Penang Trip, Day 3

Today I told my mom and dad that I’m gonna bring them to the west side of Penang Island. And our first destination is to the famous Butterfly Farm.

The Penang Butterfly Farm

To find the butterfly farm is not that difficult, we stay at Batu Feringgi, and on the western side of Penang, the road is not that complicated like in George Town, I just need to drive strait, and able to reach my destination.

We are the first visitor to the farm; I went to buy the entrance fees. Hm… per entrance for adults is RM28. I asked my dad how old is he, he told me that he’s 58 this year, OMG~ my dear dad had fulfill the senior entrance fees. Poor dad, he had been working for all of these years to raise the 4 of us, give us education, and didn’t ask for any return. Love my dad…

So the farm was cool, but not what I imagine. Butterfly farm should have a lot of pretty flowers for the butterfly to collect honey. Here, not much flowers inside, and the butterflies most of them are small size, and looks the same to me.

When we enter the indoor exhibition, it also has other bugs display, tarantula, iguana, snakes, lizard (very BIG lizard which now still give me the goose bum) and a souvenir shop.

110725 Penang Butterfly Farm, a set on Flickr.

Lunch Time

We spend like almost 3 hours in the butterfly farm, cause my parent have to wait for me to finish taking photos. And dad has to wait for mom to buy the souvenir.

After that, mom said she’s hungry; look at the time is almost noon. I told mom they don’t have much chinese stall here, so we have to either go for Malay food or India food. I like the roti canai….

Then mom give me that face, oh well… so along the way, I stop by and ask an India stall where can I find a chinese food stall. And he’s kind enough to show me the direction, so I went…but all of the stalls close. I then bring mom and dad to the malay stall next to it, and we all had curry rich for lunch.

I ate a huge chicken drumstick, and drank a cup of delicious teh tarik. Mom said the food is spicy, she’s not use to eat spicy food.

Penang National Park

After the lunch, I found myself driving to the Penang National Park!!! So I park my car, and register ourselves at the counter.

The park ranger asked where we come from, I told him we’re from Sarawak. He told me that he’s from Sabah, I love Sabah, I then told him that I been there just last year, and had fallen in love to that land ever since. I will go back to Sabah again.

The park consist of several beaches, there are turtle beach, monkey beach, and several other beaches. But it all require 1 hours plus walking distant.

I know dad’s knee cap injure, so we went for the nearest one, to the suspension bridge which only took us like 15 minutes walks. Dad said next time we should come back here again, and bring food to picnic here. Good idea dad, I like that.

Fruits Garden

After the national park, our last destination for today is the fruits garden. The roads to the fruits garden are like snake, along the way, we drove pass the Dam of Penang also. We stop for photograph, dad just stay in the car. 

Mom and I went for a walk at the dam, and took some photos. Mom likes to take photos as well…lols.

Then proceed on with the snake like roads, a lot of sharp turns. And dad keeps on telling me drive slowly…. “Don’t worry dad, I have everything under control.” This is what I answer dad each time he asked me to drive slow.

When we reach that tropical garden, the fruits that they plant there are like star fruits, mango, durian, papaya, rambutan, banana. So if were to enter the farm, we need to pay RM30 for each person.

Mom said that these fruits are very common to us. We can easily see it at our house backyard, so why pay the money to see those fruits? Well mom has a point, so dad then suggests why don’t we use that entrance money, and go have some durian while we’re on our way back.

Dad, you’re the cleverest dad in the universe. I hurry start the car, and on our way to the durian stall.

Durian fest…

There are a few stalls of durian along the road, and we stop by at one of it. The owner speack hakka (a local dialect) and surprisingly the same dialect with us.

The durians are insanely cheap here, at first we bought 2 for just RM10. Then dad said he wants to try the bigger one, so this is RM5 for 1KG, and the durian the owner pick is like RM8 only.

OMG, I shouldn’t take that curry rice as lunch. After finish the last seed of the durian, I barely move. I told dad that I’m extremely full now, and I can even skip my dinner later. Dad said same goes for him.

