Tranquility @ Fraser Hill...

Fraser Hill is one of those places that have remained as it was like its hay days during the colonial era, an excellent resort indeed. It is still in pristine condition. Although the interior of most buildings have seen changes through the years, most of the old buildings facade has remains the same. New buildings built were so designed to blend well with the surrounding. The sidewalks have been lay with new pavement.  There are many benches on the sidewalk where folks could sit and while the time away in the comfort of the summer weather. The roads are well-kept and resting sheds set up on the sidewalk for hikers or joggers to take a rest when on a walk around the countryside. Flowers are planted here and there thus adding colors to environment of the place.

If you want to enjoy peace and tranquility then get to Fraser Hill for a holiday. It is a place where you do not have to worry about the hustle and bustle of the city life. During our stay there the temperature was from 19 to 20 degree Celsius; a pleasant weather indeed to enjoy a lazy walk around the outskirt of the town or to play golf. Of course with that kind of weather and light it is a great place to do photography. I did that and enjoy seeing the result of my photography. Below are scenes of Fraser Hill little town as it were when we visited it last week from the 15th to 17th February, 2012.
 

Have a nice day.

Floral and Fauna of Fraser Hill...

Above are some of the floral and Fauna that I had managed to capture while on a short holiday at Fraser Hill recently.  There is so much to wonder and discover while wandering along in the valley of greens still in its originality.  In that short visit I saw nature at its best in the cool climates like in the temperate zone. The images of the Moths were taken in the lobby area of the hotel while that of the Butterfly and the Bird, Plants and Flowers was snaps outside the hotel and along the road in the vicinity of the town. I planned to go again and would spend more times to enjoy the beauty of nature and take more images as I discover it. Meanwhile do enjoy these images as much as I had enjoyed photographing it. 

Have a nice day.

Fraser Hill - A Cool Resort...

It was a beautiful day the 15th of February 2012. With the hot and humid weather we decided to take a short trip to the highland resort of Fraser Hill north of Kuala Lumpur. We had planned for this short holiday with another couple. I drove the Honda to Wangsa Maju and after picking the couple; a relative drove by means of the DUKE Highway and took the North-South Highway toward the north. Then made a stop at the Sungei Buloh Rest-Area where we had some snack before continuing toward Kuala Kubu Bahru for our trip to the hill resort. 

After the break I drove the Honda slowly through the many small towns along the way toward Kuala Kubu Bahru. From there took a right turn into the road leading toward the resort. All the way the road winds it ways beside rivers and hills of lush forest of various trees. Just a few kilometers away from Kuala Kubu Bharu we saw a large lake, a reservoir for the Selangor Water Supply. As we move on we saw greens of all shades and colors throughout the journey right up to the Gap. 

Just before the Gap a signage on the roadside shows where a British High Commissioner to Malaya was shot dead in 1951 by the MCP during the Emergency. The once famous Rest House on the hill nearby had been left to rot. It is a shame to let such an important historic building to be taken over by the jungle. We made a stop at the small rest-area at the bottom of the hill before going up the eight kilometers one-way road to the town of Fraser Hill. 

The place became cooler as I drove up and eventually arrived at the Shahzan Hotel and found the whole area was cool with a temperature of 20 degree Celsius. We check in to our rooms. Put on our sweaters got down to have our lunch at the Coffeehouse. Just before the food arrived I went out to take a few shots of the many blooming flowers that are planted in front of the hotel. It was really nice to see so many flowers in full blooms with gorgeous colors everywhere outside the hotel. There is a bird-feed in the garden there where foods are left for the birds to feed. I saw a few birds enjoying it meals while we were waiting for our meal to be ready. We enjoyed a Chinese foods lunch and then took a short rest before taking a spin of the town. 

Soon the place was getting dark and the temperature drop to below 20 degree Celsius. We head to the Ye Olde Smokehouse for dinner. It looks like an old English house of another era. Later we found that the house was build in the early twentieth century during the colonial era and now had been converted into a hotel and dining place. We ordered our dinner and then sat in the cozy ambiance of an English country home and enjoy small chat with the others there while waiting for our dinner to be ready. The dinner of western food was splendid. It was one of the memorable dinners in an English setting with the cool comfort of a temperate climate in the tropic. 

We then head back to the hotel but missed the junction and had to take a long detour back to our hotel. Then we sat at the fireplace at the hotel lobby and enjoy some coffee before calling the night off.

Have a nice day.

