Christmas 2017

This year, we decided to attend Christmas service on the 24th so we could have a short getaway before 2018 begins. So on the 25th early morning, we drove up to Cameron Highlands and spent four lovely days at Lutheran Bungalow with WW and family.

As always we had a lovely time up there in the cool weather. Thank God for clear skies almost everyday. While kids played, we adults spent too much time eating under the gazebo in the garden!
:)

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This year Jo asked to bake a Gingerbread house again. So we did. Compare this to our house of Christmas 2012 .

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This year I decided to knit my own Christmas decoration. Bit by bit slowly over months....

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Finally...a Christmas  Improv I played on my piano.

Christmas improv


@poundthegarlic.blogspot.com 2018

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Endau Rompin again

Another beautiful trip to Endau Rompin. What makes a trip beautiful is the beautiful nature surrounding us, the sound of children's laughter and the fellowship between likeminded people.

 Jo spotted these beautiful caterpillars while on a short trek.

 While Nel was busy taking a leech off her foot, I spotted this spider going in for the kill. What great timing for some photography.

 A close up shot of the spider paralyzing and wrapping it's prey in web.

 To our joy, we managed to secure our favourite spot again, and the children as usual spent most of the 24 hours in the river or by the river, playing pretend games, building their own world with rocks and sand.

 This time WW brought PVC pipes and the fathers built a raft, which the children loved and spent hours on rowing up and down stream.

Night time is where the adults fellowship over some drinks....and we get to hear some interesting stories, while the children made their own campfire to roast marshmallows. I'm proud that the children are now able to chop their own firewood and start their own fire!!

@poundthegarlic.blogspot.com 2017

Tho Ha Village, Vietnam

“Tho” means land, and “Ha” means river. Tho Ha is on a narrow peninsula that is located in the middle of the Cau River, so the village is surrounded by water on three sides. The only way to get there is to take the local ferry to the center of the village. (Indochina Charm).  

It took us about 2 hours to get to Tho Ha Village from Hanoi, partially because our taxi driver had never been there, and had to make many stops to ask for direction. Before deciding to visit Tho Ha, I googled the village and discovered that in the 14th century it was a village well known for its production of terracotta products. However in the 1990's the village turned to making rice paper when pottery was no longer a lucrative business. However, the remnants of terracotta can be seen on the walls of the village houses.

Our journey there was adventurous full of interesting stops. Getting lost was a major part of the adventure because it meant getting to see interesting scenes. And because we ended up taking the very long route there, we ended up reaching Tho Ha via the non touristy route, which was absolutely stunning and beautiful.

Here was when we turned off the highway and came to an intersection. A pink signboard!!! So outstanding in that vast space! While our cab driver asked for directions we had a glass of fresh sugar cane juice. Sugar cane and coconut is so much sweeter in this country.

A local pointed us the way to Tho Ha, and  part of the journey was driving along this beautiful river and fields and fields of vegetable farms. 

As the journey continued we passed by large padi fields  with large flocks of geese and ducks. And here and there we even spotted horses roaming free. 

No speeding along the route 

Finally after going zig zag through different roads, we finally arrived in a village with very very narrow lanes. Here's our cab driver asking for directions again, as a local moves the rice paper racks slightly for our car to pass through.

Closer to the village we passed by several ponds and very run down houses

Finally we arrived on the main street of Tho Ha.

This is how we were supposed to arrive, via ferry. Well....because I read that you have to arrive via ferry, we took the ferry across thinking Tho Ha was on the other side. When we arrived we discovered it was a highway, and our car was on the correct side. So we had to take the ferry back again to Tho Ha. :)

Cooking Rice paper with nuts and seeds over fire. Tastes like plain crackers with seeds.

We peeked into a house, and they welcomed us to try making rice paper. I have a video of the process somewhere....but I just have no time to upload it. It's interesting....through sign language and pointing to us parts of the work space, I figured that first they start by pounding rice. Then they let the rice soak in water and ferment a little. It's then cooked, which turns it starchy. Then the machine feeds the boiling liquid onto a roller...and as the flour comes down, they "catch"it with a bamboo rack, which is then placed against walls or on top of roofs to dry.

