Holiday 02: Langkawi

Mahsuri cursed.."padang jarak padang tekukur.."that was then...and now after 7th generation this Legendary Island has become tourist spot for many reasons..the sand, the beach,the natural beauty of hill side, the myth and legend...but this is not a good spot for those who thought that they could come here for a laid back kinda holiday, a hideout or a place to seek solace...for instance Cenang Beach is no longer what it used to be..no more vista to the beach except these new stores and restaurant that grows like mushroom..everywhere, just like in Batu Ferrenghi..and taking a stroll along that only road is no longer enjoyable..too many cars by the roadside..no more fresh breeze from the ocean..blocked by this new development just in the name of attracting the so-called tourist...there is no control at all.

This is the fact, in Malaysia we developed and revitalised certain historical area or interesting places just for the sake of having more tourist until we forget the meaning and essence of the place itself..do we think that tourist wants to see all those fake frontage of old shophouses, big malls, gigantic replicas of historic artifact...? If you pass by Jalan Laksamana in Malacca Town you'll notice that there are painted in RED..and the Stadhuys is also red, so does few other building nearby the hill....if we are talking about history, we should go back deeper, its not only about the colour...the shophouse originally painted not in red!!!...so why waste so much money on having a theme...this ain't a Theme Park...and what about those fake replica of Windmill..lame..

So, we go back to the island up north....I used to wait for school holiday just to spent few days by the beach, kutip biji getah..kutip siput where Taman Legenda is now...there used to be white sandy beach with sampan stranded nearby...and the water is clean...you could count how many bus and cab and big building...walking around was an interesting experience..and at night you don't see to much neon light and bright lights from condo's and apartment...that makes a perfect night to listen to any ghost story or myth of the island...and Telaga Air Hangat back then was surrounded by bushes and there were no high bricks or any building,...just the well, the trees and you...and if you are there after 6pm..that's the most perfect time to experience the real myth and legend....its not you gonna see glimpses of ghost or anything like that...but the feeling is different...same goes to the Famous Tomb..too many building and stalls selling minyak gamat, air gamat, souvenirs..etc etc.....

We used to have this natural beauty and it is best enjoyed at it's own state rather than redeveloping and enhancing until we lost the meaning of the place...

p/s this entry doesnt look like a holiday post right..? just expressing how sad it is now..

Panggilan Pulau

..will be away....by the beach..legendary island..

..will be back..and left my footsteps on white sandy beaches...

the last time i was there was in 2002..working at an office that is overlooking an island..back then it was free and easy kinda life...but tonite it's gonna be the 3 of us..err..actually four..

Passion

I thought that passion fruits are sweet...i just discovered that they are actually BITTER SWEET..

Van Der Wijck

Looking for a good book nowadays is so hard...i normally didn't planned of what book to buy..just browsed the book rack, sometimes i do remember the book cover but can't recall the title..



I was at MPH for almost 40 minutes yesterday..from one section to another..nothing intrigued my mind..there were copies of Tunku Halim's Juriah's Song...the summary sounds good..but i don't have the gut to experience any horror story at this moment...i had few horrible experience last few days just before we left for Cameron Highland and the day we came back....maybe it was just in my mind..so no horror movie or books..



Book stores now are sofisticated..with cutting edge design, with glass panel, sleek and shiny book rack...but no matter how modern it is, i still loves to walk between a timber book rack which are higher than we have now..dim and narrow...i love the sight of old books especially with hard cover...i wonder where we could still find those kind of store..



I ended up with Hamka's Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck...only one copy left, so better grab it now..its hard to find good Malay literature now...

Holiday 01: Cameron Highland

It was wet and winding road with sharp corners, but it was all worth it..nothing could replace the beauty of nature, the smell of fresh grass and trees, the forest voice..(the birds singing, the leaves fall..)

The green tea valley looks surreal when suddenly the mist came, hot Masala Tea could not beat the cold of Cameron Highland after the rain pour down its heavy load. The river flows smoothly and completed this picturesque evening view of the valley. It must have been colder when the first time they discovered this highland..according to a veteran whom we met at Kea Farm, the last 12 years, you need to wear a jacket or sweater at 12noon..compared to now, I just wore a simple blouse...:-)

"On the valley low, on a mountain high...the world is our home..", hope they don't over spoilt this beauty with new development just to attract tourist..this fragile green lung need to be preserved.

Who can resist this 'smelly' but tasty green thing,..these three kids were tough when it come to business..no discount..no bargain at all..their childhood life are different, no PS2..no board game..just nature as their playground

Simple life..cool and fresh air, no worry (yet)..,look at this simple temporary shelter, there is beauty in it..

Natural source for daily income..wild plant from the wild jungle...

'home sweet home'..house made of bamboo..simple and practical for these free and easy people, no need to worry about the layout, the artistic value or colours and what not,..