[Please click  on image to enlarge]

Flowers of Fraser Hill...

We were in Fraser Hill a hill resort north of Kuala Lumpur on the 15th till the 17th February for a short holiday. The weather was beautiful, cool 20 Degree Celsius. We check in at the Shahzan Inn and set to explore the beautify of the landscape. With that kind of weather flowers bloomed well indeed. Above are some of the flowers that I had capture while browsing around the vicinity of the hotel. Gorgeous indeed and it does add to the joys of our holiday there.  Enjoy it folks as much as I had enjoyed photographing it. 

Have a nice day. [Please click on the image to enlarge]

A Beautiful Lunch...

Howard Yamaguchi and I became friend since we got to know each other through blogging some years ago. During his last visit to Malaysia we met in person and had lunch and then went for a spin of the city in my Honda.  I had blog on that happening here. And today at this lunch I got the opportunity to meet his spouse Patricia for the first time whereas Asmah got to meet both of them for the first time as well. The last time I met Howard, Asmah could not made it so this lunch was sort of our  first get-together.

In an atmosphere of friendship in the cozy ambiance of Madam Kwan's restaurant in KLCC we had a traditional Malay lunch of simple Malay dishes. The Howard are used to taking Malay foods since both of them have live in the country before. They both were Peace Corp volunteers in Kelantan in the early seventies. Thus 'Tumis Petai' and 'Kangkong Goreng Belacan' which was among the dishes ordered was something they had yearned for and got to enjoy it today in this posh restaurant setting. 

We set to enjoy the lunch and chat along. In the process I soon found that Patricia and I had many mutual friends. Every names popup during the conversation brought back memories of my years in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. It was just like meeting old friend refreshing events of the past. Funny though that although that this was our first meeting yet every names and happening mentioned during the chat seem to be like the happening of old times that are still fresh in my memory. Soon memories began to flood back of the great times with our mutual friends that made us laugh at the mere mentioned of some incidents that crosses our minds. It was like meeting an old friends and now exchanging notes of past happening where both of us were players of sort in some episodes in the whole schemes of things on our journey of life. It was fun to be able to talk so freely of acquaintances that comes into our lives in the course of our career in the days gone by. 

We end the lunch with the traditional desserts of 'Cendol and Sago Manis' with a promise to meet again. Folks it was indeed a beautiful lunch with beautiful people in our lives. Asmah and I did enjoy the lunch. Thanks Howard and Patricia for making our day. 

Have a nice day.

My little Garden...

I love the greens thus I do gardening. It has been a passion of mine for a long times. I have always loved to be with nature. Even in my growing up days I would often go hiking in the woods with friends on the weekend. At time we would camp near a riverbank or at the seaside and enjoy nature at its best. And now living in the city where land area of our house is limited I had to do with whatever space I got in front and at the back of the house. At the back of the house we had a small garden of orchids, flowers and herbs while at the front of the patio I have created a small garden with greens and some flowers as seen above. It is my little Garden of Eden where I would spend my time tending to the plants and flowers. 

Over times it has became an ecosystem of sorts where birds comes chirping from tree to tree. And small animals like squirrel and frogs would come to feeds on the food that I had laid in a small container on the top of the fence. A little brown squirrel would come daily to feed. It was elusive at first and now after many years it has became tamer and would continue to eat its meal when I am out at the patio. It was always nice to see this little creature chipping at the apples, at time sharing it with the ants and the birds that drop by from time to time. 

Recently a tree frog has decided to turn one of the hanging flowerpots as its home and I love to see it squatting among the green leaves in the pot. It does make me happy to see these creatures making my little garden its home. There is a small fishpond at one side of the little garden where first roam freely in the clear water. I would feed these fish early in the morning.  

With the greens of the plants which at time flowers the whole area in front of my patio became a hive of activities turning it into an ecosystem of sort.  The rich environment with fresh air and the cool green scene shows nature at its best. It gives me a mean to enjoy nature so close to our doorstep. Enjoying life as it goes in my golden years. 

Have a nice day.       [Please click on the image to enlarge]

Our Golden Anniversary...

Woke up to another beautiful day in February and I could hear the birds chirping from branch to branch greeting the day merrily; happy welcoming the day. We are happy too for today February 3, 2012 is our Golden Anniversary, fifty wonderful years with three kids and now five grand kids. It was on February 3, 1962 that Asmah and I  tied the knot and now in our early seventies we are growing old together and continuing to enjoy life in our golden years. 

Have a nice day.