Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Pulau Ketam, Selangor

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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There are many beautiful islands in Malaysia but none is more interesting than Pulau Ketam. A charming little fishing village about 30 minutes ferry ride from Port Klang, the island offers no pristine beaches but plenty of characters.

Welcome to Pulau Ketam

The strong scent of the ocean welcomes you as you step off the ferry much like the greeting of a familiar face. The rustic feel of the island goes well with the lack of motorized vehicles in the island, a rule implemented here. The people on the island goes on with their days just by walking or bicycles. However, don't be surprise to find them walking past you. Even in a small island, they seem to be in constant rush.

Fishing boats dock by the jetty

The lifestyle here in Pulau Ketam is nothing but idlistic. There is nothing much to do other than lazily walking around the colourful streets, taking in the sights and sounds the market has to offer, watching the people tending their own businesses.

The colourful houses in Pulau Ketam

When it is time to feed your growling stomach, choose one of the many seafood restaurants along the main road. After all, this being a fishing village, it is not complete without seafood cuisines. After lunch, explore more of the island. Perhaps rent a bicycle and slowly cruise through the houses and its colourful facades.

That is pretty much what Pulau Ketam has to offer. It may not be much but it is an escape to the hectic lifestyle you are accustomed to in Kuala Lumpur. And a change of pace from city life is what doctor would prescribe for the weekend.

As the sun sets

Info Box

Pulau Ketam, Selangor.
The earliest ferry ride to Pulau Ketam is 8.45 a.m. while the last ferry to the island is 6.30 p.m. (on weekdays) and 7.10 p.m. (on weekends). From Pulau Ketam, the earliest ferry back to Port Klang jetty is 7.45 a.m. while the last ride is 5.30 p.m. (on weekdays) and 6.00 p.m. (on weekends).
Price for the ferry ride is RM 7.00 one way.

Hotel Review - Empire Hotel, Subang

In just another week time, the whole gang of #TSBreakAway will gather again for the award ceremony where the deserving winner will win the grand prize of RM 10,000. There are also CANON prize and a People's Choice Award where the public can cast their votes. Do vote for me, please? You can read my entries here.

Lobby

For the whole 5 days of the program, we stayed in Empire Hotel, Subang, a beautiful boutique hotel attached to the Empire Shopping Gallery. The entrance on the ground floor is just a small area for you to wait for the lifts (there are only two of them) to bring you up to the lobby at secondary floor. Receptionist area, in-house brasserie called Kitchen Art and meeting halls are all in this floor. Besides the aforementioned 2 lifts, there are another 2 extra lifts close to Kitchen Art, bringing in total of 4 lifts.

Where the ballrooms and meeting rooms are

Our room, located in the eighth floor, is very comfortable. The room is divided into 3 sections of sort, working area, bathroom and sleeping room. This is a quite a good planning especially if your room mate has works to be done. He can do so in the first section without disturbing you from sleeping. Wi-Fi is available inside the room.

Working area

Bedroom

Bathroom

Overall, I find the hotel quite a lovely place to stay in. The only con that I can think of is its food, especially buffet breakfast. The choices are the same every day, which is rather bland. If you were staying for a night, of course there is nothing wrong with it. But imagine us who stayed in the hotel for 5 days and having to eat the same breakfast throughout our stay. They should change it everyday to spice up the customers' appetites.

#TSBreakAway - Farewell

At the end of Shelah's show, she gave a searing rendition of Carrie Underwood's song, "See You Again". The chorus goes something like this:

"I will see you again, whoa,

This is not where it ends,

I will carry you with me, oh,

'Till I see you again."

That was the feeling all of us Xplorers were having as we bade each other farewells. It may be the end of #TSBreakAway but it was also the beginning of a lasting friendship for all of us.

Fellow #TSBreakAway Xplorers (photo by Ashraf Saharudin)

How did a bunch of peoples, strangers to one another 5 days ago, can form such a deep connection? That's the beauty of travelling.

#TSBreakAway is one of its kind, a pilot program initiated by Tourism Selangor to promote Selangor as a tourism destination while developing selected bloggers' writing and photography skills. 

#TSBreakAway - Come Fly With Me

Captain Godric Hong was passionate when he talked about his works as a ground instructor and club pilot. "It was my dream to become a pilot," he told us as we waited for our turns in a cafe inside Skypark Terminal, Subang. There was no reason to doubt him.

As the other team, Anis and Isaac, roamed around the city skyline with Captain Badrul Zaman, Vanessa and I were chatting away with the young captain who just graduated from a flying school in Langkawi this year. "At the moment, I am working here in Air Adventure Flying Club while waiting for replies from airline companies," he said. According to him, he was among the lucky ones for securing a flying gig not too long after graduated. Apparently, there were many pilots in Malaysia unable to land a job.

