Malacca Weekend Trip 6-7 Jun 2015

Our family have a weekend short trip to Malacca. We woke up early in the morning around 7.30am, and Daddy drove down to Malacca already. We arrived at Malacca round 9.30am.

It was so fortunate that we managed to find a parking at the street along the street where our hotel is Layang-Layang Guest House.

Our first destination is having our morning walk along the Jonker Street and Malacca River. We snapped a few photos at the interesting places.

We met with the missionary whom taught us during we baptized Elder Karl Paewai together with his father whom came back to visit Malaysia after he completed his mission.

We visited together with them a few interesting places at Malacca. Our family feel so happy with our reunion with Elder Karl Paewai and his Dad at Malacca.

We were having quite a wonderful time with them, even though the day is really hot today!

We departed in the afternoon, as Elder Karl Paewai have the appointment with the Elders in Malacca. And, they would leave for Kuala Lumpur in the evening and attend the Sacrament Meeting at Petaling Jaya Branch and Subang Jaya Branch.

Our family stayed a night and attend Sacrament Meeting at Malacca Branch. It is a short trip, but really fun for all of us!

Kuala Lumpur Conference District

We have our Kuala Lumpur District Conference today at Wisma MCA as usual. Here are some photos of the presentation of the Primary today.

Primary children from all the branches of Kuala Lumpur District: Puchong, Subang Jaya, Cheras, Klang, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur and Melacca.

Both Issac and Annabelle were in the choir! Love the Primary children so much, and so cute!

I Am Riding on a Tiger!

We were at One City Mall today and here is Issac was riding on a Tiger!

A Valiant Boy!

Today taken in front of our church!

Farewell to Elder & Sister Bagley 10 May 2015

Elder and Sister Bagley are the senior couple missionaries serving in our Subang Jaya branch for 6 months. They are from Idaho, United States of America. It is a blessings that our branch have both of them served here. We all learned so much from them.

Elder Bagley had been called as our first counsellor and he have been actively involved in contacting the inactive and less active members. He gave us very realistic advice on the church and gospel issues.

Most of our church members really love both Elder and Sister Bagley for their kindness, love and charity towards each and everyone of us in the church. We are grateful for their service.

Our family was thinking of giving both a surprise visit at the airport. Eventually, after we reached KLIA, we realized that we are not only the family whom thinking of that. We met Brother Kelvin, Sister Darielyn, Sister Leeza, Brother Johnny, even our President Chi and his son Brother Brian as well. We were laughing when we saw each other.

Brother Bany and Sister Elsa were the ones fetched both Elder and Sister Bagley came to the KLIA. Brother Rajah, Sister Wilma and their daughter Sister Premala were coming together with them too. They came later than us, all of us arrived earlier hide at a place and trying to give a surprise to both the senior couple missionaries.

They were happy to see us. We took photographs and more photographs.

Elder Bagley still not forgetting to remind and gave us counsel before he headed to the departure gate, “Please remember that this church is Jesus Christ’s church, please come to church and partake the sacrament every week. Please do not let anyone whom might offended you, made you do not come to church. This is the covenants that you have made during your baptismal, it is between Jesus and you. Keep the faith and stay strong on the narrow path.”

Our family will always keep his words and counsel dearly and near to our heart.

Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory 3 May 2015

After we checked out from our hotel at Penang, we were wondering around to look for nice breakfast to eat. We have no idea until we reached the Penang bridge and crossed to the other side of the main land. Daddy goggled through the internet using his hand phone, and found out this very cheap and nice place to eat Dim Sum, called Restoran Chaw Chuan at Butterworth.

We were heading to the shop using Waze App. After driving for quite some time, we finally reached the shop, and both Daddy and Mummy were really amazed by the size and varieties of the type of Dim Sum, such as porridge, bake items, pau items, pan fried items, desserts, cakes, steamed items, etc. We really have a satisfying Dim Sum breakfast with reasonable price.

Daddy just suggested that we left Penang and go to Kuala Sepetang since it is just an hour ride journey.

I just knew that Kuala Sepetang is an interesting place to visit as the small town itself is full of historical moments and the great number of interesting places to visit and experience, along with the abundant heritage, history and culture of the place.

I was already making a quick mental note to return for another visit which we are able to stay longer to explore the town.

While Kuala Sepetang is predominantly a Chinese fishing village, its economy is driven by related industries such as fish farms, shrimp breeding farms, boat building and also the famous charcoal kilns.

When we arrived, we found out that the entire charcoal making location was occupied by a few charcoal factory companies. The scene looked no different from a dusty and dilapidated ghost town with endless rows of wood stacked up along the walls of buildings.

