Batu Caves, Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia

Taken on Oct 2012

Leaning Tower, Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Jan 2010


The Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan is a 25.5 meters pagoda-like structure which was built in 1885 by contractor Leong Choon Chong. The building itself is made of bricks and wood, and its construction appears comprising eight different levels but the building is actually divided into only three storeys. It is located at the heart of Teluk Intan town center.

Similar to Tower of Pisa, the tower is tilted due to the underground stream. The area around the tower was once shores water, but now was paved with bricks and become plaza. There is a huge clock on top of the tower. The clock was made by J.W.Benson of Ludgatehill London, and it is used as a time keeper of the town.

Jonker Walk, Malacca, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009

Jonker Walk or Jonker Street (鸡场街), now officially named as Jalan Hang Jebat, is a long narrow five hundred meter street located in the heart of Malacca.





Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


The street is flanked by historical houses dating back to the 17th century. Along the street, one can find shop houses selling antique, fashionable clothes, unique arts and crafts, household product, local and ethnic traditional food, colourful accessories and various souvenirs.





Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


For those who are visiting Jonker Street on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can experience the night market starting from 6.00 pm to 12.00 pm where there will be additional stalls along the pedestrian street.
Enjoy the street shopping!

Christ Church, Malacca, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009

The Dutch architecture built in 1753, Christ Church is located near Jalan Laksamana and Jalan Gereja in Malacca town. The layout of the church is a simple rectangle 82 feet by 42 feet and is painted in coral red.



Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


The ceiling rises to 40 feet above ground and is supported by a span of immense wooden beams that are each carved out from a single tree. The handmade pews found inside the church dated back 200 years, and so are the windows. Christ Church is reputed as the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia. It is now an Anglican church.

St. Paul’s Church, Malacca, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


St. Paul's Church, the four walls of ruined church which was originally a small Portuguese chapel, situated at the summit of St. Paul's Hill. Built by Duarte Coelho in 1521 and it was named "Nossa Senhora do Oiteiro" which means "Our Lady of the Hill". After handling over to the Society of Jesus, the chapel was enlarged and renovated as two-storey in 1556.

During the invasion of the Dutch in 1641, the church was renamed to St. Paul's Church and used it for their worship until Christ Church was established in 1753. Since then, the place was being turned into a burial ground for their noble dead. When the British took over Malacca in 1824, St. Paul's Church has lost its tower. However, British constructed a lighthouse in front. Instead of being used it as praying place, the church became a convenient storehouse for British gunpowder. After, St. Paul's Church was then abandoned.



Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


Today, there are several large tombstones, measuring 2.5 metres high x 1 metre wide, scattered around in the ruins of St. Paul's Church. The tombstones have Latin and Portuguese inscriptions on them. Walking towards the end of the church, there is a fenced up area on the ground. This spot was the open grave of Saint Francis Xavier in year 1553 before his body was moved to Goa in India. St. Francis Xavier was a regular visitor to this church and pioneering Catholic missionary work in South East Asia.



Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


There are three ways to get up to St. Paul's Hill. One of them is using the staircase, right beside Cheng Ho Admiral's Gallery. Another one is at the foothill, a small red door way in between Architecture Museum and Islamic Museum. And the third passage is situated just behind the gateway of Porta De Santiago.

Queen Victoria Fountain, Malacca, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


A British architectural monument, made of English marble, the green-colour Queen Victoria's Fountain was erected right in the middle of the Dutch Square. It was set up in 1904 by the people of Malacca to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign.

Statue of St. Francis Xavier, Malacca, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009


In 1952, a statue of St. Francis Xavier dressed up in a priest's attire, situated right in front of the white light tower at St. Paul's Church, was built to commemorate the passing of the saint.


Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009

Broga Hill, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009

Broga Hill (武来岸山), also know as Bukit Lalang (茅草山), a well-know treking spot which is situated in between Broga town and the University of Nottingham - Malaysia campus. It is approximately 45 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur. Take note of the "1km Broga marker" on the roadside and the Rabbit Fun Land, a rabbit farm which is directly opposite to the palm oil estate.




Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009

The starting point for hiking is the palm oil estate. Although Broga Hill is 350m+ of height but climbing up the hill is not difficult except for a few steep slopes. The journey will take 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on individual hiking speed. Field of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), "lalang" in Malay, and scattered giant rocks are only found on top of Broga hill, it presents spacious and graceful scenery of the grassland with backdrops of mountains.

Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Sep 2007


Miri (美里) is a small city in northern Sarawak on the Malaysian island of Borneo. It has a population of about 300,000 people, consisting of Chinese, Iban, Malay, Indian and other indigenous groups like Melanau, Kedayan, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Bidayuh, Penan, Bisaya, etc. The city is the gateway to the Gunung Mulu National Park, which is a World Heritage Site and boasts the world's largest natural cave chamber, the Sarawak Chamber. Besides that, the Niah Cave in Niah National Park, where it is an important archaeological and historical site as one of the oldest human remains in South East Asia, and is located about 100km away. One may also use Miri as a transit point whether coming from or going to Brunei.

However, Miri city has much to offer visitors with exotic tropical rainforests, beautiful beaches, multiracial and multicultural festive seasons, and plenty of delicious food.


SEE ALSO:

• Taoist Temple
• Niah Cave
• Grand Old Lady

Court Building, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Jan 2009


Penang Supreme Court Building (or Mahkamah Tinggi Pulau Pinang in Malay) is magnificent neo-Palladian architecture built in 1809. The building's structure is reminiscent of classic Grecian temples, with tall, wide pillars dominating its facade. Located near the Esplanade and sit in its original corner of two roads of Farquhar Street and Light Street. It currently houses the High Court of the Penang state.

SEE ALSO:

• Logan Memorial

The Logan Memorial, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Jan 2009


A marble memorial has beautiful carvings of four statues representing the four cardinal virtues namely Temperance, Wisdom, Fortitude and Justice. It as a silent moral guide to the judges and lawyers who passed by the High Court of the importance in upholding the rule of law.

This monument was built in memory of James Richardson Logan, a prominent lawyer and one-time editor of the 'Penang Gazette'. Logan devoted his life to give free service to the public and was a strong advocate of freedom of speech, law and order until his death in 1869.

The memorial stands in the ground of the Supreme Court until 2007, and then it was shifted to a new location across the street, opposite the Supreme Court.

Magunatip Dance, Sarawak Cultural Village, Sarawak, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Sep 2007


Magunatip, popularly known as the Bamboo Dance. The "Magunatip" word is derived from the "apit" word, which means "trapped". This is an East Malaysian dance and belongs to the tribe of Kwijau.

The dance involves jumping steps and it is a display of the skill of the dancers that maneuver their feet in and out so as not to get their feet trapped by the bamboo. The 2 bamboo poles are usually approximately 6 feet long and are held by 2 dancers that beat them together and over a shorter length of wood or bamboo creating an interesting rhythm. Sometimes there are even 4 poles that are held by 4 dancers. The tempo can be increased to further display the skill of the dancers.

Goddess of Mercy Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated May 2006


Goddess of Mercy is the oldest Chinese temple in Georgetown, Penang built by early Chinese settlers. This temple is also called Kuan Yin Teng Temple (觀音亭) and situated at Lebuh Masjid Kapitan Keling.

The temple was built in the finest tradition of ancient Chinese architecture style. The ornate curved-ridge rooftops of the main hall made to look like an ocean waves decorated with dragons which act as the guardian of the temple, and is supported by dragon-entwined pillars, carved from a type of green stone. Within the temple, in an inner chamber, is a statue of an 18-armed Kuan Yin with each hand either holding a different cosmic symbol or expressing a specific ritual position.

There are two huge iron stoves in the courtyard where worshipers burn paper offerings (gold and silver paper), and beside has an octagonal well which was once a public well for the Chinese community. It attracts both ardent pilgrims seeking the guidance of Kuan Yin and tourists.

Jubilee Clock Tower, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated May 2006

During the British Straits settlement, a Jubilee Clock Tower was constructed in Georgetown of Penang to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of British Queen Victoria's reign. The clock tower is sixty feet tall, a Moorish architectural style, landed at the junction of Light Street and Beach Street. It is resembles a minaret and pristine white in color.

The Grand Old Lady, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Sep 2007


Perched on top of Bukit Telaga Minyak (Canada Hill), overlooking the town of Miri, the Grand Old Lady is Malaysia's first inland oil drilling platform and one of the Sarawak's most important historical monument.

Dubbed the "Grand Old Lady", she is not a frail figure of an old woman but Miri's Number 1 oil well, the first cable-tool oil well in the country. This oil well is no longer in production and the Sarawak Goverment has declared it as a protected historical site.

There is an observatory platform where visitors can have an excellent view of Miri city. Next to the oil well is the Petroleum Science Museum. It also attracts locals to enjoy the scenery or jog on the well-designed path.

Niah Cave, Sarawak, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Sep 2007 (light photoshop touch-up)


The Niah Cave, hidden in the forests of Miri, spreading over 3,140 hectares of peat swamp, dipterocarp forests and the massive limestone outcrops within which the caves are concealed. The caves consist of one big cave, The Great Cave and some smaller caves. At the center of the park is Gunung Subis.

