Day 1: Travelling to Mulu, Lang’s Cave, Deer Cave & Bats Exodus

Travelling to Mulu

The location of Gunung Mulu National Park.

Flying from Miri to Mulu.

Arriving

My first impression of Mulu.

Feel cool and refreshing!

Here come the Gunung Mulu National Park.

Lang’s Cave

On my way to Lang Cave.

We reached Lang’s Cave.

Entrance of Lang’s Cave

Welcome to wonderland! LOL!

I couldn’t believe what I saw… Limestone.

Stalactites & Stalagmite…

Beautiful… Coral???

I started to think about ice cream…

Jellyfishes?? LOL!

Deer Cave

OMG! I was inside the world’s largest cave passage (Deer Cave).

Can’t you recognize that? It’s Monkey King’s Profile… Oops, I mean Abraham Lincoln’s profile.

How big is the cave?

Now, you know?

Just a glimpse of the Garden of Eden… No time to go, sigh!

The 60 metres high “shower” continuously pouring from the roof near the Garden of Eden, speechless!

Bats Exodus

Waiting at the bats exodus observatory.

Deer Cave, view from the bats exodus observatory.

The bats exodus, streaming from Deer Cave every evening.

The Dark Knights!

Close-up view. No batman, pretty disappointed! LOL!

Day 2: Penan Settlement, Wind Cave & Clear Water Cave

Penan Settlement

Heading to Penan Settlement by motorized-longboat.

Beautiful scenery.

Another one.

Penan Settlement – Market Place.

Shopping time.

Handmade craft items.

Wind Cave

Boardwalk to Wind Cave.

Entrance of Wind Cave.

Natural light from the top of the cave.

What were they doing?

Clearwater Cave

Stairs up to Clearwater Cave.

Main entrance of Clearwater Cave.

Seeing no angel. LOL!

It looks like a…

Fair lady stalagmite.

Amazing piece of natural art.

Relaxing…

Long boats.

Crystal clear water.

Swim like a fish…

Relaxing moment…

Day 3: Home Sweet Home

Totally exhausted… Going home…

Iban people are the original inhabitants of Borneo Island. For centuries, they have lived in communities known as longhouses, Rumah Panjang in Malay, Rumah Panjai in Iban. Iban people were notorious headhunters as recent as 50 years ago, but now they only express their heroism and spiritualism through dance. If not, I won’t be able to locate my head and share my experience to you here. LOL!

The longhouse I visited is called ‘Rumah Tuan’. It’s about 45minits drive from Mukah. The longhouse looks exactly like its name implies. It is a long (several hundred meters long), one-story wooden dwelling where the various family groups all live under one roof.

The longhouses share one common design feature – they are built raised off the ground on stilts.

Being raised, cooling air could circulate as well as have the living area above ground where any breeze is more likely.

Following the stair up, a wide open corridor stretches the length of the building was waiting for me. Iban calls it ruai and it serves as a communal space for social interaction.

Each family in the longhouse has its own private unit, bilik.

This is the room for both living and sleeping (all in one room).

Interesting finding – Skylight brings in the natural sun light.

The kitchen, dapor, is attached to the back of the bilik.

Further out there is a utility area.

Water tank – collecting rain water.

Real portion of the longhouse.

Some of the things I saw in ruai.

Family photos.

The longhouse folks.

Iban ladies.

Many of the Iban folk are now Christians.

Kids with cat.

More Iban kids.

Kungfu Kids?!

Looking out through window.

Although I didn’t spend long time in this longhouse, I was really impressed by the harmony and generosity of the residents here. Looking at their simple living style and how smoothly its residents get along, deep in my heart I start to feel a bit of restored faith in humanity…

I do, that’s why I went to see aqua Aquaria KLCC.
Aquaria KLCC is situated at Concourse Level, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. It took me about 8 minutes walk from the Petronas Twin Towers.

I tried to buy a children fare, but the nice lady looked at me, smiled and said that I am too old for children fare! Dammit, I’m old! So I bought Senior Citizens fare, just kidding! If you’re Malaysian, remember to bring along MyKad, the fare will be cheaper!

Okay, let’s go. See turtles first.

Aquaria KLCC has started a Turtle Conservation programme. You can adopt a turtle here too!

Next, Jewels of the Jungle.

Here, I witness various tiny jungle creatures through micro theater window displays. And I found Spider man too.

Flooded Forest. Wow, 5.3m high Tube Tank! Cool!

Kitty: Very delicious! Can catch one for me? (Never bring along your cat!)

