Take a Break 歇息片刻: 客家山寨 Balik Pulau Lodge

参观客家山寨已是八月份的事，写这一篇文章是为了分享游览山寨的一些大小事，顺便成为我们部落的当头炮。山寨这个词总是让人想起山里设有栅栏围墙的少数民族村庄，里边甚至住了许多绿林好汉，也给人一种贬义的意思，让人联想到昔日的土匪住处，但这个现代山寨却别有一番风味。

山寨特色：吃在山寨、住在山寨、玩在山寨。就是冲着这个头衔，我们有了期待。和朋友约好时间，直接拨通电话联系客家山寨，预定客家午餐。

那天星期六，打开卫星导航系统，驱车嘟嘟嘟前往客家山寨，靠着仅有的一个地址出发，途中一直以为迷路，因为人烟稀少，路途波折弯曲，知道在回教堂转了个弯，进入条只允许一辆车通行的泥路，走了几十分钟，靠着对导航系统的信任，终于守得云开见月明，看见山寨的指示牌。

由于安全起见，车子是不允许上山的，所以我们便把车停在数量有限的泥地，然后等候专车接待上山闯山寨。当然你也可以选择步行山路斜坡上去，大约一公里的路程，预计三十分钟时间，我们不希望一身汗水狼狈摸样，所以事先联络负责人以便安排专车载送上山，崎岖不平的山路，像乘搭过山车那般过瘾。

Since this is our first blog post , we are going to write about Balik Pulau Lodge. Although we had been there during august, but we still feel that it is so meaningful for us. You know why? Because their boss share our photo in her Facebook and give us a good compliment. Haha!!! For those who haven’t visit there before, they will think that it will be some sort of minority villages or even there will have some martial art master that stay in it. And with the word “山寨”, we can stop our self to think that there will be a home ground for bandit. But no worry, it is completely opposite to what you’re belief when u visits there.

Because of their feature “吃在山寨、住在山寨、玩在山寨”, we decide to have a visit. But before that we already make reservation with them for lunch, if not lunch will not be served. Then on the Saturday morning, we depart to Hakka village with simply a GPS and their address.

Along the road, you will feel like you are going to lost in the middle of nowhere. The road is slowly become twist and turn and become one way after u make a turn before the mosque. At last, we feel so relief when we saw their sign board. After that, we have to park our car at the parking space that they provide and wait for their car to arrive.

There are 2 options for you to choose: 1) sit their car to reach the village 2) by your own trusty legs. We choose to sit their car since we all are so lazy and don’t want to sweat like hell. We have to much fun during the ride because the road are so bumpy. It feels like we are riding roller coaster. If you choose to walk by your own, the distance is about 1km and you need approximately 30min to reach.

YOLO (In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on)

这张使我们在山寨拍摄到得意的照片之一，寨主也说这是她在山寨见过最动态，且活泼的照片，甚至被她分享到山寨的面子书主页。山寨里有不同的小景区，包括名字动听的听雨轩、聚散两依依、庭院深深、在水一方、一帘幽梦、天上人间、大汉之家、森林艺术区等。你若问我这些是什么地方，我想我已答不出。

印象最深刻的就是这张得意照片的取景点——望海楼。坐山看海，话匣字一开，从天南说到地北，是四个人远离城市的喧闹，悠闲无虑的时刻。生活仅此一次（You only live once, YOLO），此时不放松心灵，更待何时。

This is the photo that we mention earlier which we get compliment from their boss. She says that this is the most dynamic and lively photo she ever seen in her village.

Hakka village have a few scenic with very attractive name that are pleasant to listen. Among all of these, “望海楼” is our favorite. You can watch the sea from there and we even saw an eagle flying around. There is a cozy place for you to get relax and forget about everything.

上面的照片是客家山寨的「住宿」，大红灯笼高挂给人喜庆欢愉的感觉，各式各样的住宿里有简单的就寝设备，迷彩蒙古包周围还缠着红布，在一大片绿荫中给人美丽的视觉感受，也想起电影中古时洞房花烛，良辰吉日美景。早晨起身打开布帘，呼吸一口新鲜的空气；午后沏壶茶静心养神；入夜时分听虫鸣叫，起火烧烤或围炉，一切多么惬意。

客家山寨拥有一间可住二十人的百年老屋蚊帐住宿，还有几间非洲露营帐篷，蒙古包，竹子卫生间，可接待的游客约八十人，也提供家庭或者团体活动场地。预支详细的价钱与配套，可参考客家山寨的官网，或拨电询问。

The entire photo above is there accommodation with very basic sleeping equipment. If u wants to get a bit fancier, then you can choose to stay at “蒙古包” which surrounded with red fabric. There are also a few red lanterns around the accommodation that give you some festive feel. By staying there, you can get closer to the nature that you will not get in urban area. It is good idea to bring your kids here to let them expose to nature since most of the kids nowadays didn’t have this kind of experience.

Besides that, Hakka village have to huge hundred years old house that can accommodate 20 people. There are also a few camouflage yurts too. Hakka village can accommodate around 80 people a time which are suitable got family gathering or group activity. For more information about the price for their accommodation, you can visit their website or just give them a call.

午餐还没备好，我们便先游览山寨各个小景点。途中发现这个秋千，我们荡着荡着，甜脆的笑声在树林里穿梭，仿佛上了时光机，回到童年。秋千荡得好高，我们却不害怕跌伤，站起来把伤口擦一擦，又继续爬上秋千，想荡得更高，看得更远的风景。

食物的味道扑鼻而来，是时候去品尝客家菜色了。

Since we reach earlier and their lunch hasn’t get ready yet, we decide to go sightseeing those scenic. Along the road, we found out this swing and straight away we decide to play with it. It was so much fun the play with swing again because we have not much opportunity to play with it after we grow up. As if on a time machine, back to childhood.

这是一个传统的古早大厨房，原始的煮食方法，用木材木炭来生活，用大锅烧菜熬汤，用大火炉煮饭，吃上一顿美味的客家饭菜，简单的味道使人难忘。道地的客家菜如豆腐、芋头扣肉、木耳焖猪肉、咸菜汤、算盘子、清炒包菜等将近十道分量充足的古早味，让空腹山上的我们大饱口福，果然真的不负我们所望。

山寨的餐具都是传统的碗筷，招待我们吃饭的寨主的热情女儿，吃完了饭就开始闲聊，然后她就带领我们一起到山寨探险。

They have a huge traditional kitchen that still using wood charcoal to cook all their dishes. All the dishes are so simple yet so delicious. You can taste all the original flavor of the ingredient. They serve roasted taro pork, tofu, fungus braised pork, pickle soup, suan pan zhi, fried cabbage and etc which nearly 10 dishes. We get so full after having all this traditional hakka food. This is definitely worth your penny to try it.

YOLO - You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

Run run run!!! Run like that is no tomorrow...

这一趟外出逃离了城市，山寨平静的生活似乎是人们向往的生活。在望海楼呆坐了个小时，说说笑笑，看海看老鹰，摆起相机，在楼上奔跑跳跃，像在追逐太阳的光芒，找寻生命的意义。生活的真谛，平静安逸也是一种不错的选择。

This get away from the city trip let us realize the true meaning of life; calm comfort lifestyle is also a good choice for us city people. You all should spend some time here, chit chat with your friends and family, enjoy the Mother Nature and take some memorable photo.

山寨的基本收费是每人RM35（包含午餐和上下山的交通运送），但若只是纯粹餐馆山寨，上下山的交通运送为一趟RM10。建议提早预订，以便山寨厨房预备事物，并乘搭一趟车，在斜坡弯曲的路上体验刺激，也享受在树林穿梭的感觉。

客家山寨是槟城新近的探索景点，如果你喜爱体验自然生态、挑战体能训练、缅怀客家文化，那么你务必前往山寨拜访。当然山寨的活动并不只是我们所分享的而已，还有许多有趣的活动等着你去发现，然后告诉我们。

The basic charge is RM35 per person (include lunch and transportation). If you only need transportation, then it is just RM10 for back and forth transportation. If you plan to visit Hakka village, you need to make reservation so that they can prepare all those traditional hakka food for you to taste. Of course this is a part of activities that we had done there and share with you guys. There are many fun activities waiting for you to discover, and feel not hesitate tell us about it.