The durians that we ate are all very delicious, I suggest to mom and dad we come back here again for durians, dad said Yes…. :D

Stay tune for my next travel post… 

Penang Trip Report Reports:

Penang Trip Day 1 (post 1 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 2 (post 2 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 3 (post 3 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 4 (post 4 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 5 (post 5 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 6 (post 6 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 7 (post 7 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 8 (post 8 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 9 (post 9 of 9)

Penang Trip, Day 2

This morning when I started the car engine, I saw rain drops in front of the car windshield. Great, I told my mom the weather forecast was right after all, it starts to rain now. So my mom asked me to take an umbrella along.

I plan to bring my parent to George Town for a city tour today, I hoping to walk them to most of the historical temple, and buildings. But the rain had ruin all my plan.

Fort Conwallis

I start to drive slowly to the Jetty, and before I reach the Jetty I saw is the fort Conwallis. Today is Sunday, and they have an event going at the esplanade. I parked my car near the ferry ticket counter. And punch in 60 cents to the parking machine for 45 minutes.

Just when I notice, the rain had stop. My parent and I walk to the main entrance of the fort, and we paid RM6 for 3 adults.

There is a dungeon looking building, I asked my mom and dad to go inside.  When we’re inside, mom told me that the prisoners are so pity to be kept in this room, the air ventilation is not good, they will suffocate. Mom continues to mumble and said that if they put she inside this building, she will pass out immediately. I told my mom that she’s to timid.

The Penang Ferry

I look at my watch, OMG~ I told dad that is almost 45 minutes, we have to hurry and get back to our car. On my way back, I asked like at least 3 person (who I assume they live at Penang)…

“Hi, may I know how much do I have to pay for the compound if I overpark?”

Answer 1, from the girl that sells souvenir “I don’t know, not sure about that”

Answer 2, from the guy who looks after the private parking lot “Are you one of the Star Cruse passanger, I don’t know, you ask someone else…”

Answer 3, from pass by senior guy “I don’t know, maybe RM30” <- WTH

Then I told my parent let just get out of here, and I will fine a free parking myself. And I did, I park my car at the Jetty. Then we walk to ride the ferry to cross over Butterworth.

Ferry to Butterworth

I remember last time I paid like RM1 for the ferry tickets, and this time I notice a signboard saying free for passenger…. Hm…. Since when it is free?

Mom bought us some biscuit to eat, she asked me to eat 2 cause she said I’m hungry. I was thinking, how do you know mom?

I took some photos on George Town, the Star Cruse ship, and the Jetty. Magnificent view, also took some panorama shoots. Should get a wide angle lens…

When we reach Butterworth, we didn’t depart but just continue to stay in the ferry, and go back to George town again. The whole journey took us 1/5 hours, dad said this is his first time to see the Penang bridge himself, and mom enjoyed the journey too. I’m worry mom will get sea sick, but she said the ferry is quite stable, so she is ok.

The craw keep on flying into the ferry to look for food to eat, I try to scare them off, but they scare me instead. Damn you stupid craw….

Komtar Supermarket

After we depart, dad said he’s a bit tired. So I drive them to Komtar for lunch. I park my car at the multilevel car park, and I have to drive (in a circle direction) all the way to level 6 (dizzy). Paid RM3, and I am allow to park my car until 5pm today.

Inside the building, we had our lunch at one of the fast food coffee shop, and I took curry, and a chicken drumstick which cost me RM5…oh man, this is expensive!!!

After our lunch, we start to shopping. I bought a new deck of UNO card, I will teach my parent how to play, so when our journey back to Kuching we can play UNO while inside the plane.

One very good practice from the Penang shopping malls is they don’t give out plastic bag anymore. Most of the people bring their own recycle bag, after they shop, they will put all their stuff inside their recycle bag. If you didn’t bring any, you just have to carry the stuff like that…

We spend like 2 hours at Komtar, then dad said he want to go back and rest. So after that, I drive my parent back to rest.

