Berjaya Hills trip - 11 Mar 07

I woke up @ 7am n had a good sleep, the whole nite. The guys give us a morning call shortly after I woke up. The air was so refreshing n cool... Our room was facing the golf course n the forest, I like to c those clouds in the highland... it's so so so low.... if I could touch the clouds... haha....

Morning view from our room

We packed our bags so tt after we came back from our visit to Japanese village n rabbit farm, we can check out immediately.

Took a snap b4 we leave our room

We had our breakfast @ Le Blason @ around 7.45am. Wow.. the breakfast was sumptuous... got roti prata (it's called roti canai in M'sia), pancakes, french toast, all kinds of cooked eggs - scrambled, soft boiled), Fried rice, porridge, cornflakes, sausages, potato wedges......

Indoor dining areaAlfresco areaOur breakfast- Yummy yummy
I can see the moon!

By the time we finish our breakfast, it's abt 8.30am. We walk toward the shuttle bus area to wait for the bus 2 Japanese village. Not much ppl inside Colmar Tropicale, probably most r still sleeping or having breakfast. B.t.w it's quite cool in the morning so all of us r wearing additional clothing except CH.

Empty street @ Colmar Square

There is a horse carriage @ the entrance to Colmar Tropicale n the guys climb onto the carriage, we were quite worried for the guys tt the carriage might collaspe. Luckily, it can still withstand the weight of the guys.

In front of horse carriage

The guys inside horse carriage

As there is still some time, we went down the moat again. This time, we went to another side of the moat.

So many fishesSo many birds inside the carpark!

@ the entrance leading to Colmar Tropicale

By the time we reach the shuttle bus bus stop, there r already few ppl waiting for the bus. The shuttle bus is similar to those zoo shuttle bus.

On the shuttle bus

The first shuttle bus depart @ 9am and off we go... Wow.... it's was so windy sitting on the shuttle bus, can experience the winds blowing on my face.... enjoyed this feeling so much....

On our way uphill to Japanese village

The Japanese Village which stands at 1,060m above sea level. For those driving, you will have to leave your car at a designated car park area and walk up the rest of the steep hill. However if you take the free shuttle from Colmar Tropicale, it will drop you right at the entrance of the Japanese Garden. The shuttle bus journey is abt 10min only.

@ 3,500 ft above sea level

(1 m ~ 3.281 ft so abt 1,067m)

Upon reaching the Japanese village, only then did we noe tt the Botanical Garden is oso situated here. We thought tt it was located in another area. We were rushing 4 time as we've to check-out @ 11.30am, so we only have 2 1/2 hrs to visit Japanese Village, Botanical garden n Rabbit farm. Initially we were planing to skip some places cos we were afraid tt we dun have enough time. But now we can visit 2 places in a go...

@ the entrance

@ Japanese Souvenir shop

We visited the Botanical garden which is situated on the right side. The botanical garden is home to more than 500 species of forest trees and herb plants.

@ entrance of botanical garden

@ Ryo Zan Tei Japanese Restaurant

Common name: Rose grape

Scientific name:Medinilla Magnifica Storm lily White orchird Me among the flowers

Wooden dustbin

There is a wooden hut at the foot of the steps. Looks like a green house.

Green house??? Daiming, me & Fredrick

At the end of the greenhouse, there is a 1km walkway which weaves through 4-acre tropical rainforest and leads to viewing decks with views over the countryside. However we dun have sufficient time for 1km of walk, so the guys went down for a quick look n return while we wait 4 them @ the greenhouse.

Walkway

We left the Botanical Garden n head towards the Japanese village. There r 2 routes to the Japanese village, we took the route at the right when we exit @ the botanical garden entrance. Halfway walking down the road, a passerby told us tt we should take the route from the entrance where there is a signboard to the Japanese village.

I saw bamboos while walking through the longer route

We walked through a winding Japanese pebbles footpath which leads to a rustic gateway.