The Great Cave is approximately 3.5 km from the park headquarters. The start of the broadwalk that leads to the cave is on the opposite side of the Sungai Niah with a short but fun ferry ride across the river costed 1 ringgit per person. The board walk is enclosed on both sides by dense primary rainforest.

Forty thousand years ago, the Niah Great Cave sheltered human life. Here lies the oldest human remains in Southeast Asia, along with many other relics of prehistoric man. Today the Cave is home only to bats and swiftlets. However, a few locals still venture into the dark interior to collect guano (bird and bat droppings used as fertilizer) and bird's nest.

The Painted Cave is another highlight of the visit to Niah Cave. Apart from the Caves, visitors can explore several kilometres of forest trails to feel the richness of tropical rainforests.


SEE ALSO:

• Green Crested Lizard

St George's Church, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Apr 2009


Saint George Church, the one located on the corner of Lebuh Farquhar and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, built by convicts is the oldest Anglican Church in Malaysia. The church provides a superb example of the Western neo-classical style based on ancient Greece and Rome architecture. The most striking feature of the church's architecture are the huge Grecian columns lined outside the front entrance.

Within the sprawling church compound stands the Francis Ligh Memorial. It was built more than 120 years ago in memory of Captain Francis Light and in celebration of the founding of Penang. The memorial is built in similar Georgian-Palladium style as the church and has a dome ornamented with vases.

These days, mass is still conducted here every Sunday morning. For the couples who have fallen in love with the historical church often arrange for their wedding photographs to be taken in the compound.

Acheen Street Mosque, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Apr 2009

The Acheen Street Mosque, also known as Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh, is located on he southern end of Georgetown, on Lebuh Aceh. The mosque was built on the land donated by Syed Sheriff Tengku Syed Hussain Aidid, an Acheh-Arabian mechant who settled in Penang.

The mosque is surrounded by rows of shophouses, a cemetery including the mausoleum of Syed Hussain and members of his family, and the original Muslim settlement of the mid 19th century. Its structure reflects a strong Moorish (northern Indian) architecture, combined with Chinese and classical elements visible in the entrance arch, the small domes on the parapet, classical columns, plaster renderings upon the walls and mihrab, and the Egyptian style minarets.

Cheah Kongsi, Penang, Malaysia

Taken with Nikon D60, dated Apr 2009


Located at Lebuh Armenian, through a small gateway painted in bright red, the double-storey, porched bungalow plan with a distinctly Chinese courtyard layout, including an open balcony and a charming front lawn, the Cheah Kongsi. The sweeping roof of this double-storey building is decorated with stylised sculptures of sirens, dogs, lions of stucco and shards of both Chinese and Dutch porcelain crockery. The worship hall proper is located on the upper floor. There are several pieces of original furniture and artifacts that have been saved from the ravages of time and war are on display in thematic fashion in the temple's various chambers.

Cheah Kongsi was established in 1880's by Cheah Yam, one of the clan members who came from a village called Sek Tong in the Hokkien province. One of the first of the five great Hokkien clans to have settled in Penang.

Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia

Taken with Canon powershot A75, dated Sep 2007


Bako National Park is 37 kilometres from Kuching, about 30 minutes drive to Kampung Bako, a village built on stilts over the river, and then another 25 minutes boat ride out in the South China Sea to reach this coastal park. With its rainforest, abundant wildlife, jungle streams, waterfalls, interesting plant life, secluded beaches, panoramic rocky shoreline, bizarre rock formations and extensive network of trekking trails, Bako offers visitors an excellent introduction to the rainforest and coastline of Borneo. It is Sarawak's oldest national park covering an area of 2,727 hectares at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula.

There are wooden chalets and resthouses that surrounded by virgin jungle for visitors who like to stay overnight to have wildlife experience. They will have countless opportunities to observe and photograph various types of wildlife such as long-tailed macaques, silver leaf monkeys, common monitor lizards, plantain squirrel, bearded pigs, mouse deer, and rare proboscis monkey which found only in Borneo. Besides that, rock pools and mangroves are good place to seek for small animals such as mudskippers, crabs and shell-dwelling hermit crabs.

Almost every type of vegetation in Bornea is found here - 25 distinct types of vegetation for seven complete ecosystems from beach vegetation and mangrove forest to dipterocarp rainforest. Bako National Park is truly an ideal place for nature lovers and eco-minded adventurers.


SEE ALSO:

• Shell-dwelling Hermit Crab
• Long-tailed Macaque