When you walk around the village, you'll hear crackling noises, which is actually the rice paper drying, and thus separating from the bamboo rack.

The oldest arch in the village.

We went into this ancient temple. I'm not sure how old it is, I have to research it. But I think it's definitely several hundred years ago...judging from the wooden frames and the altars on the inside.

While strolling around we heard the loud snorting of pigs. It was to our amazement when we watched this tiny motorbike carrying SIX rolling fat pigs.

A grandma and her grandchild on an evening stroll. Time's stood still in this village. Fascinating. I'm so glad we discovered it.

@poundthegarlic.blogspot.com 2015

MNS Boh Center Cameron Highlands (June)

We'd planned this trip for years but never got to it. Visiting MNS Boh had always been on our mind, mine especially, because it brings back really precious memories of a time I visited it as a college student with my friends. I remember trekking up the slope to the center in heavy rain, which drenched us totally, wetting all our bags and belongings. :)

Well this year, after 20++ years,  I brought my family along, together with 5 other families, good friends, and we spent 4 beautiful days there. The place is as lovely, though the shelter itself, a little run down.

To get there, you've to look for the junction to Habu Boh Tea Estate, and drive in. Thereafter there are signboards to guide the way.

You'll know you've arrived when you see a staircase . Don't miss it! (Children counted 78 steps in total, so that'll be the number of steps which you'll be lugging your belongings up! And we had to make a few trips!)

The Chalet is really a tiny room (twin size bed) with an adjoining toilet.

Walls are really thin, so thin you can hear the person next door whisper, fart or burp. :P

As for the toilet....it comes with very little running water, and you've to really let it run a while to get a bucket full. In fact when we first arrived, there wasn't any running water!! Thank God we brought a friend who knows lots about plumbing. So he did his thing and walla, we had water. He also had to go fix toilets in the dorm and in some rooms or there'd be no flushing! eeww.. I guess, that is the only downside to the centre.

Also sometimes switching on the heater caused electrical blackout! 

Dorms there can accomodate up to 30 people, and we really had a large group of children who ruled the dorm for four days and three nights! I'm sure they had plenty of riotous fun in there pretending to be pirates, mermaids and whatever.

 I've always bird-watched everytime I go to Frasers, but never in Camerons. Well I discovered lots of beautiful birds come to this area such as the Silver Eared Mesia and Streak Spider Hunter. The one in the picture, (Nilvata Grandis, I think) had caught a worm, 

 The Balcony along the chalet/rooms has got to be the best part of this whole place. We spent hours sitting there, enjoying the very cool, windy weather and scenery before us. Of course, conversations and coffee with friends made it all the more beautiful.

Because of the serenity and coolness of the place, we took walks when we liked, I mean...where else can you go to escape the maddening crowd and yet have beauty all around you.

The kids and even adults went exploring and discovered edible plants, insects, flowers and of course, tea bushes everywhere.

The children and I stopped ever so often to admire the beauty of wild flowers along paths there.

If only this lil house were mine, my children would have this whole terrain to explore everyday.

Behind the center there's a little trail that goes through the tea plantation.

 While we were there, we visited the mossy forest, and it was indeed beautiful, like my children described, a fairy realm!

To Book the place, I emailed Shazwani Noor Aziz at  mnsboh@gmail.com
In total, the place has -
8 chalets (tiny rooms actually) - total 16 pax
1 dorm 30 pax
1 kitchen and common hall/dining area. Kitchen comes with utensils and a fridge, but only the freezer is working.
BBQ zone

Pic below are rates sent by MNS

We'll definitely be going back, and as always, with the company of good friends. 

@poundthegarlic.blogspot.com 2015

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Herping with MNS

Frogs.....something I used to admire in science books, but would never touch....until one day, when a college friend dared me to catch one to put in my best friend's shirt. I remember standing in a field..a lovely spring picnic day. The frog was there too, hiding amongst some grass. I looked my college friend in the eye and courage soared (coz it was a dare!), and logic flew out of my mind.

