Archive of time

A MEMORABLE TRIP TO MIN HOUSE CAMP, KUBANG KRIAN

2020-08-13T17:20:00.001+08:00

Another blank diary

2017-12-31T18:47:00.003+08:00

Wishing everybody a glorious and successful new year!

The Marathon Man

2016-12-31T23:39:00.000+08:00

The year 2015 was a hectic and yet a wonderful one. I had many interesting things happened in my life. Most were very fulfilling ones. There were only one or two insignificant occasions or events as far as I could remember that scarred my memory. For example in my office I had to move to another room because the ceiling of the room came down and almost buried me alive. Another one was when I missed to give my first lecture of the semester because I got the wrong timetable (actually it was the previous semester's timetable that I glued on the my door). Those events are not worthy a jotting down in my diary but it will haunt me for another millennia.

Earlier this year I told myself to downshift a gear or two and pace myself slowly. I am moving too fast. It is good when I move fast but while doing so I failed to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. I tend to focus more on the road, on the signposts or on many distracting signboards and missed to see what the journey is all about. I failed to savour the moments. So far the fast-paced journey has no sign to stop. It is the momentum that keep me going.

As the curtain of 2016 is closing down, perhaps I need to reiterate and tell myself again and again. It is time to pass the baton and enjoy the beautiful sceneries. Perhaps once again I should shower myself in a cream of chocolate.

photo credit En. Mokhtar Ishak.

Urami bushi

2015-12-15T09:44:00.002+08:00

I just like this quote and I want to immortalize the quote in my benign blog. It might be useful one day, when my hand becomes itchy again to click on this blog and dig the wisdom within.

"Life is like a camera...

Focus on what's important,

Capture the good times,

Develop from the negatives,

and if things don't work out,

Take another shot."

..wakatta..

The closing haiku

2014-12-31T19:52:00.002+08:00

Langit membuka pintu
Air mata menderu
Cik Siti Wan Kembang menangis lesu

The third Haiku

2013-05-14T22:28:00.001+08:00

This year, unlike the previous years I traveled the long and winding road down South from my blissful Benua to visit Tikus mondok of which I left behind in the city. It was no the main intention though. It was about the choice. The Tikus has not changed much so was the city. But the voice in the shadow is becoming loud and clear. That was the day my fingernail tainted blue. That was also the day when the sky closed its heavenly door and never pour the shower onto my Benua. So I wrote this Haiku...

Inai biru
sejuta harapan
kemarau semakin panjang

This is not a foretelling from a human with the least of sanity.
It is a prophecy.

Under the shadow, came the bug from my past

2013-03-20T13:18:00.003+08:00

If you think this weird bug (from the photo above) comes all the way from the Black Hole to invade and take over our planet, you are off the target by a zillion year. My uncanny imagination says, this bug possess potent aphrodisiac properties that can boost some power to young-at-heart wannabes. Not that this theory has been proven by any sane human or I recommend you to test this object of desire in the comfort of your bedroom, but in the time of uncertainty like now everything is possible.

Let me first introduce you to Cik Ru or Cik Mek (Ganu speak) or antlion (mat salleh speak). The physical form of this bug and the name Cik Ru don't strike any resemblance to anything that will ignite puberty hormone furiously or raised eyebrows of any kids on the street. The name Cik Mek however doesn't do it justice to all the Cik Mek molek out there. Perhaps Mek Poghong is more appropriately named and given to this bug. But Mek Poghong after some 'tarbiah' and proper guidance by Iman muda for example, can be transformed into a Cik Mek Molek or even Cik Mek Berjuruh (a super courteous and well-mannered lady).

That bug was actually very special as it brought back many fond memories during my childhood time. The fact that It had wasted a lot of my childhood time sharpening my 'fishing' skill under the shadow of my late grandfather's old house has never erased this bug from my memory. Fishing Cik Ru out from their sand pit which is also a trap was insanely a popular childhood pastime activity during my younger days. To see Cik Ru in person, one has to 'fish' them out from the sand pit by tickling the sand pit by our own hair or a grass or anything that can tickle (by doing this, the antlions thought the prey has fallen into their pit). When they emerge from the pit, we scooped them out and tied them with our hair and again using this captured antlion we lured another antlion from their sandy dungeon. This process will go on and on until we were tired playing or tired of each other companion or our mother called us for our usual ikang singgang sambal belancan lunch break. This fishing activity could last through out the whole day.

What is more interesting, Cik Ru is actually a larvae, part of the life cycle to another interesting insect known as lacewing. Not until last week, after 40 over years I thought this alien creature was some kind of sand bug that dug a sand pit, eat ant and then it completed its life cycle by getting old or having some terminal illnesses like falling in love with Najwa Latif. It was my youngest son who pointed out a story from a book I bought him a few years back that featured kids playing with antlions that made me realized the life cycle of an antlion. We can surely learn a lot from small kids and we should always do.

Antlions look ferocious and grotesque with its fusiform body and large mandibels. They however pose no threat to human or drag you into their sand pit unless some kind of mutation takes place and transform them 100 times larger than their normal size. I always dream to ride this bug to my office and occasionally scare off uncivilized mat rempit. Nowadays, it is very hard to find antlion as kampung houses are now made of concrete and modern houses don't spare any space for antlion to lepak or settle down with their sand pit bungalows.

This week I am off to Kota Bharu, I hope Cik Mek Molek of Kelate are still around to greet me and bring back the nostalgic feeling spending time under the dark shadow of the old house.

Exclusive and elusive sand pit bungalows of antlions. Surprisingly enough, I found it near the back stairs of my new office. I think they choose this strategic spot for a special reason too i.e reporting office staffs who smoke during office hour to the head of the department (the whole campus is now a smoke-free zone).

A quickie and wet escapade into Hat Yai

2013-03-03T09:17:00.003+08:00

Hat Yai is not one of the best cities on the earth but deceptively a wonderful city to visit occasionally and periodically when my feet are itchy for some not-so-faraway foreign adventures. I'd only been here twice and only for a few days at a time, but this place is always happy to welcome me back and offers me some new experience each time I lay my feet onto this region. It is fairly an inexpensive place to visit and with an exchange rate of approximately 10 Thai Bath to 1 MYR you can practically forget Maggie mee or Brahim chicken masalla forever and can safely exclude them in you travel baggage. If you consider walking is not the best transportation mode in Hat Yai, Tuk-tuk is the best option to get around comfortably and affordably. With only a few Thai Bath, it will get you to almost anywhere around Hat Yai, to places where you can find delectable foods and major tourist attractions. The best thing with tuk-tuk is that you won't get lost and that is very assuring enough.

The trip started when we traveled up North for another interesting fact-finding mission. A trip to Kedah and Perlis, the Northern part of Malaysia had never ceased to persuade my adventurous spirit to hop across the border for an ad-hoc adventure into the foreign land. This time I submitted myself to an urge of visiting the Klong Hae floating market in hoping to catch a glimpse of Thailand's unique and vibrant marketplace and to capture those brilliant sight through the lens of my camera.

With that one and only special mission, my entourage obediently followed me into this Sawadee-kap territory for a three days two nights floating market photo-safari short trip. For some of my entourage members, that was their virgin visit to Thailand and they expect the new place will be kind to them and the people will be gentle as well. Both assumptions (the place and the people) were spot on except the weather was not on their best mood. The first night after we checked-in into our hotel, the sky opened up and generously poured down the rain heavily - nonstop. Few hours later we received a warning note under our hotel's door that flood was inevitable and any guest that parked their car at the underground car park had to move their vehicle to a higher ground. Looking trough my hotel's window and how heavy the rain poured down that night I had to believe that the warning was not a joke or some kind of hotel new-year's prank. Not to be defeated by the weather, we managed that night to scout the surrounding area and enjoyed some tasty street food for our dinner.

The next morning we received another bad news that Klong Hae river was over-flooded and there won't be any floating market in that wet and potentially dangerous condition. So, half-heartedly we packed our bag, panickly check-out from the hotel and jumped into the waiting van that was supposed to chauffeur us to the Klong Hae river but then to head back down-South into the Motherland. Before we ended our trip and since we had some un-spent Thai Bath in our pocket which was also another good reason to justify our craving for foreign souvenirs, we waded the heavy rain and stormed into some street stalls to empty our wallet.

I didn't manage to buy anything except a pair of branded-but imitation boxers for my friends and some colourful fridge magnets to mark my visit to this place. The journey back was smooth as we traveled during the weekdays (try to avoid the weekend as immigration can be jam-packed with tourist - particularly Malaysian tourists who are looking for some wet experience)

General consensus throughout Malaysia says that Hat Yai is one of the food capitals in the Southern Thailand. I have to agree with that but Hat Yai , with very unpredictable weather and other surprises, is also the flood capital in the region. It is good and I like it.

