113. The Forbidden Garden of the Palace of the Malay Sultanate of Melaka

About the Forbidden Garden
The Palace of the Malay Sultanate of Melaka was constructed together with a botanical garden known as the Forbidden Garden. The Forbidden Garden has the same concept of the play area of the royal princesses during the era of the Malacca Sultanate. Although, it has never been clearly recorded that the garden actually existed at the palace, by comparison with other palaces of the Malay world, it can be visualised that such a garden did exist in Malacca too.

As was related by a Chinese traveller, there were various types of trees that grew luxuriantly. In the said garden various types of vegetation are grown, including flowering plants such as jasmine, frangipani, "Kenanga", (fragrant greenish yellow flower), as well as herbal plants such as lemon grass 'Tongkat Ali' and others.

 

Above: Garden collage
There were waterfalls and little bridges and it was a delightful place to linger. Below are some of the photos I took. I hope you enjoy their simple, yet well planned beauty.

 

Above: Facing the Palace

 

Above: A worker cleans the pathway
Not a leaf out of place - everywhere is beautifully maintained.

 

Above: Facing away from the Palace

 

Above: The "Avenue"
This I have called the "Avenue" because of the long(ish) walk along the stoned path to the monument at the end. There is a commemorative design at the beginning of the walk. (See last photograph)

 

Above: Hidden corner
I really liked the semi-circular shape and sat on the wooden seat there. It was quiet and I remember inhaling the aroma of the flowering plants. Bougainvillea in the front - there's a variegated one on the left, with Juniperus Chinensis Pyramidalis behind (I have two of these in pots at home, they're prickly) - they are a lovely blue/green colour and smell fragrant on a cool day, Cypress to the left, and a pine in the background. Pines, junipers and cypress all had colour and fragrance.

 

Above: Dated 15th April 1989
On here is written Melaka Bandaraya Bersayarah which translated is English is Malacca City Berseyarah. This commemorative design is at the beginning of the "Avenue".

110. Bandar Hilir Walk

Saturday 20th March
Woke up at 5AM went back to sleep, then woke at 7 (AM). Had breakfast at 8.00AM - scrambled egg, sausage which was a chicken hot dog, small in size, (had I realised how tasty they were, I'd have had them when I was in Georgetown!), half a hash brown, baked beans, sliced tomato and 2 pieces of toast with butter and jam. Tea and coffee.
Tried to start a conversation with other guests but not much happened on that front. People (the guests) seemed rather stuffy - like they had a poker up their Khyber Pass! Hmmm. Nuf said.

Anyway, sitting at the table, I wrote a list in order of things to see. Dutch cemetery, Cultural Museum (Melaka Sultanate Palace), Port De Santiago (A'Formosa), the People's Museum and the Proclamation of Independence. I managed to find them all, but not in that order. I was so close and hadn't realised it - went the long way round, up, up, up all those ruddy steps to St. Paul's.
Found the Memorial by accident. Shopping complex - Dataran Pahlawan, Digital Domain North West. Went to loo (urgent) then had lunch. So readeth my diary.
Anyway......


Bandar Hilir (Lower City)
I set out, camera at hand and bottle of water in tow. Even though it was still earlyish, it was on the humid side so drinking plenty of water is necessary. I came across this lovely park.

The park was originally named Taman Merdeka and was officiated by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia after the Declaration of Independence Date of Malaya on his return from London on 20th February, 1956.

 

Bullock cart
In the early 20th century, bullocks carts were a common site in Malaysian streets - before the advent of the motor car, people used them for travel and for transporting goods. The driver and passengers sat in the front section of the two-wheeled vehicle and goods were placed in the back. These carts had a woven attap roof, and it's thought they were introduced by Indian traders during the Melaka Sultanate.

In Malacca, tourists can have a ride in a traditional bullock cart (kereta lembu)for RM10 and covers a distance of one kilometre. The carts hold up to five people. I think it'd be rather fun riding in one of these - it's something that isn't around anymore and being able to experience something of the past is always fun, although it probably wasn't considered "fun" in the old days. What is it about things that are no longer used or around that we love to see them, sit on it, ride in it, dress up in it, walk around it? There's something wistful about it all.

