Cycle Malaysia Day 10 - Alor Setar - Kangar

After a good sleep at Hotel Samila and I was set to move on. It was raining in the morning I had to wait for the rain to stop before I could look for a place to have my breakfast. 

The oldest Tua Pek Kong Temple in Alor Setar located at Jalan Tunku Yaacob.

Zahir Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in Malaysia.

Trying out Alor Setar's prawn noodle, it tasted good I quite enjoyed it. The sky was still drizzling but not heavy I decided to move on.

Paddy Museum was my next destination where I headed north towards Gunung Keriang direction.

It's time to get closer to the coastline where I cut through Alor Janggus and cycle towards Kuala Perlis. It was mainly padi fields along the way without much of shading trees fortunately it was a cloudy wet day and it was lovely to cycle with the sea breeze freshing your face.

There were many river mouths along this northern trail and at every kuala you will see typically fishing boats at the river side. The scenery is always awesome and a haven for photographers. I followed along the Kuar river for Kuala Kuar.

This coastal access is narrow, long and straight with hardly any cars on it. On the sides are mostly padi fields and a few prawn farms besides the sea view.

The access can be sometime as bad as this but only at a short stretch. The tranquility of such path is lovely to ride on especially along the "tepi laut"

It was low tide when I was riding along this stretch.

The seaside road at Kampung Ayer Hitam is interesting and unique. A house address of this locality.

One of the prawn feeding farms at Ayer Hitam, Kedah.

A small and narrow estuary at Ayer Hitam with some boats tucking at the nipah trees.

Cutting through the padi fields where I got to see harvesting of paddy and the friendly folks of Kedah.

Sometimes I encounter friendly cows blocking the way as I slowly move closer to them and seek permission to pass them.

A good crowd seems to be coming in for lunch at this warong Restoran Seri Tanjung, Kuala Sanglang. For your information this place is quite near to the territory of Perlis.

The surrounding of Restoran Seri Tanjung with lovely scene where you can see fishing boats moving up and down the river.

Drying of fishes for dried salted fish at the neighbourhood.

Immediately after Kuala Sanglang the scenery continues with the rock bund coastline and it is all the way to Kuala Perlis.

The condition of the road R152 gets better as I rode towards Kuala Perlis with cleaner and more landscape along the way.

Arriving at a warong at the border between Kedah and Perlis with both the  two states flag flying high and majestically.

My simple Malay food with curry fish and plain rice.

The rain started come again, this time it was heavier I managed to find a shelter with two guys in it. We chat and they were amazed of what I was doing with a small bicycle. The Malay man shared some tips on East West Highway road as he used to travel frequently when he was working as a lorry driver.

This river mouth at Simpang Ampat is so dense with fishing boats and there are houses built at the edges of the river.

A wet arrival at Kuala Perlis. It has a jetty and it is popular with among tourists visiting Langkawi island.

I took a few photographs of the floating Al Hussian Mosque next the Kuala Perlis Jetty and out into the sea is the Straits of Malacca.

Visiting Abdul Rahim Abdul Kadir was in my visit old friends list in Kangar, I managed to find his house at Kampung Bakong, Kangar after another 16km from Kuala Perlis.

I decided to check into Soo Guan Villa at Jalan Jejawi Permatang for the night and going to Arau on following day would be much easier.

I enjoyed this combination, this fried chicken with lemon grass was so yummy even the fried lemon grass went well with the beer.

I enjoyed the beautiful ride along the seasides of Kedah and Perlis on Day 10.

Cycle Malaysia Day 9 Sg. Petani to Alor Setar

A good sleep at Yong Lim's place.

Time to leave Yong Lim's house and head North to Alor Setar. Basically I was taking the coastal route where I had the chance to visit several sites of Lembah Bujang at Sg. Batu as I left Sg. Petani. 

Merbok is now famous for its archaeological findings or rather its historical Bujang Valley.

Somewhere near the junction to the Archaeology Museum at Pekan Merbok I picked this quiet kopitiam for a bowl of Wan Tan mee and a cup of kopi"O" kosong.

I did not expect to see this dragon backs and this was my first encounter of dragon backs in this tour. The last climb was tough I had to dismount and pushed my bike.

I managed to peep out into the sea and the view was spectacular.

Then came the rain I took shelter at a bus stop next to this adik's stall selling la la clams. Selling at RM4 or RM5per kg (small and big). It was nice chatting with this friendly chap. Yan town is only 3km away and I fancied for a cup of hot kopi "O" on a wet morning.

Somehow I did not stop for any hot drink but continued to ride on enjoying the beautiful scenery after the cowboy town.

Passing places like Yan Kechil, Dulang, Sedaka and seems a slow and relax lifestyle of a typical kampong.

I am now approaching a place that I have marked for a visit as introduced by Yong Lim that is Pulau Bunting. The access is narrow which was I never expect such a condition and just can not imagine that there will a prominent bridge to see. I never missed it.

