Rise and shine strawberry girl, don't you look charming today?
Wakie wakie, rise and shiny Strawberry girl my little Nana. Holiday's coming to an end and we're going home today. Before that though we need to feed you some breakfast, and later maybe drop by somewhere worth sightseeing. We don't know where is that yet but 1 thing papa knows for sure, we're having strawberry waffle for breakfast (yes, again).
Papa tend to venture around for different food, or sometimes for the same one until he finds which place sells the best variation. And so after feeding Nana her Mamex Gold, checked out our shoplot turned boutique hotel, we stopped by another strawberry farm.
Yum yum, English strawberry waffle for breakfast never gets old.
This time they served the strawberry waffle with chocolate syrup instead of strawberry, and we loved every mouth of it. Which left me thinking: we could get ourselves a waffle maker at home, obtain Hershey chocolate or strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and "fresh" strawberries from the local hypermart, and voila, have home-made strawberry waffle anytime we want. Should be easy to prepare.
Bunga Raya aka Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
Behold, the national flower of Malaysia, the Hibiscus, known locally as Bunga Raya (translated as the grand flower). Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was introduced into the Malay Peninsula in the 12th century, before being declared on July 28th 1960 as its national flower.
The red of the petals symbolizes the courage, life, and rapid growth of the Malaysian, and the five petals represent the five Rukun Negara (national oath) of Malaysia. Did you know: hibiscus is edible in salads in the Pacific Islands, besides being used as hair care product. Certain parts of India apply it to shine shoes. The irony of its use...
My eternal flowers planted in the firm soil of my heart.
Anyway, why's a guy like me discussing about flowers. Because we're at a Rose Farm. Which rose farm you ask, its the one where you turn in from the entrance of the Brinchang vegetable market. Drive in for just few hundred meters and you'll be greeted with a rose farm. Simply known as the Kea Farm "Rose Centre", its larger than it looks and quite worth the visit.
Mommy mommy, where are the butterflies?
Rose~ rose~ I love you~~
Since it was still early morning, air was fresh and the temperature was chilly. The sun was up but not scorching. The flower petals were still embellished with morning dew they are full-bloomed as if glad to greet us visitors. The most striking type of flower and of course the main attraction of this farm is the rose.
We were mesmerized by the rainbow colour variations seen among the roses. Roses as a gift would certainly light up a women's heart, what more being surrounded by trees of different colour roses. I couldn't help snapping away, never saw so many fresh roses before, except in flower boutiques on valentine's day. They looked so picture perfect they could be mistaken as artificial. But nope, in their perfect presentation they are fragile, delicate and radiant all rolled into 1 flora being.
They come in yellow too? Which reminds me of a certain some1 whose fav color is neon.
Cupid found his other half and decided to retire here. And he had turned jaundice.
More about the Kea Rose Center. Formerly a vegetable farm built on 10 layered terraces, it was established into a rose farm and opened to public in 1989. Just 5km away from Brinchang town, I would say its the biggest tourist attraction after the BOH tea farms. Besides priding itself in roses in every imaginable colours available, it boost other species of flowers and stone sculptures that blends in well with natural surroundings.
Adult has to pay Rm5 while children Rm3 each for entrance fee. Open from 8am-6pm, a romantic place for couple and an exciting, fun, educational excursion for families. One could benefit from a good workout climbing the slopes leading to the peak of the rose centre.
The dawn of a beautiful life cycle.
God please teach me to appreciate the love ones in front of my eyes, better still, do slow down time.
Looking at all the striking beautiful roses, i wished i had an eternal rose garden in a compound surrounding a bungalow of my own.Maybe a veranda with orchids and fence spiraling with morning glories. My children and their couzzies would run in the garden chasing one another while their parents and grannies sip tea with fresh bake strawberry muffins. And the young ones would grow up to be healthy athletic outdoor person who prefers the adrenaline rush of an adventure rather than the chill of an air-conditioned room facing their electronics.
I'm day-dreaming here, but i grew up in a house with compound and carpet grass, so naturally would like to see the kids growing up the same way. Worst come to worst, I will bring them to a grassy playground everyday, to sweat it out while flying kites.
I supposed it was an eye-opener to both me and Nana (since this wasn't Karling's 1st visit), looking at all the colourful flowers, stony sculptures and some mural paintings. Not something you would see everyday, and it didn't have to be 1 of the 7 wonders of the world, this place and all its creation was itself a wonder to behold. I could think of my mum that she would love it here too and be greatly inspired to run her own garden make over.
