shutterbutter.com

It was a boring 2010 Chinese New Year. Zybisko14 and I decided to do something wild and impromptu, which involved driving all the way to the East Coast on a 2-day trip.

From Klang, I drove to Seremban to pick my friend. Then, we headed towards Perak and had a short rest near the Lake Temenggor Lake. Interestingly, we saw two pillboxes at each end of the bridge. The night sky was filled with stars and pity that we did not bring along a tripod to shoot star trails.

In the morning, we travelled along the East-West Highway to Kelantan.

1. The Titiwangsa mountains or mountain range.

2. An open air tunnel. Not too sure why it’s not fully enclosed.

3. At an open field in Kelantan.

The young jockey was training a young stallion. Notice that he rode the horse without a saddle.

The training was pretty brutal as there were more punishments than rewards, and punishments involve flying kicks!

4. Another jockey-stallion pair.

5. Pasar Siti Khadijah, Kota Bharu

6.

7. She was having her lunch, and at the same time feeding the cat.

8. Salted fish/dried fish.

9. The steam corn seller on the way to Pantai Cinta Berahi or the “Passionate Love Beach”.

We met 2 years ago, when I stopped by for some corns. She remembered me, and this time I had a picture of her taken. Too bad, she blinked and I was not given a second chance for a retake.

10. At Duyong Island, Terengganu. Reputable for its traditional boat makers, but we could not find any that were active during our visit.

Sharing only two film images from my previous trip to Thean Hou temple.

It was a hot and sunny morning, and there were some opportunity to play around with shadows cast by the lanterns.

1.

2.

If you had browsed my previous post, you would have noticed that the infamous pau factory was located within their wooden premise. Now, they have relocated to a new concrete and fully air-conditioned building just opposite their old shop.

1. Besides a new place, there is also a new machine to facilitate formation of the pau’s doughs.

2.

3. The uniformly formed doughs.

Although Pulau Ketam (literal translation means Crab Island) is easily accessible from Klang, I only managed to visit Pulau Ketam in 2008.

It was a very exhausting trip as we covered almost the entire island from afternoon till night. We had to charter a ferry to fetch us back to the mainland, and it was quite costly. Luckily there were almost 10 of us, so we could split the cost between ourselves.

1. We parked our cars at the terminal end of Port Klang and headed towards the jetty for our ferries.

By the time our ferry arrived, it was already pretty cloudy. We crossed our fingers that it would not be an overcast day on the island.

2. The modern type of ferry, unlike the huge ones of Penang.

3. This is the older version of the Pulau Ketam ferry, open air and with wooden benches.

These ferries are also the main method to transport their daily supply of groceries from the mainland to the island.

4. Shimmering reflection.

5.

6. Mud crabs. Pulau Ketam is supposedly famous for its bountiful catch of mud crabs.

However, I doubt the situation remains nowadays due to over harvesting. Most likely, these crabs were harvested from nearby islands.

7. Friend lala omelet.

Smells nice, but we did not have the luxury of time to order one as the Sun was beginning to set. 

8.

9. A very friendly uncle.

Previously, when I posted this picture in a local photography forum, my other friends remarked that coincidentally he had shot the same uncle in the same shirt a year before. 

10. Triptych of a baby girl.

11. Panning shot of a trishaw.

12. From here on, we chartered some bicycles in order to cycle and cover more of the village. There were a few sharp corners and uphill (bridges) with very narrow paths, and it was all fun terrorising the local villagers on their bicycles. Or was it the other way round? 

13. We visited a few temples, and most of them are dedicated to their ancestors that first came and started off the fishing colony on this island.

14.

15.

16.

17. Family members busy selecting their catch before drying. Individual homes double as fishing-related small scale industries, and most of them are involved in the processing of dried and salted fish.

18. Dried shrimps, usually found in prawn noodle (mee yoke) or curry noodle.

19.

20. Grilling slices of porky jerky.

21. Some stage dancers performing at a local temple celebration.

While Pulau Ketam is a quaint Chinese fishing village that is popular with many tourists, I have boycotted visiting this island ever since a tragic news broke out. The island residents have cruelly abandoned their stray dogs off to a small island (Pulau Selat Kering) that is full of vipers and no access to freshwater. Link. 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. FGS Dong Zen, shot at dusk.

Taken a few days later, from on top of a custom-made pagoda.

Next, we stopped at Pantai Dalam to have lunch.

I was searching for the famous nasi lemak stall. Too bad, the stall only operates in the evening till night.