Note: The cart is real, the bullock are not! ☺


Taman Bunga Merdeka Bandaraya Melaka

 

Above: Independence Park (Taman Bunga Merdeka Bandaraya Melaka)
After a bit of hunting around, I find it is called Independence Park in English. I liked the way it was set out and it was a nice find to see the greenery and plants in a city area. Sitting under the trees was restful and being in the shade you feel a little cooler. Out comes the water bottle, I close my eyes and inhale the smell of nature on the breeze. I could sit here forever, it's just so peaceful and relaxing. But - time waits for no man and I, well I am on a schedule, a mission, to see all the things Malacca has to offer, so off I go, strength renewed.

 

Above: Trees
I think the topiary is quite stunning, don't you? I like the way they fit in with their surroundings. Topiary is the art of trimming and shaping trees into an interesting array of shapes and sizes to add an artistic touch. The tops of the trees look a bit like an umbrella. I like them.

 

Above: Red and gold pillars
These look like an entrance to a different section of the gardens. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you'll be able to see how it is laid out and get a more detailed view of the different plantings.


I shall pause here for a moment - there was this monk, a fake monk who had been pestering me the day before for money. Joanne said he had asked her and several others for money, had tapped her on the arm and was selling things. I told her real monks don't touch women and they don't sell things. Anyway, here he was again, he had come up to me just before I entered the park, and here he is again - not a half hour later - bowl in one hand and waving these Buddhas with red tassels. I'm afraid I did the unforgivable - the thing one should never, do - I raised my voice telling him he had already asked me before and I told you no then. And I told him to bugger off. (That's Aussie slang for get lost). Oh. Then I remembered. You don't raise your voice. My eyes glanced around and I could see everybody looking at me, then quickly turn away. Oh, I should have known better. Don't raise your voice and get angry - people lose face. I sighed. But - I can tell you that was the only time, I never repeated the same mistake. Anyway.. moving on ...

 

Above: Commemorative marker
After walking through the red/gold pillars, I came across this marker which was on the right-hand side. The marker reads:
The launch was officiated in conjunction Gotong-Royong Melaka by Y.A.B. Datuk Seri Hj. Mohod Bin Mohod Ali Sustam Chief Menteru Malacca On Sunday 4th January, 2004. (I have translated from Malay to English).

Taman ini pada asalnya dinamakan Taman Merdeka dan telah dirasmikan oleh
Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang pertama sempena Pengisytiharan Tarikh Kemerdekaan Tanah Melayu (Malaya) di Melaka sekembalinya dari London pada 20 Februari 1956)

NOTE: Gotong-/Royong means lots people working together in co-operation with one another.

 

Above: Reindeer
Reindeer? In Malaysia? Well not real ones obviously - they couldn't stand the heat!☺ These artistic reindeer have rope lights on them which would look very pretty when turned on. We associate reindeer with Christmas - you know, those cute little animals that pull Santa's Sleigh.
I actually had the good fortune to see a real reindeer when I was in New Zealand, this is the photo I took.

I found a poem called "We are a team of Reindeer" written by a Malaysian lady named Jacinta Ramayah so I'm including it in this post as I do think it appropriate.

We Are A Team Of ReindeerWe've been Santa's favorite pets for a long while now
no dogs nor cats for him, no goats nor cows.

Eight of us in a mob, no-one knew we each had a name
then came a red-nosed mate who gave us some fame.

As the leader I, Dasher, was the first to speed ahead,
I was his captain that was what Santa usually said.

Dancer is the lightest who could land neatly on a roof
he would brake at the edge with his tiny little hoof.

Skidding and bumping, that would be good old Prancer
he is the frisky one and Santa's jolly young deer.

The wily one is Vixen, from wolves he could get away
that hid in the snow hoping we would go astray.

At the speed of a bullet, that's how Comet could fly
to make sure children slept he'd bleat a lullaby.

Cupid has the prettiest eye-lashes you ever did see
On Santa he batted them, who'd never stay angry.

