Back From The Causeway!

It was an enjoyable albeit tiring day yesterday. We had to wake up at six in the morning just to go to the destination to catch the coach on time. It was still dark when we went out, and it was already dark when we reached home. On our way out, we saw a cactus plant blooming in front of one of our neighbour's home, so I could not resist taking a picture of the cactus flower!

A cactus flower

It was bumper to bumper along the Causeway! After not having stepped in for ages, I have forgotten how heavy the traffic can be! It took us about an hour to clear the checkpoint at both Woodlands and Johor Bahru before we could finally be on our way in Malaysia.

Streets of Johor Bahru

Our first stop was breakfast at a local eating place. The place is run by Chinese and sells noodles. In fact, the place sells the favourite kinds of noodles I like, exactly like the ones I can get back home!

On the way to breakfast

Pictures of fish on the wall of the eating place where we had breakfast

After breakfast, we went shopping at Jusco, the high-end mega department store. There are really lots of shops of all kinds of varieties! I saw Esprit, G2000, even home-grown brands like BreadTalk, as well as brands that were no longer found in Singapore! The prices are not much of a difference though, if converted from Ringgit to Dollar.

Part of Jusco Department Store

Interior of Jusco Department Store (Ground Floor)

Mini-garden inside Jusco Department Store

Dunkin Donuts! (Not found locally anymore!)

After the mini shopping spree (where I bought some tops - again!), we went to a Giant nearby. The place has a flee market outside, and upon entering, it is similar to the one we have at Turf City, even the layout is the same! After Jusco, the experience at Giant is somewhat of a letdown!

A bridge outside Giant

Walkway leading to the entrance of Giant

After coming out of Giant, we proceeded to lunch at a Chinese restaurant. On our way, we passed by a number of zinc houses reminscent of olden Singapore, which we can hardly see any of it around now, with the housing blocks and tall buildings of urbanisation!

An old dilapidated house

Another village house

After lunch, we went to Desaru Fruit and Agro-Tourism Farm. The fruit displayed in the shop at the entrance to the farm are really big and juicy-looking! There are mangoes (ripe and unripe), bananas, jackfruit, breadfruit, water apples, guavas, passion fruit, dragonfruit, honeydews and tangerines to name a few.

Honeydews

Jackfruit in a cluster

Jackfruit (actual size)

Guavas

Cluster of Dragonfruit (looks like a human heart to me)

Tangerines

Breadfruit (no way does any of it resemble bread!)

I am not sure what this is, but apparently Ribena is made from this
(No, they are not blackcurrants!)

Water Apples (aka Jambu Jambu)

Ripe Mangoes

Unripe Mangoes

Pineapples

Soursop in a bunch

Ripe bananas

The shop at the entrance of the farm also sells honey, because the farm has its own apiary as well. The honey has a variation of new and old honey, as well as honey with a Malay traditional herb called Tongkat Ali, supposedly to increase libido in middle-aged men.

Bottles of Honey (the middle ones contain Tongkat Ali)

After exploring the shop (and buying a few fruit), we entered the farm / orchard / plantation for a tour, starting from the dragonfruit plantation, all the way to the animal farm at the end.

Dragonfruit Plant

Dragonfruit Flower

Dragonfruit

Ripe Dragonfruit

Breadfruit Tree

Breadfruit

After all my readings on "Mutiny On The Bounty", I was quite surprised that the breadfruit tree is actually much bigger than I envisioned. And the breadfruit is rounder than I thought!

Pineapple Plant

Jackfruit Tree

Lots of Jackfruit

Rambutan Tree

Rambutans (cannot really see them though)

Passion Fruit Flower (apparently the passionfruit plant is a creeper)

Passion Fruit

Durian Tree

Durians!!!

I have no idea what this is, but it was hanging from a creeper

Somewhere around the middle of the farm, we passed by a little hut. Outside the hut there is a koi pond full of kois (carps). Inside the hut, there are real bird's nests and little animals made from birds' nests.

Koi Pond

Birds' Nests

After coming out from the hut, we passed by a mango tree, the apiary, the Jambu Jambu trail, a banana tree, before finally reaching the animal farm where some animals are reared.

Mango Tree

Hanging Mangoes

Apiary

Can you see the bees?

A small Banana Tree

Going Bananas!

Jambu Jambu Tree

Jambu Jambu (unripe)

Apparently, the Jambu Jambu is grown by marcotting. A word I have not come across in ages! I still remember back in primary school, we were taught how to grow a new plant using marcotting.

The first step is to cut away strips of bark on the stem, cover that part with soil and water, wrap and tie it up in a plastic bag, and leave it for a few weeks. Then roots will start growing, and the whole stem will then be cut away and planted into a pot and the new plant will start growing.

I cannot believe I still remember the concept! However, I have not seen anyone who really grow plants that way, until this!

Cutting away strips of bark

Marcotting - wrapping the stem with soil and plastic

A new plant after a few weeks

Gooseberry Tree

Gooseberries! (Look like grapes actually)

Eagles at the entrance to the animal farm

The Goat Pavilion

A cute baby goat!

The monkey

Turkeys!

I cannot believe there is even an Ostrich!

The Wild Owl and Barn Owl

Geese (or Gooses?)

Now, that is a beautiful big cock! :-p

Pigeons

I love this rabbit!

After coming out from the Desaru Fruit Farm, we proceeded to Lucky Mango Farm. The Mango Farm is actually owned by a family, so there is a private residence with the mango plantation next to the house. However, because we were late, all the good mangoes were already sold, thus we were not able to buy any mangoes from there.

Lucky Mango Farm

A big mango hanging down from the tree

After leaving the mango farm, we proceeded to Pengaran for a seafood dinner. The town of Pengaran seems to be stopped in time. It is a little village of sorts where old zinc-roofed houses and dirt roads still exist. The restaurant we had dinner in is apparently rather famous amongst Singaporeans, there is even a big-screened television showing Singapore channels!

The restaurant where we had a seafood dinner

Frame up of a lobster at the entrance of a restaurant

A zinc house next to the restaurant

Malaysian flags side by side on top of a house

After dinner, we then proceeded to our last stop for the day - Kota Tinggi, where we were to take a little cruise along the Kota Tinggi river to see the fireflies.

Implant of a leaf on one of the floor tiles along Kota Tinggi river

Another implant of a leaf

Part of Kota Tinggi River at night

Going towards the little boat to see the fireflies

The little bridge leading to the boat

There was quite a long queue, so we waited about half an hour before we could board the boat. The boat operator brought us under a bridge to see the bats first (YUCK!!!), before bringing us on a cruise around the river. We had to go into the darkest end just to be able to see the fireflies! The fireflies were congregating on trees and bushes, and they were blinking and sparkling like Christmas lights!

Honestly, if I was not with a group, I would be totally freaked out! I have never seen real darkness until last night on the river! There was no boat, no lights, no residences nearby, just clumps of trees and bushes. I would never want to be stranded there! Not to mention Malaysian roads are also rather dark at night. No wonder there have been sightings on Malaysian roads!

After the fireflies sighting, we boarded the coach and went back home. The driver dropped us all the way to our homes! We reached home around past midnight, and I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment my head touched my pillow!