Kota Bharu to Belum Rainforest Resort , Sunday 28th August, 2016

We left the Hotel at Kota Bharu about 9.30am filled up with Petrol RM36.98 (NZ$12) 21 lt.

The Reception Staff.They always have such a lovely smile for you.

Th staff at the hotel for the last two nights were just so good very professional and very well trained. They treated us like royalty .As we looked so different from everyone else they must have felt we were someone to look after. I was surprised that there seemed to be no tourists around they all looked Malaysian so I suppose we did stand out. I didn't dare go into the pool, it would have shocked everyone. No adults in the pool just a few kids and they had there cloths on, gosh imagine if I had jumped in in my swimmers. ( can just see Dave's face as he reads this)

When we left the hotel we drove past this nicely set out garden in the middle of the big round about in town.

Just as we were leaving town we past this Mosque thought that it deserved a photo.

After we left Kota Bharu for several kilometers  we nearly came to crossing into the Thai border. without realising how close we were. Fortunately you could take a left turn to avoid going through. Then we we found ourselves in a village quite different from what we had previously seen. PT thought that he had better get out and ask if we were still in Malaysia. As he went into a shop to ask and left me in the car and I then realised that yes we were still in Malaysia as all the Malaysian flags were still flying outside their shops as they do. Anyway all was good so we kept driving on.

Well into the forest area where we climbed 1066m and stopped at this lookout area. That could easily be a NZ fern in foreground. 

There seems to be some gathering of a bikey club. They were posing in front of their

motorbikes.

This could be anywhere in New Zealand. It felt good to get out into the country and up into the hills and the rain forest area after nine nights along the East coast and the China Sea. 

We arrived at our accommodation The Belum Rainforest Resort (on the lake edge) about 1.30pm and and we were lucky that they let us into our room.

 Arrived  in the sunshine and about an hour after being here a huge wind gust went through and a little rain came. Quiet common in the area for this to happen in the afternoons. We will see tomorrow morning if the sun is back as we are here for two nights. Don't think that there is a lot to do here just walk round and see the area. A rest from the car. Might do a boat trip on the lake tomorrow. Will talk more about the place tomorrow after we have had time to explore the place.
Had a lot of trouble working out how I could do the blog here as no wifi in the rooms. Just about gave up and then managed to work it out.




　

Kota Bharu Saturday 27th August, 2016

Hope everyone sorted out that I published  26th before the 25th. Published three that day and was rushing too much but at least I am all up to date now. The next two days in the rain forest might have the same problem with wifi but will have to wait and see. I have read you can only use it in the foyer.

Today woke up to a cracker day, skies a lot clearer than we have been having. Nice to get haze free days and to see the bright blue skies. Left the hotel about 9am to see the town. Started off  going a little south where we came in yesterday to find this magnificent Mosque that we passed and decided to have a closer look today. Then the  centre of town, then drove out to the beach area.    

As we were driving into Kota Bharu we passed this amazing Mosque and just had to drive back to try and find it. Unfortunately the sun was behind it so hasn't lightened up the front of the building.

This is down the side of the mosque, and the front (previous) photo around the corner on the right.

This was a stand alone dome out the back. 

Another angle on the corner of the side and front. I just couldn't stop walking around the grounds and admiring the place. My highlight  of Kota Bharu was visiting this place, it looked so modern.   

Standing back further to show the beautifully manicured  gardens. The gardener was working on them when we were there. Spoke to him to compliment him on his hard work but don't think that he understood to much English but gave us a big smile.He did mention though that it was built in 1992 but my word it has been extremely well maintained. So nice to see something that's got a lot of pride in it as in this country nobody seems to be interested in their gardens. So sad as the place has the climate to do so much in gardening. He was certainly doing a great job as it was immaculate.

We started our walk around the centre of the city to admire some  of the sites. Not a big city. This is the Observation Tower. You can climb the steeps to the top to get a better view along the river which runs along the side of the city. But when you see my next photo you will see why we weren't going to climb up there in this heat (34 degrees) just to look at this very muddy looking river. We could see it fine from where we were standing.

You can see why we didn't need to climb up the tower for the view.

War Museum

Sultan Ismail Petra Arch entrance to the Palace.

Jahar Palace

The mosque in town

A bit of real estate in the back streets.

The beach out of Kota Bharu about 11km from the city. Kota Bharu is a little inland which lies along the river banks.

A small village on the way to the beach. A common sight villages like this all the way up the coast.

A women's clothing shop note all the bright colours.

We are always seeing these on the road side stalls all up the coast. We stopped today to ask what they were. They are a thick fleshy fruit inside as you can see in packets above .Similar shape and size to a pineapple but very prickly outer case.  We brought a very small one to try but was very sweet and we didn't like it. Very different to what we are used to.

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This is the family selling them in front of their house which is in the background. They are called Buah Darian

This is one of the streets in town next to the markets

The big food market in the centre of town.

PT looking at the produce. All very colourful.

Kabutogani Clock Tower in town. Small but attractive.

