Hijau Kuning Tanahku..

Kuala Sala, Kedah Darulaman :

When we were small going back to Tok's house in Kuala Sala were not something that we look forward mainly because of the transportation, there's no bus service in that village, that means the bus will drop us infront of the mosque and we have to walk for about 15 minutes to reach Tok's house. Along that short journey we will be greeted by ayah's relatives and friends and sometimes our journey were interrupted by cows who lazily lepak in the middle of the road.
For us it was really a very long journey but I realised now that I should not regret it, that was when I have the opportunity to discover a lot of things that could not be found in Alor Setar.
Kuala Sala is just a small village where houses were built parallel with the only main road that connect them to outside world. Each houses are facing the road and at the back are acres of paddy field, the best part of Tok's house is there's a small river after the paddy field and only a few meters walk we will reach the beach.
This small river is the important system for paddy field. There were many coconut tree at the back of the house that leaning towards the sea, and we will climb and sit on it while enjoying our freshly cut sugar cane.....so sweet and juicy
This used to be my favourite area, this is where we play 'masak-masak' with my late aunt, we used hibiscus bud as chili, and cooked using coconut shell, this is also where I seek peace and hide from pain when I fell from the 'pangkin'(platform) while playing 'batu tujuh' with my cousin: Sharmi (Simah kenal kan..), Bani and twin Shoni and Shaki.I had a big bump on my left shoulder and was sent for traditional massage and it was so painful...:-(
In order to reach the paddy field we have to cross over few grave stone hiding in a bushes, Tok said "tu kubuq orang lama-lama, takdak apa aih.." but who wants to believe that? especially me who love to think that it's spooky..when the night came, we wil sleep with Tok and Ngah inside a kelambu while Tok will tell stories about her neighbours,it's kinda spooky because the only sound that we could heard is the waves and her low tone voice, she didn't scared us but the way she talk make me want to hide inside my blanket and fall asleep as fast as I can.

These are our precious supply of fresh coconut juice and milk. I like the way it grow reaching up to the sky, and here you are feeling small and scared, scared that the tree will get angry and start shooting it's cannon coco ball..

I think my interest in planting is inhereted or developed by my surrounding especially here in Kuala Sala people plant the same thing, it is a common sight, purple and green/yellow sugar cane, pelam sala and guava were plant at the front portion if the house, while colourful hibiscus will line as a fencing. Sometimes my grandpa (Wan) will brought back crushed seashell from his fishing trip and poured along the fencing and the entrance.
This lovely flower is a hit among kids where we could suck the juice, it comes in different colour.

When the place is dear to your heart, this is what you do, built a mosque and name it after your mother or father, this was built by Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, the floating mosque with picturesque view of the sea..

Now living in concrete jungle seeing only grey sky makes me appreciate and looking forward to experience kampung life again, the last Merdeka trip while driving next to 'tali air' I saw an old man washing his shoe and an old wooden bridge waiting to fall down,not far from him there were kids fishing, laughing and enjoying their own game.
It was all green and green landscape with Gunung Jerai standing tall and proud complete the whole picture. I will come back when the next season start, who said we don't have four season?, in Kedah we have different season and the landscape change from island view, to serene green and then it turn into gold and finally light brown with smokes in the middle of the field.

I love the sun, the sea ,the moon, the waves...

The leaves swayed, the sun is going down and sometimes hiding behind the cloud, the birds fly......and I could only captured this moment and share it with everybody

Intermission - Alor Setar

A travel journal during Merdeka Holiday.

Around town - Rumah Kelahiran Che Det. Jln Kilang Ais:

entrance to Dr.M's house in JLn Kilang Ais,Sbg Perak, Alor Setar. This area has become an exhibition complex with additional building to house further display item and info. This is the first time i visit this place even though our house is just 10 minutes away :-)
The verandah is a typical element found in this area where it act as greeting point.

rattan chair in Living area, the house is well ventilated with enough fenestration and fixed timber Louvered.

kitchen and preparation area with rack (para).The house divided into several main component: verandah, living, one bedroom (rumah ibu), guest room, kitchen and dining and a small washing area. Kedah house are different from others mainly on the composition and heigt as well as architecture, where houses were built one storey higher due to geographical condition and the culture itself.The lower ground normally will house 'reban ayam' bathroom and act as an open storage and preparation area.









Pekan Rabu:

One of the oldest market place in Alor Setar, situated aLong Jalan Tunku Ibrahim and next to Sg Raja, this complex has gone few renovation and extension since it was first built.Local and traditional item from food to cloth, cutlery, couLd be found here as well as stuff from Thailand like snacks and matt. The price are a bit expensive that why the owner could where big chunk of jewellery :-)


can anyone guess what these white balls are??

The other side of the world: Part 2

Lets take a walk trough Kolkata town:

Kolkata map
further info : link
history




Cable Bridge (Vidyasagar Setu)


Howrah Bridge
Another historical bridge in Kolkatta crossing the Hooghly River, we were not allowed to stop by and snap any photo,so go to this this site for interesting history of the bridge :Howrah




M.P Birla Planetarium at Jawaharlal Behru Road - one of the largest single storey planetarium in Asia with Indian Architecture and imitation of Buddhist stupa


Interior of lobby area







Old building under conservation works using wood scaffolding


one of colonial building



Typical houses in Kantal Baria Road, Calcutta where it houses 3 or 4 family with clay roof tiles and mud floor. Most of the houses were built with bamboo as rafter and low roof with no ceiling. One courtyard is shared by these family.


Clay brick