Just like mom’s place at Dusun Bonda (ni lagi bosa kot)

Hahahhahhaha…. Glamping site in Selangor. And you don’t need to drive all the way to Pahang as the location is in Batang Kali. Near huh, approximately an hour drive from Batu Caves. Hidup Selangor! #eh

I don’t even know where there to start…. For those who have been to a glamping site would probably understand. For me, the only time I experienced this was when I went to Sabah recently, but the site was by the sea. It being in an orchard and by the river is refreshing. Everything was well design and the landscape was very next-door-nature-like, coupled with amenities (listed below)… I have to say, I wouldn’t mind recommending this to friends and family.

Back of the bell tent

Glam 4 Bell Tent

Glam 4 River – 4 pax (2x queen size bed), RM350 p/tent

Glam 4 Hillside – 4 pax (2x queen size bed), RM350 p/tent

Glam 5 Poolside Bell Tent

Glam 5 Bell Tent 

Glam 5 River – 6 pax (3x queen size bed), RM650 p/tent

Glam 5 Hillside – 6 pax (3x queen size bed), RM650 p/tent

Glam 5 Poolside – 6 pax (3x queen size bed), RM650 p/tent

Studio Villa

Villa

Studio Villa – (queen size bunk bed), RM800 p/home

Must have amenities for (and they do HAVE *happy mode*)

• Proper toilet
• Clean and proper toilet
• Shower/bathroom
• Fan   - at least
• Kitchen utensil, cup, plates and etc

• Common dining area
• Common kitchen washing area
• Kids playground – bonus for having this
• Public prayer room

#TravelTips

• You can also do barbecue here (but do check with them first if they can arrange it for you instead)
• Bring insect repellent (kat bandor pun ada nyamuk, kat sini sure lah ado kan)
• Bring titbits/jajan, as the nearest shop is not near at all (jauh giler)
• Since you are at it, bring water too lah kan
• No NETWORK (this is not a tip, it’s a WARNING to kids. Muahhahahhah…. [evil laugh])
• Hence, what must you bring instead….? Board games and cards! (yes, it has survived the course of time)
• There’s a pool… for those that don’t fancy mandi sungai (the river is very shallow)
• Bring your sport shoes as you can also go for a hike to the waterfall

Dusun Bonda

Lot 2121 (2996), Jalan Ulu Tamu

Kampung Orang Asli Gurney

Ulu Tamu, Batang Kali

Selangor

Whatsapp : +6012-6633 667

Web : www.dusunbonda.com

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/dusun_bonda/

Rentak Selangor Fam Trip is in collaboration with UPENS (Unit Perancangan Negeri Selangor), Tourism Selangor and all its sponsors with #GayaTravel as media coordinator.

Keroncong Untuk Selangor | A dying art music.

Keroncong is believed to have Portuguese and Indonesian origins. The history indicated that sailors on Portuguese ships played small long-necked guitars and sang songs. Over time, the local Indonesian embraced the music and localize it to what we have today especially in Solo. Keroncong first appeared in 1891 in Surabaya and in 1920s keroncong spread like wildfire all over the island of Java. It was made famous only during the 1935 and 1945 circa ie the Big Band era, it became popular in the hotel ballrooms of the middle classes. It has made its journey to Malaysia and eventually nestled in the strait state as well as Selangor.

Keroncong reached the peak in the 1960s but it fade soon after, now often dubbed as ‘the music of old people’. A great and painful struggle to not only attract the younger generation, but also to nurture and create a pool of apprentices to this beautiful music. One of the ways is to incorporate keroncong-ise modern music to ensure it stays true and forever.

Some said that keroncong is a small ukulele-like instrument in an Indonesian music, and that the word keroncong originated from the krong-krong sound made by strumming the instrument.

Chak 

Double Bass

A 6 piece musician consists of violin, guitar, chak (4 string ukulele-like instrument), chuk (3 string ukulele-like instrument), cello and double bass. The vocalist sings in vibrato style, the chuk emphasizes the on-beat; the chak accentuates the off-beat; the 3 nylon strings cello acts as drum (amazing right), whereas the double bass punctuates the melody; and the guitar plays melody.

Chuk

Violin

There are 3 types of Keroncong, namely Keroncong Asli, Stambul and Langgam. Below explanation taken from The Music of Malaysia: The Classical, Folk and Syncretic Traditions ByPatricia Matusky, Tan Sooi Beng

Keroncong has 4 stages of evolution todate.

