Taiping Day 3

I have done quite a number of road trips before but this is the first time I went to 3 different states all in one road trip! This is a record and I wonder what made us so gung-ho? Oh I guess it must be the hubby being a fillial son as he has never brought his parents on a holiday before. He was indeed very satisfied after the trip as if he has already fulfil his duty as a son. :P

Our next destination was Taiping. So after we checked out and had breakfast, we started our journey to Ipoh first for our lunch. We used the Simpang Pulai way to go down Cameron Highlands and made a few pit stop to do some last minute shopping and I got these...

Strawberry tea in tea bags form. As you can see it's RM 7.90.

'Teh Tarik Strawberi'. It's the 3 in 1 sachet form. This I gotta try because it was recommended by a friend and it was really good! RM 9.50 a box.  

We arrived in Ipoh at lunch time and ate at this famous restaurant called Foh San (GPS N 4 35.818 E 101 05.153). My mother in-law recommended this place because she has been there before and assured that the dim sum was nice. I'm a dim sum fan, so anything goes but indeed it was truly nice! Again, I didn't get to take every single thing that we ate. Heck my father in-law even had to pause for a while for me to take a picture before he could grab a 'char siew pau'. So I guess I better stop because I think he already thinks I'm a freak. :P

Egg tarts..yummy!

'Char Siew Pau' or steamed barbecue pork bun

Cheong Fun

Prawn dumpling.

I love siew mai the most and what's more this is the best I've ever tasted! I was pleasantly surprised, it was like heaven in my mouth and I wanted to get more but shy lar with my in-laws around.

Foh San Restaurant.

The entrance to the restaurant.

As usual the children are always very interested in any water feature anywhere even at this restaurant.

As if the lunch was not satisfying enough, we went to 'tapau' the famous salted chicken from Aun Kheng Lim (GPS N 4 35.685 E 101 05.009) for us to savour later after we reach our place of stay in Taiping.

I couldn't find an apartment in Taiping but stumbled upon Tan Homestay from the internet! So homestay it is and we were pleasantly surprised too. It's a fully furnished single storey bungalow with ample space and compound. The car porch can even fit two cars and there are 4 bedrooms. It's also 10 minutes away from Lake Garden. For only RM280 per night, we get more than what we bargain for.

The living room. Big isn't it? The children kept running around.

This is the room we chose. Complete with even a dressing table and towels.

The kitchen..feels like home. Haha.

Another room.

Another one of the back rooms. Forgot to take picture of the master bedroom.

After having our salted chicken and rested for a bit, it was time for us to go to Taiping's Lake Garden (GPS N 4 51.079 E 100 44.817). Elizabeth and I sat the swan boat but decided not to let Joseph on the swan boat yet because we felt that he's still too young. He's active and stubborn, might not listen to us while we are busy peddling the swan boat. Luckily he did not mind being left out. Elizabeth had so much fun.

The Swan Boat at Lake Garden.

Snap a picture first before I start peddling. Phew!

The view from the Swan Boat taken with my handphone camera. Not bad eh?

Another view with other swan boats!

Lake Garden with Maxwell Hill as the backdrop.

She's so happy to be at 'Taman Tasik Taiping'.

This cutie had many rides while I was busy peddling in the lake.

After the swan boat ride, she got her ride on those machines also. Look how happy she is.

We went to Taiping Zoo (GPS N 4 51.282 E 100 45.067) after that for the Night Safari. The Night Safari opens daily at 8PM. We wanted to have the night experience in a zoo. Once in the zoo, everyone hopped on the Mini Train for a tour around the zoo with a guide informing us over the speaker on every animal we encounter. I'm impressed with the size of the zoo and the animals they have. However, if I had the chance to go again I wouldn't choose the Night Safari again because I felt that the lightings were not many or bright enough and I can't really get to see the animals properly. I think I rather just stick to daytime zoo. Hehe. Nevertheless it was a bit exciting for the kids because of the anticipation in encountering animal after animal in the dark. LOL. Here are some pictures I took. You might be disappointed because most of my pictures didn't turn out well because of the darkness and distance. So I only have a few to share. Up next is Penang..till then!

On the Mini Train.

Happy kids (me included..:P)

 

I hope you can see the flamingoes scurrying away.

I find it quite unusual to find zebras, a cow and an ostrich all in one enclosure.

Can you see the elephant yonder there?

Cameron Highlands Day 2

Continuing from yesterday's post, day 2 in Cameron Highlands started with a fine weather.

Sunrise outside my window.

We slept in the master bedroom with two queen sized beds. Sorry about the state of the room. :P

The living and dining room. Pardon the untidiness.

This is the kitchen with a door(left of the pic) to a small yard.

