Jalan-jalan di Perlis

My first visit to Gua Kelam, Perlis was when I was only 17 just after finished SPM. It was a great experience walking thru natural formation inside that cave of darkness and at the end of the tunnel you could catch a glimpse of sunlight..you'll walk slowly on timber deck and suddenly a breath taking view awaits you...hilly area with big shady trees...But that was 13 years ago...

We were unlucky that day because it was closed due to flood last few weeks..we ended up spending time at the stream.



As usual he could be in the water for few minutes..the rest of the time just at the edge.


Cheeky girl..she loves the water so much..

Later that day we went to Muzium Kota Kayang, about 30 minutes from Gua Kelam..

Single storey structure with detailing..but not famous among locals..

Some of the artifacts





Entrance to a small cave at the compound of royal tomb - Almarhum Sultan Kayang the first.

Interesting rock formation..Ionce dream to be an archeologist, digging and looking for ancient stuff and treasures..the passion is still inside.. :-)

Its colder further in...

..and spookier....I brought Hadif along together with my brother in law, we did not go further as its getting narrower.

We headed to Kuala Perlis for seafood dinner..at Lynda's..

Ikan stim asam boi

Ikan bakar..they served the best sotong goreng tepung..

I wish I could bring them to many other places..maybe on a road less travelled..

Pantai Cenang, Langkawi

If anybody ask about my favourite place to relax and do nothing except for waiting for the sunset, strolling on white sand...that will always be Langkawi

White sandy beach..





Big Sis with her pink hat..we were there for only three days but managed to spend time just playing around, making sand castles, had seafood for two nights..and no shopping spree...:-)

More photos from D90 will be upload later...

Pulai Spring Resort

I've been waiting for this trip to Johore and stay at this place since I was in UTM. It is a nice resort with greenery, well designed landscape and comfortable facilities and intricate architectural detailing.

We left for Johore on Saturday morning and arrived at Pulai Spring Resort at 3pm and the car park were fully occupied by Singaporean who came for short holiday.

View from our balcony
We stayed at Cinta Ayu Suites-Studio Room which is suitable for young children who need extra space to run around.

Just after check in we prepared the kids and brought them to the place that we've promised them - the swimming pool, they have one near the hotel and the other one is next to the sports centre...but both are well designed..(I should have bring along my muslimah swimsuit too :-))

I really like this one, nice azure pool with coconut trees and boulders and from here you can see the golf course which is beautiful as well.

It was a long wait for their dinner to arrived and my little girl ended up eating two apples..poor child..
Kids with their sketch pad..while waiting for abah to buy them dinner

He looks so serious drawing all those small circles..and the sister busy drawing dinasour..all kind of dinasour, one with long neck, the other with more than twenty short legs..


Just after breakfast the three of us went to another pool and Hadif insisted on going to a bigger pool instead of the wading pool as if he can really swimThey had fun there until a one plus size family came and joined in the wading pool that was meant for kids..Sufiya as usual will look one kind at that guy and she decided that it was time's up :-))

He was relieved after the presentation and can now smile..and I'm relieved too coz we can plan more things with the kids during the weekend..instead just the three of us at home doing the same activities :-))

We strolled along the board walk and enjoyed the green..few golfers were there and we decided not to disturb them and headed back to the resort and enjoy the sunny day.

It was sunny and breezy and picture perfect for mother-daughter photoshoot..anyway she conquered everything..:-)

We left the hotel at 2.30pm with a wish that we gonna come back especially Sufiya , she really loves the room and the pool..I like everything about this resort but the most important thing was being together with no distraction except for one single call related to work on sunny Sunday!......how could they..:-P

Terengganu : Part 2

----Pulau Perhentian - Awarna Perhentian Resort----


Smooth journey to the island..with turtle sunglasses bought at a kiosk in Alamanda- last minute shopping for the trip with hubby..he told me to just grab one..so this RM15.OO thingy does help, for the photo not for the eye ;-P


View from our room, it is a spacious room with one single bed and one queen size bed, so we opted to dragged along another friend to stay with us,..the more the merrier


Pro swimmer, medium and learner in Awarna Perhentian Resort pool..splashing good time...the rest of the team were having a nap after lunch but the three of us take the opportunity to play around here before the snorkelling trip.

Most of the snorkelling area has lost its charm, the corals are dead...I did not see a clown fish at all compared to last trip here in 2004. This is the evidence of environmental pollution, corals are very fragile and they need specific requirement for their habitable space. Do you know that corals only grow about 1 inch a year..just imagine the destruction due human activity..that was one of the reason I choosed not to used flippers during that trip coz it might also affect the corals especially the one at shallow area.

I've seen a vast area of dead corals in Redang in 2005..somewhere at their marine park, and it was a scary sight...they looks like bones everywhere.

We come for the beauty of nature but at the same time we destroy it by our activities that are harmful to the environment, as a traveller one should always keep in mind that we should enjoy the serenity of fragile island and do our bit for the next generation.

During my last trip to Redang, I saw an extension project in progress at one of the prominent resort there, from the activities it was clearly destroying the sea, the beach and the corals. We can say that it was just a minor work and in controlled and well planned according to EIA requirement and so on, but the fact is no matter how small it is still affecting those small little things down there.

------------


Awarna Perhentian Resort's pool - view from staircase


Blue water, lush greenery, white sandy beach and coconut trees...a perfect getaway..I wish that it is still the same by the time my kids able to come here with their friends and enjoy the beauty of nature like I did.


