Hate To Burst Your Bubble

Can we bring back old-fashioned, conservative bubble blowing?

I also know it is accidental and rare but when it happens, those elongated bubbles can be a bit awkward in a family park.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f4, 1/1000 sec.

Loving Slim River Already

Near the entrance to Slim River town is a Taiping Lake Gardens-style park. Love the majestic trees and serene lake view. Officially, the park is known as Taman Tasik YDP.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f9, 1/125 sec.

The Yellow Lake Of Proton City

Nestled within a quiet housing estate in Proton City is a picturesque but deserted park. Risqi, 4 and Rifa, 7, were taking in the the view of the lake from under a gazebo.

Their mother Nani, a science teacher from a school in nearby Kuala Slim, told me the lake was a tin-mining pit. She reckoned the yellowish water was caused by heavy rain the night before.

I was also told by other Tanjung Malim folks that, on weekends, it is a popular place for kite flying and other recreational activities.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f6.3, 1/250 sec.

The Seven Holes Of Serendah

The holes were located in a lonely but beautiful park in Serendah. Not sure if it was the threatening rain clouds or the mystery of the holes that made everything there very eerie.

Since the sink hole strainers are missing, do I dive into one of the ‘rabbit holes’ and will it take me to Wonderland? Apparently not; as further investigation revealed the water flowing into underground channels and released, like sewer, a little further down the cascaded river.

The place was very deserted at the time I was there and there was no one around to ask for info. Oddly, there were no information signboards, even though it is billed as a tourism attraction.

I found out two versions of its history and reason for existence from nearby villagers (subsequently). Originally, there were natural whirlpools in the river .

For some safety or silly reasons, a crazy British colonial administrator flattened the river and turned it into this bizarre man-made structure. It was called The Seven Wells of Serendah (Perigi Tujuh) .

Another local told me a more plausible but less romantic story. Serendah is named as such because it is very low-lying (rendah). It was also a tin mining area with many water canals.

Every time it rained in those days, the surrounding villages became flooded quickly as the river and canals overflow. The seven wells and water channels acted as part of a stormwater management system.

It is so hidden, isolated, relaxing and peaceful here, one will find many ‘ponteng” school students ‘lepaking’ here.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f4, 1/1250 sec.