Travelling into this exciting and unpredicted territory, you were not supposed to be alone. My jubilant entourage checked-in into a love hotel...I meant a lovely hotel. A barricade of sand-bags was not included in the hotel brochure but somehow they gave some sense of adventure and thrill. An awesome view from the rooftop pool was an added advantage. This hotel situated at a junction of Thanon Prachathipat and Thanon Saneha Nusom and very close to everything.

Hotels and lepak spots are quite plentiful in Hat Yai. A view from Centara Hotel lobby barricaded with sand bags ready for the flash flood. Barely missed by merely three weeks, the pre-explosion Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel stood beside McD was still intact.

Great street food, plentiful of street vendors and colorful cheap stuffs were potent enough in their dosage to drain our pocket if we don't watch our budget carefully. Hamid restaurant, a popular halal hangout is just a walking distant from this spot, on the far right cornet of this street. At night, this spot was transformed into another side alley food paradise with prawn the size of our big ego and traditional mango on sticky rice to satisfy our unequal appetite.

The indoor section of Kim Yong market didn't look very appealing at all with load of birds' dropping and other unthinkable residues by any human standard on this indoor rooftop. However below this row of plywood, there were labyrinth of shops that will make shopaholics salivating and never to think twice when emptying their wallet.

Hat Yai had been and always be a shopping paradise for her Southerner neighbor. When a Thai lady says "Mari lah abeeeee...Muroh ja abeeeee..." you'd better watch your wallet or anything that close to your pocket with some serious precaution.

A mobile food hawker for a quick afternoon snack is a normal sight in the street of Hat Yai. I supposed this mode of business was very convenience indeed as you can just grab the food virtually anywhere even right from a moving tuk-tuk.

Restoran Kelantan, off the Thumnoonvitithi and Thanon Sangchan didn't look any much difference from any food stalls in Rantau Panjang. We strolled to this restaurant for a famous, fantastic nasi kerabou Hat Yai-style. A local delicacies of unknown and unconfirmed origin exploded with wonderful color and taste.

My entourage, fresh and motivated to continue the journey up North. A plate of nasi kerabu managed to boost some spirit. That was before the heavy downfall and the bad news which prematurely ended our wet dream.

A transit station near Bkt Kayu Hitam, a rendezvous place to plan for an exciting trip across the border. We parked our cars, rented a transport, hired a travel guide, got some Thai Bath and booked hotel at the same counter and not to forget to empty our stomach here. A one stop center before starting an exciting journey.

It is good to have friends particularly when you travel to a distance place and your Thai Bath, for example is dangerously running low from over-spending on cheap stuffs along the street of Hat Yai. They smiled because the heavy rain and unexpected flood had saved them load of Bath from impulse buying and one-of a lifetime shopping spree.

An hour journey back to the border of our Motherland and 62 km away from Hat Yai, we reached the gateway of Thailand/Malaysia. We promised to go through this gate one more time for another floating mission in Hat Yai. After all the set-backs I am hoping my entourage is still up for another uncompromising adventure in the land of Sawadee-kap.

Vote for me and I would make Blogosphere a cool place to stay

2013-02-14T15:07:00.001+08:00

Dearest Blogger friends,

This is the first time I write a serious cyber letter to you that meant to be read seriously. Somebody, a ghost writer who is hiding his/her true persona nominated my humble blog into a local Blog competition dedicated to tourism (MITBCA). I got to know my blog was nominated when a letter from the organizer reached my mailbox to confirm the participation. This event recognizes and awards Blog/Blogger who has in one way or another contributed to our local tourism industry. This is the second time this event being hosted. The last day for voting is 22 February 2013.

Thus, I am making a personal pledge to all ardent Bloggers, Netizens, and phantom voters to voluntarily cast their vote for my blog. I promise, if this blog win we could celebrate, perhaps way ahead of PRU13. As an added bonus, you will guarantee to get the opportunity to read more spicy and juicy stories extracted from the tiny box of my brain.

So, here is a step-by-step instruction on how to cast your vote:

1. Go to www.mitbca.com website
2. Login with you Facebook account
3. Look for "Tourism Lifestyle Blog" category
4. Look for Archiveoftime.blogspot.com
5. Click "vote" button and Voila! You are one cool guy/gal...

For your good deed, I thank you very much. May God bless you all!

Yours truly,

DrSam

Turtle Alley and Kampung Cina are painted red

2013-02-12T14:59:00.002+08:00

I have no special relationship or interesting childhood memory that can be related to the Chinatown of Ganukite or Kampung Cina as known by the locals. There are not many stories regarding the place that I can tell or pass down to my future cucu cicit muit. But I 've always had keen interest in this place. There is some sense of rustic feeling or classical Oriental ambiance attached to this place. Unlike the other old and historical buildings in this vicinity, Chinatown of Ganukite seems to have strong immunity, standing tall and manage to evade greedy development that is fast ravaging the small towns of Ganukite. The oil-money that flooded Ganukite doesn't seem to pour down onto this place. Or perhaps the money only linger and circulated among the pockets of some 'boyeh' tokeys and taikor who reside in the small idyllic shophouses or big bungalows somewhere, hidden from the prying eyes the uninitiated tourists, I have no idea. But thanks to UNESCO for making this place another heritage site and saved this place from extinction from the World map.

There is something this place has that always draw my attention. Everytime I pass by the small one-way road commuting toward the other side of Ganukite town, something hit my memory domain. The bridge in the middle of the Chinatown at least has some picturesque memory of me . It was during the New Chinese Lunar Year of some 40 over years ago, I stood on the bridge with my father watching the procession of beautiful 'tanglung' and tantalizing dragon play. The parade was beautiful and the lanterns were made of multitude shapes and patterns. There were also dragons and other mystical things on parade but I couldn't remember much as my memory was still in its embryonic stage at that time. The colorful display ended close to midnight. Accompanying us was Uncle Wat, my father's close friend, whom like to go hunting ayam hutan in the jungle of Jerangau, Jabor and Bkt. Besi. Uncle Wat must be in his early 70's now. It was Uncle Wat who had also introduced me to the sweet sticky cake of Kuih bakul, a traditional Chinese delicacy. I haven't met Uncle Wat for ages. That was the last time I stood on the bridge and watched the parade.

Kampung Cina nowadays, doesn't change much since the last time I visited the place. It retains most of its old charm. At least there is still no Starbuck or Coffee Bean around. I can't testify much on the taste of the food but the traditional and modern eating establishments seem to be crowded by customers. As this place is very close and just a walking distance from the new water front, Pasar Kedai Payang and Hotel Seri Malaysia, it is a good spot to visit whenever you are in Ganukite or your feet feel itchy for some good leisurely evening stroll.

One of the old shophouse along the road of Kampung Cina in Ganukite town. With such authentic decor and old ornate buildings line up the street, this place is declared a world heritage site by the UNESCO.

The arch with two dragons, is a prominent landmark at the Southern end of Kampung Cina. Walking along the street, you can feel the atmosphere and the pungent smell of the spices that fill the air.

This particular spot, a mid section along the road of Kampung Cina has some international appeal especially for the film maker. A scene for a period drama could make this place another silver screen hit spot.

This window panes with decorative panels are a feast to my eyes. The building survives, so as the tradition.

Another well preserved architecture on some of the old building along the street of Kampung Cina. I was told the unique motif of this building articulates the houseowner's hope for longevity, good luck, abundance and offspring.

Another interesting feature that caught my eyes. The subtle background color of the building and the brightly red lantern made good contrast.

Beautiful Chinese lantern (tanglung) on display by the members of the Chinese community on their shophouses.

Another tanglung that exhibit interesting details.

I don't know what the letters on the tanglung meant, but they surely looks very catchy.

Lanterns 'fruiting' from bamboo trees.

The residents of this China town competed trying very hard to outdo one another with creative display of tanglung. The winner came out with a cheque of few thousand ringgit.

During my recent visit to the China town with my significant half, I found many interesting things about Kampung China. There are new exciting 'upgrades' to the place that will surely catch tourists' eyes. One of them is this special spot dedicated to turtle conservation. I love "piung", is a beautiful mosaic build by volunteers and turtle lovers.

This alley is special because it is very unique and load of good information on turtle conservation. It is hope that this alley will bring awareness to the public on the importance to save this beautiful creature. Kids and adult alike would enjoy strolling along this lane, while at the same time find it very educational.

On of the mosaics in the Turtle alley. Actually this particular mosaic is the beginning of a story line, a journey of a little Maya and an adventure with the special creature - the turtle.

This stretch of narrow alley, approximately 50 meter long is the Turtle alley. My significant half stopped and got mesmerized by the mosaics and interesting stories told by little Maya.