Please do not put your hands in the water or else… Err… I didn’t try, you try and see what happen! Hehehe…

Lionfish ( Pterois volitans) from the Indo-Pacific. Dammit, its dorsal, anal and pelvic spine are venomous. Sting can be fatal to human!

The colourful living reef.

Yeah, this is the 90m underwater tunnel, the living oceans! Hello aunty, you blocked my view! She’s my friend!

I really enjoyed my journey on the moving walk. I saw a lots sea creatures and I saw sharks!!!!!!

‘Ah Beng’ Monkey saw Shark.

Diving session with the sharks!

Blubber Jelly or Blue Jelly with maximum size of 35mm! Harmless and very CUTE!

Finish? Not yet, you can buy some souvenir items from Aquaria Gift Shop.

These shirts send out a very strong message. Too bad, forgotten to buy one!

So, you want to go?

Before we went to Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, John and I went to find some food to fill our stomach first! Hawker foods are always the best, but eating at the road side we have to be very careful, make sure choose a safe location!

You know what is my favourite mee? Here it is, Ying Yong. Don’t know why, I love it so much, especially eat with Belacan!

After that, we waited no more time and headed to the tallest portable observation wheel in South-East Asia! Oh, this giant ferris wheel looks amazing! Yeah, finally I was there!

Before we took our ride on the wheel, we enjoyed a very magnificent laser performance.

This is the ticket prices, do you feel it is reasonable?

Time to get into the gondola. Felt a bit cold that night with air-conditioning inside it!

Wah! What could I say, a breath-taking night view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline!

We felt so excited at first round, second round, third round…….but……Wei, let’s us out! We wanted to vomit after third round….. Finally it stopped at sixth round, thanks GOD!

This was our first impression of Kampar, where we reached at the bus station. Ray and Luong nearly gave up and wanna went home at that moment! But why they changed their mind?

Okay, all these pictures I show here are the reason why!
Here come their place to stay, a well designed apartment with beautiful courtyard. Still very new and clean!

A very nice street scape just in front of their hostel. I like the hill, very nice environment!

Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC), that’s where Ray and Luong will spend their next few years time studying Hotel Management.

Ray and Luong: We are proud to be TARC students!

Beautiful campus.

Wah, can even see the pond! Wei Ray, don’t curi curi go and swim there! TARC has the swimming pool for you!

Okay, time to go around the places outside the campus.

Grand Kampar Hotel. I recommended this hotel to my parent if they decide to visit Ray one day.

Check on this Shophouse design, very unique!

They call this the Danish House.

Another type of design.

Very western look!

Playing with colours!

Kampar people told me this place is called Bandar Baru (New Town). I personally like it very much. In my opinion, this could be a very good place for Architecture students to do your case study especially about shophouse!

On our way back to hostel, Ray met his favourite friend, kitty cat!

Maybe he should bring along his Siao Mao (Little Cat) and Fei Mao (Fat cat) together! Ray, do you know Siao Mao misses you so much, she keeps on looking for you especially during night time and wonder where you go (No matter how late, Saio Mao used to wait for Ray and sleep together), and now mum has to sleep together with her!

My little words to Ray: Just ignore those who blame you on giving up the offer from UTAR (University Tunku Abdul Rahman) based in Petaling Jaya that you believe you’re not interested in the course offered. Some time in life, we have to make our own choice, just believe in yourself, and do something that you really interested in, after all, that’s your life, no one else will live for you! Be strong, look forward, and be happy!

I know he will be fine.

We all miss you Ray. Take care!

Yesterday, my brother, Ray, his friend, Luong and me travel all the way from Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur. Took bus from LCCT to KL Central, from there took taxi to Puduraya Bus Station. After we had ‘enjoyed’ our terrible lunch, we continued our journey to Perak in bus.

Walau a, when we reach this place, we were totally shocked!

Ray called mum and said: Mum, I want to go home, I don’t want to study here anymore, you just can’t imagine how this place is!

I didn’t know what to say at that moment, my brother felt like the end of the world because he will spend his few years time here but not me!

Phew~, Ray changes his mind and decided to stay here after we spent our time surveying around last night and this morning. Lucky enough where he does his study is in new town not old town as we saw the picture just now.

We met some very friendly people here, without them, Ray and Luong might not able to settle down so easily! Thanks to Lung’s (Ray’s new housemete) mum, without her we can even find the place to eat! And special thanks to Mr, Tan, who drove us all around the town looking for mattress and other stuff. We don’t even know Mr. Tan until this morning, in fact we met him in his shop and asked something. Thank you so much!

