Rain or shine, Malaysians are all smiles when they see durians. Amazing how a roadside stall can bring traffic to a standstill.
Upon sighting the durians, many motorists made emergency stops, left their cars haphazardly by the roadside and ran hurriedly to the source of the scent.
Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd, I suppose.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 125, f4, 1/400 sec.
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.
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.
The calming sight and soothing sounds of the river belie the ferocious battles that was fought beside it during the Second World War. The road outside was littered with casualties from the British Indian Army attempting to thwart the invasion.
It was on this road that invading Japanese tanks rumbled through in its drive to capture Singapore in the south. This was the old road going north or south until the tolled-Slim River highway was constructed in the 1960s.
74 years later, the actions of the brave men are mostly forgotten or ignored. The river that bore witness remains as stoic as the giant, mossy boulders.
The stoical stance lessens the pain of indignation, I guess. Its banks are now littered with styrofoam boxes from disregardful picnickers.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 50, f22, 1/2 sec.
Just when I arrived at this secluded hot springs, a damn tour group came charging in. These package or group tours are getting out of control.
The tourists are herded everywhere. Before they can enjoy the steam, the tour bus driver was already sounding the horn. What’s the hurry? Next stop; Moo Cow Frozen Yogurt or what?
I wanted to take a dip but that tour leader or tour guide in the middle wasn’t too friendly. What’s with staring in this area, anyway?
The hot springs at Ulu Slim is nice in that it wasn’t turned into an ugly cemented pond or worst, proclaimed as a spa, as with many other exploitable hot springs in the country. I like that it remains a (free) natural pond within an idyllic country setting.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/250 sec.