I noticed this sweet sticky cake or kuih bakul being 'baked' under the sun at the back of Kampung Cina. This cakes were similar to what Uncle Wat used to give to my family everytime the Chinese celebrates their Chinese New Year.

New Kids On the Beach

2013-02-05T14:01:00.002+08:00

Trengganu, as laid back as it should be is seriously not for IT geeks who like to spend hours in wifi-free kopitiams, Gangnam style K-pop fans, youngsters and young-at-heart looking for a night out, 40-something from the Acute Gout club or even peminat Che Kiah pekasam. The place is so cool and the people is so blessed with laid back attitude to the effect that until today, 83 days from the day I applied for a new telephone line into my new house, my whole family and I are still talking to the wall without any land line. But Trengganu is where I put my heart now. It is a place for people who love tranquility, jam-free journey, unpolluted air, amusing people with the most powerful G-force in the planet, fresh sea produces and not to mention a long stretch of unmolested golden sandy beaches.

This blissful place full of expressive form of life and nature has never failed to inspire me and almost seductively transform me from being a scientist into a self-professed poet. The long infatuation with these zen-like life has from time to time drowned me into a nostalgic mode. My right brain tickles. Even an innocent looking female goat sunbathing in the middle of Jalan Gong Pak Jin aroused my creative mind.

My four super-heroes however are adapting to their new life. They are city boys. Three were borne in the City of Kay El and one in the City of Durham, a far away land where people eat Fish and Chips. But surprisingly, despite their endless fixation to PS3 and other techno-gadgets, they share my intimate passion and similar perversion to the sand and the wave from the South China Sea. They are adapting well. The sea becomes a medium to bond the family together. I like it to stay that way.

Somewhere in my sub-conscious mind I always feel at home whenever i put my feet on the beach. I am not new to this domain. It is very familiar to me. I am not a new kid on the beach. Ganukite is very synonymous with me. It will always be. But to my young super-heroes this place is an uncharted place offering them some new adventures. I however, have no worry as looking at their enthusiasm and their youthful spirit, I think they are ready to take the challenge.

And my significant half. She doesn't need to adjust herself or adapt to anything. She is part of me.

Trengganu without beaches is not Trengganu after all. It will be tasteless. Beaches almost without fail are always associated with fun and sunshine. But fun on the beach is as joyful only with calculated risk. With Monsoon season is hovering and lingering on the horizon, still in its stagnant mode, do not estimate the power of the sea. Few fatalities were reported in the past along beaches like this because some didn't realize the hidden danger that lie under the gentle and alluring wave that beats the shore. (Pantai Pak Tuyu)

Friday morning we are on the beach, Saturday morning we are back on the beach, in fact family escapade will continue throughout the evening and some weekdays as well. In short, I can conclude that my four superheroes are also mesmerized and got sedated by Ganukite wonderful beaches....just like their daddy. (Pantai Tok Jembal)

The four superheroes were warming up for some beach actions and get ready to submerge themselves with whatever they thought fit into their fancies. (Pantai Pengkalan Maras)

Walking on the beach is like walking on an open field full of hidden treasures. You'll never know what you are going to find or stumble upon. You just have to pay more attention and with some sheer luck you will be rewarded with something totally unexpected.

Anything that my superheroes found on the beach, anything that is playable will be their love and joy even an ordinary ornate slipper full of living barnacles. This interesting slipper has some story to tell. Perhaps if we can talk their language, the barnacles will come up with some good epic story that fit into a Bollywood screen.

The slipper, perhaps drifting from one of the Vietnamese fishing boats just off shore now become the beach volley-slipper.

Oblivious to the big wave that hit the beach, my third and fourth progenies seemed to enjoy their newly found playground. The long stretch of Ganukite beaches are now becoming their private wonderland. Most of the time, all by themselves. (Pantai Mengabang Batu Rakit)

A family photo beside a sampan, under the shade of a coconut tree to mark the historic and memorable occasions, which number is uncountable. The new spot is Kuala Baru, a new lepak place for the whole family along Pantai Tok Jembal. This blissful spot has never registered in my 45-years-old's Ganukite map before which resided in my mind. Now it is a good time to update my mental Ganukite map with the latest version, minus the Nasi dagang of course.

The outing grand finale is always a family round-table meal with a mouthful array of a-la-carte menu consisting of nasi kerabu, nasi lemak and nasi dagang. This only makan place on the beachfront of Kuala Baru is commendable for its reasonable price, scenic location and free air conditioning complimentary of 10-20knots wind from the South China Sea. And not to mention countless gallons of minute salty sea spray which in 20 years will corrode anything that is metalic in nature. I hope my mind and my perversion to the beach won't get corroded by then.

Post Sonamu abstinence

2013-01-28T20:43:00.000+08:00

I am not going to say as much as I like to believe it, the fairy love affair with my childhood favorite Nasi dagang has finally come to an end. It was a gastronomic lust with catastrophic consequences. The blame this time is not on the tropical storm or the legendary Keropok Losong but on the main ingredient of nasi dagang itself i.e. the sublime ikan aye, or ikan tongkol as known by the non-endemic entity to this region, or tuna by the sandwich eating people in the West. Having a second thought, I should have blame my wife...I mean myself for being so ignorance and blinded by my perversion to this local delicatessen. It was a hard reality that hit me like a huge atomic bomb, garnished with zillion of Moruga Scorpions pepper. It seems this fleshy red meat fish has an optimum enough purine level (a protein that breaks down into uric acid in our body) to trigger gout in me. It was the most memorable experience of an untold agony as it was also the longest. It had been a while since my last intimate rendezvous with this "rich man's disease".

I would rather actually bath myself in a hot budu sauna rather than starving myself from nasi dagang. In Kay El (which is already in a menopause mode) I had no problem at all pacifying my appetite as good and decent nasi dagang is very elusive. In ganukite it is all a different story. With just a little effort and even still donning in a sarong I can just open my door and Nasi dagang is staring on my face right on my doorsteps. It is so abundance like indigenous mat rempits terrorizing the trunk road of Kampung Tok Beng and so irresistible like my wife's bantal busuk.

To make the story line more exaggerate, I've been craving for nasi dagang Ganukite since my hijrah 2 months ago. As fate would have it, the opportunity came for myself to indulge in this delicacy during a majlis doa selamat a day before Christmas holiday last year. A three days bash and countless sinful indulgence then the first sign of pain started to develop in my left toe. The rest was history... at least until last week. I've learned the lesson well and perhaps 40 over years is more than enough for me to put a stop and finally to strip this menu from my diet.

Now something has just hit my mind. I've just realized another culprit to my post-hijrah malady is the abundance of street fishmongers along the coastal road of Ganukite. The scenic coastal road of Mengabang Telipot, Pengkalan Maras, Mengabang Telong, Batu Rakit, Tok Jembal etc., are very close to where I am residing now. Those places are a heaven for fresh sea produces from the South China Sea. Because, life is so sedated and easy in this corner of the planet, every other chance I would make a point to drive slowly and stroll with my luvly jubly wife along these coastal roads. And because there are so many interesting pit stops of kedai nasi dagang, nasi kerabu, sata, otak-otak and not to mention stalls that sell fishes, it becomes an obligation to me to stop, have a peek and buy some ikan aye for our kitchen department. In Ganukite, ikan aye hitam is more sought after that ikan aye kurik. Because the name itself (hitam) it is believed to contain more purine than the kurik sister. Yes that is finally my scape goat - the beaches are so beautiful and so alluring so as I forgot my pantang.

As this is the inaugural entry of 2013 and the first since my hijrah to the Keropoklekor land, it is not too late I think to say a Happy New Year to whoever that stumble upon this blog. It is a good time also to bid farewell to my beloved Nasi dagang. Wishing all my friends a good life ahead, full of barokah...and watch your diet too!

The sight of this typical but authentic nasi dagang, nicely wrap in banana leaf can cause me to salivate for days. It is not love at first sigh, but this sporadic feeling if left unattended can lead to brain hernia and mental disillusion for years to come. Mengidam tak sudah.

Driving slowly along the coastal road, almost every Friday and Saturday morning for some fresh air is one blissful family activity. On that fateful day, I bought this ikan aye and suddenly my life had a purpose. This fish had no photogenic appeal to me at first, until some alien-looking creatures poking mysteriously from its mouth.

For the first time and probably never being recorded in any Ganukite Scientific community, I saw a Tuna regurgitated another fishes from its mouth. Probably the Tuna too felt very sick from constant promises by politicians close to General election. My mother told me the fishes that regurgitated by that auspicious ikan aye could be an answer to some common illnesses too. I just couldn't remember what those illnesses are. After some meticulous and delicate 2 minute surgery on the ikang aye by my significant half, the two mysterious creatures turned out to be a medium size anchovy and another small fish of which I could not make out her identity.