While unemployment rate in Malaysia is still in a manageable level, there are many fresh graduates unable to find a job. Economic downturn causes most companies to downsize. I myself is part of the unemployed group, though in my case, it was my own will. For me, I rather be temporarily not working than slaving away in dead-end jobs.

Cessna-172, a small aircraft we flew with

We took off in a small aircraft enough for 4 persons, a Cessna-172. Both of us took turns being a co-pilot and a passenger with Captain Godric in charge of the plane. This allowed us to experience both sides, we were told earlier during briefing.

Captain Godric Hong, with Vanessa as co-pilot

I may not be a strong advocate for KL skyline but the city sure looks pretty from up here. We flew by both the city's landmarks, the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Tower, and seeing them up close was just amazing. The scenery changed from clustered skyscrapers to dense housing areas as we moved further away from the city centre. The greenery shrubs we saw while up in the air astounded me. I didn't realize there are so many recreational parks and forests still exist in the city.

We passed by both KL Tower and Petronas Twin Tower

Where the earth and sky meets

When it was my turn to man the aircraft, excitement overwhelmed me. I have been on a plane before but never the one to pilot it. Although our control was restricted to just maneuvering the vehicle up and down, left and right, it was more than enough for me. I can just imagine the pressures that come with being an actual pilot, the need to do everything right, knowing that lives are stake even for a minor error.

While we were flying around the city, Captain Godric told me that he never get bored with the city sky view every times he took a client for a spin. "Now you understand why I like flying," he said. I believe I do.

Flying is the theme of Day 4 of #TSBreakAway, a pilot program initiated by Tourism Selangor. 12 Xplorers were divided into 3 groups, each having its own adventures. However, due to unforeseen weather complication, only piloting and paragliding took place. The other adventure, paramotor, had to cancel and the paramotor group merged with paragliding as one. 

#TSBreakAway - 7 Shots of Pulau Ketam

"The main issue we are dealing with here in Pulau Ketam is the rubbish problem," said Mr Song Soon Guan, councillor for Klang Municipal Council. Even if he didn't point it out, we could see it with our own eyes. 

Plastic bags, polystyrene containers, water bottles, aluminium cans, and even baby diapers surfaced on the island as the water receded. During low tide, Pulau Ketam looks like a town built on top of a landfill site. It is simply an ungodly sight. How did this happen? I find this illustration the best answer to it.

It is a shame, really, for Pulau Ketam is quite a characteristic little fishing island. Colourful houses on wooden stilts scattered throughout the island. Small boats docked by the shore, getting ready for its seafaring hours. Villagers cycled about in surprising speed, leaving me befuddled as to why they were in such a hurry. 

Pulau Ketam just screams, "Photograph me!" So, I did. Like the previous post on 7 shots of Klang, here's my 7 shots of the island. I hope they do convey the idle lifestyle of this quaint island. 

#TSBreakAway - Gedung Raja Abdullah

It began as a storage unit and a home to Raja Abdullah and his family. Tin mining was booming and Raja Abdullah, appointed "Orang Besar Klang", was in need of a warehouse for tin ores. Gedung Raja Abdullah, mixtures of Anglo-Indian and local elements, was a sight to behold.

Gedung Raja Abdullah

When the Civil War broke out between Raja Abdullah and his rival, Raja Mahadi, he turned the building into a fortress to protect his control over Klang. However, neither came out as a true victor from the war and the British took this opportunity to infiltrate Selangor. Driven by the words of the colonial power, the warehouse was took over by the state, transforming into a centre of administration in 1874.

In 1880, another transformation bestowed upon Gedung Raja Abdullah, this time as the police headquarter for the Klang district. Some renovations were implemented to better suit its new purpose such as installing iron gates for lock-ups. This was its identity for a good 100 years until it was deemed no longer suitable. A new headquarter was built right beside Gedung Raja Abdullah, now itself a listed national monument and a tin mining museum.

Iron steel gates installed for lock-ups

The current state of Gedung Raja Abdullah is depressing. During my visit, there was barely a soul except for Mr Azizan bin Omar, the museum's officer-in-charge, a security guard and a cleaning lady, and understandably so. The exhibitions on display were to the minimal, all neatly fitted in just one room. The upper floor was closed to public. Just a quick 5 minute tour is all you need to spend for this so-called "museum".

Like an old man past his prime and unattended by his heirs, Gedung Raja Abdullah too has fallen out of grace into this current predicament. How can a national treasure with such a vibrant, colourful past, not be fully utilize to showcase our history?