Majority of the plants here are for exhibition purpose only. They do however own a shop in the rose center which sells flower seeds of various kinds and provide sound advice on how to cultivate them. So owning a rose farm at home close to sea level may be a possibility with meticulous management and care, better still if equipped with some botanical knowledge and not to mention the servoce of a gardener...phew~
Snow white and her 7 dwarfs traveled far and wide to see the world beyond their castle.
Daddy promise one day, we'll travel the world together.
...before we depart from here to go a better place where He beckon us.
After passing through the 1st exhibit beyond the entrance which is the rose garden, one would find the path gradually ascending into slopes, alternating with stairs in between. Along the way visitors feast their eyes on delicate flowers protected by awnings. Since this rose center was built on former vegetable terraces, all paths would eventually joint and lead to an open space near the peak of the hill.
...a place flowing with milk and honey, high above the vanilla sky.
Daddy, what are grandpa grandma doing here?
Like I said, by the time we ascended past the awning covered stairs into a wider open space nearly at the top, we were huffing and puffing. Nana turned out to be the additional weight which provided me an enhanced cardio and muscular work-out. I would remind anyone not to forget their drinking water to constantly stay hydrated and a hat/cap just in case it gets hot on the hill.
And what we experienced at the hill was breathtaking.
Vanilla sky
My daughter loving the feel of her new shoes.
Even in the face of despair there's still hope for salvation.
The wind was cool and refreshing as it brushes our faces. The sun was bright but not scorching, just nice. Overall the sky was greyish-white cloudy with silver linings. It was the perfect oxygen therapy as we inhale the ample unpolluted air into our lungs. No sound of busy traffic or the buzz of city but only peace and serenity on a highland close to heavenly bliss. The only thing holding me down to earth is my worldly concerns of duties and obligations.
The view down the hill was the beautiful landscape of vegetable terraces and wooden houses with curves of greenish hills covered with fogs decorating the distant horizon. The roads crawl like snakes among mother nature's creation and human structures while vehicles blend in like ants walking in single file. Traces of development leaves a cynical impression of a cancer spreading across the land until all is consumed.
Oh master my Sun, where art thou?
The abandoned shoe house.
Wild flowers on the hill.
We came across a stony sculpture of a house made of giant boot, as featured in the story of the mother with her many children living in a shoe house. The house looks abandoned with no occupants inside. Plants were spiraling from its wall up to the roof while the paint was peeling in patches. Looked like the children had all grown up and spread their wings to leave this small cozy hut behind.
The higher we climbed, we observed the pattern of flowers changed according to geographical height. Multiple large petals gave way to finer nevertheless pretty and demure floras. They pervade the hills with their striking colourful petals which blended well with the variable green of leaves.
Up and up we go.
Its a beautiful world.
Life is beautiful when I cherish my blessings.
Karling was too tired to climb and probably felt the air getting thinner. Nana and I made the way up a little more until the rest of plantations was unkempt and there was nothing much to see beyond that. We had a very sociable foreign laborer who worked there as one of the planters keen as our tour guide. He enlightened us with names of some flowers and help us take pictures.
At such a tender age, we observed that Christiana appreciated flowers as she appear engrossed when handed one. She would hold and flip it between both her little thumbs and index fingers without tearing the flowers. Nana would then flap her arms signalling that she somehow relate butterflies with flowers.
Daddy, do we need to climb any further? Lets go down and find mommy.
Until next time, thanks for your unwavering support.
After "detoxifying" our lungs with fresh unpolluted mountain air, we made our way down the hill. It was pure awesomeness soaking in the sight of all the beautiful flowers we came across on our way up. Kea Farm Rose Centre was our last tour destination in Cameron, before we descended the beautiful highland via tortuous Tanah Rata- Tapah road.
On our way down we made a stop at the Lata Iskandar waterfall, situated in the Lata Iskandar recreational forest. The waterfall cascade into a huge natural bathing pool before cascading further into a stream under the main road. Worth visiting if you have children who likes to play water.
Hutan Lipur Lata Iskandar.
The main waterfall cascade.
Just makes me wanna stand under and let it wash my worries away.
These days it seem more and more people i know are choosing Cameron Highland as a local holiday destination. Which is good, since its kinder to the pocket and closer to nature. It made me realize the benefit of inner peace and health that an untainted beautiful nature can bring, therefore how important it is to preserve a pollution free environment.
If you're planning a trip to Cameron Highland, best time is on a weekday, certainly avoiding public and school holidays. Then again, all holiday destinations in Malaysia are best enjoyed without the massive crowd around, if you get what i mean.
Here's a link you might find helpful. Work hard, play harder.
http://www.cameronhighland.net
