Random Clouds

I met a group of local hikers online and decided to join one of their weekly hiking trips. The destination this round was the Big Blue Lake of the Three Brothers Lake located between Plentong and Seri Alam. The Three Brothers Lake is formed by the Big Blue Lake, the Medium Blue Lake and the Small Blue Lake. After meeting up at the badminton court 明珠羽球場 in Plentong at 6.30am, we carpooled for another 3 min and parked on the roadside of a huge palm plantation.  The weather was pleasant and the air fresh from last night's rain. We walked through the plantation, overgrown ferns and bushes.  Twenty minutes later, we reached the lake. Plentong Big Blue Lake   Perfect Reflection Beyond Borders Then we hiked to the top of the cliff. Along the way is a rock shaped like an elephant. On our way up, we met another group of hikers coming down this steep giant rock using the rope set up by the trailblazers. Our turn to go up. First class view! The faraway peak in the middle is Gunung P...

I've always heard of Gunung Pulai but never had a chance to visit the mountain until now. As there is a river by the entrance, it's a popular outing spot among the locals. River by the entrance. The local villagers run food stalls and convert their home compounds into parking lots for RM3 per car. Put the parking coupon here.Without coupon, put RM3, OK! Masakan Panas = Hot Food A village house with many plants. Personally, I prefer taking the forest trail but it's closed for the monsoon. Even during normal seasons, taking the forest trail would require application for a hiking permit several days in advance. The permit costs RM10. A guide is also mandatory at around RM160. Forest Trail  There are still plenty to see along the steep tarmac road. Mini Waterfall Surrounded by lush greenery. The light blue beyond the land is actually seawater. First time seeing this type of fern. Some even form shapes of hexagon. It took me two hours to reach the peak which is actually a restri...

Missing the embrace of the forest, I joined my cousin's family for a hike at Gunung Lambak in Kluang. Its summit is at 510m above sea level. My cousin planned to brought me up to the northern peak where we could get a great view. Initially I was confused by the signboard as the numbers indicate distance instead of elevation.   After walking up the paved road, we started ascending a steep slope with natural steps formed by sprawling tree roots. It's amazing how the tree roots formed pockets of steps.   After conquering the root-steps slope, we sat on some benches for a rest. Suddenly, my cousin's wife N started panting. With her eyes wide opened, she screamed in fear, "It's dark! It's dark! I can't breathe!"  N slumped and my cousin quickly held her and said, "Breathe! Breathe!" I rubbed some Chinese medicated oil on the back of her neck. She was still panting. I touched her right hand. By then, her limbs had become stiff. Her voice quivered: ...

After a long pause of 3.5 years, I felt the urge to go hiking again. As I've been warned that it's not safe to hike alone in Malaysia, I contacted my cousin who hikes weekly with his family. He recommended Bukit Kangkar Pulai 佛莱山. The hill is located in Pulai where I seldom visit. Following the navigation app, I was led to a blocked road under construction. After some turns and a phone call with my cousin, I finally found the entrance! My cousin shared with me the three most important rules when hiking: (1) Don't take anything from the wild (everything in the wild belongs to the spirits). (2) Don't say each other's name (so that the spirits cannot track us). (3) Don't curse and speak nonsense (so that the spirits are not offended). As I tried to focus on the treks, I didn't take many photos. Here are a few when the trails were more manageable. Blue Lake One of the four rest stops.                           ...

29 Nov 2018 Joan came from Singapore for a visit and brought her to the cultural street in JB city. My sister told me the nyonya kuih on the cultural street is a must try! The stall has actually moved to the next street. The auntie owner is very friendly and pleasant. Now she has her own shop. Besides selling her handmade nyonya kuih , the shop also sells freshly baked sponge cakes and banana cakes. The sponge cake tastes very similar to the famous Japanese cheese sponge cake! It's moist and super soft! A must try too! What I like most about these nyonya kuihs is that not only are they fragrant, they are also not too sweet! This is the famous clay oven bakery. However, personally I feel that it's just a hype. Their buns are dry and their banana cakes oily. Customers would have to form a line entering the claustrophobic shop, quickly select what they want, pay up, and exit—all done in a single line, mechanically. The staff are impersonal with "just pay up an...

Not being able to eat chili and too much sweet stuff, I'm probably missing out a lot in Bangkok. Nonetheless, I've tasted some good flavors during this trip and I'm contented 😊 Sugar floss rolled in savory wrap. A snack in Ayuthaya. Phat thai at Soi Rambuttri. A combination of sweet, sour, and salty. Seldom eat raw bean sprouts but these go really well with the rice noddles. Ishigama sourdough bread. Super soft and doesn't really have the fragrance of sourdough. It probably contains just a tiny bit of sourdough. Non-spicy tomyam noodle soup at Emquartier food court. Only a faint taste of tomyam and super salty. Noodles in yong taufu soup at Emquartier food court. Smells of fermented beans; tastes like the yong taufu sauce in Malaysia. Coconut ice cream at Emquartier food court. Beneath the ice cream is glutinous rice. Toppings include fried lentils, palm fruits, coconut flesh, and melon cubes. Phat thai and stir-fried kailan in...