Tuesday, September 20, 2022

More than an ordinary Canteen

 



This is a must visit eatery at Jalan Sultan Idris Shah (Brewster Road) just before the Police Station.  The place is called "aSow gallery CANTEEN".   The word "canteen" means a small cafeteria or snack bar.  What makes this gallery different is the picturesque plants that are displayed rather than photos or paintings. 

Look at these lovely plants hanging from the top and growing from the bottom, and even from the walls.  The potted plants are irrigated by a myriad of tiny plastic water pipes. 







The beverage cum pay counter is indeed unique.  It is very simply constructed with ventilation brick blocks. 





What fascinates me most are these terrariums.  Lovely as they stand, especially this huge construct in the middle.  Some small pieces are for sale.  





And now a sample of great food we had for dinner.




Simply delicious. 

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Art and Photo Exhibition @ 22 Hale Street










Great artwork on display at 22 Hale Street Heritage Museum for the week.  Many water colour paintings are from members of the Urban Sketcher group.  

There are also photos of birds and landscapes.  

Very interesting photos are presented by the Karst group from the Kinta Valley.  The magnificent limestone caves and underground water canals are more remarkable.  These wonders of nature need to be preserved.  Most disturbing to hear that some mining companies are blasting the limestone hills nearby.   




Wednesday, August 31, 2022

OMF Bungalow



In 1933, Towkay Leong Sin Nam (梁桑南) built a residential bungalow at Cameron Highlands. The site is 1530 meters above sea level. Picture shows Sir Shenton Thomas with the owner at the front of bungalow.


The name Yi Yun Court “怡云阁”, which means “enjoying panoramic views of clouds atop the pavilion”, greets guests at the entrance gate on the road leading to the bungalow.

The bungalow had been built with a unique architectural design. He inscribed on the building the congratulatory message “情良中心”(Love Center) given to him by the Governor of the Straits Settlements Sir Cecil Clementi Smith (马来联邦钦差大臣,海峡殖民地总督金文泰).





Picture shows the original bungalow without the added upper floor over the covered walkway linking the main building and the tower. A network of hidden underground tunnels, below the rooms' wooden floorboards in the main building and the tower, allowed escape and food stockpile for the occupants during emergencies. Leong Sin Nam was pro-China during the raging Sino-Japanese war.

The first Chefoo School was opened in China in 1881. It moved to Cameron Highlands in 1952. From 1954 to 1959, Chefoo School used the bungalow as a missionary school for children.








In 1964, the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) bought the bungalow and used it as a place of rest and spiritual renewal for members of OMF as well as local pastors and missionaries from other Christian organizations. The bungalow is now called the OMF