Waiting for the boat..and enjoying the view of clear blue sea..


Young guy behind the wheel...so you can expect a lot of adrenalin rush and bumpy ride even though the sea was not rough at all..hampeh mamat ni..

----------Kuala Besut------------

Bougt some keropok Losong at this stall...these makcik thought that we were university students..hahahah...kembang2 hidung

------on the road--------
lembu-lembu di tengah padang ditemani bangau setia..


undisturbed green lung..we off the air cond and let the breezed touched our tanned and not so smooth skin :-P


Crossing a small bridge


My friend's lunch..nasi putih with otak lembu moo moo.. and burung puyuh..poor little bird ended up in her plate...


We stopped by at a friend's house in Pasir Puteh and tasted fresh durian, mangosteen, langsat,setoi and rambutan from his dusun..the fruit season is at its end now..


Look at the timber post..


Traditional Kelantan house..tarditional houses in Malaysia are differ based on lcation,geographical condition,cultural belief as well as influenced from neighbouring country. Kelantan house sits on a post that are only about 800mm high with a small verandah in front of the house where else Terengganu houses are much higher with dominent roof and detailing.



A timber house at Pasir Puteh, Kelantan..for storage..it is a nice village with traditional houses and orchard just next to their house. But most of them live not in a comfort habitable space.

Habitable space for human or corals are one essential thing that should not be taken lightly..it is a symbiosis..we need each other..

It was a fruitful trip (with various fruits in the boot as well)..tiring but interesting...

I reached Putrajaya at 4am on Friday after almos 8 hours journey crossing Gua Musang, Kuala Kerai, Bukit Tujuh, Bentong, Lipis, Merapoh...and we have to over take many lorries and movers in pitch black night and it was not something that I would do again...better use LPT..no more racing heart...

I will definitely come again to Terengganu with hubby but on different route..ingatlah orang yang tersayang..pandulah di jalan yang selamat..

Have a nice weekend everyone

Terengganu : Part 1

We left for Terengganu at almost 1pm on Lebuhraya Pantai Timur (LPT), it was my first time crossing that route to the East Coast, but I think this route is safer than the other one..


Welcome to Terengganu Kite

I noticed many drivers here in Terengganu who dare driving topless..the male la..not female..and they just act cool..like driving dalam kampung.. :-P



Sunset at Gebeng..it was a spectacular view with plants all around with exposed steel structure

We stopped for some light meal..and they charged us for almost RM50 just for some simple satah and otak-otak plus drinks..maybe the two CRV made an impression..:-P

Satah: made of fish..I don't really like the taste..


Otak-otak..different form Johor's otak-otak, this is made of chunky fish mixed with coconut and tumeric..My fav is Otak-otak Gelang Patah

Almost forty minutes at this stall and we ended up smells like walking satay with bau asap all over our body..

We reached Primula Beach Hotel at 8pm and can't spend much time to pampered ourselves coz the Big Boss already at the lobby waiting for us with his wife.

Primula's lobby ..a sculpture with turtles crawling on a spiral steel..a significant element of Terengganu..this piece reminds me of Raja Shahriman's sculpture..a well known local sculptor

We had nasi minyak and gulai kawah at a restaurant not far from the hotel but I could only give one star for the food and the service, the waitress don't even come to our table to take our order, she just sat at nearby table and we have to almost screamed at her to placed order..and again we walked out from that restaurant with the smell of smoke..nasib baik tak sempat mandi..

Night life in Kuala Terengganu is similar to Kota Bahru..nothing much, but they are having Fun Fair adjacent to Masjid Kristal.

It was sleepless in Terengganu..i miss my kids so much and thinking of Hadif make it worst, and Sufiya kept asking 'mana mama..?'...

------Second Day:-------

Technical Visit:

Many factors need to be considered at design stage, not only aesthetic and cost but also geological and human factor.



They simply said this is due to force majoure but there are many ways to overcome this problem..won't comment too much on this anyway..

Airport Terengganu; Part of airport's ceiling which were affected by the strong wind...

We were briefed on the construction of this stadium that made headlines months ago..

Mega structure with mega failure.. structure failure..? lack supervision..? a waste of money


The remnants of the stadium..looks like a sculpture or Daniel Libeskind's piece of work- 'Deconstruction'

--------Kedai Batik---------

Remember that I promised myself not buy any batik..??hahah..rezeki depan mata..iman yang lemah..RM dalam poket..apalagi..I bought few pieces of kain batik for family, kaftan (which I don't like wearing it before) and baju batik for hubby and me..just closed one eye..
Backyard factory..staircase leading to the shop..its hard to find this shop, it is located not far from Restoran Penyu (which we had lunch and still feel hungry due to small portion)..had to drive thru small lane dekat-dekat celah rumah orang to reach this place..


--------Taman Tamadun Islam, Terengganu---------

Taman Tamadun Islam, located next to the river and near to State Museum. The entrance fee is RM10 and it comes with RM3 meal voucher and a passport with TTI's info.



Masjid Kristal at Taman Tamadun Islam

We rode a buggy and the fee is only RM55 for seven passenger, a tour guide will explained about all monuments and we were allowed to stop by to take photos and for some significant monuments like Taj Mahal and Baitul Muqqadis, there are AV presentation and mini gallery.

The park closed at 7pm and we rushed back to the hotel and had to skip our plan to had ikan celup tepung by the beach..next time, otherwise Big Boss merajuk.


--------Third Day------

Panggilan Pulau - escapade : Perhentian Island


Jetty at Besut..to be continued