Stay tune for my next travel post.

Penang Trip Report Reports:

Penang Trip Day 1 (post 1 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 2 (post 2 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 3 (post 3 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 4 (post 4 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 5 (post 5 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 6 (post 6 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 7 (post 7 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 8 (post 8 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 9 (post 9 of 9)

Penang Trip, Day 1

Thai Buddhist Temple, Burma Buddhist Temple, and Kek Lok Shi Buddhist Temple

“Ok, we should turn here…”

“where are we now…”

“drive carefully son…”

“why are they so close to us…”

These are the few word that my parent keeps repeating today, I’m driving my parent at Penang here to visit some of the tourist attraction spots. And I don’t have a GPS…yet… so the only thing I can rely on is the map that I've got when landed at Penang Airport.

But my dad is not good at reading map, and mom don’t know how to drive. Is all depends on my six sense now.

I’ve been here 2 years ago, so roughly know the roads around. We stayed at Batu Ferringi area, so our first stop is to the famous Thai Buddhist Temple, and the Burma Buddhist Temple.

I drive down the Batu Feringgi road, pass Tesco supermarket, pass Gurney Plazza, and if not mistaken the temple should be here somewhere. I asked my dad to keep at eye for a building which looks odd. So while I’m concentrating on my way, then dad point on the right, asking me what is that buiding…Eureka dad!!! That the one, thanks to dad we made it to our first stop.

I came here 2 years ago; my photos that I took that time most of them corrupted, because I burn them into data CD. So this time, I took like 3 – 4 time more photos than last time, and save it nicely into my external hard drive. 

The weather today are perfectly nice, I was very worry few days before my trip as I checked on the weather forecast it says that Penang is going to rain.

Burma Buddhist Temple

We visited the Burma Temple first, the temple are huge. I then acted as a part time tour guide and starts to explain the history about the temple to my parents (got the info from the internet actually) and I am also a part time photographer, and start to taking picture for my parent.

It always makes me feel happy when seeing the smiling faces on mom and dad. And dad as always are still so caring towards mom, each time when crossing the street he will hold mom’s hand. And this is a good example that I must learn from my dad.

Thai Buddhist Temple

The Thai Buddhist temple is just opposite the Burma Buddhist temple, and is huge as well. I’m so impress on the wall engraving are amazing. It is very details, and looks so real. There are a lot of stories about how the Buddha became from a prince to one of the greatest teacher in this world.

Unknown market for our lunch

After exploring the two Buddhist temple, I told dad that is almost time for tea break. So while roaming at the unknown roads, I saw this market which is pack with people. I am very hungry that time, and starts to imaging the fried clam kuih tiao of penang. I’m lucky to that a parking lot are just right in front of me when I think of the food.

Dad paid 60 cents to the India guy, he is kind enough to help us watch over our car, and are very polite as well.

The champion coffee shop

Why I call this place the champion coffeeshop is because the owner’s son is a bowling champion, and he’s the representative from the Malaysia team. A lot of trophy, cash rewards cert, and photos are hang at the wall of fame.

The business there are super good, we need to wait for our turns to get a spot to sit down. I ordered a penang prawn noodle for mom, a sweet roasted duck noodle for dad, and a fried clam kuih tiao for myself. I don’t understand why Penang people likes to mix the beehun and the noddles together. I find it very wired on mixing these two together.

My fried kuih tiao is not bad, but I don’t fine the legendary prawn noodles to taste good. I’m use to the food taste back in Sarawak…

Kek Lok Shi Buddhist Temple

I stop and asked for direction for 2 times, and finally I manage to find this famous temple. This temple had the biggest and highest Guan Ying Buddha status at Malaysia, and this is also one of the signatures here.

Dad and mom was like speechless when they’re here, lols. They keep on praising on how huge the temple is, and is magnificent.

I worry dad will get bad headache, so before we enter the temple, we had a cool coconut drinks to make sure they have enough water. 