...but I simply love the other house with nipah leaves..

they remind me of corals..but our corals are dying..I've seen dead corals in Perhentian and it was a scary view...looks like a tones of scattered bones..

lovely coral cactus..this is what i call 'em

dried gourd hanging on a trellis..like an antic giant bell

Best treat on cool afternoon surrounded by strawberies

Little girl in white and lilac with purple flower as a backdrop..

Maal Hijrah

Salam Maal Hijrah ,..semoga tahun baru ini memberikan kita lebih keberkatan



We are leaving for Cameron Highland tomorrow with hubby's friend....the last time I went to Cameron Highland was in 2000, helping my friend with her thesis..the first time was with a big group of young and aspiring budding architect (?)...making puppet, sketch presentation..jungle trekking...



Tomorrow will be different..I'm looking forward for this vacation

Hope we have a safe journey..

01.01.2 0 0 8

First day of 2008..and first step for Sufiya at Putrajaya Lake Club....

Happy New Year to all friends out there...

Welcome and Good Bye

Just like a green leaves..when the time come..it will turn brown..

Its 8 and a half hour left before we leave the year 2007..and Welcome 2008

Its been a year full of event, laughter and tears..lets see what we have achieved..the biggest would be having Sufiya, Mak pi Umrah,..got a new job which is very very near to my house and I could see the building from my balcony...and...CARRYING THIS 14 WEEKS PLUS BABY INSIDE ME....Alhamdulillah..

I won't flash back any bitter memories here..it should be left behind, or hide it under the closet...life's like that..No new resolution..just continue past year's..and try to be better, when we were young New year will be much awaited, with countdown and celebration, but as we get older and wiser..it doesn't matter anymore, what matters most is how we gonna cruise along effectively..

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R....!!!

Salam Aidiladha

Salam Aidiladha..semoga semuanya diberkati..

Tomorrow will be a very special day for all Muslim plus a double celebration for us..its been 4 years now..

To my dear husband...Happy Annivesary, love you so much...

Made in China

Just came back from a product brief, it was suppposed to be a product proposal, but seems they failed to produce any certification from relevant authority..we gave them a red flag..KIV...come back later when you have enough support document..!

Most of the product in the market now are design and made in China, and most of them are not up to the standard and requirement...yess..they are cheap, they have glossy catalogue, some even have various design...but when it comes to quality, we would doubt it..

China is booming, many giant companies are looking forward to invest there, due to labour quantity and cost, which is cheaper..but sadly to say, it comes with low quality...maybe they are some that is acceptable...I'm not being bias here, but based on experience,...I've encountered many problem..one time it was the floor tiles..the colour fade just after one time cleaning using a machine, and sanitary fittings that doesn't work after two years..
We as a consumer need to be more cautious when it comes to electrical appliances..don't need to go for the cheap one just to save the buck, some of this product are really new in the market (local) and has not been tested and endorsed by relevant board in Malaysia, and we don't even know whether they have done a thorough research on that product or not..maybe they did, but for how long..?

So, be wise and selective..even on local product, read the label..get the information........but in this case if the other party go the 'higher level' to get a support to used this product...I can't do anything..but if anything wrong after two years warranty, we'll be blame....and it's duit rakyat...this is Malaysia afterall....its Bolehland..anything Boleh..I don't know...

Rumours

Everybody were talking about it yesterday...about the revision of Hari raya date...but nobody said that they actually heard it on tv announced by the Penyimpan Mohor Besar.....or whoever have the right to say so....some like it...and don't even mind at all....but for me if they change it just because to follow Arab Saudi decision...that will be a trouble....there are only two days left for me to enjoy my annual leave since I joined here in June, so I got 15 days instead of 30 days...

Been channel switching last night..kot kot ada latest news or announcement.....

And the end..tarak...

So we'll be leaving on the 19th, as planned earlier..I'm looking forward to have asam pedas and ulam raja during this coming holiday...can't wait..

Holiday Update

It was a perfect bright and sunny Sunday morning to lie down at the white sandy beach...a good day to just not doing anything except enjoying the waves, feel the breeze while having home cook nasi lemak...and followed with rojak...

the sand were too hard for her tender feet...

not a rescue mission..but a water confident session

That was a much needed break since...maybe last year..nothing is more rewarding than touching the water and left your footprint before it wash away by the waves........definitely there'll be next time...when Sufiya is brave enough to enjoy it..

..."Look for the sign..."

They said .."look for the sign..", but sometimes we tend to ignore that clear evidence or didn't expect it to be that way...the sign were just the same...maybe when we are too busy with other things in life, the most visible thing in front of our eyes will look differently....

As expected, the burden is totally different plus existing one to cope up with...and that is the main reason why I choosed to hibernate for a while but still hopping to certain blog..

ALLAH MAHA PEMURAH....

..........

there are many things to share here, but i'm sooo lazy to update even bloghopping...

many big event coming and that'll be announced in few months time..

so here's Sufiya with her big smile

Her first day

The space are wider and brighter with cartoon characters everywhere..and she have so many friends to play with..today is her first day at the nursery, I was so nervous this morning..but Alhamdulillah she didn't cry ...