@ the entrance to Japanese village

After passing the entrance, we walk for a short distance before we saw a min waterfall and a bridge spanning a koi pond which leads up to the Japanese Tea House. OMG, both of our cameras r low bat..... hence we didn't took a lot of photo here...可惜啊！

Mini waterfall

Located 3,500 feet above the sea, the Japanese Village is the first of its kind outside Japan. The garden was planned and designed by renowned Japanese architect, Mr Kaio Ariizumi and built by a team of 22 skilled craftsmen from Japan.

The Tea House lies at the heart of the Village

We left the Japanese village @ around 10am to catch the shuttle bus back to Colmar Tropicale. B.t.w the interval of the shuttle bus during wkend is 1/2hr whereas during wkdays, it's 1h, so better plan ur visit if u dun wanna wait too long for the next bus.

The timing of the shuttle bus is not v accurate as the next bus reach the Japanese village b4 10am n we managed to catch the shuttle bus back.

Within 10 min, we reach Colmar Tropicale n waited for the shuttle bus to rabbit farm. Hmm... now is only 10am so we still have another 1 1/2 hr, dun need 2 rush like mad.... Within 10 min, we reach the rabbit farm. Both Japanese village n rabbit farm r within short driving distance from Colmar Tropicale.

@ entrance of rabbit farm

Saw my 3 friends buying rabbit feedings?

Rabbit everywhere

The rabbits r separate into 2 areas, one which is out-of-bound n the other one, visitors r able to feed rabbit, take photo of rabbit. I tried to feed the rabbit but was so scared when they nimble the feedings on my hands tt i drop the feedings on the floor immediately... 好痒！

Me holding a white rabbit

Other than the rabbit farm, there r oso deer sanctuary, horse stable n archery nearby. Nothing much here.....

Only few horses Deer lazing around

Archery

Golf course

We left @ around 10.45am and reach Colmar Tropicale in time for the performance @ 11am.

The 2 of us taking photo with a clown

Free games - Similar to pinball

Performance

We watch the performance until 11.30am n went back to our room to get our things 4 checking out. We wait for the shuttle bus @ the hotel lobby. The shuttle bus only depart @ 12pm. There r 4 other passenger other than 4 of us, including a Malay old couple whom oso came wif us ytd. DM n I took the back seat while CH n Fredrick took the front seat. DM n I was sleeping throughout the journey. This bus took another route downhill, only then I noe tt there r 2 routes. I think an additional route is necessary cos in the event of landslide, there is still another route which is available. On our way downhill, we pass by the Horse trails.... I caught a glimps of it n saw quite a lot of horses here.

We reach Berjaya Times Suqare @ 1.30pm and we had our lunch @ Kenny Rogers. Oh... the 3 of us vote against CH so she had no choice but to follow us to have Kenny Rogers. CH ordered Cheesy chicken potato, Fredrick ordered Beef Bolognaise while DM n I share a half chicken meal cos both of us wanna eat chicken. The chicken meal cost RM21.50 ~ S$9.80 for 2 persons (not including 5% GST n 10% service charge). The chicken tastes much better than our dinner. as for the side dishes, we choose fresh fruit salad, cheesy marcaroni n mashed potato. The cheesy marcaroni is not cheesy @ all, the cheese was so diluted. The mashed potato oso tasted quite diluted... So dun b deceived by the photo...

Cheesy chicken potato

Beef Bolognaise 1/2 chicken set meal

We left Times Suqare @ aroud 3.15pm. Luckily the return bus driver is another driver, otherwise i think i gonna reach S'pore @ midnight. To our disappointment again, the bus is not those luxurious bus. We took the last 2 rows n each of us, there were not many ppl on board so each of us occupy the left n right seats eah row cos it was so sunny. N we oso adjust the seats to almost 180 degrees... There is even a flat bed behind the last row...

The bus driver was driving quite fast n we reach Yong Peng for dinner @ around 6pm. The bus left @ around 6.30pm n reach JB customs @ 8pm... It was a breeze here n we reach S'pore @ around 8.30pm. OMG, jam... so many buses.... we took abt 1/2hr to clear the immigration. We ask the bus driver drop us @ Taman Jurong n Fredrick's dad pick us up.

I reach home @ around 9.30pm. Wkend ends so fast without me noticing it....

>>Epilogue