Stuif's Adventures

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A nice outing, 26-5-2012
My British friends Pat and Roger are back for some time in Malaysia with two of their Australian friends who had never visited Malaysia before.

Pat and Roger asked me if I was willing to be their guide for a "truly Malaysian" outing.
And of course I was..:-)

First we had a Malaysian breakfast at a mamak stall near my place. Dosai, Roti Canai, Teh Tarik.

Our first destination was Serendah, once a thriving tin mining town.
From one of the many tin mining ponds you have a beautiful view of the Serendah mosque.

Nearby an interesting structure can be found, the Seven Wells. To control the water of the Serendah river and use its water for the tin mines, the river flow was regulated by letting the water flow down seven artificial wells into a pond. It is a scenic location, but unfortunately the inlets of several wells were blocked by debris.

Not many people know that in WWII there has been a battle of Serendah. In December 1941 the Japanese army had invaded Malaysia from the North and was progressing fast to Kuala Lumpur. After destroying the railway and road bridges over the Serendah river, the retreating British forces tried to delay the Japanese front. The battle took place on 10-1-1942 and the villagers took refuge at the Chinese cemetery and other hills around the village.

We found this cemetery with a nice view of the village. So quiet now, difficult to imagine the turmoil of those days.

Next was the Serendah waterfall. Last time I visited this fall, the bridge had been swept away by a flash flood. It had been repaired, the place was quite busy, as the school holidays had started.

Then it was time for lunch. We went to the WK restaurant in Ulu Yam. The place is popular with city folks, who were curious to know how a group of Mat Sallehs had managed to find this remote place..:-) Lunch with pork belly, fish head curry and two veggies was delicious and value for money at RM 52 only.

On our way back we visited the Kuil Buddha Sakya Tharig Centre in Ulu Yam. It is a beautiful quiet place, where Tibetan Buddhism is practised. We lit a lamp for good luck and talked with a friendly volunteer. The center has a nice columbary, which might be a suitable place in the (hopefully far) future for my "third home"

Finally we had a short stop at the Batu Reservoir, where we enjoyed the view and had ice cream.

Quite a perfect day.

Breakfast at a mamak stall
 

Our first destination
 

Mosque in Serendah
 

Next destination: the Seven Wells
 

The outlets of the 7 wells
 

Uncommon flower
 

Five of the outlets working
 

One of the inlets
 

Some blocked by debris
 

What a shame
 

Is this still a tourist attraction?
1 comment

Chinese cemetery Serendah
 

A very posh grave
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The Bungah Raya
 

Bridge over the Serendah river
 

Witness of flash flooding
 

The tour guide and his guests :-)
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The Serendah Fall
 

Good facilities
 

Chinese name of the fall
 

What is this?
2 comments

The WK restuarant is a popular outlet
 

Lunch at the WK restaurant
 

Nice food, value for money
 

The Buddha Sakya Tharig Center
 

No idea about the name
 

A turtle in the pond
 

The Dragon sign
 

The Arahat gallery
 

Inside the vihara
 

My offering
1 comment

Roger with his sign
 

Not Hindu, but Buddhist
1 comment

Burning joss sticks
 

Part of the columbary
5 comments

The Batu reservoir
 

A good time for icecream
 
Liz wrote on May 28, 2012:
When I went exactly a year ago (May 2011) the vegetation was less, photo 5 so no one has cleaned it in the past year!

lightlingmk2 wrote on May 28, 2012:
Ya, I want to know too. Is it the bark of a tree ?

lightlingmk2 wrote on May 28, 2012:
You are transmiting light energy (thought) to Guan Im - chant, "Ohm mani pak me ohm" - as often as possible and think/ repeat your request as you chant. In Buddhism you are not oblidged to convert. Compassion as in all etc are for benefit of every body regardless of race, religion, or creed.

lightlingmk2 wrote on May 28, 2012:
The 4 faced Budhisattva is the protector of Buddhism.

lightlingmk2 wrote on May 28, 2012:
I think this is a STUPA where monks who passed away are normally buried (body ash) and remembered. I wonder if a non monk can be buried this way.

wrote on May 28, 2012:
Interesting.. this looks more like at Thailand than Malaysia

Dan wrote on May 29, 2012:
The best tour guide in Malaysia .....

Kwai Loh wrote on May 29, 2012:
Yes, you are right. But don't ask me which species of tree..:-)

Kwai Loh wrote on May 29, 2012:
The caretaker told me that they do not use the stupa's any more for cremation, possibly because of what you write, that they are meant for monks only. There is a very nice traditional columbary next to the stupa's. Price RM 3200 only. Would not mind to have my "third" home there later.

Kwai Loh wrote on May 29, 2012:
Yes, although the kind of Buddhism practised here (Tibetan), is very different from the Thai one (Theravada)

lightlingmk2 wrote on May 30, 2012:
You are a joker, Jan.

wrote on Jun 7, 2012:
yes, Jan is tour guide :)

wrote on Jun 7, 2012:
oh, Ng Yen Yen will totally surprise you bring your friends to Chinese grave :)

wrote on Jun 7, 2012:
you are slimmer now. please eat more...

lightlingmk2 wrote on Jun 13, 2012:
Ng Yenyen will give Jan Rm 1m for promoting Malaysia. She is good in that.

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