Hope she'll get along and mixed well with the other kids..and I pray for her safety..

Suka Duka Aidilfitri

Alhamdulillah..we were given a chance to meet again after Ramadhan..Aidilfitri is a month of celebration..but sometimes it does come in a package with unexpected twist..

An aunty was diagnosed having the big 'C'..she looks skinny and not cheerful anymore compared to last few months that we met..but she always remember us..how nice of her.

My sister who suffer the big 'T'..at last was discharged from the newly built hospital in Hutan Kampung looks just 'okay' for her condition..but the traces of yellowish still visible in her eyes..I just wish that she'll be fine..better than she is now.

A cousin, who's waiting for a kidney donor..doesn't look fit as he used to be..feel sorry for him, the day we met him (the second day Aidilfitri)..he looks worried because he could feel that he's blood pressure was too low and the 'thing' in his hand does not working..he was rushed to the hospital that nite and found out that it is actually slowly working..I can't look straight at his eyes..there is this feeling..that you can't describe...
And yess..Simah, he still remember you the moment he heard your name..

A distance family was found dead in Kedah River..maybe some of you noticed this news from a newspaper..Semoga arwah dicucuri rahmat
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On the other side:

A new addition to the family was safely delivered last week in Penang...and I heard more are coming next year..

A cousin are getting married just few months from now and that 'll be in Langkawi...what a good reason to fly there and spend time by the beach...

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EID MUBARAK

We'll be leaving for Alor Setar this Thursday.. but the first day as usual will be celebrated in Penang :-)

Alhamdulillah, this year will be more cheerful with Sufiya around..she's eight months now and has started crawling and standing up by holding anything aorund her..and I bet she is very brave and determine..

Both of us has prepared baju raya for her but unfortunately no baju kurung..jeans and kodroy..her Abah is so excited..pampering her little daughter with everything that he could afford.... :-)

Have safe journey everyone... for those who are abroad and missing kampung ambience during this raya..sabar banyak2... Salam Eid Mubarak from US...Sue, Sufiya and Haffis

Giving back.......

“Dan janganlah kamu makan harta anak yatim lebih dari batas berpatutan dan janganlah kamu tergesa-gesa membelanjakannya sebelum mereka dewasa. Barangsiapa (di antara penjaga) itu mampu, maka hendaklah dia menahan diri (dari makan memakan harta anak yatim itu dan barangsiapa (penjaga) yg miskin, bolehlah dia memakan harta itu menurut kadar yg patut…) AQT 4 (an-Nisaa’ : 06

Alhamdulillah..with help and generosity from all staff, we have managed to collect RM860.00 in 3 days for Rumah Anak Yatim Darul Izzah, Bandar Baru Bangi. RM 200 goes to Duit Raya, RM5 each for 40 child...and the rest were spent on groceries.

This is just a small sum that we could contribute compared to other giant company who could sponsor them lavish 'Buka Puasa' and duit raya.

-the youngest...he love to sleep on this chair-

There are 39 children living here from all over penisular and the youngest is a seven years old from Taiping..the most 'manja' kid..(he refused to join the crowd for group photo...instead asked the ustaz to cut his finger nail.. :-).. he's the youngest of a big family (of 11 sibling)...it's so sad looking at their condition, dusty floor tiles, crack and stain on the wall, chipped tiles and leaking on computer room's ceiling...but the most important and essential thing is of coz love and attention..it's good to hear that they are going back to their family this Eid...for one week..

-study room-

The whole idea of doing this came after reading PiBani's blog where she have list of orphanage. A cute little face of a maybe 7 years old grab my attention, so after talking to few friends, they agreed to chip in and at last today at 1.40pm all those stuff were sent to their kitchen.
It is a two and a half storey block consist of surau, kitchen, dining hall, activity area, computer room, 5 bedroom (10 child in one room), study room and one small office. The place are now lack of maintenance especially the computer room, activity area and there is no proper dry yard

-dry yard-

So anybody out there, if you have enough time...Darul Izzah are open to welcome you..not necessarily cash, but maybe in other way that suits you..maybe spend time with them doing homework, talking to them for moral support, help clean the place...actually there are so many things that could be improved here.....Insyaallah...there'll be another trip here...

There is no wealth but life.
-John Ruskin-


p/s thank you to all JKR WPPutrajaya and JKKP staff for your generosity

Rumah Anak Yatim Darul Izzah
Lot 2191-2A, Pekan Makmur,
43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, S'gor
Tel: 03-89257263

Every Morning

...........

I couldn't ask God for more

Man, this is what love is I know I've gotta let her go,

but I'll always remember

Every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses

.....................

Tim McGraw -Butterfly Kisses

This is the best to describe each morning feeling..it is hard saying goodbye to her especially when she understand that she'll be away from us...She will cry and grab the babysitter's grill and look at her abah..or she will wrap her hand tight around his neck...anak manja abah ni.............. :-)

AL-FATIHAH

Al-Fatihah to adik Nurin Jazlin Jazimin.....we love you