A fellow tourer shouted at me and telling me that I have missed the turning to the bridge at this warong. Photo credit : Zari Zari.

A chance to meet a 65 years old solo tourer, Zari Zari from KL. Thanks for the hot tea and we chatted for a while before I went in for the bridge. Photo credit : Zari Zari.

Just in front of the warong there is a small access covered with thick vegetation you might miss it if you are not observant. The white patch at the end of the access is the bridge.

As I got closer into the access the whole place begins to emerge.

A spectacular arch cable-stayed bridge built by Gamuda Berhad.

A bridge linking to an unpopulated island, I just don't know why. There are construction work in progress to improve the road leading to Pulau Bunting.

The weather was still drizzling as I slowly cycled out towards Kuala Kedah.

I caught up with Zari Zari on the main road of Jalan Pantai Barat Kedah K1 but he went missing after a while.

I then turned into a road leading to Kuala Sala. Kuala Sala is currently popular with their abundant of cockles and mussels (la la clams) so much so some of it is exported to Thailand.

Finally I settled for a simple and late lunch at a warong next to the bridge.

Kuala Sala seems to have affected by tornado before and a bridge seen with a mark "Jambatan Tsunami Kuala Sala". I guess this area is tsunami prone area.

I thought I lost him from the main road somehow he reappeared at the river mouth.

Together we cycled towards Kuala Kedah.

Flooding at Kuala Kedah as I made my way to Alor Setar city.

Passing by at SJK (C) Pei Hwa at Jalan Kuala Kedah.

Nasir is one of the many Malay friends that are still in contact with me, he was my primary classmate in Tunku Abdul Malik in Kulim and today I cycled all the way to his house in Alor Setar. It's great to meet up with him again.

I checked into Hotel Samila one of the old and known hotels in Alor Setar which is located nearby the Menara Telekom.

I managed to contact this college mate of mine and had so much to catch up of what we were doing after we left college. Thank you Siok Ewe for a wonderful dinner at Restoran Lima Utara.

I love this deep fried cat fish how nice if I would have it with a glass of cold beer.

Another favourite dish of la la clams and fresh squids in super sourish but yummy soup.

Siok Ewe then show me around the city of Alor Setar and I really appreciated him for his hospitality. I hope to see him again maybe in one of our class reunion gatherings.

A long but interesting ride for Day 9.

Cycle Malaysia Day 8 - Penang to Sg. Petani

I have participated a couple of CFAL events consecutively until last year and this year I decided not to take part but just to witness the event. On that morning I cycled to Youth Park by the time I reached where there were already some early finishers. Well done CFAL for another successful year and keep it up! 

I met friends like Siew Choo from KL at Youth Park. CFAL was actually held on Day 7 of Cycle Malaysia.

I got a surprise meet up with an old secondary school buddy from Kulim Ronald Heng. I like seeing him with his cycling attire. Well done and keep it up Bro.

And Winnie whom I hope to see again when I reach Melaka in this tour of mine by September.

Day 8, 14 August 2017, I left Penang and continued with the adventure. I left my mum's house around 7.00am. This is the start of Stage II of Cycle Malaysia and this time around I was cycling alone.

Sitting in the ferry with the wind blowing against my face and recalling the younger years when I was doing the same at the similar spot.

The only bicycle in the ferry with many motorbikes mostly going to work in the morning.

My first visit on the mainland was Bee Tin's house at Taman Inderawasih. Thank you Bee Tin for the lovely breakfast and we shall meet again. One of my main objectives of this tour was to meet as many old friends as possible when cycling around the country.

My next destination was Padang Serai, the small town where I was born. I tried to use the same bus route from Butterworth like in those days going through places such as Sg. Dua, Sg. Puyu and Tasik Gelugur. Welcome to Kedah.

This gentlemen has cooked for me when I was a young boy and today he is still around serving his delicious dishes. Well done Lau Lee and it was nice to see you again.

Having lunch with me at Lau Lee's stall were Sum Yee, classmate of mine during the primary and secondary school. And Khong Sook one of my hometown friends whom we shared our teenage days together. 

After the lunch Haji Halim called me up and we met up at Kim Eng's shop. These are my friends since primary school and it was such a wonderful time meeting up again.

The post office where I used to take the steps up the building posting letters and opened my first saving account here in this building. Unfortunately the building seems to be dilapidating each time I look at it, I just hope that building could be preserved and kept as a landmark for Padang Serai.

With Bob Lew in front of his family's shop, a shop that is close to my heart. I used to "lepak" here very often during my time in Padang Serai.

Then I left Padang Serai for Sg. Petani using the old estate way (Victoria Estate) to Kg. Sidam crossing the Muda River. 

Finally I reached Sg. Petani where I put up the night at my brother's house at Laguna Merbok.

The ride for Day 8.