Melawati Gospel Centre Joy Club organized a day outing on 14th June 2014 to Sekinchan and Kuala Selangor. The itinerary includes places like Rice Factory in Sekinchan, Mango plantation, "Redang Beach", Kuala Selangor Fish Market, Bukit Melawati, Eagle Feeding, Fire Fly watching and Mini Angkor Wat.
The meeting place to board the coach is K Club in Taman Melawati. We departed for Sekinchan at about 8am and arrived at the Paddy Processing Factory at about 9:30am
Our tour coach with tour guide Jason and the driver wating at K Club, Taman Melawati
We are blessed with a very comfortable coach for this trip.
Paddy Processing Factory - PLS Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd
Sekinchan, which literally means “village suitable for plantation” in Chinese, lives up to its name as the town is the rice bowl of Selangor. Large plots of land are cultivated to produce the staple rice supply of Malaysians. This area is well-known for its high yield of rice and mechanised farming methods. In particular is the famous Pearl Rice that is grown here.
PLS Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd (or Kilang Beras Rakyat Sekinchan Sdn Bhd) is one of the paddy processing factories in Sekinchan that allow tourists to visit their factory. You can buy the Pearl Rice at this factory. Pearl Rice (珍珠米）is very popular in Sekinchan, a special product from PLS Marketing. At the end of 2013, PLS opened a Paddy Museum in their factory. We were shown a video about the history of the company and the process of paddy planting and paddy processing before the briefing. You can see some of the old tools and gadgets that were used for paddy planting and processing in the old days.
Our group photo at the rice factory
Paddy seedlings are cultivated before they are planted in the field.
Close up view of the paddy seedlings with water droplets at the tip of the leaves
Lili trying her hand at the automatic paddy planting machine. Productivity has certainly gone up with such modern planting and harvesting machine
Listening attentively to the briefing on paddy planting
Understanding the various stages of paddy planting and harvesting
Inner view of the Paddy Museum
With my fellow church members at the Paddy Museum
Some of the olden days furniture are found in the Paddy Museum. Here we are sitting on an old bamboo chair that can be converted into a toddler chair
If the toddler is naughty the mother can actually lock the toddler to the chair as a punishment!
With my god daughter and her mom
This looks like a window overlooking a paddy field but is actually a poster!
It is shopping time at the rice shop. Here you can buy the famous Pearl Rice that is not available in the market.
Choosing the various types of rice to buy. "Loh Kong, can you take some more packets. My hands are full already"
"Can I try one?"
The vast padi field waiting to be harvested
Mango plantation
Our next stop is the Mango King plantation, where some of us bought some mangoes after having tasted them. We suspect the mangos are imported from Thailand as there are not many trees to produce the quantity to cater to the tourists. Furthermore the crates have Thai wordings!
Different variety of mangoes for tasting
The giant and the dwarf
"Why not balance one?"
"I think this mango is from Thailand"
Some of the mango tress are more than 15 years old. They are continually trimmed to prevent them from growing taller for easy plucking of the mangoes.
Redang Beach
Before lunch we dropped by a beach known by the local as Redang Beach. The name Redang gives us the impression of the white sandy beach of the famous island off Trengganu. Instead we were greeted by a short stretch of muddy and smelly beach. It certainly gives Redand Island a bad name. On the plus side, there are a few stalls that sell mangos that are much cheaper than the Mango King outlet we visited earlier. Those who didn't buy earlier are smiling away. Those who bought earlier it is time to practice dollar cost averaging by buying some more!
Group photo taken at Redang Beach
This big wishing tree is just opposite Redang Beach
Wonder how many of these wishes are fulfilled
Lunch at Pasir Penampang
Lunch was at Restoran Tian Wai Tian at Pasir Penambang.
The dishes and soup were simple but tasty
Shopping after lunch
After lunch it was shopping time again at a shop that sells snacks and dried sea food.
"Aiyoh, so many packets. Which one shall I buy ah?"
"So many things to buy. Luckily our bus is big"
Fish Market
Kuala Selangor is well known for fresh fish and other seafood. People from afar brought along their Styrofoam containers when they come here to do their marketing. Some of us come prepared too but only a few bought some fishes.
"How much is 1 kilo?"
Fresh clams
La La & Bamboo claims
Flower craps
Bukit Melawati
Next on our itinerary is Bukit Melawati.