The charcoal factory at Kuala Sepetang is indeed a remarkable hidden gem, at least to me. I am both surprised and ashamed as a Malaysian for not being aware of this intriguing national heritage that produces charcoal the old fashion way.

The straight road opened up to a small square where a rustic sign which read “Chuan Seng” was seen nailed to a louvre wooden wall to my right. And this is the most famous charcoal factory at Kuala Sepetang. We just went in and have a self-guided tour to see around.

The making of the charcoal is in such a way that first, the factory has to procure mangrove logs, cutting them into lengths of 1.6m.

After debarking, logs weighing some 20kg each, are moved to the charcoal kiln, where 1,500 logs are neatly arranged along the wall of the igloo-shaped kiln which is 7m in height.

With only a small ‘door’, a fire is lighted, by burning some other logs of wood, and as the days pass, the opening of the kiln is closed little by little until it is entire sealed, except for four small windows around the side of the kiln.

As you can imagine, the mangrove logs are not burned in the charcoal-making process but instead, water is extracted and dried by the heat.

Through the dampness and temperature of the steam that escapes from the windows, expert workers are able to check on the drying process, until the logs are entirely dry.

The first stage of the process takes about ten days. From a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, it is increased to 230 degrees Celsius over the next fourteen days in the second stage.

Once the charcoal is ready, all apertures of the kiln are sealed and another eight days are allowed for the charcoal to cool down.

The end product, after some 32 days, is then ready to be removed, a job reserved for the womenfolk.

Going through this process, 100kg of mangrove wood is reduced to only 26kg of charcoal, or colloquially known as “black gold”.

At today’s price of RM1 per kilogramme of charcoal, I wouldn’t say this is a lucrative task. However, this 80+ year old factory continues to thrive as 60% of charcoal produced are exported to Japan.

After the charcoal factory trip, we drove to the town and stopped by buying some snacks to eat, and we spotted the famous Port Weld railway station which was located at the centre of town.

The whole railway line from here to Taiping, which was the first railway line in the Peninsular, is now dismantled, and now only the ticketing booth and the Port Weld railway signboard remain. We took a photo at the signboard.

Then, we left the town and going back home and ended for our short holiday trip ^^.

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Penang Toy Museum 2 May 2015

After our almost the entire ride driving from the Queensbay Mall towards the Penang Butterfly Farm, and the Waze directed us through the Teluk Bahang road, which made us driving using the hilly road and we passed by a lot of orchards.

During this time is the our King of fruits – Durian season. The road is just like the Genting Highlands road, one side is the hill and the other side is the slope of the forests or orchards.

This made us so thrilled, as Daddy and I weren’t expect Penang Island still have the road like this. Both Annabelle and Issac were so tired after our morning Street Arts Hunting and Fort Cornwallis trip, both were fall asleep in the car.

The weather is still hot but during at the hilly road, we can feel the cold breeze. There were cars parking aside and most of the people were feasting on the Durian feast.

Daddy said, it is the Durian season just started. At the end of the hilly road, we came to a wide view of the big Teluk Bahang Dam, it is not open to the public, we just can view from far.

To our surprise, the Penang Butterfly Farm which we intended to go, has close down for renovation. It made us really disappointed as we drove all the way from Queensbay Mall and only to find out it is closed.

On our way towards the Batu Ferringhi, we discovered there is a signage “Toy Museum Heritage Garden”.

We decided to go and have a check on it, as we received the leaflet the day before when we were at the Penang Hill, better than nothing and going back to our hotel at the Jalan Burma area.

Penang Toy Museum previously was located at Tanjung Bungah. Currently has moved to Teluk Bahang. After we bought the tickets, we went in.

Really a lot of people there too, holiday weekend always crowded. There are a lot of display showcases which are made in iron angle rack with four sided covered with Perspex. Inside displayed the toys or miniatures.

The founder of the museum is Mr. Loh Lean Cheng. He is and engineer and he came up with this idea with the inspiration from his visit to the London Toy and Model Museum. The museum possesses as much as 110,000 toys and any related collectibles.

The museum itself can be divided into a few sections namely the Chamber of Horror, Chamber of Monsters, Chamber of Fantasy, Chamber of Comic Book Heroes, Hall of Celebrities, Hall of Cartoons and many more.

Almost every type of toys is to be seen there including Star Wars, Doraemon, Mr Bean, Spiderman, Shrek and more.

Not only little figures and toys in the glass rack, there are quite a number of live size toys such as Batman and a Japanese Gundam robot that costs the owner RM9000.

This amazing museum is listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first toy museum ever built in Malaysia.

We took a few pictures with the interesting figures and toys. Overall, it is ok at least something to end a day.

 

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