Galleria@Kotaraya Johor Bahru 7 Aug 2013

As we walked from our hotel towards the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, just behind the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Temple, there is a big shopping mall. Well, it is located in the heart of Johor Bahru, Plaza Kotaraya, a five- storey podium shopping complex with a gross area of approximately 546,530 square feet.

The re-branding exercise involved a name change from Plaza Kotaraya to Galleria @ Kotaraya. Post its refurbishment, it will emerge as an iconic as well as a new destination of shopping in Johor Bahru City. Well, it is now.

Galleria @ Kotaraya has become a Lifestyle Mall targeting the middle market, suitable for since its rebranding in July 2012. It includes a Food Hall, Fashion for Ladies and Gizmo for men as well as IT and Gadgets. The retail mix consist as local as well as popular brands complimenting its new image.

Not only does the mall provide vibrant shopping experiences and pleasurable services, there is more Galleria@Kotaraya could offer with its feast for mouth- watering range of treats , it’s also imbues this experience with choice of events, performance and exhibits showcasing one of the best in Johor’s culture and arts.

We had our lunch there during we visited there. In the evening, we had an evening walk around the mall area. It is during Hari Raya Aidilfitri seasons, thus all the decorations are related to the joyful festivals.

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Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman 7 Aug 2013

Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman is the first glass Hindu temple in the world and the only one in Malaysia. Temple called “Glass” because it’s decorated with glass inside and outside. The temple looks really beautiful, especially on a sunny day with blue skies, when glass shines. I do not take much photos as during that time, there was an ongoing prayers going on, and a lot of Hindus flooded to the temple.

It had been told that it was started in 1922 as a humble shelter. 74 years later, in 1996, the temple was rebuilt and reopened. Few years later a chairman of this temple Guru Bhagawan Sittar got the inspiration to decorate temple with glass. Transformation of the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman temple with glass fittings started in 2008 and was completed on January 3, 2009. Since 2009, it has become one of the major attractions in Johor Bahru.

Outside the temple, there was one row of small shops selling prayers items, fresh flowers, etc. We do not go into the temple, we shall go in next time if we come back in the future.

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Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum 7 Aug 2013

Next on our Johor Bahru Heritage Trail, housed in a four story shophouse on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, is the Chinese Heritage Museum. The Museum is housed at a 4 storey building previously occupied by the JB Tiong-Hua Association since 1948, along Jalan Ibrahim, facing JB’s popular water front.

Visitors could also enter the museum via the rear entrance at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. The museum charges a RM5 entrance fee; as for students and senior citizens, it is only RM2 per person per entry.

The well-renovated 4 storey building adopts the state-of-the-art modern technology for its effort in saving energy bills, using sensors to turn on and off the lightings at every floor.

The first, second and third floor showcase the history of Chinese immigrants into Malaya in the 1800s and 1900s, the founding of the triads, clans and eventually associations of the ethnic Chinese area groups, (Hokkien, TeoChew, Cantonese, Hainanese, and Hakka). Records of the well-known Chinese Clan heads, and their beneficial, philanthropic deeds (Like building the Foon Yew Chinese schools, temples and clan houses etc.) were documented well to brief visitors of the tough founding years.

The museum also displays photos of the then livelihood when early Chinese immigrants by the ship loads arrived at the peninsula to find jobs waiting for them in tin mines, rubber plantations, and other agricultural fields ( cash crops like pepper and gambir), as well as other minor industries. As years went by, some of them and their descendants became big time traders and large land owners, and eventual tycoons.

The pictorial displays showed that Ngee Heng triad leader Tan Kee Soon had helped Temenggong Abu Bakar (1833-1895) to quash some disturbance in the Muar district, thus enabling the latter to become effectively the ruler (The Sultan) of the state. Abu Bakar was challenging Tengku Alam (son of his uncle Sultan Ali) for the throne after the death of Sultan Ali in 1877. He was not satisfied with the title of Temenggong or Maharajah. Eventually The British Empire accepted him as the sultan. And, how was the structure of the Ngee Heng Kong Si were like in the old days, including some of their customs, traditions, etc.