This nondescript meeting place for local fishmongers and other seafarers along the main scenic coastal road of Pengkalan Maras is buzzing with activities close to mid day. A place like this is a good place to get fresh produces from the South China Sea. A pakcik with a sarong really blend well with the setting and made the scene.

Sea produces in many forms and varieties make it very hard to choose from. I thought I'd known most of the fishes in Ganukite as they become my staple food for ages. In one of the visits, I 've been introduced to ikan haruan tasik - a fish that resembles ikan tenggiri in the flesh department (I think). When asked, the fishmonger told me that ikan is very popular for asam masak pedas.

Another fish that add into my vocabulary. Can you notice ikan air bag among the ikangs?

The trip to traditional fishmongers also excited and fascinated my youngest son. "Hebat mata dia..." his remark on the beautiful eyes made the fishmonger makcik smile. His impromptu and genuine remark had saved me some RM as well :)

Kuala Lumpur Menopause

2012-11-07T09:52:00.000+08:00

Sesungguhnya Kota itu nafasnya hanyir
muntahnya berkahak memualkan tekak
menjolok halkum sesak berbaur
neon-neon pun hidup memedih mata
lalu ain ini terpaksa ku lontarkan jauh
berpaling namun tidak ku dusta lagi

Kaki ini sudah penat
longlai kian membatu
berpasak goyah lumpur berhingus
kudrat sudah luntur
iradat masih utuh

namun suara itu berkata :
"...Hei anak Sg. Derhaka, bukankah kamu utusan itu...?"

Disinun
dibenua kecilku
Samarkand subur bukan mimpi lagi
Al-Shams bersinar
"Sungguh..." bisik benua itu

Di Sungai itu
aliran lesu tambah berliku
Aku tidak mahu hanyut lagi
Ku biar Kota itu tenggelam
Selamat tinggal tikus mondok
bayangku akan menjadi teman setiamu

Nukilan tercetus setelah 7 hari menghirup udara segar dibenua baru, di tepi pantai Tok Jembal

I'm coming home!

2012-10-24T10:45:00.002+08:00

The Monsoon rain welcome me with a thunderous applause, hammering on the roof of my parent's house when I set my foot for another timeless visit to the charming and mystical land of my rightful birthplace, the Keropoklekor land. It marked the end of dry a season and the beginning of a wet season. It also marked the start of another cycle to my endless life journey. Fate is gradually stretching its finger and touches my conscience - it is time to pack and go back. It is time to go home. I've finally decided to settle down and later spend my golden years in a secluded corner of the Keropoklekor land. I am going to open another chapter in my life. It is not a new chapter but a reincarnation of time that fortify the umbilical connection between yours truly and a place where my childhood memory lingers happily waiting to be romanticize again and again. This time I am leaving my ghost behind for good, chained and chastised onto the world that I'd never want to look back.

In my homeland, I saw many things are different now, but yet many things remain the same. The intimate feeling and the connection with the whole place and its people are as strong as ever. The fondness to having mankind favorite past time- a leisure siesta under a coconut tree watching the horizon has never changed. When I first felt in love with the salty breeze of the sea, it haunted me for life. This is my destiny, prescribed by the Almighty. In fact this coincides very well with my planned life milestone, except a year earlier. Most of my childhood friends who we used to play police sentry and ikan skila are nowhere to find, probably struggling and joining the rat-race army somewhere in the big city. I need to pick remnants of my previous life though to make a good compliment to spearhead and jump-start my new future.

As I am about to start my new journey, I can no longer ignore the inconvenient fact that I'm am also laving part of my colorful history behind. Many lessons had been learned. During my short alliance with that superficial life, many friends are made and friendship are forged. True friends are hard to find but upon finding one, they are a gem to be grasped upon. I hope that portion of my life journey has made me wiser and even stronger.

An old friend of mine used to utter this lines to me when I was looking for an answer during one of our soul searching escapades in Ayer Keroh, Melaka more than two decades ago :

Setinggi manapun sang helang terbang

pabila senja menjelang

hinggap dan kembali lah jua ia ke sarang

That wisdom speaks directly to my soul.

I am really looking forward to my new life. I hope the Monsoon, the whole critters of Keropoklekor land and the seafarers from the South China Sea will welcome me with their open heart. The world seems to stuck here in the Keropoklekor land for now. This is home. This is a place where I belong.

Timeless and beautiful vista like this is a trademark of Keropoklekor land. It will be forever engraved in my heart. This time it won't be a distant fatamorgana featured only in my dream. I just open my window and the reality is revealed before my eyes day in and day out.

The face of Keropoklekor land has changed a lot. This gloomy and lifeless spot used to be a bustling jetty full of activities for small diesel-engine boats to shuttle people from Kedai Payang to Seberang Takir and other kampung along the Terengganu river. These makeover and other modernization are now creeping into the life of local people. Oh yes...I almost forgot. Keropoklekor land is now a bandaraya.

These two lovely soul, my parent is the biggest motivation to me. The big decision to relocate myself to the Keropoklekor land is mostly inspired by them. They had done their best part to bring me up and put me where I am now. It is my part now to carry out a son's duty - to serve them well.

Dear Madame, I quit!

2012-09-27T00:05:00.000+08:00

It was not an easy decision. Having spent my entire professional life constipating endlessly among the zombies, I finally decided to make a life changing decree. I decided to write a love letter to my boss and quit the job.

Dear madame,

I am typing this memo to you because I can't write properly. My vision especially in Kebun Getah Sekangkang Kera is becoming blur and increasingly hard to focus. My sight now is not good and with slight astigmatism I am seeing double. If you care about me you should have known of my poor condition earlier. The least you could do is to give me special allowance for Lasic treatment. Now the smell around my office is also stink. But that is not comparable to your infertile antic that from time to time is getting worse. You seem to walk on the cloud and never look down. I know it is kind of lonely up there. But to make things worst, you are surrounded by clowns who don't know to make a single joke. This make the whole circus appalling, except for the schoolchildren.

As you can see, starting next year our lush Kebun Getah Sekangkang Kera will be converted into another Kalahari desert full of concrete jungles. I am am expecting by December next year during the Monsoon, the whole Subang Bestari (my house is only a 5-minutes drive to the office) will be wiped out and buried under a mile thick of flash mud. I am sure you wouldn't know or even care about all this because you seldom come down from your comfortable laurel up in the sky kingdom. It surprises me of your ignorance as the rotting minds that linger in the field and in the canteen had reached the Seventh Heaven and all the celestial beings are complaining.

I think my time here has come to its end. In short and after serious deliberation, I want to resign commencing last month and please let me go in peace.

Wishing you, the clowns and the zombies all the best.

Yours truly,

DrSam

p/s: BTW the password to my PC is "jangan kau rayu" - everything in capital.

That is the actual resignation letter to my boss, after I carefully translated it from Bahasa. Seriously. Upon learning on my Kamikaze decision, a friend said I should reconsider and write a short memo with a line something like this :

"...I want to withdraw my resignation, I heard a rumor that the company which is hiring me is going to hire you too..."

I am sure this is not gonna happen.

It has been 20 wonderful years and I enjoyed and cherished every single moment while constipating in my beloved Kebun Getah Sekangkang Kera. I am not sure about the clowns but many zombies will miss me. I am hitting the road for now and soaring high reaching for the sky. I believe we are born to be free and free is the feeling right now.

Note : I am on leave until the end of October. Anybody who feel the itch for a leisurely teh tarik session and some tips to write a better resignation letter, you are most welcome. Everything is on the house.

Now I can see my future

2012-09-23T19:05:00.003+08:00

After a lifetime of having a perfect vision and almost a supernatural power of x-ray capability scrutinizing the unseen and beyond the obscure, I was informed recently by a very young and petite optometrist that my eyes need some serious overhauling. What I mean to say is that, I need to replace my old single focal lens with a multifocal which allows me to read, watching ASTRO and monitoring my kids doing their homework at the same time. A multifocal lens enables me to do multiple jobs which is brilliant and cool. I can recommend this to my colleagues especially in the Public service to have one. In fact I should recommend it to my maid as well.

The problem started when I realized that I need to put my book a mile away in order to make out what the introductory part was all about. That explains why I just could not finish every single book that I bought from Kinokuniya, Borders, MPH and Amazon.com in the past ten years. The only book that I've so far managed to finish in a single sitting is on "How to Manage your Menopause Boss". That was while waiting for my connecting flight to Rio de Janeiro after a 5 hours delay.

This is clearly a syndrome. Our friends in the optical department single handedly coined this syndrome as presbyopia. A simple example of this awkward condition is when you start to have a feeling that your arms aren't long enough to hold a newspapers or a love letter from your sweetheart at a position where you can read it clearly. Simply putting it - I am getting old and almost every part in my body is deteriorating.

