Climbing up Batu Caves

Been a Malaysian for 29 years and had never climbed up Batu Caves,

with 272 steps on the staircase, and having the world tallest Lord Murugan statue!

We are proud Malaysien, eh!

Woke up at 6.30am and get ourselves ready.

Expect to meet Chriz at Subway, Petronas beside NKVE but she is no where to be seen.

Called, SMS and Whatsapp her, and the first message I received

from her that morning was... "SHIT !!!"

She overslept!

... asked us to go ahead but we waited for her still. 

Manage to fly over to meet us, and to Batu Caves we goooo!!!

Photos below... 

Semangat membara-bara before climbing up

Pigeon understood Vince's instruction of "LOOK HERE!"

World Tallest Murugan statue at Batu Caves, Malaysia

Tailing Chriz - just a few steps away

Unlike Broga Hill, climbing up Batu Caves is a piece of cake (action nie) 

I was panting while climbing up the first few steps tho'

but when I keep on going, it seemed easier.

This was partly exaggerated - I wasn't climbing like this - at all!
Look at Delvise with his grin behind me..

Although my knee felt a little jelly weak once I reached the top,

overall it was a fun climb up, and I enjoyed pushing myself forward..

Telling myself.. "Go! Go! Go!"

Gulping down my 100 Plus upon reaching.
Don't you just love my physique here - tall and slander!

Sight of beautiful caves are captured by Vince & Chriz.

Ain't the nature amazing?

Enhanced with human technology and creation,

there's where all the wonders in the world came into place.

  

We climb a little more as I wanted to send my prayers to Lord Murugan.

Prayers being done inside the cave

The monk gave me a small coconut husk with wax in it, and to light it up.

Upon saying prayers, monk gave me his blessing by putting on 

some white ash and red dot on my forehead.

I've learnt that the sacred ash is called vibhuti that signifies the phrase

"body's origin is from dust and ash and to dust and ash it shall return".

Reminding us that everything in this world is impermanent.

And the red dot that we usually see on our fellow Indian friends' forehead,

it's called kumkum/bindi and it represents the third eye.

We have two eyes that is seeing outside, for us to observe the world.

And the third eye is focusing inward to God - reminding us to always remember God. 

Meaningful, isn't it?

The monk also tied a holy string on my left wrist, while chanting

"You have good luck, good luck, yes, good luck"

So.. good luck it is!!!

Thankiu... Tima kasi... Nanri...

The Indian side of me.. :)

Blowing flower petals in slow mo just for Chriz to try out the shutter speed.

With the sun getting brighter, hotter, we decided that it's time to leave.

The thought of going down and up again

for the second time did crossed my mind,

but Vince and Chriz is not up for it.

Delvise and Lim (Vince's colleagues) climb up three times that morning!

That's to prep themselves to hike up Mount KK next month.

*salute*

The dizzy dizzy effect while looking down.

 Saw a man bring up some sugarcane, and a few woman was helping him.

I was thinking...

 "Why so many people have to help him carry the thin looking sugarcane?"

Then we saw that there's a baby wrapped in a yellow cloth and

the cloth was tied onto the sugarcanes.

Asked my Indian friends and they told me that this ritual is performed

if a woman have difficulty in conceiving, and have vowed to the God that she will

fulfill her vow to bring the baby up, if the God blesses her with a child.

I'm very much amazed seeing this ritual.

May God bless the mother, and the child, not forgetting their relatives

who offer helping hand to carry the baby up to the 272th stairs.

I hope to learn and see more of other culture.

Myself, being a Chinese, is unsure about Chinese culture actually.

Made our way down in no time!

No sweat!

Mission accomplished!

YAY!!!