Rough Night

I must have been sleeping too much while away in Kuala Kangsar. Last night, it was rough. My reflux played up, and I kept getting up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep. I finally got out of bed and started watching TV.

Luckily it didn't look like a busy day today, although I had to go into time for some business with the bank. Would do that straight after my clinic in Park City. Might catch lunch in town as well.

House Next Door

While leaving Masjid Ubudiah, I spotted this almost abandoned home right next door to the mosque. It seemed to still be in use, maybe as a makeshift studio at one point. Located in a prime lot, I suspect that the owner may have some idea with the place in the future.

I think they had some exhibits somewhere, and the place now formed something like a storeOld skool!There must have been a big entrance at the frontMost of the intricate walls of the house still stoodI wouldn't risk using those stairsRusty nailsSome parts of the house still appeared well keptI walked around the house and took some photos. Decided against going in as it would be trespassing.

Nice spot for photography actually. If only I could get permission to enter ...

Update on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 3:41PM by Haris Abdul Rahman

A friend of mine, Kudo pointed out a piece he wrote about this house, called Baitul Anor. You can read it here.

Masjid Ubudiah

It had long been crowned the most beautiful mosque in Malaysia. It is close to a century old, designed and engineered by the British and cost quite literally an arm and a leg to be built. Well, close. It was 189000 Malayan Ringgit. Which was a lot of money back then.

As the story went, it was a nazar by the then Sultan Perak who contracted a mystery illness. He vowed to build the most beautiful mosque in the land while recovering in Port Dickson should he survive. And he did.

Unfortunately he passed away in 1916, a year before the splendid mosque was completed.

Over the years, it had been refurbished a few times - in 1993 and 2005. Still in great condition and opened to the public. It was well attended on Fridays.

The architect, one Arthur Hubback also designed the Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, both to the Moorish theme he was famous for.

I visited the mosque this morning, but decided against going in since I was short with time. The light was also not that great. Maybe I'll come back soon, earlier in the day, and with a more suitable lens.

Morning Walk

Yes! Right after breakfast, waiting for the children to get ready and packing done, I had some time to walk into town, with the camera on tow. The sun came out to play, although it was a bit high on the horizon, it was better than nothing.

It turned out that the whole town woke up late. The place started to buzz only after 10am, with the shops opened and the locals venturing out. It was still quiet enough for me to walk around without being bothered although I wished that the market was opened.

I started off in the middle of town, snapping away at the old shop lots and then the river front.

Then, I drove up Bukit Chandan, stopping at Masjid Ubudiyah before making one round at the Istana. I didn't stop this time as it was already late.

It was a nice walk, but I would've enjoyed it more if I was in a crowd, or better still, somebody who knew the history of the place. Kuala Kangsar was one of the oldest Malay settlement and is steep with history. In the future, I would definitely take my boys along and tell them a bit more about the place ...

The Durian Trip

It was such a shame that I had to work last weekend. Anita and the boys took a trio back to Kuala Kangsar, to enjoy the fruit season. They spent three nights there and yesterday, brought back durians and rambutans. The durian was actually from our own trees. We had only half a dozen of trees, but the amount of fruits we got was plenty to share around.

The boys also enjoyed their bicycle rides around of the kampung. On Sunday, Anita also went to Penang for some laksa and seafood. Lucky her. So I spent last evening having plenty of durian and was suffering from it all night. It was really warm and I could hardly sleep. Bad move ......