Having a multifocal lens is supposed to be fun, but it is not. It makes you look like a handicap person. Apparently, having a defect eyesight with a pair of specialized glasses don't put me in the same league as a mutant or X-men. At first I felt like walking on the cloud drifting and floating along with the wind. After a while, I can moonwalking like the late Michael Jackson, the skill I've never known I had before. Using and trying to comprehend this artificial eyes accessory though doesn't require one to be a genius or having an elephant brain. It needs a special skill which is patience. Initially I have to train my eyes to perfectly align with the designated regions in order to focus. They did and they behaved very well.

"up" and the eyes go up when I want to focus on the TV screen.

"down" and the eyes struggling to focus all the objects down and beneath my belly. But something is not right as I am having difficulty to focus around this region as somehow my expanded waistline seems to obscure the most beautiful sight every man should have.

This starts to sound a bit weird, but actually given that all middle-aged people are bound to start going wrong in every department, a defect eyesight is not that bad either. First and foremost, I am constantly reminding myself that something is being taken away from me in the most fashionable way - by the Maker. Secondly, it knocks the socks off having some dreaded terminal illnesses such as the 'Malay PHD' which translates as a person who cannot see others better than thou or the 'mata keranjang' syndrome. Both diseases so far have no known cure.

Finally I am quite contented. With this newly acquired skills of multitasking, successfully training my eyes to see the unthinkable and having a double vision, now I can see my future bright and clear.

Don't trust your GPS, a buffalo is a better bet

2012-09-16T20:34:00.002+08:00

When the brainy guys out there invented something new or come out with brilliant technological gizmo, they do it with good intention or at least for the betterment of all humankind including the aliens and the whole inhabitants that roam the galaxy. But of course along the way they would have expected their bank account will be filled to the brink from the promised royalties of which in many cases seldom materialized, at least in the Bolehland. There are of course many who had made millions or billions of moolah from their invention or innovative mind but the number of success stories in our own backyard is still a far cry from that of the Far land or even our neighbors that are becoming more prominent these days - the Africans with their innovative black money scam.

Not so long ago, my hand felt a bit itchy to give a try using a very important travel companion called GPS, an acronym for a Gadget that occasionally Piss the S*#@ out of me. This gizmo similar to any other technologies out there is supposed to make our good-self smile behind the wheel and maintain my jolly good mood throughout the journey. This GPS however, on many occasions had caused me moonlighting to the Atlantis and on one instance had almost caused the whole family the worst gastronomic catastrophe ever. This gadget is either point you to the right direction or send you head on with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

It was our first ever trip to KB, or for the uninitiated this place is simply known as Kota Bharu via the East-West Highway (Grik-Jeli). It was also a perfect opportunity to test my newly acquired gadget I just bought from an underground dealer at Low Yat Plaza, Kay El. After we picked up my eldest son from his College and a sumptuous lunch of ikan sungai at K. Kangsar, we continued our journey Eastward through the scenic kampungs, beautiful lakes and across the Crocker Range. I was told the trip should take approximately 3 hours from Grik to KB and not more. To cut the long story short, we took 5 hours to reach the hotel in KB through flood laden kampungs, small winding canals, inching through smugglers trail near Sg. Golok and almost reroute into our neighboring country, Siam via Rantau Panjang. All because I trusted my GPS.

Wife : Why did you blindly follow the GPS darling? I thought your sense of direction is spot on.

Me : The night was dark and my tummy was grumbling. I could not see properly as my head was full with nasi kerabu and budu.

Perhaps this guys who invented GPS should take some lessons from the sperm. The successful one who has such precision to reach the target (egg) and later grow to become the inventor himself. Perhaps next time I travel, I should hook my head with an antennae that has a direct link with the North Korean Spy Satellite to direct me to the nearest public toilet at Kedai Payang.

Migratory birds, the white egret have a very good sense of direction. Each year they migrate to the same spot right in the sawah padi of my blissful Kampung. They have been coming to visit that particular area. My younger brother told me that the kampung folks, who I supposedly have never heard of H1N1, adding this beautiful bird into their exotic menu regularly. The unlucky birds left their tags and serial ring numbers as the grim souvenir.

The post traumatic Raya reminder. This iconic photograph becomes a testimony to the lack acquaintance (ignorance) of the available technologies in photography - a wireless remote shutter release. I inadvertently set the camera to a 2 second timer and the camera managed to capture my own unique zapin style - and my backside with all its glory. Classic!

The end of the beginning

2012-08-07T18:36:00.002+08:00

Perhaps after zillion years of this world allowing us to roam freely in her beautiful domain and giving the chance for us to seek the purpose of life, the mortals have to accept one thing. Just like we have to accept that time never moves backward or the nasi-lemak-eating nation can never behave well in front of the wheel, we also have to accept the fact that nothing lasts forever. Even the fondest memories will fade in time. It is a very harsh reality this universe loves to offer. Those reality in a way is constantly reminding us to cherish whatever God gives us in life. But even in another million years to come, the mortals with all their arrogance will never learn. Ignorance and greed...yes the greed will always haunt humankind until the end of time.

For a while, I have been disillusioned and blinded by the past glory of a place that has been my playing ground for almost two decades. What made the place so lively and buzzing with activities for the good sake of all humankind is now becoming a relic of a distant past. The signs are so clear. There is not much thing that can lift my spirit and make my day. I've been surrounded by zombies who have sold their soul, perhaps to the devil. My good old friends are all gone. They had served well and should earned their peers' respect. Even monkeys and their entire family who once roamed and controlled the rubber kingdom of Sg. Buloh will laugh at me if I share with them my sad story and the pathetic state of the kingdom they once cherish.

Now I may sound like a conservative, old-nostalgic-rotten maggot. For me history is very important and it does matter. Sadly, we are now living in a modern society who has turn its back on the past. Our view of the past shapes the way we view the present, therefore it dictates what answers we offer for existing problems. History should be preserved well and make known to our future generations. What we do today will undoubtedly have unpredictable impact to the future.

After the recent visit to the site that will be developed into another modern infrastructure that will benefit the masses and the privilege few, I am not sure if my heart will ever stop to bleed. I have to do something to sooth my soul. Even though the new year is quite far away I would like to make a personal resolution. I am going to share whatever resource that I have with all the mortals who are lucky enough to reach this virtual domain. I hope stories from Kebun Getah Sekangkang Kera will resurface and reach future generations. All being well, untold stories like this will enrich the history that I am also part of it.

I hope no Ebola-infested monkeys of Sg. Buloh will belittle my promise and fully support my personal commitment. My limited experience however says it is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. In fact it is the end of the beginning.

An excerpt from a colonial archival document. The chemistry laboratory situated at 260, Jalan Ampang still survives until this modern day with indistinguishable make-over. There is however not much organic, physical or analytical chemistry churned out from the lab nowadays as bucket-chemistry is becoming more prominent.

An undated aerial photo of Rubber Research Institute Experimental Station (RRIES) when it was first opened in the 30s. The peripheral areas were still covered with pristine vegetation and juvenile rubber trees. That was history in the making.

A recent googling over a cyberspace revealed an eerie looking reality. In the next 3-4 years, you won't see that big green path anymore. Red dots on the left were the places where the recent felling of the rubber trees took place (Field 45 - 52).

August 2011 - The first visit. It looked like as if a big, fat meteorite with crazy appetite to wallop the entire Bolehland had crash-landed into the back yard of our office. The first visit to the field really saddened me. Padang jarak padang tekukur. 200 hectares of vast and barren land waiting to be filled by lifeless concrete jungle.

Against the backdrop of the past glory, greedy ghosts of modern warfare are actively assaulting all the civilization built by our past co-workers. Only time will tell if there is any left for the future to admire.

March 2012 - A second visit to the landing site. No alien or any alien workers were in sight but seeing this had made me lost my appetite for the day.

The freshly opened road leading to the newly developed site. The Sg. Buloh series (a type of soil) won't benefit any rubber plant no more. It will soon be molested by giant claw of urban technology.

August 2012 - the most recent visit revealed many covert activities by foreign subjects that alienated the green lung of the area. The trees that once provided life essential have now becoming silent witness to human gluttony.

How could I look at this and go back to live in my present world? How could one continue life as before?

It is 84 years after the felling of the jungle started and now the life cycle started one more time. This time however, the cycle is more vicious and full of unpredictable.

Too many interesting stories were untold and don't trickle down to our ipad and Starbuck generations. Too little history has ever made out into the brain domain of our pampered kids. These untold stories are still perfectly kept in the dark domain of the unknown waiting to be discovered . I have been wondering, will our rich history, someday, ever bring our degraded society back into the reality? Will it break the barrier and close the gap between generations?