I remember grabbing that frog and plonking it straight into my best friend's shirt when she turned to look the other way!

I didn't expect what followed, several minutes of screaming, REAL SCREAMING...SHRIEKING SCREAMING...and a dance wilder than the Macarena. Though the frog had long leaped out...my friend continued screaming...and jumping wildly. I was stunned....and kept trying to pacify her..and thought...NEVER again...would I prank with a frog, let alone hold a frog!

Some years later........I got married and had two kids....and the younger happens to really love frogs, snails and lizards. She's persuaded me numerous times to hold a house gecko in my palm. And each time I've only given her the stern mummy look and warned her to back away with the squirming creature.

Then, somehow MNS Selangor Branch Herp Group trips popped up on my facebook one day.

Herping (according to Wikipedia)- The Act of searching for amphibians or reptiles. 

My family and I signed up for our first ever herping trip, and what do you know, they got me confident enough to hold a frog  and a lizard. During the trip I marveled at the variety of species that we had in our forests, I really began to realize how unique and amazing frogs and lizards are! I learnt they are not squirmy and eeky or slimy as people describe them. They are amazing creatures.
So since then, I've been on three herping trips!

The main person/guide for these trips is Steven Wong.  During my first herping trip I was astounded at how he was able to spot frogs from far distances when all I saw was total darkness and some bushes and grass in the pathway of my flashlight. I've since learnt that the trick is to look for "eye shine" which is reflected back if you've got flashlight on your head between your eyes. Still I'm not yet good at spotting frogs, but am always mesmerized by tiny glints of light which I've learnt are reflection from spiders' eyes.  wow. :)

I'm also amazed at how Steven is able to identify all the herps we've seen so far and show us specific features/characteristics of these herps....and rattle off their scientific names like....Limnonectes laticeps when the closest scientific name I can say is something like spaghetti bolognaise.....???

What my kids love about Steven's trips, is his enthusiasm and patience with kids. He takes time to answer almost all their questions, teach them how to spot herps, to the point where even Nel who was fearful of frogs like me, now actually enjoys watching/studying/photographing them and holding them gently in her palm.

To cut a long story short, I highly recommend MNS's herping trips with Steven. They are very reasonably priced, and cheaper if you're a Malaysian Nature Society member. Trips usually begin at about 730pm and last till about 1130pm. I can't remember all the names I've learnt, but my kids and I have sure learnt a lot about herps, more than we'll ever learn from books. 
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Summary of Herp Trips...names of species copied from MNS Herp Group where Steven updates after every trip.

Herping Trip 1 -Bukit Kiara 

3 Snakes
Oriantal Whip Snake (Ahaetulla prasina) x2
Common Wolf Snake (Lycodon capucinus)

6 species of Lizards
Marbled Bent-Toed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus)
Spotted House Gecko (Gekko monarchus)
Forest Gecko (Gekko smithii)
Common House Gecko (Hemidactylus fernatus)
Garden Fence Lizard (Calotes versicolor)
Green Crested Lizard (Bronchocella cristatella)

7 species of Frogs
Common Grass Frog (Fejervarya limnocharis)
Lesser Stream Toad ( Ingerophrynus parvus )
Dark-sided Chorus Frog ( Microhyla heymonsi )
Tanah Rata Frog (Limnonectes nitidius)
Rhinocerous Frog (Limnonectes plicatellus)
Four-Linned Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)
White Lipped Frog ( Hydrophylax labialis )

Tanah Rata Frog

Steven our guide showing our children a snake. It was great excitement for the kids....First time holding and learning about the Oriental Whip Snake. Kids were dressed in rain coats coz it was raining...and rain meant lots of herps!!  :)

Common Wolf Snake 

Oriental Whip Snake (We've seen this snake a few times in the wild, but to actually feel it and learn more about it was a unique experience.)

