Cameron Highlands

In stills...


It is really interesting to note that strawberries are sort of the mascot of Cameron Highlands. In addition to the really huge strawberry figure on top of the "Welcome" monument, every souvenir shop in the area sold strawberry keychains, pillows, stuffed toys, bags, and even strawberry-decorated clothing and umbrellas. It makes even less sense with the fact that everyone knows Cameron strawberries are tiny and sour. I mean, really sour. Ask anyone who'd had them before.

The last time I was there, it was the year 1992. I didn't even remember how the place looked like. There wasn't much for me to do there - sure, I bought loads of fresh vegetables and fruits, and some cute cacti - but there wasn't much to do at all. My main activity, other than buying the local produce, was taking photographs. That is why I though I ought to cut back on the words, and let the photos make this post.

The road going up was narrow and winding.


My BM isn't what it used to be, so I can't say what a better word than bengkang-bengkok would be - but bengkang-bengkok simply strikes me as being an extremely funny adjective to put on a road sign.

This is another sign I won't expect to see very often...


Other than strawberries, vegetables and flowers, this place is also famous for its tea plantations.


The hills covered in tea-plants do look lovely.

The symbol of Cameron Highlands... The Tiny and Sour -


The greatest thing about the cool climate is the extreme loveliness of the flowers that grow in it. I can't stand just looking at pretty things. I have to have them... in pixels, if not physically.

These little frilly white ones were wild, at the side of a road -


They all have such bright, vivid colours...


... they are exotic and elegant...


... and just so pretty -














This has got to be the finest Bird of Paradise I'd ever photographed, if not the finest I'd ever seen -


This was also the first time I'd ever photographed roses in different stages of bloom, all on the same plant -






There were other curious plants -




And there were loads and loads of cacti. Some are really cute -


Some are just... odd -


I also have to say how BIG everything there was! This one -


It was bigger than my head. It was perhaps twice the size of my head - and so much prettier, of course. Most of the Hibiscus blooms I saw were bigger than my hand -


Even the bugs were big -


There wasn't much for me to do at Cameron Highlands, only so much beauty to admire, so much to photograph.

Farewell, see you again.


*Translations*
Selamat Datang - Welcome
Jalan Bengkang-Bengkok - Winding Road
Kawasan Batu/Tanah Runtuh - Area of Rock/Land Slides
Pokok Halau Nyamuk - Mosquito-repellent Tree (=plant)
Selamat Jalan - Safe Journey

Note the sign in the last photo - Selamat Jalan isn't Please Come Again. This shows that we cannot take for granted that if a sign is written in 2 languages, both mean the same thing. Weird.