An ear-splitting “Stop!” is what Donder could crack
his thunderous voice helped get us back on track.

With his keen sense of direction Blitzen knew where to go
he would take us safely through storm and snow.

Santa asked Rudolph for help and on that occasion he rose
tho' we did laugh at him, we are grateful for his nose.

There are nine of us with Santa, if you see us passing by
don't be afraid, we're a team of deer bringing you joy.



Malacca Transport Museum ~ A Plane in the Park
Imagine my surprise when I saw a plane there in the park. I didn't know then that it was part of the Malacca Transport Museum, but I wish I had because I've since found there a many exhibits from long ago to the not too distant past and I would have greatly enjoyed looking at them.

 

Above: Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer FM1064
To my way of thinking, it's important to find out about things or places I've photographed and this plane was no exception. It did present quite a challenge let me tell you and it took me many hours of googling and research but eventually I did find what I was looking for.

The plane is a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer, Registration FM1064. The FM-1064 (cn 583) is an Ex-RMAF aircraft and was donated by the Royal Malaysian Airforce to the Malacca Transport Museum (Muzium Pengangkutan Melaka).

The Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer was a British STOL (short takeoff and landing) transport aircraft built by Scottish Aviation Limited at Prestwick Airport, Scotland, during the 1950s. It was designed for both civil and military operators

 

Above: Front view
The Twin Pioneer is also powered by Alvis radials and features a high wing, but is much larger, capable of seating up to 16 passengers in the main cabin. Designed for both civil and military applications, the Twin Pioneer was also one of the few postwar aircraft to feature a high wing and tail wheel undercarriage.

The military version could carry external stores such as bombs under the stub wings. One aircraft became the first aircraft for the newly formed Royal Malaysian Air Force. FM1062 c/n580 and FM c/n581 were delivered to the Malaysian Air Force 16 January 1962 and FM1064 c/n 583 FM1065 c/n 584 were delivered two days later. The first two aircraft were taken "on charge" by No 1 Squadron Royal Malaysian Air Force. The type served with the air force for 12 years.

Royal Malaysian Air Force
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara DiRaja Malaysia in Malay), was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force and its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force formations of the British Royal Air Force in colonial British Malaya.

After the withdrawal of British military forces from Malaysia and Singapore at the end of 1971, a five-nation agreement between Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom was concluded to ensure defence against external aggression. The Royal Australian Air Force maintained two Mirage IIIO squadrons at the Butterworth Air Base as part of its commitment to the Five Power Defence Agreement. These squadrons were withdrawn in 1986, although occasional deployments of RAAF aircraft continue. From a one aircraft airforce in 1958 and a crew of 14 men, the RMAF has grown to a force it is today, with MiG-29s, F-18s and SU-30s.

 

Above: Royal Malaysian Air Force Crest
It was created in 1936 as Malayan Auxiliary Air Force, disbanded after World War II, reactivated in 1950. The passing of Air Force Ordinance by the Parliament on 2 June 1958 saw the creation of Royal Malayan Air Force. The first adviser was seconded from the Royal Air Force(RAF), Air Commodore A.V.R Johnstsone who became the first Chief of the Royal Malayan Air Force (RMAF). The proud few who formed the RMAF were Flying Officer Lim Heng Lip, Sergeant Subramanian, Corporal Othman Mohd Ismail, Corporal Wan Said, Corporal JD Parsley, Corporal Mahadeven, Senior Aircraftman (SAC) Surindam, SAC Md Noor, SAC Zainal, SAC Mohd Hussain and Junior Technician (JT) Ismail Ariffin.

The motto of the RMAF is "Sentiasa di angkasa raya" (English: "Always in the Airspace").


Governor's mansion

 

Above: Governor's mansion - built 17th century
This stately mansion was built by the Dutch and was the official residence and office of the Dutch Governor of Malacca and later the British governor under British rule. The place has a fabulous view being located on top of St. Paul's Hill.

This was also the site of the palace of Melaka Sultanate before the Portuguese. According to the Munshi Abdullah this building was known as Raja’s House. On 31st August 1957, the name was changed to Seri Melaka, as title of the Governor was also changed to Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

After independence in 1957, the building remained the governor's residence until September 1996. (A new, bigger place was built in Ayer Keroh). Today, it is a museum and has been gazetted as a heritage building by the State Government.

