Compilation of Johan's trip to half of Penisular Malaysia

So supporting articles for the trip to the East Coast 26th March- 4 April 2012 have been completed in this blogspot a few days ago. While the trip was made mainly to get to the East Coast, the route used to go and return formed an anti-clockwise loop which covered 5 states - Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak and Selangor. I ended up driving a total distance of 2,374.9 km, a personal record. This resulted in us actually travelling half of Peninsular Malaysia, spending 1 night in Pahang, 2 in Terengganu, 3 in Kelantan followed by 2 in Perak and 1 in Selangor before returning home.

Among the reasons made for this trip is to condition my then about 40-days old baby, Muhammad Alauddin Johan to travelling long distance. You see we where then planning to travel round the island of Jawa in Indonesia and Johan could not be left behind. Good to say he responded well to the travel. Thus in my main blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU, the corresponding series is called "Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung" - Johan's travel to half the Peninsular. Below is compilation of links from both that blogspot and this...

1. Sneak peek pengembaraan sedang berlangsung melibatkan Johan

2. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - si cilik membuka langkahnya...

3. Pahang river at Jerantut Ferry

4. The caves of Gunung Senyum

5. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - dari Janda Baik ke Raub, Kuala Lipis dan Gunung Senyum

6. Dungun river from the Kuala Dungun fisheries complex

7. Dungun river closer to the estuary

8. Dungun river from the Kuala Dungun bridge.

9. Dungun river and the open waters at Teluk Bidara

10. Dungun river right across Kuala Dungun

11. Marang river at the town bridge

12. Marang river near its estuary

13. Views from the tower at Marang river estuary

14. Terengganu river near the state museum

15. Crossing the Terengganu river to Pulau Sekati

16. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Penat lelah pusing Dungun sebelum berkejar ke Kuala Terengganu dan Jerteh

17. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Ke Kelantan berjumpa Kakak dan Abang Ngah

18. The place called Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga on a fine sunny Friday morning

19. The Kelantan river near Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga

20. Danau Tok Uban from the Brunei mosque on a fine Friday afternoon

21. The 'real' Danau Tok Uban

22. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Dari Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga ke Danau Tok Uban

23. Pengkalan Datu river close to the river mouth

24. Pengkalan Datu river at its mouth

25. The beach called Pantai Cahaya Bulan

26. Kelantan river at Kedai Buluh jetty

27. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Sungai Pengkalan Datu, makam Tok Panjang dan faktor 313

28. Entry point to the Royal Belum forest

29. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Tentang gigi Rasyid dan ziarah ke makam Raja Ashman

30. Views from on top of Kellie's Castle

31. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Ipoh, Papan dan legasi orang Mandailing

32. The Dinding river in front of Lumut town

33. Pengembaraan Johan ke separuh Semenanjung - Lumut, Teluk Intan, Kuala Kubu. Cukuplah perjalanan 2,374.9 km

Pekalongan, the batik centre of Indonesia

Back again to the Jawa island trip of 1-14 May.

Saturday, 5th May we were at the Central Jawa town of Pekalongan.

Pekalongan is declared as the town of batik, a type of cloth design and textile famous in South-East Asia.

It is said to be the centre of batik production for Indonesia.

So we were going to sample some in the streets and alleys.

I understand there are production mills around but we'd rather just see the shops within walking distance...

There are small ones likes this.

And there are also those that look upmarket...

What is sure you can find enough variety to fit myriad tastes.

The prices are also attractive, much cheaper than what I could see in Malaysia.

Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary

Continued from Car Book Sale at the KL Library.

The next day, Sunday we went to the National Elephant Conservation Centre at Kuala Gandah, Lanchang, Pahang.

Situated about 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur it also known as the Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary.

There is an information centre where you can learn much about elephants.

But the star attraction lies outdoor...

That is where you get to see an elephant show...

Later a limited number of early birds get to take rides on the elephants.

The finale is taking bath with one.

This is done at the nearby river.

A young elephant is brought down and eased to get into mood.

Then it is free for all as everyone get to splash water on the elephant with lucky visitors taking turns to sit on it. Have a look at the video below...

Car Book Sale at the KL Library

On to an activity done in the recent weekend...

Last Saturday I went to the Perpustakaan Kuala Lumpur or the KL Library which is situated besides the Dataran Merdeka, the Independence Square.

I found out there's a book sale going on.

There were also artistes to perk up the mood.

While there were very few visitors when me and family arrived I could smell a distinctive artistic mood reminiscent of the Central Market in the 1980s, once the centre of all worthwhile and honest non-capitalistic public expression and celebration of life.

This event is called the Car Book Sale.

True to its name, it is practically a car boot sale for books.

I was told this is the 5th edition of the fortnightly event.

While plans have been made for it to be held and at other towns, the next scheduled in the city of Melaka 14th July, the venue here has been fixed as the central regular one.

The Dinding river in front of Lumut town

On to the final article of the 26 March-4 April trip to the East Coast which has reached its return phase.

In the last article on the trip, Views from on top of Kellie's Castle we were then in the town of Batu Gajah not far from Ipoh. Afterward we headed for the town of Lumut to spend the night there. The town is famous for being the embarking point to get to the resort island of Pulau Pangkor.

Still the town is scenic on its own. The following day, Tuesday 3rd April 2012 I brought the family to savour the views. Facing the wide Dinding river quite close to its estuary, Lumut has a long promenade which provides superb vistas of the surrounding. Here's a look upriver.

A look across. The Dinding river is among the widest river in Peninsular Malaysia. Its waters is navigable by big ships up to some distance.

A look towards the estuary. The water flows into the Straits of Melaka some 4.5 km ahead.

Notice the white-coloured buildings in the centre? That is the Royal Malaysian Navy shipyard next to the naval base. The silhoutte of hills behind lies on the resort island of Pulau Pangkor. Oh. Actually I've featured the Dinding river from the town of Lumut in the article And now a look around Lumut... made more than 4 years ago. But there's no harm making a similar article based on the latest visit right?

From Lumut we went to Teluk Intan before entering the state of Selangor and spent the night at the town of Kuala Kubu Baru. On Wednesday 4th April we returned home. So enough of this trip ya... :]