The museum also recorded the invasion of the Japanese Imperial Army into Singapore during the Second World War, as Johor Bahru stood strategically close to Singapore, separated by the Johor Straits and was linked by the causeway. The Japanese Occupation of Malaya (Including Singapore) inflicted unprecedented, massive misery, suffering and devastation to the people during those turbulent, desolate warring years (3 years 8 months). A pictorial poster features the contribution of the Chinese in Johor in fighting the Japanese by raising funds and taking up the arms.

The top floor of the 4 storey museum devotes its exhibiting space totally for the chronicle of Dr Sun Yat Sen, (1866-1925) the father of republican China. This great man of modern China was known to have visited Johor Baru during his many travels overseas to appeal for support and funds to overthrow the despicable, rotting Empire of Qing Dynasty and its draconian Manchu ruler.

There was some doubt about the actual occurrence of his visit; but since Dr Sun was confirmed to have visited Singapore (Penang too) and Johor Bahru was just a causeway away, it was likely to be a true event. Dr Sun probably had a hard time to convince the then Johor Chinese chieftain (Known as Kapitan during those years) Wong Ah Fook to join him fighting for a republican Chinese nation, as Wong was a conservative loyalist to the Qing Empire.

Upon Dr Sun’s earnest appeal followed by his numerous visits, many brave, eager Malayan Chinese were inspired to leave for China to become revolutionaries to fight the corrupted, diminishing Qing Empire. In their endeavor to pursue a just democratic nation, many of them lost their lives while in action.

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The JB Chinese Heritage Museum has a detailed pictorial display of the martyrdom of revolutionaries from various parts of Malaya (and Singapore) before 1911 (This was the year when the Manchurian regime was overthrown).

I enjoyed this museum which showcases the early days of Chinese settlement in JB - the history, culture, traditions and occupations of the various Chinese communities who have made Johor their home. The children too, enjoying the visits as they were learning through the displays.

Tan Hiok Nee Walk 7 Aug 2013

Our hotel is just few streets away from Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. After we had checked-in to our hotel, Daddy just drove us around the city centre so that we can find a place to have our brunch. He parked somewhere near the parking lot, we just walked about to find some Chinese food.

The Tan Hiok Nee Walk was conceptualized and designed to be a pedestrian mall that is user friendly, in conjunction with the Johor Bahru City Council’s mission to make Johor Bahru a “Garden City” by the year of 2005.

The idea is to remind us the history of Tan Hiok Nee who was a cloth merchant in Singapore, and became a very successful pepper and clove trader in Johor Bahru. He became a wealthy leader of the Chinese community in the Johor.

Another important reason for this eye-pleasing pedestrian mall is to provide comfortable, clean and organized network of walkways linking the business district at Jalan Wong Ah Fook to Jalan Dato' Onn in front of the MBJB Building and Post Office.

This will revive business activities in the area as the Tan Hiok Nee Walk becomes a focus point for Johor Bahru citizens as well as visitors. Beside that, the street has been given a makeover with neat pavements, trees and painted shop houses.

We had our brunch at this very crowded restaurant – Triple K, which sells beef noodles. It looks so yummy and we were amazed by the crowds whom turned out.

We were thinking of, we should have a try in this restaurant, the food must be nice and delicious! And, it was so true, that we never regret of coming here!

Even though, we were sweat all way in and out, the shop was warm even with the air-conditioners were on.

In the afternoon, after our visit from the Chinese Heritage Museum, we visited one of the kopitiam – Kedai Makan Old Street Corner.

The kopitiam had enough ceiling fans to keep us cool in the middle of the day, and served several traditional Chinese delicacies which is really good. And, the drinks too ^^.

Daddy had been chit-chatting with the fruit stall uncle during we were there. We can see the shop just next to us caught our attention with a lot of people gathered outside the shop.

According to the uncle, the bakery is unique with the baking done by a big brick-made oven heated by firewood. As the bakery shop only bake the bread once in a day, so we will see the queue only when the bread is almost done during this hour.

In the evening, we came back around here to have our bites here. There are a lot of characteristic cafe, bar or bistro here during the night time, comparing to the day time, whereby most of the food stalls or restaurant are traditional and passed through generations.

If there is next time, we can have a slow walk and enjoy the trails…

 

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Annabelle’s School Concert Costume

Here is a photo Annabelle together with Issac in her concert costume at her school concert.

Lembing Riverview Resort 26 – 28 Jul 2013

Lembing Riverview Resort located in the Sungai Lembing Chinese Village.

