Tag: slim river

Tanjung Malim

When I was photographing Tanjung Malim and surrounding areas, I was looking for a nice hotel to stay. I ended up at the Slim River Rest House because I liked the green surroundings.At one glance, Rumah Rehat Slim River looks like a charming hippie commune from the flower power days. Only thing missing is a VW Kombi with psychedelic colours.

Unlike other government rest houses from colonial days, this one is relatively recent. The reception clerk told me it was built in the 1960s.

The motel-style chalets are on stilts, clustered on a big lawn with nice countryside surroundings as a backdrop.

Unfortunately, it is run by the district council and like many government owned rest houses, the government servants in charge see no need to be competitive by making affiliations with online booking merchants.

Can’t really blame them when the more sophisticated Sekeping Serendah and Summit Signature Hotel Silm River aren’t signed with Agoda or Booking dot com either.

Sad that many fine and historic rest houses with awesome food eventually closed down. There is a rest house in Tanjung Malim town itself but it was abandoned and left in shambles. I wrote about it some time ago.

So where can you stay in the Tanjung Malim area?

Hotel Sahara Inn -Tanjung Malim,
Adelia Hill Farm Kalumpang,
One Home Hotel Batang Kali, 
Bukit Beruntung Business Hotel,
The Leverage Business Hotel Rawang,
Slim Village Leisure Farm (Pet Friendly) Kampung Penderas,
Felda Residence Trolak,

Summit Signature Hotel Slim River (Tel: 605 452 8993)
Sekeping Serendah (Tel: 012 324 6552)
Slim River Rest House (Tel: 05 52 0023)
Fernz Hotel (Tel: 05-458 1120)
Sri Malim Hotel  (Tel: 05-459 9333)

See also our page on Hotels in Kampar, Bidor and Tapah.

Nature’s Art

The cats in the previous picture were looking at me looking up at this tree in the orchard. They must be thinking city people are strange people.

A couple of curious kids came and sat next to me on the grass littered with fallen leaves. Finally, one brave little girl asked: “Why are you looking at the leaves for so long?”

I wanted to explain: “I am looking at the seasons in the sun”. Although trees are evergreen here, they do have their seasons where the leaves change colours and the branches bear fruits.

I didn’t know how to put it in simple words. I could only muster “Cantik” (beautiful) and she giggled. I bet she thought I am strange too.

Many moons ago, the late country singer John Denver was in KL and I was happy to run into him by chance. I saw him looking silently at the fountain in front of the hotel for a long time. Only his wife and manager understood what he was doing, I thought to myself.

The rest of the entourage thought it was rather strange and a few began to snigger after a while. Several busybody taxi drivers laughed and told me “dia gila” (he’s mad).

I smiled but I knew what he was doing. He stopped to smell the roses, as the idiom goes. He took time from his busy schedule to appreciate the beauty of things around him.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/100 sec.

Country Living

Hard enough getting two battling cats to sit together for a portrait. Even harder to get a goat to walk across frame on cue.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f9, 1/320 sec.

Chicken Soup For The Malaysian Soul

It is not the world’s 5th hottest hot springs that is located here or the many natural attractions, even though they are awesome. It is the people.

Every local person I crossed path with, while driving or walking, young or old; smiled or waved at me. All I have to do is look at them.

They know I am a stranger or outsider, for sure. Unlike other touristy places, the people in this kampung are not dependent on visitors or are peddling anything.

When you speak with them, you will understand the warm reactions are from the goodness of their hearts, instinctive hospitality and colour blindness.

So if you are tired of the endless race-baiting and bickering by politicians, take a drive to the countryside where the real Malaysia is. It is chicken soup for the soul.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f5.6, 1/80 sec.

Laughter In The Rain

Saw this roadside stall at Ulu Slim on a wet evening. It was operated by a makcik trio. One makcik was too shy and declined to be photographed. Below is our conversation translated into English from Malay (for the benefit of international followers).

Me: Is that your house behind, makcik?

They: Yes. And do you know why we are selling food in front of our humble kampung house?

Me: So that you don’t have to use that shiny new car (wrapped up) to transport the food elsewhere?

They: OMG! Hahaha. No! So we don’t have to pay rent like those selling at the Ramadan bazaar in town. True or not?

Before I can answer they burst out laughing themselves. We started chatting like friends, talking about the cost of trading and life in the kampung. Love their great sense of humour and gregarious personality.

Since they were closing up, I bought almost all the remaining kuih for only RM 5. Yes, their overheads are lower and it is reflected in the price.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 125, f4, 1/60 sec.