Hi guys! This update is due over 2 weeks. Sorry…been busy catching up with work and thesis. After returning from LG Summit I write down a list of challenges to accomplish as a better contributor.
Mission #1 : Teach a business owner to claim their business in Google Maps MyBusiness.
DONE! First attempt in Kuching Meet Up was a success. But this is an on-going goal everytime I go somewhere or organize a trip.
Mission #2 : Go to a less popular place.
This time I went to Kuala Kangsar, a small city in Perak, Malaysia. I know it doesn’t have much tourism coverage, but that’s the point of it all! 
So here’s the jist of my trip to the royal town of Perak Malaysia…
This is my first time taking the ETS Train interstate service from Kuala Lumpur KL Sentral Station. Bought tickets online which gave my 10% discount. Took the first train out so that I can arrive by 10:00 am.
Malaysia train system is so much better and high tech now, I remember when little my family used to take the old locomotive train with wooden seats and oscillator fans on the ceiling. But seriously if you are thinking of travelling in Malaysia, try the train. The view is very nice; mountains, trees, villages, river and more greens.
10:00 am, Sunday.
Perfect timing to head over to the infamous Pasar Pagi Kuala Kangsar ( Kuala Kangsar Morning Market ). Kuala Kangsar local guide, Miss Aishah showed the unique food and drinks that are only available in that market. First time trying milk tea with cincau jelly, it’s quite nice. So we nibbled on local street food from each stall along the 1 kilometer circle.
We made a pit-stop at the Oldest Rubber Tree and Ridhwaniah Old Mosque. This little town is rich in history and houses the infamous boys’ school Malay College Kuala Kangsar. Pak Tut homestay manager gave a comprehensive tour of the town area before heading to check-in bags.
After changing into comfortable loose clothes ( it is super sticky hot ), we headed to Victoria Bridge and visited a famous clay vase ( labu sayong ) factory.
As I suspected, by 5:00 PM the rain just poured in like cats and dogs till late evening. To keep myself busy, I took pictures of the old 70s decoration inside the homestay. Really fascinating to see everything in this homestay has been preserved since the 70s. I would recommend the homestay to anyone visiting Kuala Kangsar or just transiting.
The manager, Mr Salim runs a fresh figs farms next door, called Jannah figs. He loves figs so much that he built a green house and raised figs saplings from all over the world. It was my first time tasting fresh over ripe figs. Gawd…its so soft, juicy and sweet. No wonder Muslims call it heaven food. And the organic, preservative-free fig jam is amazing!!! Jannah figs products are for sale and can be couriered to your doorstep. The fruits are available in Kuala Lumpur.
The next day, the lovely sun is shining again we set our journey to look for the king of fruits. This fruit is called durian, or thorn fruit. A cute old aunty ( called Wan ), guided us to her family orchard. After an hour ride to a village called Jeniang, we managed to get some of the premium Musang King species. As I was happily devouring this creamy fruit, in my head was playing Led Zep’s Stairway to Heaven…
We also stumbled upon ripe rambutan, or hairy fruit. It is very sweet and abundant in Asia. To harvest the fruit, one must use a bamboo stick with hooks at the end. And depending on your skills, you must hit on the branch or pull them with the hook. When it falls to the ground, we quickly collect them and start biting away the red outer layer to reveal clear white sweet flesh. This is some of my favourite memories of my village that I would love to share with all of you.
12:00 noon, Tuesday
After checking out of Pak Tut home stay, Mr Salim and wife brought me to the famous seafood restaurant in town. Boy, did I enjoy all the fresh barbequed fish, fresh salad vegetables ( called sayur ulam ) and belacan sauce. And the price is amazingly cheap!
Overall I enjoyed this trip. Despite the heavy showers in the evenings, we managed to uncover many hidden gems. The local guides have been very welcoming. I would recommend Kuala Kangsar as a safe destination, so long as you have a guide. This old city and surrounding village is rich in history and culture. The locals enjoy simple laid-back life. Going to place less traveled mean you get to experience first hand of the sights, scenes and food. I will be uploading more pictures as I edit them here. Thank you Local Guide Aishah and Mr Salim for showing me around.
