TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

Malaysia, Perak, Batu Gajah This previous post in this travelogue was first published on 13 February 2016. The trip was made earlier in the same month before the article's published date on this blog. Read on for a brief history of this supposedly haunted abandoned castle located in the midst of lush palm tree plantations. ****************** Despite the title, there is nothing really supernatural about this article. But the title is neither a tease nor click bait. There are indeed stories and rumours of ghostly apparitions being observed in and around this castle! As are often the cases in stories of most haunted castle / mansions, tales of the supernatural are typically intertwined with actual historical events and people. View of Kellie's Castle as seen through the camera lens of my iPhone 6s Plus as I circled the castle in an anticlockwise direction, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia (2016) Kellie's Castle (or the ruins of what remains) is located in Perak State of Malaysia. B

Chinese New Year is usually the time when I embark on a road trip to neighbouring Malaysia; especially to the city of Ipoh in Perak State. This is where I took a break from my hectic and punishing work schedule. During my usual 4 or 5 days stay, I will spend time reading books, writing articles, going around time to enjoy the rustic charms of Ipoh and its surrounding areas and also catching up with relatives and friends. This year, the first and second days of the Chinese New Year were on 8 and 9 February which are a Monday and Tuesday respectively. Adding the weekends prior, and we have a 4-day period where we could travel without needing to apply for vacation leave from our work. To make full use of this long holiday weekend, I drove north to Ipoh on 7 February. A row of old shophouses in the Old Town area that have been repainted in a colourful blend of rainbow hues, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia (2016) During this road trip, I stuck to my usual habit of stopping by Ayer Kero