Last evening only did I realise that we will be having a long weekend due to Merdeka [Independence Day] celebrations. I thought that staying home would be best to avoid the holiday crowd but if you are back home this weekend (and a non-Muslim) perhaps you would be interested to visit The World’s Largest Buddha Relics & Tibetan Antiques Cultural Exhibition Series in Ipoh, Perak.

This event is organized by the Menglembu Kadhampa Centre of Menglembu, Perak and is held over four days from 28th to 31st August, 2009 at SMJK (C) Perak Girls’ School. Admission is free and it is said that an auspicious gift would be given to the first one thousand visitors daily.

Some of the items exhibited include the sariras of Buddha and past Buddhist masters Kondonna, Maugallana, Purna, Svali, Sariputra and Arahat. Sariras are pearl-like remnants found after the cremation of these Buddhist masters, which are not found in ordinary people. Most of these items are labeled in Chinese so you will have to go and see for yourself as I’m banana!

Date: 28th - 30th August 2009
Time: 10am - 10pm

Date: 31st August, 2009
Time: 10am - 6pm

Venue: SMJK (C) Perak Girls’ School
Contact: 05-2826849 / 012-5069630 / 012-5060228

Naturally, a lot of photos were shot but I am only able to share a few here on my blog. And you know what? Hometown Hollywood superstar Bond Girl Datuk Michelle Yeoh was also spotted at the exhibition in the afternoon of the second day (29th August, 2009). If you do not know who Michelle Yeoh is, knock yourself on the head and go read up on her at http://www.michelleyeoh.info. Thanks also to Jane, webmistress of michelleyeoh.info, for explaining the exhibits to me.

For more photos of The World’s Largest Buddha Relics & Tibetan Antiques Cultural Exhibition, click HERE.

As promised, this is the second part of my post on the on-going Bonsai & Suiseki Exhibition in Kinta City, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

In this post, I will be posting photos of Bonsai only. This is to make it easier for readers to load my blog. Do check my previous post on Suseiki.

I was able to shoot some of the Bonsai on display. A lot of the shots were discarded because somehow, the leave parts were fuzzy. Maybe it was the light. In any case, one Bonsai looks much the same to me like another.

Well, if I were to choose the one thing that I like between Bonsai and Suiseki, I would choose Bonsai but if I have more choices, I would prefer something else like art or gems or even a visit to the zoo. I just don’t have the “feel” for Bonsai, let alone Suiseki.

I know that some elderly people would spend the whole day just trimming their Bonsai and I really salute them for their patience.

At the Bonsai & Suiseki Exhibition, each Bonsai plant has its history listed so that we would know its origins. There are some that came from Japan or Taiwan, some are local and they even mentioned if the Bonsai was harvested from the wild. One has been potted for more than twenty years already.

I am not a plant person. Maybe they are not colourful enough. All you see are different shades of green and brown. Me, I like flowers, they are colourful and lively. But no, I wouldn’t relish the work that comes with growing flowers.

In any case, drop by Kinta City if you would like to check out these Bonsai plants and more and even Suiseki. I really have no idea when this exhibition ends, so be there soon.

I was in Kinta City last evening and bumped into this Bonsai & Suiseki Exhibition. Bonsai, I know but Suiseki? It’s a Japanese word for Stone or something like that, I guess.

I don’t know when this exhibition began nor am I interested to know when it will end. Errrr… call me “ulu” or whatever, I just don’t know how to appreciate Suiseki.

I managed to take plenty of shots but as I was writing this post, I thought that I would rather break up my post into two separate posts; one with photos of Bonsai and one with photos of Suiseki so that it would be easier to view.

Most of these stones are “mountain stones” harvested from some river in Lasah, Perak, Malaysia. I vaguely know where Lasah is but I believe I have never been there before. Well, let’s just say I never had the occasion to go.

It’s funny that the organizers had to employ RELA members to guard these stones. Who would want to steal them? Even if they are that valuable, most of these stones are so huge and heavy, anyone stealing it would get caught in no time. Maybe the owners think they are gem stones or something.

From what I see, most of these stones are owned by a handful of owners only. I could recognize one name and this guy is rather prominent in Ipoh. I think this is probably a rich man’s hobby even if you need not feed the stones.

I got to know that there’s a stone lover’s club here in Ipoh. My, I did not know that there is such a thing but I tell you, even if you give me a huge one for free, I would think that it’s taking up too much space at home. Maybe I am just ignorant.

I wish, though, that the organizers would state what each stone is shaped after. Most of the stones look like animals. I figured they are so due to natural environment but the whole thing is so dark, really, I would rather have a real animal.

Anyway, if you are in or around Ipoh, you should go and check out this on-going Bonsai & Suiseki Exhibition in Kinta City. Whether you appreciate Bonsai or Suiseki, it would be a good experience.