Another chance to heal our soul

2012-07-21T17:55:00.000+08:00

Alhamdulillah. The blissful month of Ramadhan has finally come again. We are among the selected one to embrace this special visitor in another splendid life cycle, therefore we should be very thankful to Allah S.W.T for His endless mercy. He is giving us, the mortal believer another chance to replenish our iman and strengthen our taqwa. Lets us start this special journey with istiqomah and continuous religious devotion. Lets us make this journey with the hope that this will be our best journey ever with this special visitor.

I am taking this rare opportunity in the first day of the Holy month seeking forgiveness. May Divine pour His endless blessing upon us, like rain throughout this month of few.

Marhaban ya Shahru Ramadhan.

Soul rejuvenating journey with Madyan, Soddom and Gomorrah

2012-07-13T12:49:00.000+08:00

An eight hours journey by The Royal Jordanian from KLIA was very smooth. The flight touched down in the wee hour of the morning at Queen Alia International Airport. Upon touching the ground, my heart was also deeply touched. Unlike the other trip or journey that I took before, this one was very special. It was my first experience in the land of the anbia'. The unfamiliar feeling was deeply rooted and mixed with other emotions - the feeling that no word can describe. That was only the beginning. It was the beginning of a journey to discover one's iman and the believe of whatever happen (good or bad), Allah knows the best. He always gives the best to us.

At the start of the journey, Allah S.W.T had already tested the iman of the whole Jemaahs. One hundred and five of us. The flight was scheduled at 2200 hrs and by 1900 hrs when the check-in counter opened we were still looking for the travel agents with no ticket and passport at hand. Many had already thought of the inevitable. I just pressed myself hard and prayed that everything will be fine. 2100 hrs - with everybody panicking and things became very chaotic suddenly the agent appeared with the documents and we started to check in in the most haru-biru manner. With half an hour left for departure, we had to virtually run to embark the plane from the main terminal to the satellite building through the immigration, security point, aerotrain and toilet in between. Our big group mostly consisted of special people, people with special illnesses modern medicine will normally dismiss as nothing wrong. The trip was partly for that special reason. Treating the special people.

In the nick of time, I jokingly said to my wife :

"macam explorace kita ni"

With 15 minutes to spare, we finally sat ourselves comfortably but anxiously in our seats. Suddenly it was dawned to us things could turn from bad to worse. There was no Ustaz Malek (group leader) or any travel agent among us. One of the jemaahs in front of me then revealed an sms saying that fourty five Jemaahs could not make the trip as there was not ticket for them. As cool as I am, panic started to creep into me. My wife had broken into tears. As we had only a one way ticket to Jordan, we could be stranded in the far and barren land of Jordan...

But all those things had made this journey very sweet, colorful and memorable.

Deep into the Jordanian valley, 55 km from Amman is the Dead sea. A grim reminder to us from the inhabitants of Soddom and Gomorrah of whom were destroyed by Allah S.W.T for their disobedience to the preaching of Prophet Lut. It was their abominable sin of homosexuality that lead to their extinction. "When morning came, God turned the cities upside down, and rained down on them stones hard as baked clay, putting an end to the lives of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once and for all" (Al-Hijr : 73-76). On the other side of the water, bordered by the hills is Israel.

Being the deepest hypersaline lake in the world with 33.7% salinity, no aquatic life can flourish in this harsh environment. A tourist demonstrates the unusual buoyancy caused by high salinity. Nobody will drown in this lake I suppose.

The sight of half-clad bodies covered with black mud is a norm around the Dead Sea. This place is the lowest (elevation) health spa in the world. The Dead sea contains high concentration of salt and minerals which gives its waters the renowned curative and therapeutic qualities to many ailments.

The Bolehland Jemaah didn't want to miss the opportunity to experience and get a closer encounter with the Dead sea. On the far right of this spot, part of the section was reserved to the Westerners or perhaps Israelis.

That was not 'orang minyak' who terrorizes Malay virgins in kampungs (the recent sighting was in Kampung Laksamana, Gombak). But a so-called friendly brother from Libya who persistently insisted me to take his photograph for no obvious reason. I purposely add this rear picture of him into this blog as the frontal profile was a bit...errr..to put it mildly, undulating!

Salt crystal deposited on the rock along the coastal or the Dead sea. They are in abundance. Some Jemaah collected the salt deposits in many kilos and surprisingly the airport customs (in Jordan, Jeddah and Bangkok) didn't even ask or flip their eyes on the x-ray scanner.

"They say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; and they say they were five, the dog being the sixth, guessing at the unseen; and they say they were seven, and the dog being the eighth. Say: My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few". So debate not except with the clear proof. And consult not any of them (about the people of the Cave)". (Al- Kahf : 22)

There are many opinions on the exact location of the Cave. Some say the Cave situated in Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Turkey, Afghanistan and even in Spain. But we went to Jordan to see the Jordan version of the Cave. At the entrance of the cave, the group leader Ustaz Abdul Malek briefed the Jemaah on the significance of the Cave. With him is his youngest daughter - also the youngest member in the group.

Qitmir, the sleepers' loyal dog was buried in the cave together with the sleepers. The lady-in-black is obviously not Qitmir but my significant half, standing beside the grave of the dog. Two holes were drilled (it was reported done during the Ottoman empire) so that we can have a peek inside the grave.

Bone remnants of the dog - Qitmir, inside the grave. They slept for 309 years. The Ashabul-kahfi lived to teach the world many lessons. One is the possibility of resurrection by Almighty Allah S.W.T.

A new mosque - Al-Kahfi mosque was built very recently beside (left site on the hill above) the Cave. The site of the ancient mosque was at the front the Cave. The mosque was very quiet during our visit but buzzing with housekeeping activities by the mosque workers.

Propher Shuaeb mosque. Prophet Shuaeb were sent to the Madyan. The Madyan was greedy people, gave short in measurement, lied to the customers and most of all did not believe the existence of Allah S.W.T. Just like the other non-believers, the Madyan perished.

A cat posing for my camera in front of the Prophet Shuaeb mosque. The cat knows, even long after the Madyan gone, the spirit of the Madyan still lives and besieges the very heart of current business dwelling. I can see the Madyan linger freely and happily in the Bolehland.

Gone, but not with the wind

2012-07-11T02:03:00.002+08:00

That was not the first time. I hope it will be the last. The great lost was very hard for me to comprehend at first. It was not because all of a sudden my koi's pond became very quiet and lifeless, but because the trust has been broken. Unlike promises, a trust is by no mean to be broken. When I trust someone (politician is obviously not in this equation) or some immortal being (like my external HDD which mysteriously disappeared with all my important data and secret recipe) - I surrender my entire life with it, literally.

The usual suspect in this case was none other than an unsuspecting and innocent-looking Bangla, whose face slightly resembles the famous Bangladeshi actor Shakib Khan. He resides in the neighboring kampung Boyan, but most of the time find solace in my neighbor's house, a few block away from mine. He is actually a no stranger to my peaceful neighborhood - quite a handy guy. He is very friendly and ever willing to help.

On that fateful day, we left the house for a long holiday break. The man I trusted to look after my kebun and the wellfare of the fishes in my pond was none other than our friendly Bangla from the neighboring Kampung Boyan. We left for a balik kampung holiday thinking that everything was in a good hand. Until a few days later, another neighbor called me and conveyed the shocking news. The whole population of kois and carps were annihilated (except the mean-looking algae sucking fish, Hypostomus plecostomus a.k.a ikan DBKL). Following tips from fictional character Inspector Sigh and looking at the symptoms, I suspected the fishes' demise was due to over fed and suffocated to their last breath.

It was a very sad affair. It was even hurting when the man you trust didn't admit to his crime and started blaming somebody else. Does this sounds all too familiar? At one point in our life, we have to accept the fact that everybody makes mistake. I do make mistakes and I am sure will make many more. Mistake is our best educator if we are willing to learn from it. Anyhow, it was already considered a gone case. The wise man always says, lets bygones be bygone. Even though it won't be the same, the karps and the kois can always be replaced (the demise fishes will eagerly come to the surface whenever they heard my footsteps near the pond, expecting their food).

Along the way we can always ponder and learn some new things to enrich and put new meaning to our life. First - never trust a Bangla with a face that resembles any popular movie star (not that I am jealous). Second - Admit our mistake; it will make our life less complicated. Last but not least - never overfed ourselves as the consequences are quite predictable.


These lifeless fishes were now a distance memory. They have been my source of 'ilham' for the past 12 years. Whether the new generation can emulate the aura of their ancestors - time will tell.

