Trip With Schoolmates

This trip was mooted back in early December 2023 and after some interests, withdrawals, revision of itineraries, we finally met up at KL Sentral on Friday morning, 1 March. The bus left at 08:00 and we drove to pick a few more members at Sungai Buloh R&R. This was the first I joined any trip with my schoolmates.

We drove to Batu Gajah where Galeri Lat is and browsed his history. Suddenly, we turned and saw the man himself! He hardly grants interviews to anybody and yet that morning, he was sporting enough to give us an animated brief background and told us of his life and career journey. Then we took some group photos with him and he also signed our Lat comic books, notebooks, bucket hat, hand phone covers. After that, we drove to Kellie’s Castle and walked in and up the hill to the mansion. We spent some time exploring the mansion and even went up to the rooftop in the hot sun and took pictures. A few mates opted to stay behind though.

 

After that, we drove to visit a friend. She stayed with her mum and there was also a caregiver for her mum and some fifty cats (including kittens). It was an old bungalow filled with beautiful furniture and I remembered thinking how high the maintenance cost would be.

 

We then had our very late lunch at Red Brick Kitchen, enjoying the Bukit Rapat views with our meal. After lunch, we had the usual inevitable phototaking session before leaving for Mirror Lake. We boarded the inflatable boats, about seven to a boat, and went into a tunnel and emerged to this peaceful lake. We were told the ideal time to come was 10:00 thereabouts and then one could really see the lake being mirrored, hence the name.

After that, we drove to Impiana Hotel and checked in. I lingered at the front desk as I wanted to get the first room card. Aha!

We assembled at the lobby at 20:15 and drove for dinner at Hainan Chicken Rice, stopping en route at a mall for some to purchase some toiletries. Our Ipoh mate had reserved the upper floor of the restaurant and we had it all to ourselves. There was even a birthday cake for one of our mates whose celebrated her birthday that day.

On Saturday, we left after 08:30 and drove to Taiping. We picked up our tour guide who gave us a brief background of the town which is celebrating its 150th year this year, a shout out to Taiping! We drove to the Lake Garden and admired the 1000-plus year old rain trees with their sprawling branches. We then drove around town and I was so glad I had taken the train before and visited the town properly because the town has many beautiful colonial buildings. We then bade goodbye to the tour guide and drove back to the Lake Garden for photo sessions.

We finally dragged ourselves away and drove to Sajian Panorama for lunch. It is located by the Perak River and if it wasn't so swelteringly hot, I would have walked abit around the grounds. We had lunch indoors and a good thing too. There was a choice of fish head curry and fish cooked in tempoyak, along with other dishes.

After lunch, we drove to Victoria Bridge. We had to make a turn and took another route due to a detour as our bus couldn't clear the barrier. The bridge is one of the oldest railway bridges in the country and it was built as a crossing over the Perak River to serve the local tin mining industry. I crossed it with my mates and with my heart in my mouth. Yes, I walked along the track on the adjoining footbridge and walked the 1,000 feet length of the bridge and back again! We had more photo sessions after that and some of us treated ourselves to some Malaysian ice cream too.

Next up, we drove to Istana Kenangan and spent some time there before driving to Masjid Ubudiah for prayers. After prayers, we drove to Gerai MPKK by the Perak River and had some laksa and drinks. Some then proceeded to the nearby shops to browse and spend. I was interested in the labu sayong water containers but knew I wiuld have problems carrying them back so I didn't buy anything and walked back to the bus. And in time too for it started raining shortly after. We drove back to the hotel and reached it just before Maghrib. Dinner was had at the hotel restaurant where we had breakfast.

On Sunday, we drove to Concubine Lane after breakfast. Most of my friends went shopping but I didn't really find anything much to tempt me. We then had some drinks at Plan B before boarding the bus. Lunch was had at Nasi Vanggey Greentown. We then drove back to the hotel to pack and perform prayers. My Ipoh mate had requested for a late check-out and the hotel was kind enough to oblige us. Ipoh mate also packed some soya drinks and taufofa (soyabean pudding) for us to enjoy on the bus, and a mini tepak sirih container as souvenirs. What a generous and thoughtful host!!!

