Istambul Historical Sites....Jalan2 2011

Inside Hagia Sophia
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Infront of Hagia Sophia
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Wuduk place at Topkapi Palace
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Blue Mosque.... side view
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Monument by Bosphorus Straits
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Rumali Fortress
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Bosphorus Bridge
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Topkapi Palace
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Inside Grand Bazzar
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Books Bazzar
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Blue Mosque

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Beyazit Gate...Istambul University main gate
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Sultan Beyazit Mosque

World Heritage Sites - Penang, Malacca & KL ??

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

It was a proud moments for Penang and Malacca when the Unesco listed both George Town and Malacca as World Heritage Sites. In fact Malacca has been doing a great job in the preservation of the historical sites in the City and turning it into star performer for tourism. For a small state without much resources Malacca is very successful in making the Historical City as a must visit tourist site in Malaysia. Penang is not far off but somehow or rather has lost some of it charms as the Pearl of the Orient. Much have to be done for the state to come back to its old glory as tourist premier destination. It is a good challenge for the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to bring back Penang to its old glory, making use of the listing of George Town as World Heritage site as a prime mover to bring back the charm of the city.

KTM Logistics Lorry operating at the Station

Heritage Hotel still operating in the building

All well and fine for Malacca and Penang but I was so disappointed when I took a stroll to the old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. After the new Central Station took over as the main hub for the city railway system the old building was left behind without much maintenance and care. Yes the commuter train and cargo/mail section are still operating there but that old majestic historical building was left without much care, maintenance and preservations. There is a Mini Railway Museum in the building but the layout and presentation of displayed items is not much to be proud about. The section on Artist at Work is also poorly done and very unorganized. I guess the intention is good but the implementation is poor like “ melepaskan batuk ditangga aja”. It is definitely not the way to treat a historical buildings and the KTM has done a poor job to turn this site as one of the tourist attraction in KL.

KTM Old eqipments and models on display

Display items in KTM Mini Museum

Art at Work, few resident artists in the building

Art Work not properly displayed or housed

I am confident that the historical buildings along Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin i.e. KL Railway Station, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad , Royal Selangor Club, Mesjid Jamek, Central Market etc. ..if properly maintained, preserved, documented and publicized will be the star attraction for historical buildings/sites in KL. It should become the next site to be accepted by Unisco as World Heritage Sites.

Lets hope the KTM, KL Mayor, Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage and all relevant authorities will take a concerted effort in the preservation and conservation of historical sites in KL and make sure that KL will be listed as the next World Heritage Sites for Malaysia.

Food stall... good cheap food but .....???

Dark front passage way ...... so gloomy

Another food stall ...... just like road side stall

Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad at night

Royal Selangor Club

The famous Mesjid Jamek

Kellie Castle @ Batu Gajah

Unfinished Majestic


Looking Up




Centre Courtyard

I have passed this eerie majestic unfinished castle many times way back in 1986 when I was serving as Harbour Master of Perak. Finally in April 2008 on my way to Universiti Teknologi Petronas at Sri Iskadar, I made up my mind to stop over, look at it closely and feel the mystic of the place. As I made my way up to the castle the caretaker was busy telling mysterious story of the castle to a group of tourist. He was talking about voices in the middle of night and foot steps following lone visitor. It was midnight and I could not down load the last three photos due to system errors. I felt the chill in my spine and decided to abandoned the fourth attempt until daylight. Let me shared with you on some of the shots I have taken, while Lorraine Brecht write up below enlighten you on the unfinished Kellie’s Castle

About 40 kms south of Ipoh along the road that leads to Batu Gajah, a 'castle' suddenly appears on a ridge which slopes down to a river that borders the road. If you're just a passerby & not specifically looking for it, you may not believe your eyes. But yes, it IS a castle (sort of), and yes, you ARE in rural Malaysia. The impressive and unique structure of apricot brick & white stucco, with its variety of arches, a square tower, bay, & semi-circular bastion, actually gives one a sense of displacement.

Inside Rooms

The unfinished Italianate style 'castle' which stands against a background of densely planted rubber trees, was commissioned in 1915 by Wm Kellie Smith, an English rubber baron who was born in Scotland.
Some time after arriving In Malaysia, he purchased 900 acres of land just south of Ipoh and cleared the jungle for his rubber plantation and homely estate which he named Kinta Kellas. The 'castle' was to be their family wing, an addition to their first house on the property. Just behind the unfinished wing are the crumbling ruins of their first Manor home which was built of brick & wood more than 120 years ago. Because the new wing was rather grandiose, by local mansion standards of the time, it was nicknamed "Kellie's Castle" as well as "Kellie's Folly".

Two different design windows

In the middle of its construction, which to this point had already taken 10 years, Smith returned to England. It is speculated that he went to England with his daughter to reunite with his wife & son, and then went to Portugal to buy a lift for his new wing where he got sick and died of pneumonia in Lisbon Portugal in 1926. He is buried there in the British cemetery. His family sold the estate & never returned. Shrouded in romance, mystery, & historical inaccuracies, the 'castle' was never completed.

View behind the fan

Today, a company has taken over the management of the castle and has converted it into a tourist attraction. Admission is only RM4 for adults & RM2 for children. They have an excellent brochure for sale at RM3. They also offer a package tour of Batu Gajah town.