This house is the stuff that dreams are made of and reminds me of "Gone With The Wind" - you can imagine Scarlett O'Hara running out, crinoline held off the ground with both hands running to her beau, calling, "Ashley, Ashley"!
I bags the room up the top on the left hand side. Think of the view - two sides, looking ahead plus looking out over the township of Malacca. And on a balmy summer evening, walking down the steps from the first floor to sit on the balcony sipping a cool drink watching the sunset, catching the breeze on the wind and seeing the stars come out at night.
Aren't dreams wonderful? (It helps having a good imagination!)


Malacca Islamic museum

 

Above: Malacca Islamic museum
The museum is only a hop, skip and a jump from Dutch Square and is opposite the Police State Contingent Headquarters. It was built in the 1850s to record the advent and development of Islam in the Peninsular and the South East Asian region. The building has been gazetted as an antiquity under the Antiquities Act 1976.



Police HQ

 

Above: The local cop shop
Ibu Pejabat Daerah Melaka Tengah - Police Headquarters Central Melaka District. I'm afraid I couldn't find any information about this building - what can I say? It's a lovely old white building with a blue tin roof. The middle section is double storey with detailed architectural design. The window awnings, trimmings and entrance door frame is painted a matching blue and the windows have colonial panes.



Dutch Cemetery

 

Above: Dutch Cemetery
The Dutch Graveyard is a small cemetery in Malacca first used in the last quarter of the 17th century. Despite its name, only five Dutch graves remain there today, and 33 belonging to British officers and their wives. The cemetery was used first by the Dutch between 1670-1682, and later by the British between 1818-1838.




St. Paul's Hill

 

Above: View from St. Paul's Hill
As the Dutch graveyard is at the foot of the St Paul's Hill, I climbed up the hill to get a daytime view and was rewarded with this pleasing vista. Apart from the green garden, you can see the Proclomation of Independence Memorial and Porta De Santiago (A' Famosa). The palm to the left of A'Formosa looks rather like a ferris wheel.


Porta De Santiago

 

Above: Porta De Santiago (A' Famosa) built 1512
The Portuguese admiral, Alfonso D’Albuquerque, built Porta de Santiago or A’Famosa in 1511. It was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion in 1641. The English were didn't really want to of maintain the fortification and ordered its destruction. It was demolished on British orders on August 10, 1807 (except for a small gate house). In 1808, Sir Stamford Raffles, a British official who had a passion for history, saved what remains of A’Famosa today. This famous landmark is located near St. Paul’s Church.

 

Above: Porta De Santiago canon
It's among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. The fortress had four towers, or bastions, and 2.4 metre thick walls. The towers were called Baluarte San Pedro, Baluerte de las Virgenes, Baluerte Madre de Dios, Baluerte Santo Domingo, and Baluerte de Santiago.
The Porta de Santiago, a small gate house, is the only remaining part of the fortress still standing.

 

Above: Gate arch
The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of Malacca. The Dutch renovated the gate in 1670 and had the logo "ANNO 1670" inscribed on the gate's arch. Above the arch is a bas-relief logo of the Dutch East India Company.

 

Above: Porta De Santiago (Gate of St. James)
Porta De Santiago, or the Gate of St. James, is the sole remaining legacy of Portuguese architecture. From my research of Porta De Santiago, it seems it is erroneously called A'Formosa. A'Formosa was the name of the fortress behind this gate, not the gate itself. A'Formosa translated from the Portuguese is "The Famous". Therefore, this quite rightly should be described as the surviving gate of the A Famosa Portuguese fort in Malacca.

The Porta De Santiago was gazetted as an old building and historical site under the Antiquities Act no. 168/19776 on the 12th May, 1977.