Those fishes, even until the end of their life refused to leave this mortal world wasted. They enriched the soil and provided other form of life with organic nutrients. The Heliconias seems to flourish exceptionally well after that. One loss is another's gain. That is one of the balances in this world.


This ponds and its wonderful living creatures within have been given me so much pleasure, day in day out. With the absence of the stimulating kois and carps, perhaps I have to stop finding excuses or rely on other thing to become inspired. Perhaps I have to shift and realign my thinking a bit. To live is to inspire.

Six month gestation period - thank you John Jenin

2012-07-04T23:28:00.000+08:00

When I am inspired, my mind switches into its voyeuristic mode. The mind becomes very volatile and tend to explore some unthinkable domain full of crappy thing and rubbish. Sometimes into the unknown. More often than not the mind is fully occupied with something of everything. I become very focus and consumed by nameless ideas. That was exactly what happened in the last few months. I stayed focus and entirely forgot this blog. Again!

It is not easy to achieve that particular state of mind though. I have to admit that air ketum or any psychedelic source has no part in this affair. It took me many trips to nondescript stalls under pokok ketapang, impromptu night meetings with my colleagues, numerous trailblazing trips to the entire Bolehland of which I'd lost count of how many and tonnes of teh tarik kurang manis in kedai mamak - I forget that the world is still spinning and the sun is still shining. I was in my own world. But all those sacrifices come with a price and in my case a pleasant prize as well. I owe that glorious achievement to one particular person. Unbeknown to this guy, he was actually the sole mortal being that inspired me. He is known or used to be known in the Bloggosphere as John Jenin. Another mysterious persona - a nom de plume who has never materialized himself into this mortal world. At least for the time being. In fact I've never met him in person or got a chance to have a cup of teh tarik kurang manis with him under pokok ketapang.

This inaugural blog entry after a long gestation period is a tribute to this special persona, John Jenin. Perhaps he is another genius hiding in the underworld somewhere in Putrajaya, or a retired teacher who just wanted to share his wisdom with the free world or even one of my closest neighbors who are too shy to admit it was actually his dog that actually came up with this brilliant idea. I feel very oblige. I am very sure if he read or somehow stumble upon this entry perhaps in another millennium, he will surely feel very proud. Thank you John Jenin. If I were to win a Nobel prize for this syok-sendiri innovation - someday, I will find you and fly you to the moon!

Even though this is not the first time I receive that piece of paper and a gold-plated medallion to add into my celebrated coffer, this one has a special place in my heart. i-klon is not merely an innovation or another name for a dubious gadget that will soon crowded the virtual market. It encompasses my dream and my promise. (Ironically, it is also a timely farewell present to my fellow scientists)


As I am not a celebrity and most likely won't achieve that status by the year 2020, I felt a little bit awkward being into the spotlight with dignitaries on the center stage. Luckily my two happy-go-lucky sidekicks came to the rescue and made myself at ease receiving a priceless memento that night.			.

Before the judgement day. All set for the big show and my obliging team members aka the inventors (minus one) posed an overconfident smile prior to the winning announcement. Yours truly pretended to be cool and composed.

No amount of practice, script rehearsal, and cold sweat could have prepared Mr OCW to face the most impeccable and unassuming visitors. Sometimes thing will go wrong and it will go wrong at the wrong and the most unimaginable moment. But at the end - Job well done. Good work guys!

This was neither the enthusiastic crowd curious for our invention nor the place where the historical moment took place. It has no significant value in my life too. But I spent an evening with my colleagues here searching for the next idea that will revolutionize our life. In fact we bought two replica (read fake) designer ties hoping that the elusive ideas will descend from the celestial world. But the way, the place is Petaling street.

While missing in Yunnan I discovered Shangri La

2012-01-05T18:25:00.002+08:00

When I was a child, my late grandmother told me that our ancentral origin can be traced back in the mystical mountainous region of Yunnan in China. I never paid any attention then, until one fine day I stumbled upon a travel documentary that showcased the hidden beauty of the region, the colorful tribes roaming the sleeping ancient town and the mystical wonder of those ethereal places. It inspired me and I said to myself "Wow...! I must go there."

My wish did come through. I was enroute the Bolehland from Beijing quite recently and I thought a short stopover in Yunnan wouldn't do me any harm. The first stop was in Kunming the capital of Yunnan which was only a 5o minutes flight away from Lijiang. Lijiang is one of the very well preserved ancient city in the province. The air-view along the way to Lijiang was very pleasing. The undulating terrain, isolated tiny villages high in the mountain, vast fertile lands in a diverse landscape were impressive enough and astonishingly beautiful. Luckily my sanity was still prevail otherwise I would have jump out and parachute off the plane just to experience the bird-eye view of this natural wonders. On a second thought, it was not entirely a bad idea though.

My 2 faithful colleagues and myself ended up spending 5 exciting days exploring the ancient town of Lijiang and her surrounding area. We literally inched ourselves up the snow-capped mountain and almost knocked out by lack of oxygen, braved the ear-deafening roar of Yangtze rapid in the deepest gorge, blended with the local tribes on a horseback, passed through scenic mountains, valley and lakes, paced ourselves slowly on the fine bluestones in the small alleys and traced the small streams that run through the ancient town. That was my kind of travel.

One thing that has lasting impression and really touched my heart was the people I met while in Lijiang. While communication was almost muted, sincerity and warm hospitality became a mutual natural bonding. It is a universal language through good gesture and pleasant body languages. Perhaps we were very lucky to have such good encounters. I do hope those were a representation of the whole local population. I do hope others will have the same pleasant encounters like us.

At the end of the journey, I still could not find and unravel the mystery of my ancestral origin. That elusive family tree can wait. I have the feeling that somehow there is a strong sense of belonging there. That intimate feeling was so real and it was very personal. That wonderful and mystical place has really captured my heart - forever.

Lijiang is a place where minority ethnics and diverse cultures blended in seamlessly and seemed to exist in a much lower temperature as compared to their neighboring Northern highlander.

While other part of the ancient world is facing a new invasion of Western believe and culture, Lijiang is still immune to this threat, well at least in this part of the ancient town. These Naxi old folks are their last bastion in preserving their well-kept tradition and custom.

A communal washing area is a common sight inside the ancient city of Lijiang. Fresh and clean water that runs down from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain radiates through the town in the form of many streams which provide a life-support essential to the entire population.

This local Mosuo girl weaving their traditional pashmina looked suspiciously at me when I snapped this photo. Just like any tourist spot, there were many shops that lined the street in the ancient town of Lijiang and sell the beautiful hand-made traditional handicraft for visitors to burn their pocket.

I just took a deep breath, savored the pleasured moment and enjoyed the spectacular view on the edge of nowhere, close to the top of the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. At over 4000 meters above sea level, oxygen which was taken for granted in the lowland suddenly became the most appreciated element.

My colleague told me that if he find Shangri La, he will never look back and return to this mortal world again. I asked him whether the above picturesque Blue Moon Valley fit his criteria. He replied..."you have to go to the underworld to get the answer."
Very true indeed :)

The azure color of the lake with a backdrop of majestic Yulong mountain was really awe-inspiring. Actually this almost surreal landscape was not in my original syok-sendiri itinerary, but with a good and willing personal tourist guide, the hidden beauty of the Blue Moon Valley unraveled before my eyes.

While standing on the edge of this rapid section at one of Tiger Leaping Gorge's deepest section I can't help myself but admired the greatness of our Maker. The 3 hours one-way trip across the mountainous region of Yunnan toward the mystical Shangri La that passed through many junctions of Yangtze river was blissfully heaven. This was a place with unparalleled beauty. A place worth exploring.

As Tiger Leaping gorge is claimed to be the deepest gorge in the world, going down close to the rapid and then up again was quite a challenge for some. If your leg or knee is not strong enough, those special carriers were ready to assist. With a small token you can ride like a king.

Along the way to Shangri La, I spotted this nondescript stall selling very potent looking chillis. I was to find out later that those were the hottest chili in China.

No. 1 Courtyard Hotel Lijiang is a traditional five star hotel with a very beautiful courtyard. It was through the kindness of our taxi driver which later turned into our personal tourist guide that took us to this place despite our uncertainty of our final destination (read lost).

It was not my usual fancy to show the condition of my hotel room. This one was special because for the first time in my life I slept on a waterbed. A good love nest for honeymoon couple. A very unusual experience for me.

This is the only mosque in Lijiang right across the road from our hotel. From the main road it was slightly hidden by the dense vegetation. The mosque situated just outside the peripheral of the ancient town on a slope behind the town bus station. Our guide didn't know the existence of this mosque, but my indispensable interpreter and talk person - Mr OCW managed to pin-point this location with laser sharp accuracy.

