A weekend visit to Muar town - Part 2

Let's continue with my weekend visit to Muar. Apologies, this took longer that I anticipated. If you have not read the earlier installment, you can read "A weekend visit to Muar town - Part 1" here before you read this concluding part.



Life in Muar looks like rather laid-back and there are lots of bungalows like this one on the outskirts, most of them with a fruit tree or two in the compound. Notice the trademark 60-foot tv antenna towards the left. It's like every household with a tv has such an antenna sticking out into the sky. "ET call home?"

See what I mean?


It was soon time to leave. This is the bridge and we were headed north, back to KL. I was told the bridge is out of bounds to pedestrians. This is to prevent any suicide attempts.


Some 500m after the bridge is the Tanjung Agas Industrial Zone. There are two major electronics companies here, one of which is STMicroelectronics. I read that this site has been expanded making it the company's main manufacturing site. Notice the funny-looking, white with blue lines building? That's the new wing.


The picture on the left is one of a new oil palm estate. This is one of many seen from the highway. It doesn't look like it but the estate is on a sprawling hill. The palm trees are planted in neat rows. Mature palm trees look like the ones in the picture on the right. Where these lands used to be rubber plantations, oil palm estates have taken over some of them though there still are rubber plantations.


Interstate buses are colourful these days and there are many bus companies plying the route. PuduRaya bus station is where you can board a bus to Muar. There are many departure times and if you travel on non-peak times or during the weekday, you will be able to get tickets easily at the ticket-booths. No buying ahead needed.

These express buses can sometimes give you the jitters at the speed some of them go. If you see one that goes unusually slow, chances are, there is a police officer onboard. A few months ago, the government decided to do something about the high incidence of accidents involving buses so a police officer is assigned to ride with a bus - not 100% of the buses but randomly.


This is a highway toll plaza or collection booth. A trip to Muar incurs a toll of approximately Rm23 one-way, I think. I don't quite remember.


It's interesting to see what sort of goods lorries carry. I was told on weekends horses may be transported to turf club venues for the races as in from Singapore to KL or vice versa. Other goods include large monsoon drain pipes, timber logs, fresh vegetables, furniture, spanking new cars on long trailers, even pigs in baskets. **Oink! Oink!**

This time of the year, durians are a common sight in lorries. This lorry was the fourth one we passed. Durians are bought in bulk from the orchards and transported to bigger towns or cities where they bring in larger profits.


After about two and a half hours, we finally were back in KL.


This is a favourite tourist spot in KL. It's the Palace grounds. Notice the crowd on the right? That's where the Palace gate is. Photo opportunity here with the sentry normally in the picture. Sorry about the car in the foreground. I didn't want to crop it off lest it leaves too little to see.


We passed the National Library. This is the last picture that I have. Sorry, it's blur - blame it on unsteady hands and amateurish efforts. I know I don't do the pictures justice. Anyway, I had fun, hope you did too. Until next time.........



Read Part 1