The Proclamation of Independence Memorial

 

Above: Proclamation of Independence Memorial - Year Built: 1911/1912
This beautiful, ornate building with twin golden domes was originally built as the headquarters of the Malacca Club, where the British ruling class slugged gin slings, gathered for tiffin, danced an elegant waltz and played cricket. It was a bastion of British colonialism and only the best sort of people were members! There was a large field front for playing cricket or polo - both "gentlemen's" games where the ladies with large hats and gloved hands would sit under shady parasols and watch to the sounds of, "Oh I say, great shot, what". Today the field is the site of the Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall.

This lovely old building today is a Memorial to Democracy where Malaysia's first prime minister announced the country's forthcoming independence on February 20, 1956. On August 31st 1985, the Proclamation of Independence Memorial was officially open to the public. The Management and administration of the Memorial has been entrusted to National Archives of Malaysia.

 

Above: Window detail
Much of Malacca's charm lies in its colonial architectural heritage as is evidenced by this wonderful window detail.

 

Above: Abdul Rahman's 1957 Chevy
In the courtyard is this gorgeous old chevy. Must have been great to have been able to ride around in them, they're such a great looking car and I just love the white trim on the tyres. The '57 Chevies are an auto icon and often restored to their original condition and sometimes modified. I was checking out the price online - do you know how much people are asking for them? From around $55,000!!! The highest price I saw was $75,000. Gee whiz, I could think of a lot better things to spend 50 thousand bucks on - think how often I could travel overseas, how many holidays I could have in Malaysia, how many other countries I could visit.
I did see one for $18,500 but that was a 2 door in "original" condition - read full of rust, parts missing, ready for the junk heap. I suppose there will be someone who will buy it and spend hours and hours and thousands of dollars to restore the old bomb.

 

Above: Abdul Rahman's 1957 Chevy
The chevy was bought in 1957 and was originally used as one of the many limousines provided by the government to ferry VIP's arriving at Sungai Besi airport, Kuala Lumpur to their respective hotels and rest houses. These VIP's were representatives of their countries during the independence celebration in Kuala Lumpur. The original paintwork of this car was white.

During the 1959 general elections, this car was used personally by YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman to travel the whole country in order to carry out his political campaigns.



And now we come to the last building before I crossed the road and had lunch.

 

Above: Bastion House - Torture Museum
Bastion House is a brick building that was built in 1910 by the British-owned company, Dunlop Rubber Company and was used solely as a business house until 1986 when it was rented out to a bank. The steep, sloping roof shows the influence of English architecture.
It's now the Malay and Islamic World Museum and houses the Museum of Torture on the ground floor.

NOTE: When researching information on this old building, one site said 'the building was named Bastion House because it is located very close to the bastions of Fortaleza de Malaca' and another site said it "might" be. I have no way of verifying this so have not included it in the above, but have mentioned it here as a possibility.

And now - it's off to lunch.

102. Sungei Palas Tea Plantation

Above: Billy Goat

We passed a few goats on the way to our next stop. This fellow was munching away on the grass on a hill.

Above: Three Billy Goats Gruff

A little further on were these kids. The same family perhaps?

Above: Information

At an altitude of 1500 metres above sea-level and covering around 235 hectares, the Sungei Palas tea factory is one of the most popular attractions with tourists and visitors. The air is clean and fresh and the grounds extensive.



Did you know?

Tea used to be plucked by hand as the workers move laboriously through the long rows of low tea bushes.

Today, the most common plucking method used is the two-man hand-held machine which is assisted by winches. These machines can harvest up to 300 kgs of green leaf per man per day, 10 times more than traditional hand plucking.

On the steepest slopes where access is limited, shears are used and can bring in about 120kgs per man per day.

After the harvest day is over, the leaf is first checked for quality, packed into sacks and weighed before being transported to the factory for processing.

 

The Manufacturing Process of Tea

We were taken on a tour of the factory and our guide explained the fascinating details of tea - from plant to packed in boxes for sale.



Harvesting

Tea bushes are harvested approximately every three weeks. The leaves are picked in the morning and immediately transported to the factory. Tea leaves are plucked only after two years from planting. Once the plant is mature, tea is plucked approximately every three weeks. The plucked leaves are checked for quality and are then transferred to the factory where they go through five main processing stages. Each stage brings out the distinctive fragrance and aroma from the tea leaves.





Withering

During this first step, the green leaf is withered to reduce moisture and allow natural chemical reactions to take place by putting them in troughs or bins with warm dry air running through them for about 12 to 20 hours. This is usually done overnight.



Rolling

The withered leaves are rolled to crush the leaf cells and process them into smaller particles. It also exposes the cells to oxygen. The rollers used at the factory date back to 1935.



Fermentation

Also known as oxidation, fermentation is the natural chemical process in which enzymes in the leaf are exposed to oxygen. This is the stage that determines the flavour, aroma and colour of the tea. The leaves are spread onto trays and the humidity, temperature and timing are carefully controlled. After fermentation, the tea leaves change from green to copper. This process takes from two to three hours.

Above: Drying the leaves



Drying

Drying stops the fermentation process and reduces the moisture in the leaf to 3%. The fermented leaf is fed into machines through which blasts of hot air heated to almost 120º Celsius is passed through the leaves.

The tea leaf then emerges into the familiar crisp black curled form we see and is known as "made tea." The process is completed in around 10 - 20 minutes. The furnace uses wood from the rubber trees to produce the hot air.



Sorting

After drying, the "made tea" is graded according to size. This is done by passing the leaves through several sieves known as vibroscreens. The fibres, stalks and off-grades are removed during this stage and each grade of tea has its own flavour, characteristics and density.



Tea Tasting

Tea tasting is a vital and essential part of the tea making process and is very specialised and requires years of training - like a wine taster. The taster examines each sample of dry tea leaves for texture, colour, amount of twist and evenness of grade. The infused leaves are then examined for colour, brightness and uniformity. Next, he or she tastes the tea for taste, flavour and aroma.

Above: A nice hot cup of tea



Storage

The tea is then stored in dry conditions to mature and mellow further before packing. It is important that to ensure there is no moisture as this would ruin the tea.



Packaging

The tea leaves are packaged into boxes and other containers and are now ready for the market.

Above: The five stages



The factory produces 600,000 kg of tea a year and has a variety of different brews - Pekoe, Cheeding, Palas Supreme, Cinnamon-flavoured. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00am to 4.30pm. Admission to the factory is free and tours are conducted every 30 minutes.

Above: Welcome sign

Above: Sungei Palas Tea Centre

The Sungei Palas Tea Centre is an airy and spacious complex housing a visitor gallery, tea shop, a cafe and museum.

 

History

During the British colonial ear in Malays, a Mr. J. Russel, a British businessman, started the BOH Plantations in 1929. Due to huge demands for tea coupled with the climate of the Cameron Highlands, he saw the potential and economic value and was granted a concession of land for his first tea garden in Habu.



Today, BOH Plantations has three tea gardens - Habu, (the first one), Fairlie and Sungei Palas Tea Garden. A packaging factory was set up neat the main garden - this ensured the freshness of their products. BOH tea products are distributed not only to the domestic market but also internationally.





Scenic Tea Gardens

Below are some shots I took of the beautiful gardens with their manicured rows

Above: BOH Tea

 

Above: Sungei Palas Gardens

 

Above: BOH Tea Plantation

Above: Tea plantation with coffee trees

 

Above: Sungei Palas Tea Plantation

Above: Restaurant exterior

Above: Friends

Sitting in the cafe drinking tea, the young man and his family were sitting next to me. We got to chatting - he taught me a few Malay phrases, and I told him a few Aussie slang words. His little sister was (I think) about eight or nine.



It was a lovely day and visiting the tea plantation was a real eye-opener - whoever would have thought there would be that much intensity involved in producing tea?

98. Tanah Rata Walk

About Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is the major town in the Cameron Highlands, with Brinchang to the north and Ringlet to the south. It is a lovely town for strolling around down the main street with quaint shops on either side and lots of lively action filled with tourists and locals alike. The best thing about this place is the cool mountain air - I felt just like I was back in Melbourne! The air is fresh and clear and there's no humidity like the rest of Malaysia. There are still old buildings around which haven't yet been torn down by the Malaysian government in the name of progress.

