4/2 Forest City

Michael had made a joking mention of buying a place in Forest City because it was so cheap!  So this somehow became our last stop of the tour with Henry. 

I have mentioned before that the Chinese have invested a lot of money into Malaysia.  Until the Chinese government put a stop to money going out of China.  Forest City is Chinese funded and is built quite a ways from Johor Bahru.  The plan was to build 5 islands - so far one is done.  Nobody really wants to live way out here - especially if they work in JB.  So many of the buildings remain sparsely populated.  They are trying a lot of incentives - like lower taxes, much reduced housing costs and more amenities.  

The apartment complex we are staying in was built with Chinese money.  There is another big apartment complex being built next to ours.  In fact that is the view we have out of our windows.  But money is tight and most of the projects have grown to a halt or working with skeleton crews.

This is a real view as we drove towards the sales office.

Once inside the huge sales office you can see how ambitious the project was to be.

We are practically the only people in the sales building

Looking out the window I saw this beautiful very large pool - with no one in it.

Photo of ceiling.

Map of final project.

Real photo taken from front of sales building toward actual buildings.  It is beautifully landscaped.

We got back to our apartments hot and exhausted.  People wanted to rest before heading out to find something to eat.  After 40 minutes later, we headed out to the eating street near us.  The plan was to try one of the restaurants outside of the mall.  Everyone was so tired and hungry that no one could make a decision.  Lia did want a hamburger - but no one else did.  We finally just sat down at the closest restaurant and ordered.  No one was particularly happy with their meal.  I ended up getting a steamed fish which took forever.  We were about to leave just as it arrived.  It actually was very good - but mostly bones and nothing else served with it.  I had tasted many other's meals so was content to share the fish to all who wanted bites.  We stopped at a stand that sold hamburgers on the way back.  When Lia got it - it looked strange.  She tasted it and handed it off.  A few others tasted it and declared it to be mystery meat - then it was trashed.     Then we all went back and hit the beds!

4/2 Houses on Stilts and Icies

 We were so looking forward to our next stop.  Henry has promised us a cold treat!

We stopped at the Summery Ice House at the entrance to the Village on stilts.  These tasty treats were more like sweetened powdery snow with flavorings on top.  I got the one in front - mango sauce with chunks of mango.  Rob got the Pineapple in the back and Natasha ordered the Oreo cookie one.  Everyone shared and they were oh so delicious!

The entrance to the stilt village is to the right of the Summery Ice House.

Ketam was once a fishing village.  Now - as you will see later - all the fish are farmed.  Many of the houses are being upgraded to homestays.  

All people get around by walking or motorcycle.

There is still much opportunity to buy your own place and fix it up!

A place for small kids.  

A temple.

It is low tide - so there is mud and when there is mud there are mud skippers!

I was assured that when the tide is in it looks a lot better!

A commercial company offering homestays.

And not far away are all the fishing farms.

Low tide is not good for boats.

A pier to no where.

This one looked fully done and lived in.

Even a cafe.

It is not very big - so it was a quick tour.  We have one more stop to make before heading home for the day.

4/2 Mangrove Forest

 Henry took us to one of the specially designated Mangrove Forests.  There are many Asian countries + others involved in the project to protect and manage the mangrove forests.  This one is called the Tanjung Piai.  When we first arrived there were a few monkeys hanging about.

This one preferred the gents toilet.

We headed this way to the location of the boardwalk over the mud and water.  There is a monkey on the lower far right.

Hanging out between letters!

and also here.

The start of the boardwalk.

Interesting tree roots.

Its nice to see a country that is still working against climate change. After the 2024 tsunami, people realized that Mangrove forests act as natural bio-shields that protect coastlines from tsunamis by reducing wave height, slowing water flow, and mitigating structural damage.

There are two main pathways.  One leads to the observation deck - that is the one we went on first.  And the second one leading to the spot that is the most southernmost tip of Asia.

Our guide kept talking about the mud skippers.  Turns out they are actually fish with feet.  They walk, but look slightly like they are skipping.

Diagonal lines of new plants newly planted to fill in the mangrove forest.

We kept seeing these circles.

Henry told us that male mud skippers would build the small round houses - then lure a female into it.  If she accepted the house she would stay.  Soon she would discover she was pregnant and he was long gone - building another house for another female!  Henry did not know what the larger circles were for.  We saw at least one large mud skipper jump into the water in the middle of the circle.  I think the males live in the larger ones!

We watched these two threaten each other - but it never got to the point of a fight.  We also noticed the footprints in the mud.  We never did figure out what made them.  Not monkeys per Henry.

I don't know how to process video - so please be patient as I skip around.  Towards the end there are 3-4 mud skippers swimming in water.  Please also blow up the video to much larger so you can see the mud skipper which are quite small.

Most likely an egret.

From here it just looks like mud leading to the lighthouse.  But there are big ships on the other side.  

It turns out all those ships are waiting in line to get to the this shipping dock.  We passed by the dock on the way too the forest and on the way back out.  So obviously the water is much deeper here.

We headed back to the starting point and took the second path to the southern most tip of Asia.

Along the way someone spotted this big lizard in the tree roots.  His tail is in the sunlight in the lower left side of photo.  The head is hidden by tree roots.

Not sure if this means the lizards, mud skippers or maybe birds!

Finally made it to the most southern tip of Asia.

And far off in the distance you can see a line of ships.

Now for the long walk back!

These roots looked like hands!

Back at the entrance to Tanjung Piai - there are no monkeys to be seen.  Apparently they do not care to walk on the boardwalk and stick to firm land.  We are hot and sticky.  We carry water with us every where we go - but we need something more before we hit our next tourist site.  So on we go.