Brickfields police station

Brickfields police station has long been a landmark in Brickfields. It closed down at the end of 2010 and was relocated to Sri Petaling. I have driven past it on a weekly basis and never bothered to take any photos. Then in mid 2011 I found it had already been partly demolished.

The same thing happened with the row of restaurants opposite, known as the Pines. One minute they were there, next minute they had gone. According to The Star 13 Aug 2010, "the 47-year-old row of shops where the Pines Restaurant in Brickfields is located will soon be demolished for the building of a modern bazaar in line with the RM35mil Little India project".

So I took the opportunity to take some photos of what remains of the police station on 1 Sept 2011.

I found it ironic that the old police station was being used as a dump site and there were dubious characters hanging around. I suspected it would soon be used by squatters. And this in fact happened, see report in The Star 2 Feb 2012.

These photos were taken Sept 11 -

This is the view prior to demolition. It looks more like a computer recycle centre!

The Pines prior to demolition -

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Hell scenes in Chinese temple, Pasir Penambang

When I was caving in Vietnam in July 2011, we visited one cave, Dong Am Phu, also known as hell cave. In the lower section of the cave there are many statues depicting gruesome scenes from hell, showing people being torutured. Our guide tried to explain that it refers to how you lead your life in Buddhism, you can choose whether to lead a good or bad life.

So I was interested to see similiar scenes shown as a mural in a Chinese temple at Pasir Penambang near Kuala Selangor. The temple seems to be to the Monkey God as there are several statues of monkeys. And a painting from the story Journey to the West.

One whole wall was covered by the mural.. My friend told me one has to pass through 7 chambers of hell in order to reach heaven or redemption.

There are 2 adjacent temples at Pasir Penambang. The other one is Qi Jian Xian Shi Fo Zu Gu Miao and has a cave built on the top.

The temple -

The mural showing 7 chambers of hell

The main altar

Monkey at outside gate

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Silver langurs at Bukit Malawati, Selangor

I went with friends to Kuala Selangor for seafood lunch. Before lunch we stopped at Bukit Melawati  (Malawati) to see the silvered langurs. They are so cute and so tame. I've already posted an album in 2010.

As it was a public holiday, no cars were allowed up the hill to Bukit Malawati, so we had to take the train. Whilst waiting you could buy food for the monkeys

The monkeys were waiting, right by where the train stops.

Some were in the trees, not bothered about food for now. I was surprised at the lack of long tailed macaques, there were very few, which is good, as they can be aggressive in their quest for food, unlike the more gentle langurs.

There are stalls selling food for the monkeys, they have a variety of long green beans, peanuts and bananas. This means the monkeys get a natural diet though I did see one tourist giving a monkey a bag of crisps. This one is eating a bean -

A group play in the trees, watched by one on the ground

The tails are hairy

Mother and baby

So cute

Mum hangs on tightly to the baby

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Merkdeka and the Malayan Trilogy

Today is Merkdeka, or Malaysia's Independence Day. It the nation’s 54th National Day. Malaya was born on Aug 31, 1957. However this year, as the day coincides with the major festival of Eid, or Hari Raya, the Merdeka celebrations will be held on Malaysia Day on Sept 16.

Normally for a week or more before Merdeka, I get noisy helicopters directly over my condo, practising their fly past. But these seem to be less in recent years, maybe due to economic cut backs and this year there have been none (although it was Ramadan).

Purely by coincidence I have just finished re-reading The Malayan Trilogy by Anthony Burgess. And it is a very apt book for this time of year. Unfortunately the book is (or was) banned/restricted (no one seems to know for sure) in Malaysia and I bought my copy from Ebay UK.

The book seems to be on a Ministry of Home Affairs blacklist. The reasons - because it "is offensive to Malaysian society" which translates as it offends the Malays!!! It was written by a mat salleh in colonial times during Independence and describes life in Malaya in a very realistic way.

Burgess paints an amusing but fitting picture of ALL the races - Chinese, Indian (Tamil), Malay, Orang Asli and 'white men' so none of the races are spared.

The book includes all aspects of life, such as work, drinking, money, relationships, etc etc. And it seems that in many respects little has changed in the 50+ years! Even his choice of fictious place names is amusing e.g. Kuala Hantu, Kenching, Mawas, Tikus etc.

See more on Sharon's blog, one comment wrote "The triology diagnoses the potential pitfalls and problems regarding modernisation and ethnic relations then, hence is suppressed for the insights they offer. Sadly, the banning of the book and the current socio-political landscape seem to reflect and further confirm the issues and narrowmindedness our country suffer from."

Another amusing snippet Set in postwar Malaya at the time when people and governments alike are bemused and dazzled by the turmoil of independence, this three-part novel is rich in hilarious comedy and razor-sharp in observation. The protagonist of the work is Victor Crabbe, a teacher in a multiracial school in a squalid village, who moves upward in position as he and his wife maintain a steady decadent progress backward."

Burgess raises some good points about the country on the verge of independence. See more on Wikipedia, which suggests that copies may be available in Malaysian bookshops.

In the US the book is called The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy.

It is an excellent read and I recommend it to everyone, Malaysian and mat salleh!

Luang Prabang Phou Si hill

One thing most tourists do whilst in Luang Prabang is climb up Phou Si (Phu Si) hill to watch the sunset. There is an entry fee (10,000 kip, US$1).
Entry to hill

Starting the climb

When I went up in 2007 it was so crowded that I didn't actually wait for sunset, as there was no where to sit. And I had already seen sunset over the Mekong.

There are great views of the town and rivers from the top.

Russian anti-aircraft cannon
Luang Prabang town -

On the slopes of the hills are some small temples. One is Wat Tham Phou Si, aka as Wat Thammothayaram.

Buddha and monk. Buddha is a bit feminine looking
Flowers in an old bomb -

Fat Buddha

Interesting rock

Nam Khan river

Local kids

See other Luang Prabang albums, street scenes, and temples, and day market, and night tourist market.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission