Petrosains PlaySmart @ Yayasan Pahang, Kuantan

There is a great exhibition going on at Yayasan Pahang, Tanjong Lumpur, Kuantan, named "Petrosains PlaySmart". It's a science exhibition where children can learn about the rules of science in an exciting and fun way, through various games and exercises.

This exhibit is on until 2015, so there's plenty of time to visit and make return trips! Here's the address:

Petrosains PlaySmart Kuantan

Kompleks Yayasan Pahang,

Tanjung Lumpur,

26060 Kuantan,

Pahang Darul Makmur

We decided to check it out this morning, and we were pleased to see that we were the ONLY ones there! We had the entire room to ourselves. One of the staff came and showed Lauren around all the games.

Apparently it is MUCH busier at the weekends, so if you want to avoid the crush, come on a weekday.

There are plenty of activities for everyone.

Check out this hovering ball!

Lauren tried the standing long jump . . .

Leah tried the sprint. She clocked 2km/h haha!

Fidelia and Lauren tried their feet at tightrope walking.

And what did I enjoy the most? Anything that involves a football!

Football throwing speed. I got 56km/h...

Football target practice . . .

Fidelia gave it a try too . . .

Thinks she's Ryan Giggs with that trusty left foot!!!

Not bad technique . . .

No food and drinks are allowed inside, so I'd advise you to bring along plenty of liquids to keep in the car for when you're finished. This exhibition is quite a work-out!

I assembled this cube in no time!

Here we are with the "Head on Plate" mirror illusion:

Leah played in the balls for a while . . .

Playing around with another mirror illusion:

These lights appear to go for infinity . . .

We easily spent 2 hours at Petrosains PlaySmart Kuantan. There is just so much stuff to try out! Hopefully we'll be going back for another visit soon!

Pantai Sepat (Sepat Beach), Kuantan

Pantai Sepat is a straight stretch of sand and sea in Kuantan. It's a lovely beach located by the roadside at the Tanjung Lumpur side of Kuantan. Travelling over the bridge to Tanjung Lumpur, drive straight past the Yayasan Pahang building. The next left turn at a junction is the road to take you past Sungai Soi. A few more kilometres and the beach will materialise on your left-hand side.

Pantai Sepat is literally by the roadside. It sits in jungle-type land with many old wooden houses in the vicinity and herds of cows grazing on the grass or taking a lie down under a shady tree. Young boys on bicycles cycled on the wrong side of the road in front of our car.

I love these twisted trees at Pantai Sepat

Lauren poses beautifully by the trees!

I enjoyed our short visit to Pantai Sepat, but it was just too hot!

Lauren at Pantai Sepat

A stray knarled branch lies on the beach

Fidelia stayed in the car with Leah while I took photos

Little purple flowers run from the grass onto the beach

The Eve of Hari Raya in Kuantan

This was a night to be celebrated in the Muslim world. On 9th September 2010, the one-month fast, known as Ramadan, came to an end. Muslims had been faithfully arising at all sorts of early hours while most of the rest of us were still in dreamland, to prepare and eat a very early breakfast. Because as soon as the Sun comes up, fasting begins!

It was a nightmare eating out during the month of Ramadan. Around 7:20pm, when prayers sounded out from mosques around Kuantan, marking the end of the day's fast, droves of people filled KFC, McDonalds and most eateries in town to appease the building hunger in their stomachs. Even ordering fast food on the phone proves to be difficult, as the lines are all busy.

On the eve of Hari Raya there were hoards of people down near the Kuantan town field pouring through the night market there in search of any food or other items to buy. Others filtered into the Pahang State Mosque to offer up their devotions to Allah after a month of denying themselves the physical pleasures of food during daylight hours.

The one-month celebration of Hari Raya is now mid-way through. We have been to a couple of homes of our friends to join them in their feasts. Such open houses are popular in Malaysia where all are invited to enter and eat food with the hosts. (Thank you to Karimah and Syarina for serving us such delicious food!)

The Pahang State Mosque

A water feature on Jalan Mahkota, Kuantan

A busy Jalan Mahkota in Kuantan

The Kuantan skyline from the Tanjong Lumpur bridge. The Kuantan waterfront glows in orange lights on the left, the Pahang State Mosque is partly visible behind buildings on the right, while three old boats lie at dock on the Pahang River in the foreground.

Cars zoom towards Kuantan town from the Tanjong Lumpur bridge