Tag: malaysia

The Slim River Rest House

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. I think I’ll stay here for this part of the journey.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, 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 First Tolled Highway In The Country

To tell the story of Federal Route 1, one must note the historical significance of this segment of the route.

Not many will remember, care or even know this. The first tolled highway wasn’t the North-South Expressway. It was this road between Tanjung Malim, Behrang and Slim River.

Built in 1966, the toll booths collected 50 sen from cars. The amount was a lot during its time and it was also perceived by many as mere widening and straightening of the existing Federal Route 1.

The Slim River Highway was indeed a very modest highway, especially when you are now comparing it with today’s 8-lane expressways. Still, in its time, it was an improvement over the nightmarish narrow and winding road that was crowded out by heavy vehicles.

Toll collection stopped in 1994 with the opening of the North-South Expressway.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 125, f13, 1/250 sec.

What Lah

I was walking by a restaurant in the Hartamas area when I saw a hipster choking on a black burger. Yes, it’s 2015 and our hipsters are still into burgers with charcoal buns (and green tea Kit Kat).

Fortunately, someone else there knew the Heimlich maneuver and administered it. The victim’s frantic partner called 999 and insisted on a hybrid or electric ambulance.

I shouted: “Give him a lemongrass drink or a mason jar with infused water and he’ll be alright”

The slumped, choked guy nodded in agreement.

“Later get him a Central Market T-shirt with an owl or dreamcatcher motif to cheer him up. Or find an inspirational quote for him to post on his Instagram”, I added.

Tears welled in everyone’s eyes.

As I exit the restaurant, I saw the manager running around the al fresco dining area in circles, as if still in panic.

I asked: “WTF, madam?”

She replied: “Oh. I’m plotting my running tracks to upload to Facebook”

Olympus OM-D, ISO 250, f6.3, 1/100 sec.

*juicy burger with charcoal buns photographed previously at myburgerlab. Not related to incident mentioned here.

RGB – Red Green Blue

A red hibiscus in front of the blue mosque in Bandar Behrang 2020.

Lofty name notwithstanding, Behrang 2020 is one big housing estate that is as drab as the weather today. From a photography perspective, it is as boring as any such planned township can get.

Maybe I expected more from the name. Fortunately, the mosque, religious school and flowers at the entrance added some colours.

From here, I will be moving north again, after spending considerable time at Behrang town and villages. Those old places possess an ingredient that is usually missing in a systematically created town: character.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f4, 1/2000 sec.