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Herping Trip 2 - Ampang Reservoir

Frogs

1. Corrugated Frog - Limonectes khasianus

2. Malayan Horned Frog - Megophrys nasuta

3. Butler's Chorus Frog - Microhyla butleri

4. Common Grass Frog - Feyervarya limnocharis

5. Common Malayan Toad - Duttaphrynus melanostictus

6. Glandular Frog - Hylarana glandulosa

7. Giant River Frog - Limonectes blythii

8. Spotted Litter Frog - Leptobrachium hendriksoni

9. Black-eyed Litter Frog - Leptobrachium nigrops

10. White Lipped Frog - Chalcorana laticeps

11. Green Paddy Frog/Common Greenback - Hylarana erythrea 

12. Four Linned Tree Frog - Polypedates leucomystax

Lizards

1. Marbled Gecko - Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus

2. Garden Fence Lizard - Calotes versicolor

3. Spiny Tailed Gecko - Hemidactylus fernatus

4. Great Anglehead Lizard (Juvenile) - Gonocephalus grandis

5. Bell's Anglehead Liazrd - Gonocephalus bellii

6. Spotted Forest Skink - Sphenomorphus scotophilus 

Snake

1. Painted Bronzeback - Dendrelaphis pictus

Corrugated Frog - This frog has a unique call...and I"m glad I'm able to recognize its sound now! :)

Spot the Frog??? 

Malayan Horned Frog - To me this was like spotting a jewel. So unique...so rare. First time ever seeing this species!

We spotted quite a few White lipped Frog around this reservoir. This one looks like it's singing "Somewhere out there...beneath the pale moonlight......" By the way, the walk around the reservoir with a chorus of frogs singing in the background, as we walked under moonlit and starlit skies....was refreshing...and totally lovely.

White lipped Frogs making babies....

Black Eyed Litter Frog. This cute little fella actually walks more than hop. 

Black Eyed Littler Frog starring at my camera

Painted Bronzeback - I think this snake is venemous,  so none of us touched it, except for Steven...the snake charmer. We loved its bluish tones. After observing for a while, Steven placed it back where he found it.

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Herping trip  3 ~  FRIM

Nine Frogs:
1. Lesser Stream Toad - Ingerophrynus parvus
2. Rufous-sided Sticky Frog - Kalophrynus pleurostigma
3. Dark-sided Chorus Frog - Microhyla heymonsi
4. Manthey's Chorus Frog - Microhyla mantheyi (got away)
5. White-lipped Frog - Chacorana labialis
6. Spotted Litter Frog - Leptobrachium hendriksoni
7. Common Grass Frog - Feyervarja limnocharis
8. Occidozyga laevis - Common Puddle Frog
9. Corrugated Frog - Limnonectes khasianus

Six Lizards:
1. Many-lined Sun Skink - Eutrophis multifaciata (got away)
3. Bell's Anglehead Lizard - Gonocephalus belli (Juvenile)
4. Great Anglehead Lizard - Gonocephalus grandis
5. Horsfield's Flying Gecko - Ptychozoon horsfieldii
6. Earless Lizard - Aphaniotis fusca

One Snake:
Reticulated Python - Malayopython reticulatus

~Lesser Stream Toad - 

Rufous Sided Sticky Frog. 

These were really sticky, feels like play dough. The red one is not injured, just has its feet stucked on the inside.

Spotted Litter Frog. This time we got a good view of its beautiful red eyes.

The purplish round patch behind the frog's eye is the typanum. From Wikipedia "The tympanum is an external hearing structure in animals such as frogs, toads, insects, and mammals. In frogs and toads, it is located just behind the eye. It does not actually process sound waves; it simply transmits them to the amphibian'sinner ear, which is protected from water and other foreign objects."

Bells Angle Head Lizard. 

Reticulated Python. I've held several snakes at petting zoos, but they've always felt...sluggish...lazy. This fella was wild. But as soon as it was tamed, it let us hold him. But we were reminded to be always gentle and let it glide as if we were branches of a tree. I won't forget the feeling as it wrapped itself tightly around my wrist and slithered its head near to mine....was a little too close for comfort. BUt oh the strength of the python....it was quite hard to uncoil this fella. Also the iridescent colours on its scales are quite hypnotizing and beautiful!

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Ya, so to join a herping trip, watch out for announcements on their facebook page here --> MNS Herp Group

@poundthegarlic.blogspot.com 2015

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