Perlis Indera Kayangan (Pt 1)

Seriously; who would've thought of holiday-ing in Perlis? Of ALL places?! I for one, never imagined I'd visit Perlis before the East Coast (yup, I'm pathetic. Never been to Kelantan/T'ganu ... Pahang even). But as luck would have it, we were there for the last few days, for work, and then play. Or the other way round's more like it. =)

PERLIS - The smallest state in Malaysia

Borderless evergreen paddy fields providing an impressive backdrop for wedding photos .... (Eelektra : Take note. =P)

Paddy farms - The aftermath

From Ipoh to Perlis, the journey took us 4 whole hours. That may not be a lot for one who's accustomed to long distance travelling, but I've abstained from long and winding journeys since before the fasting month. Needless to say, I was restless.

Malaysian's favourite poisons ... re-mixed aka "The Spice Crunch" version

Lunch was at the rest stop in Gurun, Kedah. The meagre fare at the stalls was not inviting, thus KFC's our choice. The Ramadan special Spice Crunch Fried Chickens are nothing but Hot & Spicy, albeit with added chilli powder and spices. But sprinkled on top only. The salty/spicy combination may be detrimental to one's throat, especially in such blistering hot weather. But we threw caution to the wind.

Sri Garden Hotel in Kangar, Perlis

We arrived in Kangar, which is Perlis's capital. It was certainly an eye-opener, as I was expecting much more "kampung" (read : backwater) environment than this. Far from being a small town, but of course we're not comparing Kangar to other state's capitals.

Clean, simple and sufficient

We were put up at Sri Garden Hotel @ 96, Persiaran Jubli Emas, 01000 Kangar, Perlis. Yup, PUT UP, as it was not our choice. But the hotel is one of the larger ones in town, and stood out amongst others. At merely RM94.50 for a regular double room+breakfast, what more could we asked for? (And everyone's staying solo, one to a room, to avoid bathroom fights)

Kangar - The state capital of Perlis

More paddy fields in rural areas of Perlis

Scenic stagnant ponds of water ... fertile land for the grains to grow

Kedah's always been well-known to be the "Rice Bowl" of Malaysia, being the main rice producer in the country. But Perlis has its fair share of contribution as well, with paddy plantations lining the outskirts of town.

The vast lands of greeneries, against the hills and mountains, and watching the locals farming under the hot sun, with buffaloes and storks (bangau) basking in tandem, instilled a sense of serenity, and a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Sheer bliss.

Chuping Sugar cane plantation

Perlis is also famous for producing sugar to the community, hence deemed guilty for the rapidly-increasing diabetes prevalence among Malaysians. LOL.

Nasi Lemak for breakfast .... courtesy of Sri Garden Hotel

Food-wise, we were appalled by the lacklustre fare on the first night. Absolutely horrendous experience at Kuala Perlis, that rendered me dumb-founded and couldn't be bothered to whip out my trusty phone for a shot or two. Even the drinks at that stall (it's the furthest stall at the Medan Selera at Kuala Perlis, if you're coming from Kangar direction) were sweet nothings. Remember DO NOT abandon Food Hunt Rule 101 : Trust the power of the people. If there's not much business at a stall compared to the brisk ones at others, DO NOT push your luck!

P/S : But the next night's seafood dinner was a saving grace, a timely redemption.

Sungai Perlis

to be continued .... (Motormouth's down, and out)