That temple are full of tourist, this is a good sign as another main sours of income for the temple are from the tourist. So I hope everyday this place will be flood by tourist.

I took a lot of photos of dad and mom together, the building, and the Buddhist statues. Not just that, I snaps a few panorama shoots as well. I want to take as much photos as I can to record down my wonderful trip with my parents.

Dad likes to take photos as well, as I saw him keep on using his nokia phone to take photos. Then he can show off to his friends when he get back home later. Lols…..

There are a spot at the temple where they plant a lot of flowers, the hibiscus flowers are pretty and big.

There is a big bell towel, after you make your wish, you use the wood to knock on the bell, and then your wish will come true. I teach dad and mom how, and they made their own wish. For dad, I maybe know what he wish for, if not mistaken maybe is the grand winner of the lottery  :P

Call it a day

Dad and mom are tired after all the walking, praying, photography, and eating. We had an early dinner at one of the coffee shop near the temple. Dad are the Hai Nan chicken rice and it cost RM4.50, the portion are so little, is so expensive!!!

On our way back, it only takes me 30 min. I think I am starting to get familiar with the Penang roads now. Good start, see you guys in my next travel post. 

Penang Trip Report Reports:

Penang Trip Day 1 (post 1 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 2 (post 2 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 3 (post 3 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 4 (post 4 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 5 (post 5 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 6 (post 6 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 7 (post 7 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 8 (post 8 of 9)
Penang Trip Day 9 (post 9 of 9)

The Art of Nature - Thunderstrom

Just when I reach home, I saw a huge dark cloud formation (click to view the clouds) just in front of my house, and the win is blowing strongly. Looks like there are going to be a thunderstorm rain....

Then I saw some thunder, this is a good opportunity. I hurry went into my house and grab my Nikon D90, and this is what had happen for the next one hour...











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Some historical Related Post on Thunder

Thunder Strom @ Friendship Park

The Art of Nature

The right time again

Before and After

Friendship Park @ Night Time

Another visit to the Buntal Village for Sunrise photoshoot

Read my previous visit to Buntal Village for Sunrise photoshoot (click to read)



I went to Buntal Village for photo shooting for the second time, but the weather is not as good as the first time. On my way to the village drizzling rain, fortunately when reached the village, it stops.

I've shoot a lot of scene photos, but this time I'll show you some of the photos not related to sunrise.


The fisherman getting ready for a day work, preparing the fishnet.


A group of teenage youngster having a jumpshoot at the beach.


Two of my buddies packing up their gears after finish shooting the sunrise.


My flip Ultra HD videocam, mounting on a tripod. Checkout the video I've shoot below :)

Visitation to the Niah Cave @ Miri Sarawak

I visited the Niah Cave last weekend with my family and friends. That morning, I wakeup at around 6am. Our initial plan was to wakeup at 5am, and starts our journey at 6am…. Both of my younger brother Kerry and Jye came back home at around 2am last night, so I don’t expect they will wake up on time.

We started our journey at around 7am; it takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Miri to the small town of Niah, and we had our breakfast there. Upon entering Niah town, a nice view awaits us, as I can see the Limestone Mountains surrounding the Niah town.

There are only 3 – 4 rows of shophouses. My brothers are familiar with this place, so we had our breakfast at one of the coffee shop there. Most of the Chinese people here they speak Hakka dialect. I ordered my favorite food, the koko noodles, taste really nice :) however, the pricing here are a bit expensive compare to Miri town. My brother told me this is because all the food here needs to pay extra transportation charges.

After breakfast, off we go to the Niah National Park. The park is one of Sarawak smaller national park, but this park contain evident of early human activities date back for more than 40,000 years ago. The archaeology found painting on cave wall, wooden coffin which looks like a wooden ship, chopping tools, axes, pottery, and human skull which data at around 38m000 years BCE.

The entrance fees for student is RM5, and adults is RM10, then we also need to use a boat to cross a river which cost RM4 per person. From the starting check point to reach the Great Cave (the end point) is approximately 4 KM from the park office.

