Tasik Beris

Tasik Beris or Beris Lake is located in Sik-Kedah, some 90km South-East from Alor Star. However, the journey seems a thousand miles away to actually reach the destination. It actually took us almost 2 hours to actually reach Tasik Beris, particularly Lake Beris Vineyard.  

(It's going to take a minimum of 5 hours drive of *450km journey from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Star via North-Klang Valley Expressway (depending on numbers of pit-stops you going to make along the way, that is) (*approximate distance taken from Subang Airport as closest landmark to us)

The trip to Lake Beris was actually to planned for a particular tour to Lake Beris Vineyard. It is very rare for Malaysian climate to actually have a grape-bearing vines plantation due to its tropical climate but this particular vineyard proves that Malaysian climate can as well accommodate to the growth.

Paddy Museum Alor Star - non handicap friendly

The noble intention is highly commendable - to exhibit and showcase, what, how, where, when, which, who and etc relating to paddy the crops. 

The exterior design of the Museum is an interesting piece of architecture without doubt.

However, it is very unfortunate that such building designed for PUBLIC were not equipped and DOES NOT cater for handicap, or not even older folks. For instance;

1. The main entrance staircase is some 20 steps up. No handicap ramp is available within  immediate view, let alone a handicap automatic stair-lift

2. It's main attraction was the 360 mural painting, which is some 2-storey up (59 steps altogether) via  centrally located spiral staircase. Again, there aren't any handicap facility were seen. I did noticed a lift outside the spiral staircase area but none were seen on the observation deck for the mural.

3. The staircase(s), all of it were not designed with children's handrail and of course there aren't any handicap stairs-lift available

4. the Washroom facilities is some 200 meter away, when I say away, it is actually away from the main building where you have to actually exit the building and again there aren't any handicap facilities available.

So, it seems that the museum were only meant for 'young and healthy'.  :(

The Museum (credit to Kedah State Museum Archive)

the amazing 360 mural inside the Museum

example of very bad access for handicap

Alor Star - Long Due Tour

I was born in Alor Star, and it is still my mom's hometown but we hardly ever had 'a tour around Alor Star' other than the infamous Pekan Rabu everytime we went back for a visit. So, to wrap-up my 'complete coverage of Peninsular Malaysia', together with my parents and brother, we decided to have dedicated tour around Alor Star's most interesting places that we could cover in 2 days. We basically covered these interesting places: 

1. Balai Besar & Muzium Diraja ( The Great Hall & The Royale Museum)

2. We did not make it to State Gallery as it was closed at 330pm on Thursday, and closed on Friday and Saturday

3. Alor Star Tower

4. Former Residence of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, our 4th Prime Minister

5. Paddy Museum

6. Lake Beris Vineyard (okay, this particular location is 90km away from Alor Star city centre)

The Royale Museum

The Great Hall (Balai Besar)

Former Residence of Tun Dr Mahathir

Alor Star Tower

The Mural inside Paddy Museum

Fuller Alor Star

I'm guessing from the appearance of this establishment, it's a new hotel and perhaps a new kid on the block when it comes to hotel management and hotel set-up.Why? Simply because if I were to compare with a few of the established names like, Vistana or Best-Western, Fuller Hotel  still have a few traits that were not being fully captured as a basic 3 star establishment, for example they do not have any connecting rooms, they do not have any mini-fridge within each rooms, there do not segregate between non-smoking and smoking patrons, they do not have any personnel that attentive enough for handicapped patrons. Perhaps comparing them to Vistana or Best-Western might be a huge comparison to cater to, but comparing them to bigger names like Meridien or Hilton would not be fair at all. Perhaps if I were to exactly compare apple to apple, it would be best to compare Fuller with Sentral Kuantan, where at similar range of RM90 per standard room per night, it has all the traits that I have mentioned above.

However, the rooms, both Standard and Family have decent interior and in good condition without any smelly pillow or blankets. The toilets are clean but not super clean, mind you that when it comes to hotels I'd be more articulate on the quality of its cleanliness. Given that fact, I have predictions that the management would be facing a maintenance nightmare in near future should they were not emphasising on quality of cleaning.

I'm a bit frustrated when it comes to treatment to handicapped. Fuller's personnel were not attentive enough, whereby I have a bit difficulties in manoeuvring my wheel-chaired grandmother as the handicapped parking were already taken. Perhaps it would be best for the main frontage of the hotel to be left vacant instead of allowing it for a handicapped parking since the hotel doesn't have any proper drop off. It that sense, any handicapped patrons would be able to use the space for drop off. It would be such daunting task, should our arrival were being accompany with Malaysian rainstorm, as we have to load off the wheel chair right within the circulation road.