We left at 15:00 but stopped at a pump station to fill up before joining the queue to enter the highway. Traffic was expectedly pretty heavy seeing it was school holidays and Sunday. We stopped at Tapah R&R to use the facilities and my, there was a loooonnggg queue to enter the washroom. Some shopped for fruits so we were further delayed. We finally reached KL Sentral after dropping off a couple of mates at Sungai Buloh R&R (and another brief washroom break) at 20:10. I went to perform prayers first before taking the train back.

And that was my weekend and trip with my schoolmates. I'm satisfied that I finally managed to visit Kellie's Castle and Victoria Bridge, Alhamdulillah. May our friendship last, insyaAllah. 

Day Trip To Kuala Kangsar

I needed a trip and after checking the calendar, bought return train ticket to Kuala Kangsar for last Friday, 11 August 2023. I left micasa and hurriedly made my way to KL Sentral. The train departed on time and we arrived at Kuala Kangsar bang on time too.

I exited the station and headed for Jalan Tun Razak. I walked past the residence of the last Raja Bendahara until his death in 1953, a stately old mansion which still looked good and sturdy. Next was the sprawling campus of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar which was established in 1905 and sometimes referred to as the Eton of the East. Nearby is the Pavilion which dates from around 1920 and Ridzwaniah Mosque which was built in 1980 and replaced an earlier version which dated from 1915. At the end of the road at the corner with Jalan Raja Chulan is the rubber tree which is the first one planted in the country although it looked pretty young to me.

Pavilion

I turned into Jalan Raja Chulan and saw the Idris Club across the road. During the colonial times, it was the main watering hole for British administrators and planters and the hub of the town’s social life. The District and Land Office which was built in the late 19th century and contains the offices of the Deputy Public Prosecutor is opposite the Club. I walked on and turn left and walked down the hill to the Post Office. There’s a roundabout here and a clock tower with a golden dome stands on the roundabout island. From this spot, you could also see the Malaysian Airforce McDonnel Douglas A-4 Skyhawk plane standing guard over the town.

District and Land Office

Old shophouses

I took Jalan Istana and walked up Jalan Bukit Kerajaan to what used to be the King’s Pavilion, a mansion acquired by the British in 1878 to become the official residency of Hugh Low, the Resident of Perak. It was used for this purpose until 1905. In 1954, it became the Government English Girls’ School and is part of the Raja Perempuan Kelsom Secondary School today.

I walked back down to Jalan Istana and on, passing Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah, a museum housed in a former royal palace built in 1903 originally known as Istana Hulu and later renamed Istana Kota. I continued on until I reached the Ubudiah Mosque which was completed in 1917. The mosque was designed by Arthur Hubback who also designed the old KL railway station and many other famous landmarks. There is a traditional wooden house near the mosque which from the sign outside appears to be called Baitul Noor. Across the road from the mosque is Madrasah Idrisiah which was built around the same time as the mosque to provide education for the poor. I walked on a bit more under the blazing merciless sun until I reached Baitul Rahmah, another fine wooden mansion which was built in 1911.

Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah

Baitul Noor

Madrasah Idrisiah

Baitul Rahmah

I turned back and walked until I reached the Recreation Park. I was looking if there were earlier trains back to KL – there were two trains leaving before mine but the only seats available were for the less abled. I was about to send a message to a mate when someone came up and asked if I could spare some change for him to buy a needle for him to administer insulin. I dug out and produced enough change for him.

My mate wanted to come down so I waited for him. While waiting, I wandered to the red phone box, the McDonnel Douglas A-4 Skyhawk plane and up to the Anglican Church (consecrated in 1908) and the Clifford School across the road from the church. It is one of the oldest schools in the country and older than its near neighbour MCKK. Across Jalan Taiping from Clifford School is the town’s first hospital built in 1890.

Anglican Church

First Hospital

I met up with my mate about half an hour later and he drove me to the Laksa and Cendol Food Court. We then met up again after Friday prayers and drove to Laksa Pak Ngah. I didn’t enjoy my laksa though. After lunch, my mate stopped to buy some mangosteens for me and then at Ridzwaniah Mosque for me to perform prayers. We headed for the train station after that and I then sat to wait for the 16:13 train back to KL.

Arrived in KL and started feeling different. Had a fever and gastritis so I went to bed early that evening. Kuala Kangsar, I would love to return but you’re just too hot for me.