Mr Azizan explained that most of the exhibitions were transferred to Shah Alam for renovation works. There are damages sustained over the years and it takes time to fully restore the building to its former glory. In fact, I was told that there might be another round of restoration work to take place this coming year end if things go accordingly.

Once the meeting centre, the upper floor is off limit due to damages

I understood the need for these renovations and repair works. Water seepage over the years left unwanted marks on the walls. Signs of termite activities were dominant on its wood structures. To prevent its roof from collapsing, wooden pillars were temporarily installed to provide extra strength. There are still much to be done. When all these repairs are over, what will be the fate of Gedung Raja Abdullah? According to Mr Azizan, the Sultan is keen on maintaining it as a tin mining museum.

I would definitely drop by when this grand dame is running in her best form.

Map Your Trail is the first half of the 3rd day of #TSBreakAway, a pilot program initiated by Tourism Selangor. Each Xplorers were required to plan their own explorations around Selangor. I chose to visit the royal town, Klang. This is also my entry for the CANON Photo-Storytelling Challenge. 

#TSBreakAway - 7 Shots of Klang

I may have been to all the Southeast Asian countries but I have yet to fully explore my homeland. Out of the 13 Malaysian states and 3 federal territories, I can't claim to have been to every inch. In fact, my exposures to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia are lacking, and Kelantan remains a mysterious locale, the only state I have yet to come across with. For this reason alone, I was very happy to be selected as one of the Xplorers for #TSBreakAway.

I want to use 7 photos taken during my solo expedition to paint Klang's historic district. I am merely a "syok sendiri" photographer so don't expect National Geographic materials being showcased here. That being said, I do hope that these images will interest you to drop by and exxplore this town.

#TSBreakAway - Are You Afraid of the Dark?

"Follow my voice. Follow my voice."

The voice - a female - in front of me repeated the phrase like a mantra. My left hand guided the long cane left and right, clearing a path ahead while my right hand reaching out blindly for something to grab. There were voices everywhere, the same phrase being uttered by different persons but I drowned those noises out. Like the sailors drawn towards the sweet serenade of the mermaids, I too was mesmerized by mine, entrusting my safety to her lullabies. In pitch black darkness, her tender voice was my sense of direction.

This is not a scene from the American reality TV series, Total Blackout, but rather a workshop in #TSBreakAway called Dialogue in the Dark. Both programs thrive on its participants being surrounded in total darkness and having their wits tested. However, the similarities end here for there is more to Dialogue in the Dark than just a fear factor challenge.

Siti - that's the lady with the golden voice - led me and Roul to a spot and told us to stand still. How could she tell here from there in this darkness was beyond my imagination. While we were left to our own devices, we heard more and more peoples coming in, two by two at a time. Voices were getting louder and space crowded, yet I felt no one by my side except for Roul.

Once all of us had entered the blackout hall, the adventures began. We were divided into three groups based on the flavours of candies we were given earlier. Shouts of "durian", "mint"  and "coffee" echoed throughout the room like the vendors in pasar malam bellowing out loud to draw the customers' attentions. It took more than 5 minutes for this chaotic scene to come to an end, with everyone in their rightful group. I am proud to say that Durian came out first in getting all its members in one table.

A series of activities were given to us that test our remaining five senses; touch, smell, taste, hear, and sense of humor. We performed it all in good sport, neither overly competitive nor with 'whatever!' attitude. Peals of laughter resonated in the dark room, not terrified shrieks or screams commonly associated with such scenarios. Somehow, we felt safe in the hands of these teammates of ours, all of us strangers to each other 24 hours ago.

At the end of the program, lights turned back on and we can finally match the faces to the voices. Team Durian's facilitator, Siti, was just as lovely as her voice has indicated. She shared her story of how she overcame her blindness, never letting it becoming a hindrance to achieving what she wants with her life. In fact, just like Siti, the remaining four facilitators are visually impaired peoples, yet, they see life clearer than some of us born with the gift of eyesight.

They say that if you lose one sense, your other senses will become stronger, sharper. How true is that myth, I have no idea. But coming out from the workshop, I gained a new perspective of life. Often we take God's givens for granted, acting as if they are our rights, not privileges, not knowing it is the other way around. During the early stage of the workshop, one of the facilitators asked us, "What darkness means to you". For me, darkness tells me to be appreciative of my sights.

Nothing but kind words for Dialogue in the Dark

Dialogue in the Dark is one of the workshops for #TSBreakAway, a pilot program initiated by Tourism Selangor.