• Keroncong tempo doeloe or old tempo keroncong (1880-1920),
• Keroncong abadi or evergreen keroncong(1920-1960)
• Keroncong modern or modern keroncong (1960-2000)
• Keroncong Millenium or millenium keroncong (2000-todate)

Cello

No nation can claim that their traditional musics are free from foreign influence. Keroncong music was introduced to Peninsular Malaysia by Javanese immigrants. In the state of Selangor, most of them lived in Kelang, Banting and Hulu Selangor. There were suggestions to make Keroncong as Selangor Traditional Music but no concrete actions taken by Selangor authorities - By Dr. Ariff Ahmad.

If you wish to engage with them, either to know more, learn or get them to perform at an event, feel free to call them directly J

Rentak Selangor Fam Trip is in collaboration with UPENS (Unit Perancangan Negeri Selangor), Tourism Selangor and all its sponsors with #GayaTravel as media coordinator.

Catholic High School performed for Rentak Selangor

I was fortunate to be invited to attend Rentak Selangor and what makes it even special was that, one of the participated performancer was my secondary school – Catholic High School (CHS), Petaling Jaya. This time around; themed ‘Dendang Hati, Lagu Jiwa, Irama Kita’ covers the Chinese Rentak, Indian, Malay and Orang Asli Rentak. Showcasing unique and relatively new performances to the participating medias.

CHS performed Chinese Orchestra, Wushu, Taichi, Diablo as well as 24 Seasons Drums, welcoming us with Lion Dance by the Wushu Club. And I shall focus on the Chinese Orchestra as well as the 24 Season Drums.

Chinese Orchestra

Chinese orchestra is based on the structure and principles of a Western symphony orchestra using Chinese instruments. The orchestra is divided into four sections - wind, plucked strings, bow strings, and percussion, and is usually performs modernized traditional music. Some of the instruments used are Erhu (二胡), pipa (琵琶), Dulcimer (yangqin : 扬琴)  and bamboo flute or (dizi : 笛子). The chinese orchestra in CHS emulates the Western orchestra in seating position of its musicians and composition techniques, it also sampled 2 songs from the popular Malay folks song namely Rasa Sayang and the famous Japanese song; Matsuri. The chinese song that they performed was the ever so famous Wong Fei Hung Theme Song - A Man Should Strengthen Himself.

1. Erhu 二胡

• The erhu is one of the most important Chinese instruments, with a history of over 4,000 years.
• Erhu (二胡) is a two-stringed bowed Chinese musical instrument, also known as the Chinese violin or Chinese two-stringed fiddle.
• It can be used in both traditional and contemporary music arrangements; pop, rock and jazz.
• Erhu is played vertically, resting on the musician's lap. It has no fingerboard, hence the player's fingers must hold and vibrate the strings by pressing only against the strings themselves.

2. Pipa 琵琶

• The pipa (琵琶) is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, also known as Chinese lute.
• It has been played for almost 2000 years in China and existed as early as the Han dynasty.
• It was once reigned as the “king” of Chinese folk instruments.
• The instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body and the string was once made of silk, however today, it is made of nylon-wrapped steel. Silk strings were played either with a plectrum or with bare fingers, but steel strings are played with finger picks

3. Chinese Drum 大鼓

• The earliest known drums in China date back nearly four thousand years ago, around the time of the Shang Dynasty (c.1600 – c.1100 BCE)
• Northern China prefer larger drums in terms of the size, while Southern China uses various types of small drums.
• The Bass Drum (大鼓) are usually played with wooden drumsticks.
• Back in those days, Chinese troops used drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace.

4. Bamboo flute 笛子

• The dizi (笛子) is a Chinese transverse flute or Chinese bamboo flute.
• Traditionally and most of the dizi is made by using (a single piece of) bamboo.
• It is played using circular breathing "advanced" techniques.
• The dizi is a key Chinese musical instrument, and is used in Chinese folk music, opera, and modern Chinese orchestra.

24 Seasons Drums

The 24 Seasons Drums, more known among the Chinese community in Malaysia as Ershisi Jieling Gu (二十四节令鼓) was invented in 1988 by a music teacher, Tan Hooi Song and a poet Tan Chai Puan, at Foon Yew High School in Johor. It consists of 24 large drum is called Shigu (獅鼓) that represents the agricultural seasons in the Chinese calendar. The original performance styles depict movements of farmers and activities on a farm. The name of each season is usually written in Chinese calligraphy on the drum.

The drum is played using two wooden sticks, striking its surface, sides or hitting the two sticks together. Each colour on the drum has a special meaning; the red symbolizes auspiciousness and passion, and the black represents perseverance, where else the yellow signifies the Chinese culture and tradition.

It was a very enlightening experience where we not only get to see but also to try our hand at the instruments (mainly drum lor, ehhehheee…).

Rentak Selangor Fam Trip is in collaboration with UPENS (Unit Perancangan Negeri Selangor), Tourism Selangor and all its sponsors with #GayaTravel as media coordinator.