Would I stay at the hotel, again? I would rather not, should the visit is together with my family. I might give it a second thought, should the other hotel in Alor Star were fully booked, but I would dearly hope not. It's not that, Fuller is THAT bad, but it doesn't have anything else to brag about, no 'love-at the first sight' kind of thing, nothing to shout-out about, you know "hey, I've been to Fuller and it's awesome" kind of shout. If you were to stay there, you would do it quietly. Sorry, you ain't getting any full-mark from me!

'Ciggar lady' you would be deeply missed..

I've been putting off this entry as it was written in another notebook and it wasn't available until today..

So, this would be a monologue dedicated to the 'ciggar lady'...

country view

Waking up in the morning to a country view is so much more different as an adult compare to when I was a young child. Adding on to that fact, we all woke up to the morning which definitely turn out to be different than any other morning in our lives, and it would never be the same anymore, so much more different than before.

To that particular morning of October 11th, 2011, even though it seems to be a glory day with the sun shining brightly and reflecting upon the watered padi-field, it would somehow cast a gloomy shade to all the faces especially my dearest cousins as it would be the last morning that we would be giving beloved mother and aunt a ‘visit’ as she had already left us the evening before and we will be sending her off where she will be laid to rest and meet her Creator Allah Almighty. It is such a serene day for me and my family, and I believe she did leave with a serene mind and at peace. I am sure my mom would miss her sister the most as my aunt is the only sister she had! 

Reconciling the moment, I think I had a good memory of her when I was a child. It was her place where we used as our hang-out place every time we goes back to our grandmother’s place. I remember back then, I had always wakes up to a good aroma of morning coffee or something being cooked over the traditional charcoal-wood stove or the cigars that my aunt puff-away every time she had her betel. Back then, I would be having such celebrated holidays breakaway enjoying myself with my cousins doing stuff only country kids do and I would seem so aloof compare to the rest, but hey, it was all FUN! It was something that I look forward to every school breaks.

However, that was a good time of yesteryear's. When the rest of my cousins who mostly older than me started getting married and I was in my teens, we get far apart as they were no longer there each time I went home to my grandmother’s place and we no longer share the same interest in life. The FUN was all gone. And my visits have became less and less frequent when I reach my college days and later when start a family on my own.

So, on that particular day, even though I was surround with beautiful panoramic country view before me, I was hit with such melancholy by just looking at it. The thoughts of everything would not be same anymore hit my logic sensuous. So, I tried snapping away some photos, hoping that it would always remains close to my heart. I know, things have change compare to the good old days, and somehow I believe it will continue to change and keeping the memories of today being the last day for my aunt, I hope I will be able to cherish it later as one of the fond memories in my life.

Stormy dusk

stormy dusk! 

The sun is setting along the Kedah-Perlis coastalway, but the stormy clouds is about to unleash its droplets but at the same time, the padi-field is looking even greener. I love the scene! It's even more breathtaking when you actually sees it with your eyes!

passing by place called Padang Pisang
(or if you were to literally translate it as Banana Field?)

Science Centre of Alor Star

I didnt anticipate the opportunity to visit the Science Centre way in Alor Star, but I deal with the idea anyway just to kill the time and just so I can spend the time with my long-time buddy, Shal. But we missed the opportunity for the Padi Museum located next to it as the crowd was too overwhelming. I guess it's the wonder of aviation nowadays. I dont think I would have so much time to spare with 12hrs if I were to drive all the way to Alor Star from Kuala Lumpur. I'll be flying home at 8pm the same day.

Alor Star - Subang within a day!

Alor Star - from the air

Arrived in Alor Star safely at 945am after departed from Subang Skypark at 830am. The airport is far off better than Kuantan Airport, almost equivalent to Subang Skypark, but it is rather quiet, with less than 10 people on this whole departure floor. What am doing in departure level since I've just arrived? Haha..simply because the arrival hall is far more deserted than this!

Alor Star Airport from the runway

Alor Star Airport - the departure hall

Journey from Klang to Kinta to Bujang valley: the Celebration

Travelling Day:

We really cherish the 'soul' of Eidulfitri this time around, making our way from Klang valley to Kinta valley then travel north to Bujang valley..visiting aunts and uncles, cousins allowing the children to mingle with the nieces and nephews and the second cousins etc etc.. and not forgetting the opportunity meeting up good frens which become distant due to distance.. I really cherish those moments!! it's simply a blessing by Allah s.w.t and it shows that being good between human without expecting anything in return would actually 'give you more'!! alhamdulillah, syukur...

Journey through the 3 Valleys: the sound of crickets, frogs and snores

Day 2 in Bujang Valley (Kodiang)
I'm still wide awake while everybody else has doozed off..
I was blinking away every seconds and minutes while looking up at the blank ceiling listening to the sounds of crickets, frogs and the spinning fan and also those snores..
living the life in kampung was fun during daytime but dreadfully null when nite came.. no network, not even EDGE-I have to safe this journal as draft, and waited when I come to 'civilisation' to upload it..he he

Everybody has lay like a log before the clock strike midnight!! and those rhythm of snores..he he