The excited children ran outside first with their 'Gung gung' to the small park of the apartments.

Parkland Apartments comes with 3 bedrooms with bathroom attached for RM350 per night inclusive of service tax booked through Agoda

Happy cousins having fun on the swing. The small park has a bbq pit too.

The first stop in our itinerary list was BOH Sungei Palas Tea Centre and Factory. I was already excited because I've heard lots of good recommendation about this place and true enough it was worth the visit. Although the drive in was deep, challenging and scary at times, the view was so scenic you just don't mind proceeding with your destination. It's a very huge tea plantation and you can even enter their factory to learn about the processing of tea. We had our breakfast there at the BOH Tea Café and yes I tried the scone there. I wouldn't say it's to die for.

The signboard to BOH Sungei Palas Tea Centre and Factory. Sorry for the blurry pic as the car was moving.

The children walking with their 'gung gung' to the tea cafe.

The tea cafe from afar. It looks like it's hanging from a cliff right?

A small village and school among the tea plantation.

Getting nearer to the tea cafe. I can already smell breakfast!

The rolling hills - view from the tea cafe. We got the best seats.

The hills are alive with the sound of music.

Family pic

The gallery if you want to know the history of Cameron Highlands and how the tea plantation came about.

The tea shop which I didn't patronise.

The entrance to the tea factory.

The tea maker's office and it's functions.

The roller machine for erm..rolling. Please read is process..

The fermentation process.

4th stage - drying.

Final stage sorting them into sacks. Sorry about the glaring pic.

Me trying to act like one of the workers picking tea leaves. ^ ^ 

Driving out. Bye bye Sg Palas tea plantation. I will miss you.

Our next stop was Butterfly Garden in KEA Farm Brinchang. It was ok. More butterflies than some other butterfly farm I've been. They have other insects and animals besides having butterflies. I'll just let the pictures do the talking.

Butterfly Garden.

There are many butterflies flying around and some are even on the floor. Some could be dead.

Snakes. The keeper allow visitors to hold them. Something I don't fancy so better just scam. 

Another snake species and I'm beginning to feel icky. So let's get outta there.

One pretty butterfly.

This looks like the Raja Brooke butterfly. But I'm not sure myself.

Another pretty butterfly.

Tarantula? Anyway the hair on it is giving me the goosebumps.

Must be a beetle.

This chameleon is trying to be funny and his many fans behind are worshiping him. LOL.

Tortoise.

Leaf insect. Even its texture is like a real leaf. I dared myself to touch it.

I'm trying to show how big the hibiscus is compared to the ones I normally see. Am I successful in proving my point? Hmm..

I don't know the name of this flower but it sure is bright!

One of my favourite flower - hydrangeas. I know Madonna and me don't see eye to eye. :P

All the family except Elizabeth and me. We were up on a bridge.

Then we went to Smokehouse. I heard that people used to enter even their garden to snap pictures. But now the garden is only open for the guests who live in Smokehouse or customers at their cafe. So we could only take pictures outside the Smokehouse. Even that we got dirty looks from the security guards. It's a lovely looking old english style cottage and the garden looks beautiful even from outside. Must be even more beautiful inside.

The Smokehouse. That must be the cafe.

Part of Smokehouse.

Enjoy your garden and take a picture? Hmph! Only can take from outside.

The entrance to their reception.

The tiny gate which was pad locked which leads to the garden.

An extension of the cafe, I guess.

What do you mean by 'for patrons only'? That plant is for patrons only? Ridiculous. So I purposely take a picture there. LOL.

I don't know what's the purpose of this hut.

It started to rain heavier but we still proceeded to Raju's Hill Strawberry Farm in Brinchang. It's solely a strawberry farm because I don't see any other vegetables there. I asked a worker there and he told me they used to allow strawberry picking but because the strawberry plant wilt easily when being handled too much, it takes even longer time for it to grow properly back again for harvesting. So they've stopped that concept. It was cold there because of the rain and I was so tempted to try their strawberry ice-cream but I changed my mind. So I bought strawberry jam instead.

The strawberries in Raju's Hill Strawberry Farm. They only open a small area for visitors. The rest are all enclosed because they don't allow visitors to touch their plants.

A further view.

Raju's Hill Strawberry Farm concentrates more on their products like strawberry jam. I got it for RM 6.50.

Before we retire for the night, we had charcoal steamboat for dinner in Restoran Kwan Kee, Brinchang. It was quite a satisfying dinner in a cool weather. I wanted to take pictures during dinner but didn't want my in-laws to think I'm a freak. So I'll just share it through words only and it's up to you to try this place..:) Up next is Taiping..stay tuned!