Out and about
As the bus arrived around noon and given the kerfuffle of before (see #96 Kang Traveller's Lodge - Warning) it was well past my lunch time and with rumbling tummy I set off to investigate the town and find somewhere to eat.

Above: Butterfly
Spotted this poor butterfly on the ground. As you can see, its right wing is damaged and it was having difficulty flying so I gently picked it up and palced it on the grass.

Above: The Dreaded Durian
Ah here at last were the durians I had heard so much about. And no, I wasn't game to try one.

Above: Street Cafes
Walking further down the street, this is the high side btw - the steps are raised and as I walked along it was up, walk, down, walk, up, walk etc. The whole side is raised it really was quite pretty. The other side of the street is the "low" side.

Above: The "low" side of the street
For some reason I didn't find this side as interesting as the high side. Perhaps it had something to do with light and dark - the high side was light filled.

I had lunch (not in the main street) at a place called Nonga Fern, or it could be Nonga Ferm (can't read my own writing), the meal was so-so, coffee awful and the cup very dirty with a big chip. This is from my notes of that day. I ate ouside the cafe/restaurant at their tables and chairs and spent a very pleasant half hour or so writing in my travel diary.

Above: Food stalls
Going back up the way I had come there are many food and market type stalls here. I also noticed quite a number of white plastic tables and chairs and a lot of people were eating - there were several families gathered around and plenty of cooking going on too.

Above: S K Convent Primary School
This beautiful old building was built in the 1930's and is sited on a hillside overlooking the township of Tanah Rata. The Convent Primary School, (or Sekolah Kebangsaan Convent (SK Convent) is one of the oldest buildings in Tanah Rata and has lovely elegant lines. It was once used as a British hospital (as were a number of the old buildings here) as this was where people came to escape the heat and for those who were recovering from malaria. It became a fully-fledged Roman Catholic school in 1971.

Above: Funky fone
I thought the public telephones here were cute - much nicer than ours back home.

Above: Town Clock
Further down (think it was south but can't be sure as one's sense of direction gets a little hay wire) is the town clock which is situated in the Botanic Gardens which are on the right hand side of the main street. I've not been able to find any information about the clock so don't know when it was built. The time on the clock is wrong btw.

Above: Botanic Gardens, Tanah Rata
The gardens were were a lovely surprise and the flowers! Beautiful, bold, bright colours and the layout was well thought out. I spotted several seats where you could sit in the shade and the paths were clean and well kept.

Above: Bridge
This adorable little bridge is down the side from the side street. It had a look of a Dutch feel to it, although why that should be I don't know. It was sort of olde worldly.

Above: Botanic Gardens
This metal arch is in keeping with the rest of the design - again that olde worlde look.

Above: Cameron Highlands
Walking back along the main road, this very large structure stands out from across the street - this is on the "low" side. 

 

Above: Marrybrown
Back on the high side again, is Marrybrown's - Malaysia's answer to McDonalds. By this time it was late in the day, the weather had turned quite cool and it had started to rain a little so I stopped here and had tea - chicken and rice from memory. The food was delicious. I should add that I don't patronise McDondal's, Hungry Jack's or KFC. But I did eat at this "junk food" place.

 

Above: Coloured Tree
I really love this tree and wondered how there could possibly such a tree in existence with the different colours. Closer inspection showed me that it was not actually a (living) tree at all - hence the different colours. If you enlarge the picture, you can see the Botanic Gardens in the backdrop on the left side. Further to the right, the number "one" sports part of the Malaysian flag,
This was back towards the "low" side of the main road near the bus/taxi terminal - a cream brick place. The public loos were closed. Building was going on and hadn't been completed when I was here. As you can see from this photo, it is raining and fairly consistent too. I had left my brolly in my suitcase, wasn't wearing long sleeves so caught a taxi back. Didn't take long going by car.

I had a lovely walk around the town and thouroughly enjoyed the day. Back at the Cameronian Inn it was cups of hot tea sitting around the tables at the front entrance with Ganesh and three or four of the other guests. We just sat and talked and a good time was had by all.

So ended the first day in the Cameron Highlands.