A small matter need to highlight is that, you have to pass by a Chinese cemetery if you have to reach the resort, and the cemetery is so near just next to the road at the side.

Lembing Riverview Resort just situated next to the Sungai Lembing, all the chalets are made in mixture of timber and concrete just steps away from the river, it gives all the guests a comfort homestay feel.

There are 13 chalets rooms available in Lembing Riverview Resort, each with individual air-conditioned as well as attached bathroom with hot shower.

They provided the camping area too for budget travellers or camping lovers. Tents and shared bathrooms are available for gusts comfortably stay with nature too.

Issac, Annabelle and I took a double bed garden room. The chalets are overlook the garden and natural green lush forest.

Rooms are built with wood gives the feeling of returning to age-old time, equipped with queen size or single bed depends on the type of rooms, whereby the triple or quad rooms will be at a bigger house facing the garden and a pond as well.

Mostly, all of rooms had been occupied by our families members these 2 nights here ^^.

All of us love the resort very much! The resort have facilities such as sharing kitchen if the guests would like to prepare own meals, snacks or supper. An open dining area just next to the chalet where the guests can savour tasty local cuisine while enjoying the relaxing ambiance with spectacular view of river, pond, rainforest and garden.

Barbeque facilities are available too by the garden or the riverside. A Karaoke room with movies DVD and sound system for the guests to use.

There are bicycle rental service available too. And, a 25m reflexology path is designed for those that enjoy foot massage not forgetting a beach volleyball court is available for those that would like to have a sporting time too.

Something I would like to talk about is the BBQ dinner provided by the resort. They do serve BBQ or steamboat dinner and charges is RM28.00 per person. Initially I was planning for steamboat dinner for the night of 26th and BBQ dinner for the night of 27th, but the resort owner Mr. Hoh mentioned the steamboat dinner is not available at that point of time.

Thus, I just booked for BBQ dinner for all of us on the 27th night. Our BBQ dinner is really nice and delicious. Besides our family members, there are other dinners as well. There were Australian lamb, chicken wings, fish, prawns, squid, chicken Frankfurt sausages, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, fried mee and fresh fruits as well.

They served cordial drinks but all our uncles went out and bought their beers and stouts for the dinner too. Esiang, Esuang and Sia Chin went back to town to buy the famous charcoal burn roasted pork. It taste nice too. All of us had an enjoyable dinner at the garden except for the mosquitoes that stings.

Both Issac and Annabelle had a great time staying here as every morning they woke up, they will rushing to their playground - netting swing or the tyre swing! When I asked both of them, will they like to come here again if next time got opportunity? Both answered me, “Yes! Of coarse!”

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Relaxing Morning at Sungai Lembing 28 Jul 2013

Wake up in the morning is the most relax, because today all of us do not need to wake up as early as 5.30am like yesterday because of the Panorama Hill.

Still, need to wake up early as 6.30am as we want to eat the famous ‘San Sui Tau Foo’ due to yesterday we did not manage to taste.

All of us really enjoyed the Yong Tau Foo and the noodles as well, the Tau Foo really smooth and silky, it is different from the normal tau foo we eat because according to the local, they are using the mountain springs to do the tau foo - that is the different.

More and more people coming to the food court when the sky is getting brighter, by the time we finish our breakfast, I took a look at the stall, the famous tau foo also sold out. Lucky us ^^

After the breakfast, we took a morning walk at the town again. Looking at the shops it does really old and can be tell by its conditions. Once a busy town, left nothing much now.

So happened, every Sunday there have their morning market at the secondary main street. Not much things to buy as most of the things are toys for kiddos.

I guess the hawkers get their supplies from Kuantan. I took a few photos then we went back to our hotel.

After reaching the hotel, both Issac and Annabelle were asking me about going to the river behind the hotel, they wanted to play there.

I told them, cannot swim there but I do let them play the water and sand, because I do not bring extra clothing for them to change as I did not expect ‘we would play sand and water’ at this hilly area, and I totally forgot about the river!

Exuan just accompanied us to the river side. Both Issac and Annabelle were playing so happily, which afterwards we packed our luggage and left Sungai Lembing.

What a wonderful short trip our whole families members spent here at Sungai Lembing.

Hope we can come again next time ^^

 

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