、姓陈桥、姓李桥、姓杨桥、杂姓桥及平安桥。当中以姓周桥规模最大，水上人家约60户。姓王桥已人去桥空，遗址已变成停车场。

村民的祖籍以福建同安县居多，老一辈村民则一般以捕鱼为生。

雖說是早年的移民落腳站，今日仍有許多人居住在那兒。

Flag of Our Fathers

The huge bronze figures of soldiers were designed by Felix de Weldon, who also did Washington’s Marine Corps War Memorial ( also known as Iwo Jima Monument ). 

It was to commemorate some 11,000 people died during the 12-years Malayan Emergency.

This original national monument is a cenotaph set up by the British to commemorate the wars and honour the fallen heroes from WW I, WW II and the Malayan Emergency.

Klang Gate Quartz Ridge

Klang Gates Quartz Ridge is said to be the longest quartz ridge in the whole world. 

It is also home to 5 endemic plant species :   

Eulalia milsumi,  Aleisanthia rupestris,  Ilex praetermissa, Borreria pilulifera, and Henckelia primulina.

This is my second expedition to this big rock,

hoping to encounter the exotic species ...

石崖山上，似松非松，气质学足

Elegant pink flowers....

Well, this is Aleisanthia rupestris, a endemic plant species to KGQR.

求生

a Poaceae's spikelets

a tiny Arachis/Zornia ??

and of course, quartz crystals.

Skybridge of Twin Towers

Petronas Twin Towers of 451.9m was once the tallest building in the world ( 1998 – 2004 ), before being surpassed by Taipei 101.  

The skybridge connecting the two towers at level 41 & 42, however, is still the highest 2-tier skybridge ever.  It is 170m above ground level.

Visitors are allowed for a short visit ( about 15 minutes only ), but only  with Visitor Pass which come along with a ticket.  Tickets are free, but one had to queue for the ticket as early as 6am, as tickets are limited.

However, effective from 1^st October 2010, visitors to Petronas Twin Towers’s Skybridge shall be charged RM3 for Malaysian citizens and RM10 for foreigners.  Still, despite being charged, visitors are not allowed to pre-book, online book, pre-purchase or what ever means to avoid queuing.

Lifeline of Gemas

Gemas 金马士 is a small town in the district of Tampin, of Negeri Sembilan.  It is located by the border of Negeri Sembilan-Johor, divided by Sg. Gemas. The Johor side of the town is known as Gemas Bahru 大港.

A long time ago, Gemas was originally known as Ayer Terap.  But later changed to “Gomeh” ( combination of English word “Gold” and local Malay dialect for gold, “Omeh” ) , subsequently “Gemas”

Gemas was the lifeline of Malaya’s railway service.  It was, and still is, the changeover for trains from the North, East Coast, and South.  Constructed in 1922, Gemas Railway Station had seen its days of glory when trains roar through the rainforest jungles of Malaya, connecting towns, connecting peoples as well……

Today, Gemas Railway Station houses 2 nostalgic 1946 model North British Locomotive Company steam engines, occasionally visited by wanderers, seeking for past memories.

In 2008, Malaysian government commissioned the construction of an electrified double-track connecting Seremban to Gemas.  The project scheduled to be completed by 2012.  Similar projects connecting Gemas-Johor Bharu, Rawang-Ipoh, & Ipoh-Butterworth, too is in various stages of completion.  Together, the new tracks will eventually cut short traveling time to all major towns along the East Coast.   Reviving the dying railway service, supposedly !

Bukit Tabur

Bukit Tabur is a hill located in Taman Melawati..  The hill is less than 1000 meter in height, yet easily spotted from MRR2.

Hiking trail starts from Kampung Klang Gates, for about 60-100 minutes to the top.  

At several points, the journey can be dangerous, as one need to climb up and down quartz ridges.  There is ropes in-situ. Yet, in many occasion, one need more than ropes to prevail. 

The reward is priceless !

Top–of-the-world view of the Gombak Forest Reserve, side by side with Klang Gates Dam.  On the west is panoramic view of KL.  At some lucky days, a picturesque sunrise with clouds below ones feet.

Yet, one needs not to look far for a great view.  The rocky ridges, needle–leaves trees, mosses are great sights fit for a king !

Colours of 1Malaysia

How we see things sometime is not based on how the things are.

We like to see thing our own way,
the way we see fit,  
with whatever means :
 distortion,
interference,
blurred, blind,
bend the rule,  lies,
look but didn’t see,  
doesn’t-seems-like-me,
see through a coloured filters,  
close-1-eye, and even
close-both-eyes !

Menteri Perdana
stressed that action will be taken against those making statement that reeks of racisms . . .

Yet

2 school principals in Johor and Kedah sparked a public furore when they had made racist remarks aimed at their ethnic Chinese and Indian students.

No action has been taken against them, either by Education Ministry or Police, still.

Yet
A systematic effort by education officials to close non-Muslims religious clubs in a high school in Klang . .. .

More schools stepped forward to report the same ‘illegal close-down’ …. some for decades

No action has been taken against these education officials, still.

Yet
In Labuan, teachers forced a female Muslim student to wear the headscaft.

No action has been taken against those teachers, still.

Yet
Highly sensitive “Penang Chief Minister wants to be King” issued was played-up to create racial tensions…

No action has been taken against those responsible, still.

I-City at Twilight

photosynthesis from within

 "Truth, like light, is blinding. Lies, on the other hand, are a beautiful dusk ..."
Albert Camus

 "The pursuit of perfection, then, is the pursuit of sweetness and light..."
Matthew Arnold

trees of lights

Broga Hill - Bubbling & Bluffing

这次上茅山，是有备而来！

衔 说上得茅山多了，总是越觉得少了些挑战。人总要自我挑战、自我突破，方为人上人。

手电筒，风筝，泡泡枪，椰浆饭，冻巧克力统统塞进背包。凌晨5时出门，6时抵达山脚。哇噻！人山人海。为了避免人潮，虽然咱们已快马加鞭，半跑半走，还是七时到达山顶。

人多毕竟少了清静。众声喧哗中还掺些烟味，扫兴之极。

虽不见日出，但草原下还有云海，还不至于毫无收获。欲放风筝而无风。吹完泡泡，又吃椰浆饭喝冷饮，羡慕煞众登山者。还给人家拍了许多放风筝、吹泡泡的美姿。看来下次可要带西瓜、榴莲了！