More fauna and flora of Lata Berumbun

Here's a pictorial of the denizens of Lata Berumbun from the visit on 19 August...

Kacip fatimah in the shades...

a creeping berry commonly found in higher elevations (common in Fraser's Hills and Cameron Highlands)

strange fruit...

an interesting blue-veined plant growing in deep shades

a Henckelia spp found also at Lata Jarum

 velvety new leaf shoots

a common Piper plant on the forest floor

a mountain Balsam

 a butterfly in the shades - Xanthotaenia busiris busiris

the Archduke, Lexias pardalis dirteana

 Faunis gracilis

 Vanilla vines scrambling up a tree trunk in the dark forest

the Autumn Leaf, Doleschallia bisaltide pratipa

 Palm fruits in the shades

Tapak Hantu

To Cyanide or Not, la question du jour at Raub...

Nobody can ignore that cyanide is one of the deadliest toxic material known to mankind and having knowledge of it being used on your doorsteps certainly rings a lot of fear in anyone's mind. The villagers, the NGOs, the miners and the authorities have each their own opinion - guesses without real facts. I think there should be an objective study carried out on the environment by third parties (experts in their field from afar) and people of the town of Raub be given a choice - I am not pro anyone but I am pro-choice, with weighted facts!

Here's a link to the events recently taking Raub by storm...

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/207732

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/478467

http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/pesticides-not-cyanide-cause-of-health-woes-1.135068

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=39014:more-than-10k-at-raub-protest-najib-cant-even-manage-pahang-what-more-msia?&Itemid=2

Dinner just for the holidays

Thursday was an interesting day because I had two things going on on the same day: visit from some Kuala Lumpur friends and a dinner appointment with some chef friends later in the evening. Well, after some juggle with the menu and some tourist guiding, everything got ironed out well and dinner 'rolled' as planned. Here's a peek at the menu...

 The table was set later in the afternoon in a jiffy. Added the mats and side plates later...

 First course (after some tasting of my Asam Heh), foie gras two ways: a crème brûlée of foie gras and a prepared bloc de foie gras (bought them from France, it's easier), cherry confit and toast.

 Serrano ham on a bed of musk melon, fleur de sel and a drizzle of olive oil.

 Spiny lobster bisque served with a portion of the tail...

 Pan fried salmon bloc with truffle-infused potato mash and salad of pea shoots and mesclun, served with beurre monté flavoured with cilantro ...

Comte cheese wedges on a bed of carrot salad with curry vinaigrette and purée of golden raisins and steamed carrots.

And dessert was tiramisu, my old faithful easy to handle faire...