One of the shops in the above streets selling all the colourful fabric that the ladies wear. Although they have no choice of style they wear they certainly have a great choice of the very colourful fabrics. Its  feels very good quality and so soft. I always thought that it would be that awful nylon fabric but its not.

I like the way they have spelt "textile".

I didn't think that I was going to enjoy Kota Bharu as there was nothing much in the reviews as to what to do. I was under the impression that it was just a drive through town but I am glad that .we had the two nights here to see the place today. A small city but there are a few things to drive around to see. Especially that spectacular Mosque out of town. Such a great sight.

Going back to yesterday forgot to mention the monkey we saw running along the power lines. Too quick to get a photo. Also we hit a large lizard looking thing about 1m long when it ran across the road in front of us. He gave us quite a thump under the car but we didn't kill it as we saw it continue running across to the other side of the road. PT was just saying he hasn't checked the car to see if there was any damage. He looked very thick and strong.

The staff here are so good to us always smiling at us and run over if they think we might need some help. I don't think that they see much of our type of people. I am amazed there are hardly any white people around at all. The only tourists that we have talked to are Dutch but that's only about three couples.

Leaving inland for the rain forests tomorrow  staying half way between the East Coast and the West Coast for two nights up near the top of the Malaysian/Thailand border. Its in a rain forest resort so that could be different.Should be quiet away from the noise of cars.

This afternoon PT hooked into skype to Des to get him to set up his tablet in front of his TV so he could watch the AB / Oz game. It was nearly just like sitting at home in the lounge watching it.

Kuala Terengganu Thursday 25th August 2016

Forgot to tell you yesterday that this hotel is DRY. Not that we have been drinking. We have only had one drink  since we arrived. True...

  

 



We started our day, leaving the hotel by 8.30am after breaky to head to the Big I to get more info about the place.  Photo above is the main street where the Information centre is which runs along the riverside. A few tourist hang out here not that we have seen many tourists at all. We seem to be about the only white people around which is surprising.  You meet them more in the resorts.

 

 

 We had read  about  The hill in the centre of the city which we could climb to get the city views as the info we had on it said it was 200m. I said to PT that I couldn't climb that in this heat, however when we were enquiring about it, the chap said its just in behind here. That wasn't a hill we said to each other, and read  that it was   200 steps ( low little steps so not very many at all.) so somebody has got the steps confused with the height. 

Anyway we climbed up and got a nice view of the city. Its called Bukit Puten (Princess Hill ) which is across the road from the central markets. On top are the remains of a mid-19th-century fort, some cannons and a bell,  I was suddenly attacked by Mosquitoes. So panic and ran away then realise I hadn't got my photo.
 

 

 

We then went for a walk through the markets.

 

 

 

 

Zainal Abidin  The gleaming  Mosque dominates the city centre.

 



 

 

Istana Maziah. On the eastern side of Princess Hill is the Sultan's Palace. Its built in semi-twenty colonial style. The Palace is closed to the public except for some ceremonial occasions.

 

 



 

We then drove out to the beach Pantai Batu Buruk is the only city beach which is popular with families. Its not the best beach in Malaysia given the strong winds and rips but it is pretty. A nice recreation park for families

 

 

 

 

Suddenly along the road came some men marching and chanting .

 



 

 

Then came the women in the opposite  way doing the same.

 



 

Then they all crossed in opposite ways.

 



The girls turned and stood at ease. Their leader saw me taking a photo so he rushed in to be in it. The clown standing in the front.
 

 

 

Top and below is the beach. This coast seems to be all sandy beaches so will be interesting to see if it continues when we go north tomorrow.

 



 

 

Ron this one is for you. The chap is making us a Murtabok for lunch. Had a stall down by the beach.

 



 

 

Putting the cheese, beef and egg.

 

 



 

 

The finished product.

 



Then we went for a drive out to the Taman Tamadun Islam (Islamic Civilisation Park) which was about 5km out of town. A huge complex built on the edge of the river. We could see it from our hotel room. This is the back of the Mosque. Couldn't see the front unless you did one of their river trips   

 

 

So we drove over the bridge to the Island and took the photo from their.

  

One of the miniature buildings that I took through a gate as this area could only be seen if you did a tour inside. I think that it was an area of minatures.

 

Went back to the hotel after a very hot day,  a lot of walking , getting  in and out of the car. Tried to do my blog in the restaurantbut no joy but as I explained in yesterdays blog finally got things  working, the night before we were leaving.

 

 

 

Decided to walk along to china town to find a meal. Didn't really fancy Chinese but asked around for someone that makes Patays. Most of them didn't understand but when we wrote it down they did. Must be the way we say it.



 



 We got the usual packed rice Peanut sauce raw onion and cucumber. Yum We had ten each and cost MR20.00 about  $6.50 all up for the two of us. Can't wait to do the street stalls in Penang at those prices.

 

 

 

Finally I posted Wednesdays blog this morning from Terengganu before we left. and the above  Thursdays is being posted shortly from Kota Bharu Friday night.


I have posted two blogs tonight so go back one.  26th got posted before the 25th in error Just click on the right hand date list.