Mum called just now, Ray actually won the the First Prize of Vico Context! Alamak, he won the laptop, you know what, he jumped up and down when he knew it. He said: Damn, I should be there in Sibu but no here! Ha, he couldn’t appear on newspaper tomorrow cause his sister in law, Sindy took the draw for him! But never mind, congratualtion Ray!

To Donkey, I will be in KL tomorrow morning and do some shopping before I’m going home. Don’t forget to fetch me tomorrow night in airport! More about Kampar when I’m back!

Khoo Kongsi

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi is situated at cannon Square, George Town of Penang. Better known as the Heritage Jewel of Penang, the Khoo Kongsi is a piece of amazing Architecture, a large Chinese clanhouse with beautiful ornaments.

The Sixteen Houses in two rows facing each other occupied by the Khoo families before.

Leong San Tong (The Khoo Kongsi temple) which is rebuilt after the original building was destroyed by fire in 1906.

This temple design is mostly influenced by Southern Fujian style. A scene of the Anna and the King movie starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fat was filmed in this building.

The superior quality stone carving used for the construction of the wall. The stone materials were imported from Amoy, Fujian Province.

The magnificent architectural expression of Leong San Tong lies in the timber work on the roof truss and woodcarvings.

Give way, silence …The sign boards that we only see in the movies.

A beautiful mural painting with calligraphy. This mural depicts the eight sitting, standing or leaning immortals at a leisurely mood. The calligraphy means: Right: “Loyal officials and dutiful sons are first-class human beings”; and Left: “Farming and studying are the two things that matter most”

The opera stage which is opposite of Leong San Tong, was once used for stage performance.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
The mansion built by Cheong Fatt Tze at the end of 19th Century. The French movie called “Indochine” was filmed in this building according to the tour guide.

The main entrance to the mansion.

The main entrance to the house.

No photos taking allowed inside of this mansion, so I only took pictures outside.

I spent 2 hours plus inside this mansion studying the Feng Shui applied. The Chi (energy) within the courtyard, how to bring rain water (money) into it, Ying and Yang design of vernacular timber louvre windows, Chinese cut & paste porcelain work, and many more. Of course I got a very good tour guide. She really knowledgeable in this blue mansion and the life of Cheong Fatt Tze. Cheong Fatt Tze had seven wives, and he even had a special room within the mansion for wife of a day or a week. Mmmm….he was really good, nowadays you may already having a headache with the one, how you gonna to handle seven at once, better kill me first!:P

Want to know more about this mansion, visit Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion official website.

Tan told us that Captain Francis Light, the founder of the British colony of Penang was buried here! So, we went to look for him his tomb!

We found his tomb in the center location of the cemetery! We saluted him!

So, mission accomplished, we were heading to next destination, Fort Cornwallis. But, before we left that place, Tan asked us whether we found any of our friends here, shit, maybe that’s why we change our tour guide! Just kidding!

The entrance to Fort Cornwallis. This is where Captain Francis Light landed in 1786 to establish a British Trading Post.

As it was a military base before, canons are the main attraction.

Canon balls and fire powder.

Our tour guide told us this is the canon with super power, a lot of people came here to pray to get a child, lady who touch it can get pregnant very easily, I thought he was bluffing.

Hey guys, still felt very happy in jail argh?

Hmmm, this fella showed off his gun!

Maybe can consider camping here.

Syafiq and Colonel William Light, son of Captain Francis Light.

What a day!

Once you look at the facade of the hotel, I guess you know it’s somehow related to AirAsia.

You’re right, this hotel is operated by Tune Air Sdn. Bhd. founded by Tony Fernandes, the some founder of the AirAsia, the low cost airline in Malaysia.

It offers as low as RM9.99 (about US$3) per night. But I didn’t manage to get that price last time!

The walkway is clean and well decorated.

You get an en suite bathroom and shower!

The wall is well painted with Flora motif.

Okay, that’s where you have a nice dream.

You may find no television, refrigerator, towels, soaps, telephone line and wardrobes. Remember it’s a budget hotel, but I believe most of us don’t actually need all those things, in fact the only time in hotel is sleeping hours. Oh, I forgot to highlight that you have to pay little extra for air conditioning, something like preloaded or prepaid, or else just use the ceiling fan.

No WIFI here but 24 hours free internet access is available in this Internet Room!

If you want to reach this hotel by Monorail, make sure you stop at Medan Tuanku Station, once you step out from the station, you will notice the red color building, that’s your hotel, Tune Hotel!

Wooden houses at both sides of the way to jetty.

Hello doggy, you’re very cute!

I met a artist.

He’s good in water colour painting.

Good pose, but you guys didn’t feel hot argh?

Nice sea view!