Bomba helicopters flying over my condo in KL

 

Fri 2, Sat 3 and Sun 4 May 2014, 3 Bomba helicopters were flying past and over my condo each morning. Bomba is The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia).

They started at 8am. The front 2 were trailing flags - Malaysian and bomba flags -



9M-BOD

 9M-BOC had no flag. Note the difference in sky, from 8.58 and 9.17 am -

The 3 together

BOD again, this can take 15 passengers -

the flag has 'disappeared'

 

They did many large circuits and on the last one the three flew directly over my condo -

flag looks rather tattered

 On the 4th they again flew straight over my condo on the last circuit -

 

They are AgustaWestland helicopters, described as search and rescue / light utility. Info from helis.com :

9M-BOB = AW109E Power, built 2003    [BOA crashed 2004]

9M-BOC = AW139  acquired by Bomba in 2010 (ex I-EASY)

9M-BOD = AW139  acquired by Bomba in 2010 (ex I-PTFT)



9M - BOD

9M - BOB

 

9M - BOD

9M - BOC

 

9M - BOD



9M - BOB

9M - BOD

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Sinhalese Bar in Ipoh, Perak

The Sinhalese Bar in Ipoh is the only Sinhalese bar in the country. It is a unique piece of history. It is located in Old Town, on the corner of Jalan Bijeh Timah (Treacher Street) and Jalan Market.

There are trees outside and wonderful swing doors lead into the bar

The walls are painted bright pink with pale green tiles below and a green floor. There is a deer skull above the swing doors

The bar was established in 1931

Alfred bringing the beer. Note the folding screen separating the seating area from the serving area. There are always calendars showing 3 months on the screen

 Apart from beer, many of the regulars drink spirits

2011 prices

 Liquors stacked in the old dresser

 Notice on the outside wall

Snacks such as fried sausages can be ordered and there is always a plentiful supply of tidbits such as muruku.  The owner is Buddhist and always celebrates Wesak Day when a vegetarian lunch is served (this year it will be held on 13 May 2014). It is a charity meal and proceeds are given to the underprivileged in the area.

It's a great place for a drink and absorb the atmosphere of a time gone by!

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Padang Rengas to Parit Buntar mosques & church

Driving north from Padang Rengas to Parit Buntar in Perak we used the old trunk road. We passed a couple of interesting mosques, a church and a colubarium.

The first mosque is the Ihsaniah Iskandariah Mosque at Padang Rengas. It was built in 1936 and funded by the late 30th Sultan of Perak. The opening ceremony was in Feb 1938 [1356].

The design and ornamentation were based on the architecture of the istana at Bukit Chandan.

There are bamboo strip woven panels in a diamond motif. Every wood joint of the walls are decorated with a carved motif of a flower. The walls are painted in the colours of the Perak state flag.

The mosque has 20 windows, those on the ground floor are higher to provide privacy. Each window is carved with a shark gill's motif, bean shoots and a crescent and 5 pointed star. So many windows provide lighting and ventilation.

The mosque has not been used since 1976 and has since been conserved by the Dept of National Heritage. This is the mosque used today -

The next mosque we photographed is Masjid Al-Ridzuan at Telok Medan, between Simpang Empat Semanggol and Bagan Serai in Kerian district.

 Next was the Masjid Al-Athar at Kampung Masjid Tinggi, Bagan Serai

 Across the road is the old mosque -

 the cemetery is right next to the mosque

 Just before Bagan Serai town is a new colubarium

North of Bagan Serai is St Joseph's Church. It was first set up in an abandoned hut in 1882 for some Tamil Catholics who had come from Penang (history) -

Next to it is the parish house

and a grotto to Our Lady

There is also a shrine to St Joseph

nice tree

 The gardeners were busy in the grounds but one of them picked some flowers for us

our route

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission