Meng Kee Char Siew Glenmarie Shah Alam

Beside the popular char siew, you can get poached chicken or fried chicken.

The famous Char Siew BBQ pork belly that is sweet, sticky and delicious. One must not miss if you are in this shop. Well done for it's good quality and and maintaining over the years. 

Crunchy bean sprouts to go with the meal.

At this time of hard economy this bill would probably be a bit heavy but considering it as a once in a blue moon affair then it's worth the while.

The place is ever crowded with mouths seeking for delicious food. The first time I tried this Meng Kee Char Siew was at a different shop back in 2008 but it was still on the same road. They surely have expanded in a big way in Glenmarie.

Meng Kee Char Siew

20, Jalan Pekedai U1/36, 

Hicom-Glenmarie Industrial Park 

Shah Alam

GPS : 3.081433, 101.560337

Revisit to Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam

This is my fourth time visiting Taman Botani Negara also known as Taman Cerakah or Taman Cahaya. My first time I went with my sons together with a friend's family in April 2012, our kids were so young then. Subsequently in July 2012 Dave Ern had a big group visiting the park. And the last visit was on December 2012. Malaysia has vast potential for tourism as usual we need to buckle up on our maintenance things seem to be deteriorating over time and it is a waste of money and opportunity.

This recent visit I took my wife for a morning ride it was a public holiday and it was her first time. I was glad she enjoyed it though she was had a bit of hard time with some climbs. She got to practice more in order to couple with tougher rides. We enjoyed the visit such as the paddy fields. Well done Taman Botani Negara for the perseverance,  continue to improve and revive the property.

It was a good work out we covered as many places as possible and it was so refreshing with the clean fresh air, the breeze of the coming new lunar year, sound of birds and animals in a forest environment that is so near to the city.

We will back for more rides in this park. Bear with me for about 5 minutes to watch this clip of this recent visit and I hope you will like it.

Brompton Ride to Pulau Ketam

It was a ride organised by a group of Brompton bicycle owners to visit an island off Port Kelang with our folding bikes. This was my second time visiting Pulau Ketam. My first trip could be viewed from this link. We all gathered at Chong Kok Kopitiam near the Klang Train Station for a lovely breakfast before we start our event.

I like the atmosphere of this coffee shop, it has become a very rare scene to see all races sitting down in the a coffee shop and eat together. Fortunately we still have a few of such shops like Chong Kok Kopitiam. The local coffee is simply awesome it's concentrated "kaw-kaw" and I love it without sugar.

Our ride from Klang town to Port Kelang, it was about a 10km ride.

To the jetty at Port Kelang and here we come.

By the way the boat fare per trip is RM7.00.

Pulau Ketam if translated to English is "Crab Island" is basically a fishing community literally floating or sitting on silts. We enjoyed cycling around and observing and experience their lifestyle in the island.

We found an interesting ice floss dessert at a shop by the name of Chop Hiap Thye, the ice dessert is a finely shaved flavoured ice and topped with red bean and jelly. 

Time to go home and everyone on board as the boat is about to leave.

A train ride from Port Kelang to Klang instead of cycling on a hot afternoon, we were looking forward eating the banana leaf rice in Klang.

Yap Kee is another unique shop a Chinese shop serving Indian banana leaf rice and it is always pack.

A clip showing our round in the island.

Sathiyanery Vegetarian Food Centre, Brickfields Kuala Lumpur

Thanks to Jeffery for bringing me here for lunch, he told me to just sit down and food will be served. All the patrons eat the same standard combination of food. Seating is just a mere bench shared by everyone. That's interesting indeed.

A plate of rice with a few types of vegetarian dishes, a bowl of dahl, a bowl of dessert and a glass of cold water. All for a fixed price of RM6.00 per plate. I had a good time my appetitie was good and the food was delicious, nothing was left from my share. Thumb up for Sathiyanery.

The stall is clean with many poster of different beliefs, Picture of Mahatma Gandhi, Signages with different languages and I truly love Malaysia. So many kind of different food to savour and so colourful. 

It was packed and there were patrons waiting to be seated so eat reasonably quick and let others have a chance to eat.

It was busy working at the severy counter cum cashier and all system looking well in place and food were served fast. Cheers I shall be back.

Sathiyanery Vegetarian Food Centre

Jalan Tun Samanthan 3 (Near Petronas Station)

Brickfields

Kuala Lumpur

50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur 

GPS: 3,135769, 101,689957

Trying out a new Toy Xiaomi Yi Action Camera

Awesome! I have completed my first cycling video within a day including all the learning, trial and error I hope to improve as time goes by provided that the interest stays.

I got myself online a small little white box that could take pictures and videos something like what a Gopro could do but at a lot cheaper.

I just wonder whether I will actually use these accessories, Right now I just want the small little box. Immediately after I received this toy I went out for my first project i.e. to cycle to Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya from my house for a distance of about 32km. Then I came back home learning through the YouTube on how to upload the video. Frankly speaking learning through YouTube is easy and fun I quite like it.

Cheers and see you again.

Below is the route I took from home to Bandar Utama.

My First Time Going Off Trail at Bukit Lagong

It was a Sunday I wanted to bring my wife to Putrajaya to join a leisure ride but she got some work commitment and I had to go on my own. I changed my plan of going to Putrajaya and instead I went for Johnny Ng's ride. This time I was expecting something different from my normal cycling.

Johnny brought us to Selayang Jaya for our breakfast, a good place for noodle by the name of Kim Kee Noodle 金记面家.

We went over to place to meet up other riders and this shop is getting popular for breakfast. I have marked it for a return visit.

It is situated at Taman Bidara, Selayang. This is the noodle stall that was popularly posted at Facebook for its curry noodle. We just can't have the luxury of time to wait for a bowl and try it. The curry mee has to wait.

All ready and a dozen was set to try Bukit Lagong many of us do not have the slightest idea of the condition of the trail, we just follow blindly.

Bukit Lagong is located off Jalan Bidara, Selayang a forest reserve area with river spot for picnic and further in there is an Orang Asli Settlement. We were about to explore the hill beyond the settlement with our bicycles. Click here to see my previous visit to this place during my initial time of cycling with our regular buddies.

At the end of the paved road there is an earth road all up into the hill. I understand that this road is a dead end and is being used by the Orang Asli for durian season.

After a few hundred of metres there is a site for paintball war game and the trail continues ... the condition was bad and little did I know it was so difficult to ascend this climb. 

The trail is uneven with fallen trees and branches on the path, it is steep and at times we were required to carry our bikes over obstacles. This trail is definitely not popularly tried by MTB bikers except for some crazy ones like us.

The leader stopped and regroup as many time much as possible, a few of us turned back and gave up.

I nearly wanted to give up but I told myself to finish it and slowly I pushed up and ride where I can but most of the uphill I pushed the bike up. My tee shirt was fully drenched with sweat and never had I experienced such a sweaty shirt before.

What a great relief  when I heard that we have reached the destination up at Bukti Lagong, the path is totally covered with green apparently the path will only be cleared when there is durians to be collected.

As I was going up the hill I was worried about going down later unfavorable trail really look scary. I just took the return slowly holding the rear brake most of the time and riding like a small kid learning how to balance as I saddled down. Thank to Johnny for the tips on how to handle the bike it was totally a different ball game when you are on an off road adventure at tough condition like this. Two felled and hurted themselves fortunately it was not serious. Overall it was fun and a great experience for me. The next round I will look for a friendlier trail for a MTB adventure.

Restoran Yuan Kee 源記海鮮飯店 at Kepong for a Tai Chow

They have shifted from Jalan Ambong Kiri to a new premises nearby (maybe 200 metres away). Well it was was crowded when me and my colleague reached the place as it was lunch hour. My old buddies from college were already there waiting for us.

Braised pork ribs with ground nuts was awesome, the meat and the nuts were well cooked to a perfect softness and most of all the taste was delicious.

Stir fried Choy Sum with finely chopped garlic, a simple choice of green veggie and a wonderful crunchy time with the Choy Sum.

Plentiful of finely blended ginger on a steamed Tilapia fish, the flesh tender, sweet and at time spicy.

Steamed three coloured eggs 蒸三皇蛋 consisting of normal chicken egg with small cuts of century egg and salted egg. It was smooth and easily eaten with the rice with a lovely flavour. Simple yet delicious.

 I heard the Wah Tan Hor is good, I shall try it then next time.

It has been a while since I met these two old college friends we were in the same Building course back in 1977. Great to meet up with old friends and time really flies.

Restoran Yuan Kee 

源記海鮮飯店

Jalan 5/33B

Kepong Baru

Kuala Lumpur

016-653 3365

GPS : 3.209548, 101.647702

A Visit to Kg Hakka Mantin Before it is Gone.

I arrived at Broga around 6.30am there were already a few coffee shops opened for business, I picked one that was strategically visible for arriving friends it was before the Police Station. A light breakfast was essential before the ride.

The number of cyclists slowly turned up and it was more than expected we have a total of 28 riders including 3 kids. We started off the ride about 8.10am

The way to Mantin was the same way we took for Let's Cycle project where we enjoyed going through the palm oil plantation, the morning weather was excellent and coupled with the shaded trees and kampong setting it was simply a superb condition.

After travelling on the quiet road along the boundary between Negeri Sembilan and Selangor we reached a housing area called Pinggiran Bayu.

We pedalled for about 16km before we hit the Semenyih Seremban trunk road which was heavier in traffic and extra precaution was required especially when cycling in a big group.

We were on the trunk road for only a distance of 4km passing through Mantin town before we turned right into Kg. Hakka. Mantin was famous for its tin mine, the European called it Tin Mine but the local people couldn't say it correctly and they called it Mantin.

Kg. Hakka (also known as Kg. Attap Hakka Mantin) has a history of about 120 years where the Chinese migrated from China to Malaya to work in the tin mining industry and they were mostly of Hakka origin. Unfortunately the fate of this village has been dampened with a plan to redevelop the area. The residents were not pleased with the compensation offered by the developer and sadly the majority have left the village leaving only a handful who are still staying in the village and protesting against the development.

There were many publicity created by NGOs' and political parties over the last few years and somehow we were triggered and decided to visit this place before it is totally destructed. We took our time to cycled around the village to appreciate the landscape of the settlement that was full of culture and history of the Chinese migrants. Most of the houses are empty and in dilapidated condition.

It brings me memories when I was young cycling in Padang Serai with narrow paths and wooden houses like this and also the similarity of my grandfather's house in Padang Meha, Kedah.

Houses have their family names at the main entrance just like my grandfather's.

The 100 years old water wells seen in almost every houses in Kg Hakka.

Cycling around the village before it is long gone and appreciating the architectural and construction of the old wooden houses of the past.

Some of the old exhibits found in the house where Rakan Mantin is.

This Granny is 88 years old strong and healthy, she was kind enough to let us enter her house. She gave us some information of herself and the village. Por Por showed us her wedding photograph and told us that she got 6 daughters and 4 sons that is surely a big family. By the way she is Por Por Kong Sook Koon.

Por Por's kitchen old but functionable.

The old switches we used to use when we were young at our grandfather's house.

Mr. Chong Tze Yaw is helping to provide public awareness of their predicament of this village.

A house dedicated as the community centre, it exhibits old items found in this village as well as providing information of Kg Hakka for the public. Rakan Mantin is a community group promoting and to protect the historical and cultural landscape before it is being totally destructed.

Our Hakka friend Jason chatting with Por Por getting stories about herself and the village.

St. Aloysius Catholic Church standing prominently at the fringe of the town at the main road and it was built in 1901. Kg. Hakka is just situated opposite the Church.

We just could not miss eating at Mantin, we went to an old food court at the town centre for some refreshment and food. I always enjoy drinking the Kedongdong juice with assam boi.

I decided for a plan "B" on our return route using a dirt road beside St Aloysius Church which took us through a cemetery and a housing scheme but unfortunately we did not complete the desired route and we had to opt for a Plan "C".

A wrong turn that jeopardised our Plan "B" which it took us back into the trunk road, I decided to take the reverse route of Broga which mean climbing a severe hill.

The long climbing was taxing a rest was pertinent and fortunately after the rest it was a only short climb before we could roll freely down hill. The rest was relatively easy but it was hot.

A pit stop at Lenggeng cowboy town to ensure the entire group stay in tact before we move on again.

At Lenggeng we were be joined back to the loop of Plan "A" and confidently we rode back.

The heat was getting intense and the minute we entered the rubber plantation with the cooling shade we were so happy and relieved.

The hills ... yes the hills we were already near Broga and were returning from the rear of Sak Dato' Temple with a last climb before we were able to cross the finishing line.

At last we completed the ride with a total distance of more than 43km and it was time to reward ourselves with a nice Air Kacang & Pan Mee especially for the 3 kids who really deserve the treat. Congratulation we shall meet again.

The loop we took on the first Sunday of 2016.