220. SKETCHING ROAD TRIP

 

The small towns I covered were in the southern-most state of Johor...it's touching base for me...

Most pics are from My Art Space, many are taken by me but are pretty much mixed up in my phone Gallery...

It's a walk down Memory Lane. The rural towns have grown quite large but are still laid back and quiet. Jobs are scarce and their young people have moved for jobs in the cities of Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and particularly, Singapore.

Chairwoman

This eco resort is huge. Developed with Singaporean business people, it looks promising as a retirees' getaway home...the trouble with city folks, they may not last in an environment this quiet. With that tendency to keep to themselves, they still find the need to move amongst people...

Rustic fishing villages are plentiful throughout Malaysia. When permission is sought to sit and sketch, the immediate answer is yes - nobody says we need to order something or other but we do it anyway as a matter of courtesy and they are beaming with happiness when we finish the outing with lunch and more drinks...

At this processing plant, permission to sketch was given right away when asked - the chap looked burly and porcine himself !

The carcasses are sent here after slaughter at an abattoir. They are prepared for the morning market. They work through the night as the carcasses keep coming in till the wee hours...

This same plant roasts some carcasses to a golden brown to get roast pork ready for the market. Anyone may walk in to buy fresh from here...

The small towns are charming, full of character, hardly any traffic, few people

Love the pediments. Once restored, they'll be beautiful but moolah is in short supply. A good many businesses were shuttered including those in the more touristy town of Malacca - likely succumbed to Covid...

Ubiquitous wall paintings - these are nice ones in Kluang

This window grill is really something - intricate fine details - they don't make things like this anymore...

Malacca is beginning to wake up from its covid slumber of more than 2 years - there were many casualties from covid, I gathered from the shuttered eateries and bars along this river which was very vibrant before...

He adds the finishing touch with auspicious words...

Walk the plank, be fed to the crocs...

The minaret of this old mosque looks more Javanese. On a previous visit I explored the inside and it was special and different...it was freshly painted than...

The fabulous Cheng Hoon Teng Guanyin temple and roof details. The write-up had nothing much to say, likely because there were no written records. It's a beautiful building...

In Tangkak we stopped for fruits and sketching, of course. Had some dedicated sketch artists - while they did what they do best, I wandered away, something I do best...