1. Jellyikan, needing the next boost.

2. Red lanterns at Sentral station.

3. Green flag, to acknowledge that the train is safe to depart.

4.

5.

6. Abandoned post office at Nilai.

7.

8. Evidence of us finally reaching Seremban. Had a simple dinner before heading back to Port Klang.

Our friend (Jellyikan) initiated this adventurous idea of travelling along the entire stretch of KTM Commuter line, using a daily pass (RM 10.00) that offered unlimited travel. We planned and had a rough idea to explore some scenic spots at the vicinity of each stations that we were stopping.

So, on the very last day of the daily pass promotion, we embarked from Port Klang > Tanjung Malim > Seremban > Port Klang, morning till almost midnight. We had our fun, but were also confined most of the time to within the coaches.

1. Our starting point, which was Port Klang early in the morning.

2. Arrival of our first coach.

3. As we were the early birds, the entire coach was pretty empty. We had it all to ourselves. 

4. Our first stop was at Bukit Badak station, and my lens fogged up badly.

5.

6. The trees dead branches reminded us of deer’s antlers.

7.

8.

9. Connaught Bridge Power Station. My previous film shot: link

10.

11.

12. Rows of excavator at Shah Alam station.

13. Jonathan with his emo pose.

If you arrive early in the evening, particularly during the weekends, you can easily find lots of stalls selling an assortment of bivalves.

These are sold at quite a reasonable rate, and should be quite fresh because harvesting is done locally.

1.

2. Clams.

3. Mussels.

4. Oyster, being sold at a pretty price locally.

5. Pholas orientalis

The locals call them Mentarang or Angelwings.

6. Bathing in the glory of the golden hour.

7. A lonely fishing rod, waiting for the last catch of the day.

8. A long exposure of the night sky. It was a pretty miserable attempt as we were not properly equipped (having only a flimsy tripod) and there were the swarm of highly active mosquitoes.

If look carefully, there is the Orion constellation somewhere at the upper right of the picture.

Took a couple of my friends down to Tanjung Sepat for sight-seeing, and at the same time (for the 1st time too) to taste the infamous Jugra Beggar’s Chicken (also commonly but not accurately called Banting Beggar’s Chicken).

Our morning started off with Lido nasi lemak in Klang. Bad move, as there are more food in Tanjung Sepat awaiting for us.

1. Busy activity at the Lovers’ jetty, the sole remaining jetty of Tanjung Sepat.

As the boats are parked at the terminal end of the narrow jetty, the only fast way to transport the catch is by motorbikes.

2.

3.

4. The upgraded Hai Yew Hin pau maker.

They have expanded by having a new production site opposite their old restaurant. The old sites is still in use, serving paus and other fried stuffs (even soft shelled crabs) and other local produce.

Now, there are more mechanisation and even an air-conditioner at the new site, a far cry from what was previously (here).

5. A gloomy and cloudy day for landscape. Better to come another time for sunrise/sunset shots.

6. The unassuming wooden facade of Restoran Bukit Jugra, famed for their beggar’s chicken.

It’s located opposite a Chinese temple, near the foothill of Jugra Hill.

Note: You have to pre-order your menu at least a day before, and they firmly do not entertain walk-ins.

Their contacts: 03-3120 2525 / 03-3120 2515

7. Overlooking the mangrove. Wear long pants, as there can be quite a lot of mosquitoes.

8. The place where the wrapped food are kept under hot glowing ash.

9. The wrapped items were carted out in a wheelbarrow.

10. Unwrapping has begun.

11. And stock essence began to flow.

12. Stuffed herbal duck. I prefer this as it very much tasted like any herbal duck soup.

13. Glutinous rice, my least liking.

14. Herbal chicken. My friends remarked that it tasted very much alike Essence of Chicken, but much better and stronger.

15. In total, we had four dishes. The last one was herbal pork knuckle, which tasted very much like bah kut teh.

Visited the Thean Hou Temple just a week before Chinese New Year. As a popular spot for couples to officially registering their marriage, there were quite a few newly weds, each with their own entourage of paid photographers. 

1. Morning blue sky with Kuala Lumpur’s skyline as the backdrop.

2. The dragon plaque. I used to remember it as way, perhaps I was just a little kid back then.

Now, it looks way smaller than the recollection of my memory.

3.

4.

5.

6. The tiered rooftop.

7.

8. Lanterns galore. I think there would be more come Chinese New Year.

9.

10.

11. Shadows of the overhanging chinese lanterns. Some formed Mickey Mouse motives.

12.

13.

14.