We start our journey at 10am; to reach the cave first is a plank walk which is enclosed on both sides by dense primary rainforest. The trees are so huge that I think it need 10 person holding hands to surround the tree. The forest consists of swap and wetland, I’m pretty sure it might have crocodile there because the water is so calm and a perfect condition for crocs to live.

I’m the last one in the team, mum and dad walk so fast they lead the team. I have to stop and take some video and photos :) dad always told us he have knees problem, so I was quite impress that he can walk so fast *tsk tsk*

Entering the Great Cave

There are several small cave pathways, and the first to reach is the Trader’s Cave, here lies some strange looking rocks formation. Then a few minutes later, we then reach the Great Cave, according to the record is about 60 meter hight and 250 meter wide, and it is one of the world’s most spectacular cave entrance leading to an even larger chamber within.

On the entrance, I can see some archaeological excavation. The authorities fence up the place, so I can’t go in to take a clear photo of it. But it amazing to see it live how the site of an archaeology looks like (always seen this in the TV and books only).

Then, we proceed into the cave and I notice the sound of bats and swiftlets are everywhere. Pheww~~~ lucky I have wear my trekking shoes on, cause a lot of guano (bird and bat excrement) covering all over the cave floor. The locals here, they will collect the guano, pack it and then sell to people who use it as fertilizer.

Entering the Large Chamber (Padang)

Dad told us that he felt pain on his knee, so we all slow down and rest for a while. We are now inside a larger chamber know as Padang. I watched that movie “Santum”, and there is a scene where the water pouring in due to the heavy rain. The surround atmosphere are the same right now, it gives me the goose bumps. Okok, snap out of it…..

Here a shaft of sunlight stream down from the large holes in the cave roof, and the sunlight are so strong that time, it illuminates the bizarre rock formation inside the cave. This is just perfect for me to take a good shoot in the cave. If we’re trap down here, the hole at the cave roof is our only way out, but is like 10 stories height, not easy to climb up there.

After this chambers, we then enter to another chambers where is start to become pitch black, good that we bring a lot of torch lights, and are able to find our way along the plankwalk. In this chamber we get to see a lot of strange rocks formations, I believe these are all done by the Mother Nature with wind, and water. And after millions and millions of years later it then forms these wonderful shapes. My flash is not strong enough, so all my photos are pith black.

Entering the Painted Cave

Dear dad’s knees are getting worse, but in the same time he’s so exited on exploring the cave, so we keep on encouraging him to forget about the pain. After the pitch black plank walk, we then reach the famous Niah Painted Cave. Again, the paintings are all fence up by the authorities, so I only can take photo from a far distant. I saw some human like cartoon painted on the wall, so the cave man likes art.

Not just painting, here they also have this “death-ship”. Where this is the coffin for the cave people, I saw a human skeleton there; this might be the one which date back like 40,000 years ago. Is to fascinating to see in real life how a historical human skeleton looks like.

We all took a rest at this cave, and mum bring along some fruits and dumpling that she made, and this is the perfect time to have lunch after all the climbing and walking.

Back to the Park Head Quarters

On our way back, what we worry most is dad. He told us that his knees are killing him, poor dad. We all walk very slowly, and keep on encouraging dad to fight the pain.

At Niah Cave, the local here also collect birds nest. There are bamboo poles and self-made ladders on the chambers of the cave wall, so they only use this bamboo poles to climb to the cave wall and collect the birds nets. This is extremely danger, they don’t have professional climbing gears, all local made. Is pity where human need to do such danger work to put food on the table for his family.

We reach the park HD at around 2pm, before that we even visited the museum. Dad didn’t go in, he just sit on the chair outside *tsk tsk* he ask us to go ahead. The boat is waiting for us when we reach the jetty, after crossing the river. I drive the car to the entrance to pick up mum and dad.

Is a wonderful family trip, again I manage to cover a new place at Sarawak. Hope I’m able to visit all the magnificent places at Sarawak in the future.

Cheers,

Wilson

The Nature Lover