A nondescript eating place for Muslim tucked away and hidden front he sight of unwary travelers. There was only a handful of halal restaurants in Lijiang and you need a good local guide to pin-point the exact location as there was no apparent signage. I just trust the guide and my gut and I think he didn't bluff as the owner answered my salam graciously.

Mr. Yang (sitting on the far right) and my two travel companions enjoying the warm Naxi hospitality. Mr Yang was so gracious and very generous with his time and made all the effort to accommodate all our fancies.

The traditional yak's dishes for our lunch. The food was simple, fresh and very informal but yet shockingly very tasty. I just have to watch my uric acid level as throughout my 10 days China adventure, surprisingly red meat became my main staple food. Warm Yak milk to compliment the dish will make the whole eating experience sublime.

Lijiang is a place where many beautiful streams with fresh and clear water radiates through the town with small cafes and restaurants offer hungry travelers with their mouthwatering traditional and modern dishes. I didn't get a chance to sit down in one of the cafe beside a stream enjoying a cup of the most expansive tea in the world (Puer tea) because I was so busy snapping photos and got mesmerized by her sheer beauty.

The sun, the moon and open air... what else do we need to get the feeling of freedom while dumping our precious commodity in this open loo. This is the 21st century version of an exotic spa in the middle of nowhere. I thought I never had to experience this unique ancient ritual, but alas the nuclear-hot chili in my dish really had caused me to have another earth-shattering gastro-intestinal apocalypse here. What an experience!

This, in my opinion is the most beautiful and super-clean toilet in the whole province. It should be rated as a five-star toilet. Next time if I accidentally landed on this mystical land and miss the hotel booking I know where to gatecrash. Superb!

An unforgettable urinating experience in the Land of the dragon

2011-12-29T22:47:00.014+08:00

It may sounds a bit weird or perhaps utterly nonsense to have such an exceptional eye-opening experience during my inaugural and virgin trip to the Land of the dragon which somehow has something related with the loo. In fact it is aptly unfitting to discuss this intimate subject matter in an open forum especially in the first paragraph of a would-be epic journey that I will remember in years to come. The loo by itself presented me with a new life perspective and invaluable insight into what our life would be without a toilet.

This time around the visit to this part of the world really tickled and aroused all my senses. I can still smell that signatory pungent odour even when I type this particular paragraph, or at least the smell kept lingering in my subconscious mind, perhaps for the time being until I come across some other form of life-changing moment.

Modern China was a new territory for me. All this while I kept hearing about the Chinese majestic and huge stone walls and gates, the legendary and hidden myth of the many opulent palaces, the serene and splendour of beautiful landscapes, the food, the people and all the unique cultural splendour associated with that big continent.Those vivid images became like a moving wall paper in my head. This time I got to see them all with my own eyes.

At the time of my visit to Beijing- the Northern capital of China, it was quite chilly, dusty and overcrowded mainly with Peking duck eating dim sum. My first impression on this inanimate metropolis was quite monotonous and lifeless. Perhaps because there was not much colour to feast my eyes during this cold season of the year.Or probably I had already embedded in my mind a preconceive idea that all big metropolis are similar - pollution, rush hour, shellfish and lack of warm hospitality.

One thing for sure, Beijing is no more a sleeping giant and really geared up to become another world economy superpower. Everywhere I turned my head to there were new commercial high-rises being erected. These uninviting sight was really an eyesore to me though. Hutong, a collective name that describe traditional and ancient courtyard residences that was build thousands of year ago is fast disappearing to make way for modern but nondescript skyscrapers. I was actually looking forward to spend some time mesmerized myself with the old China, walking slowly in the narrow Hutong alleys and blending myself with the local people. It never materialised. Five days in Beijing was never enough to deeply get to know this place. I should have spent my entire life there to do so.

I think my bladder is quite full now and it is time for me to visit the loo - this time minus the smell of course.

If you can't speak a word in Mandarin or any local dialects of which could be hundreds of them, I am very sure you will have the highest possibility of going nowhere or worst thing get lost. I was quite lucky because one of my fellow companions can speak Mandarin very well (as he should be)- somehow he told me, he himself got so confused and found out it was sometimes very difficult to communicate with the local. That's the way to go Mr OCW and thanks for being a good traveling companion and our indispensable translator!

Niujie mosque is the oldest and largest mosque in Beijing (996 AD) and was innitiated by an Arabic scholar Nasuruddin. The chinese influence was heavily incorporated - at the first glimpse from outside I thought this was a Chinese temple.

As it was almost past noon, my empty tummy had more command than my head. I was quite pleased to know that the whole surrounding area of the Niujie mosque was lined by halal restaurants. We just gatecrashed into one of the nearest restaurant and the meal here was very

appetizing and tasty.

Tuck in Mr OCW! We didn't realize the portion was that big and even though the three of us were very very hungry that day, still we could not finish and wallop all the dishes. Tapau meh...

It seemed finding a good and halal restaurant was not that difficult after all. That was the only time when I didn't require the service of my mandarin-speaking friend as the signage was written in Arabic. This one was right across the road on the east side of the Tiananmen square, only a few meteres from the National Museum of Beijing. The oxtail soup was marvellous - my friend told me, for me as usual I went for nasi.

This pair of insulated glove permanently mounted on the handle of a moped symbolised the creativity of people in China. Probably the most common sight during winter. I wouldn't try to put my hand inside those gloves though.

I like this photo especially my good-friend pose of which reminded me of the yesteryears in the high school. Leaning against the ornate wooden wall of the Hall of Supreme Harmony inside the Forbidden city, he posed just like a pop yeh yeh stud.

Beijing has a rich history and a fair share of foreign invasions. This big gold jar which meant to contain water for fire-fighting inside the Imperial palace was scrapped for its precious

metal.

The sad remnant of Hutong around Beijing. It was not a good sight to see and I was really hoping the next time I visit Beijing there are still some preserved Hutong that survive the brutal onslaught from Beijing fast modernization.

This almost post-card perfect photo (by my own definition) was taken in the Beijing Botanical garden. The water of the lake was frozen hard and almost ready for some nickampook to ice-skate on it.

As I strolled slowly following the quiet path around the lake inside the Botanical garden I noticed this man gracefully practising some form of martial art. Perhaps a Tai Chi. I sat down and watched this man performing his unique moves until one of my colleagues asked me to join in "ajak le dia bersilat bro"

The day we visited the Summer palace it was predicted to be covered with snow. It never happened (the snow fell two days after we left Beijing). It was ear-biting

cold.

On our first night, after a few hours of self-acclimatization in the comfort of our hotel, we took a 40 minute trailblazing taxi ride north to the Olympic village to see this beautiful architecture called the Watercube. I personally thing this building looks much better in the night and very photogenic too with lot of distinctive curvy shapes.

Another architecture wonder, Beijing National stadium which is also known as The Bird's nest just a few steps away from The Water cube.

Scaling the stone path of the Great wall is not a joke. It really requires stamina and determination. I only managed less that one kilometer and I know age is catching up too. I should have jogged

more.

Another great view at another section of the Great wall. It is the Badaling section of the wall which is quite popular by tourist for its 'friendliness' and considered quite forgiving for an ageing traveller like me.

Uncharted mind clogged by rubbish

2011-12-14T19:00:00.003+08:00

The lone siput babi that slowly inched away on the bonnet of my car one blissful morning must has some powerful dose of aphrodisiac properties that invoked my dormant state of mind. The docile neurons immediately sprung up and erratically scrambled the right signals to activate the brain. The urge to put some life into my long-forgotten blog was irresistibly strong.

The pace of my life has to be dangerously close to the lightning speed, especially during last two quarters of this year. It superseded the sonic boom barrier. I've almost lost count of the passing days. My life has been very hectic but yet very fulfilling. Many things happened which undoubtedly make this life very interesting. Even though I am no longer chasing the rainbow and never intended to, I found the colors of the rainbow are becoming more and more beautiful each day. From my years of observation, I realized that chasing the rainbow can be very hazardous and detrimental to health especially to the aging people like me. The rainbow will come if you are at the right time and right place - God willing.

Despite the momentary lapse of time and I missed all the fun in this wonderful Blogosphere, I can't help myself but wondering - why on earth this slow-pace and interesting creature has to be called by that undeserving name? Which part of the snail resembles a "babi"? The look? The behavior? Or simply because our jolly good nasi-lemak-eating nation found it very amusing to label anything with such a weird name. Perhaps these questions can be addressed in a more academic manner and become a good sociological study in one of our local universities that of late sprouted mysteriously in abundance. Perhaps "The babiness of a lone siput babi" could be a good title.

Somehow, I have to thank that particular siput babi for tickling my brain and become a good precursor for my brain to start wondering again on some rubbish issues. Most importantly I thank that siput babi for making me realize that I still have a blog.