We also want you guys to appreciate what we have today, though not directly passed on to you but maybe transcended in some ways or other. You learn to appreciate that nothing is easy peasy, everything has its price and value.
Our country is diverse in so many ways and this may not be fully understood by everyone. So it's our job to at least impart that knowledge to our children in hope that one day you may become morally better people. Most importantly to cherish the times we had and enjoyed together.
Our next museum is the National Museum. We passed the building countless times before on our way to PPUM for Tareeq's chemotherapy sessions and also for his doctor's appointments - post chemotherapy. The building is huge and mysterious. and it sorts of pulling us there. Hahaha - lame excuse.
The day we visited it, it was really hot. There were so many people. And of course like any other tourist attractions - entrance fee! I don't remember how much but definitely a minimal charge.
There were 3 main buildings - the aborigine exhibition hall, the main building and the special showcase hall (for another slightly higher entrance fee). After the first hall I was utterly tired. Sakit sendi lutut. I'm old! I couldn't walk much. I just wanted to sit.
Inside the main building, there were not many seats, just a few to cater to many old people like me. Since it was hot. small children were crying here and there, toddlers were running around, parents were chasing after them, old people were sitting and lounging on those seats and I didn't see any chance for me to rest my joints. Huwaaa... So I had to join you guys. Papa was always up and about and very excited. I was excited too, just not up and about. So I walked slowly.
Since everybody was busy looking and peeking inside the display glasses I had to watch Meen. She's the curious type and always likes to touch things. So I had to become Meen-police that day.
After the main building we were really hungry. Luckily there were many food kiosks in front of the main building. And oh! The toilets are clean! Hahaha... This is important! We headed towards the food kiosks and ordered some light meals because those were the only type of food available - and fruits. Makan macam tak pernah jumpa! Makan dan makan dan makan lagi!
Then we headed to the last exhibition hall. Then only we realised that there's another extra charge to enter the hall. The special exhibition that time was on masks from all over the world. But we decided not to enter because I felt cheated for the extra (and higher!) charge. Ya! I'm cheap. What can I say... Hahaha... So we just took some pictures there - it's free. heeheehee...
In front of the Aborigine Handicraft Museum.
One of the smaller exhibition halls.
These (including Nina) greeted us in the lobby.
There were many engravings of masks and of various kinds of nature spirits depicting the different beliefs of different aborigine tribes in Malaysia.
Masks showing different ghosts and ghouls.
Replicas of the different types of aborigine houses - mostly built on stilts.
The building behind us is the main exhibition hall/building. The building design follows the design of Minangkabau houses in Negeri Sembilan, where most of the ancestors of the people of Negeri Sembilan originally came all the way from Sumatera Island, Indonesia.
An original batu tanda jalan. We're not very far away from Tanjung Malim, it seems.
This is a traditional house, actually it's a small palace from Kelantan. They moved it here. There are more pictures of this house but I think I keep it in my phone.
Leave it alone!
A totem pole from Sarawak. It's actually used to put a dead person on top of the pole. It's the burial ritual there.
This is a doorway of a palace. We had to go down the steps to go to the main building.
This is a dais from the Perak Sultanate.
A bronze engraving of Hang Tuah - a legendary Malay warrior.
A replica of the A'Famosa Fort in Melaka. The original one we saw in Melaka when we visited there is mostly under the ground. The one in this museum is huge.
A replica of the Kuala Kedah Fort in Kedah (Maktok's birth place!). When I was small, I used to take a sampan (!) with my childhood friends - Ta and Adik Aa - to this fort. We had so much fun there. And when I came home to Nenek's house, Nenek was waiting with a cane - always! But that never stopped me from venturing out there again. That was in the late 1970s.
The real/original fort was bigger and made out of stone. There area was large with a lighthouse in the compound but very near to the confluence/mouth of the Kedah River. There were also many cannons around the fort. People say some of the cannons had mystical ability, like the Meriam Badak Berendam. It was believed that during high tide, the cannon was never under water. It's always above the surface of the water.
The lobby with a few stools to rest.
Then, we headed out because we're in need of food badly!
The next showcase hall which we didn't enter. I don't like masks. They give me the creeps.
Our favourite pose. Heeheehee...
Checking out an old fire truck. Never heard of a car company called 'Dennis' before.
Then, checking out some antique cars, Papa's favourite.
I don't know the name of the statue. I'm guessing it's Frank Swettenham - I think I remembered the face from my History book waaaaay back when... By the way, I'm FAAAATTTT! Huwaaaa....
This was Meen's request. We paid RM15.00 (I think) to take pictures with the birds. Meen also requested the white one for her. Asha was trying to provoke the bird.
Then she wanted to take a picture with the iguana.
This is another replica of the Kuala Kedah Fort.
Yup! The one I remembered from my childhood was this big. We had to trot down some wooden planks above the water from where the sampan operator dropped us to enter the fort.
An old locomotive.
A close-up of the locomotive and of us :-)
Another locomotive - free-style as instructed by Meen.
Next, we proceeded to the National Planetarium. It's just opposite the National Museum. We had to climb up a veeeeery steep slope with soooooo many steps. Sampai di atas, dah letih. So, I decided not to join you guys inside the planetarium. I'd rather sat outside because there are other steps up to the main entrance. Tak mau! Tak mau! Tak mau!
The first Malaysian on Mars.
Another first Malaysian on Mars. So, which one is the first?
So, there I was, napping outside. Papa was ever ready to sit next to me while you guys went and explore the Planetarium.
Photobombing themselves!
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