Bukit Melawati (Melawati Hill) at Kuala Selangor was the administrative center and stronghold of the Selangor Sultanate in the late 18th and early 19th century. A heavily fortified fort once stood on the summit. It was built during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim from 1782 to 1826 to fight against the Dutch. Selangor had been sucked into the struggle between the Dutch and the ruler of Johor and Riau.
In Bukit Melawati are found relics of the past, including the protective walls of the fort, the palace ground, a lighthouse, royal graves, seven walls, a flat stone used for beheading offenders, a 100-step ladder, a poisonous well and several cannons pointed at the mouth of the Selangor River. Bukit Melawati was designated a historical monument and historical site under Antiquities Act 1976 in 1977.
Waiting to board the tram to go up Bukit Melawati (Melawati Hill)
The tram ride that cost us RM5 each to go up and down but most of us prefer to walk down hill
One of the many old cannons on top of Bukit Melawati
Group photo on top of Bukit Melawati with the light house in the background
Baitulhilal at Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor.
|
A simple latticed structure was constructed at Bukit Melawati for the purpose of sighting the "new moon" to determine the start of Ramadan (the fasting month for Muslims), Syawal (end of fasting celebration for the Muslim) and Hari Raya Haji.
Silver-Leafed Monkeys and Long Tailed Macaques
Bukit Melawati is also home to the Silver-Leafed Monkeys and Long-Tailed Macaques. You can purchase peanuts and other foodstuff from vendors around the area at Bukit Melawati and feed the monkey. Although the Silver-Leafed Monkey are generally quite gentle, visitors are advised to be cautious with the Long-Tailed Macaques as they can be highly mischievous. Just be careful when feeding them as they are considered wild creatures and can be dangerous when provoked.
A tree with more than half its trunk gone but still surviving
Batu Hampar or Execution Rock at Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor.
|
Set at the centre of Bukit Melawati entrance. It has a large boulder on top of it where legend says that Batu Hampar is a site where traitors are beheaded.
Roti King Bakery
After descending from Bukit Melawati we visited the recently opened Roti King, which is owned by a friend of our tour guide. We were treated to packet drinks and continue with our shopping for fresh from the oven egg tarts, Ham Tan Sow, Char Siew Sow and other pastries.
Freshly baked egg tarts. Tasted good when eaten hot
"Give me two egg tarts, two char siew sow and two ham tan sow"
"I want that one"
Eagle Feeding
We then travel to APPS Hotel for the Eagle Feeding tour. The jetty where we board the boat that takes us to the Selangor river mouth is just next to the hotel. Before the tour we were briefed by the proprietor on the life span of the eagle. Its is interesting to know that some eagles can live up to 70 years.
View of the jetty from the top of APPS Hotel
The proprietor briefing us before the start of the Eagle Feeding tour
"Safety first, since we can't swim"
Getting ready for our boat ride that will take us to the mouth of Selangor River
Circling eagles swoop down with their sharp talons fully extended as they pick the pieces of chicken skin nimbly off the surface. They skim over the water's surface effortlessly before flying off into the trees to feast on their 'catch'.
One of the eagles descending to grab the chicken skins that were thrown by the boatman
Eagles resting and waiting to take off in search for food again
Storks taking off when the boat approaches them
Eagle in flight
Mangrove trees at the river mouth where the eagles make their nests
Eagles nests at the river mouth of Selangor River
A lone eagle seems to be protecting its nest
.jpg)
Just before dinner we took this photo on the Lovers Bridge of APPS Hotel
Firefly Watching
After dinner, about 8:30pm we boarded the same boat for the firefly watching. Fireflies are also known as “Lightning Bugs” and they shine brightly at the night to attract a partner. While we humans tend to chat up our prospective partners, fireflies send each other little light signals. Apparently they shine during the day too but we just can't see it. They are only seen at night in “Berembang” trees along the Selangor River. The overall effect is just like the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree.
All geared up for the night boat ride
For the firefly watching the boat will be moving upstream.
No flash photography is allowed beyond the jetty as it may disturbed the bugs
Mini Angkor Wat
Our last destination for the night is the mini Angkor Wat temple. It is an Indian temple which has similar features of the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. It took seven years to built because of its intricate stone carving. Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside the temple.
Front and side view of the temple
Group photo at the entrance of the temple
Overall the trip was a great success. The weather was good despite the heat. We had a great time enjoying the scenery and each other's company, not forgetting the many shopping stops for local delicacy. Special thanks to the MGC Joy Club for organizing the trip and for Margaret Chan for making all the necessary arrangements to make this trip a memorable one.
No comments:
Post a Comment