JUST ANOTHER TEACHER

WARONG BUNDA REVISITED WITH GUESTS FROM SUNGAI PETANI AND KUALA LUMPUR

2026-10-16T23:45:10.075+08:00

This was my second breakfast date with Puan Suhana Abdul Jamal, a friend of UPM TESL Class of 1993. She was accompanied by her mother and elder sister who is now residing in Kuala Lumpur.

Unlike the first meeting which was impromptu, we had planned to meet up at Warong Bunda. This was my second time here. The first visit happened last week with another TESL friend [READ HERE].

There were still many people having breakfast on a working day, but definitely but not as crowded as it was on a weekend. Hence, we managed to take more photos.

Everyone was happy and breakfast was a huge success. We bade our goodbyes and hoping for another reunion cum gastronomic adventure, some other time somewhere.

PONTIAN REVISITED AFTER A FORTNIGHT FOR THE WEEK'S GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE

2026-10-15T23:36:14.675+08:00

11th OCTOBER 2026 ~ We ventured out to Pontian again for our gastronomic adventure. We were in the quaint town a fortnight ago [READ HERE] and saw Cendolboy Restaurant was filled with many customers. It is a popular belief an eating place is good if there are many visitors. Hence we decided to visit this place this time.

It was Sunday afternoon and there were many people still having lunch after 2:00 p.m. Luckily we managed to secure an empty table in the dining area.

If you want to have Nasi Campur [rice with different dishes] for lunch, there were a variety of Malay dishes to choose.

When I saw the Rojak station, I had a feeling this restaurant was actually a rebranded Mamak place. Correct me if I am wrong.

I had Asam Pedas Ikan Pari [Stingray]. Unfortunately, the gravy was a bit too salty and that already was a turn off for me.

I also had Cendol which should be the specialty of this place, and it was commendable.

Another eating place visited in Pontian and now we have to find other venues for our upcoming gastronomic adventure.

THE GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE AT WARUNG BUNDA WITH GUESTS FROM SHAH ALAM

2026-10-14T23:36:55.568+08:00

11TH OCTOBER 2026 ~ The next gastronomic adventure with Shah Alam people was the breakfast session. I myself wanted to try the food at this place called Warung Bunda which seemed to be popular.

We arrived at the place at about 8:30 a.m. and the dining area was already jam packed with customers. Finding an unoccupied table could be the first challenge.

We went into the room where all the food and drinks were served on buffet tables. I took one big round tray to put all the plates of food. Another option was to get a trolley which was too big. There was a huge crowd and moving around and choosing food was another challenge. The queue was also long and the tray I was carrying was getting heavier by the minute.

We had no issues with the food so it was worth the adventure. Perhaps the management could set up food or drinks stalls/counters somewhere else outside so there would be more space for people to move in the room where all the food was put. As for the time being, try to avoid going there on weekends or public holidays. Always put the blame on Singaporeans. One thing worth mentioning: the prices were reasonable.

Thanks to Mr. Ridwan, the wife and daughter for the dinner [READ HERE] and breakfast meetings during their short stay. Will always be looking forward to try food at new places or revisit the same old places for more gastronomic adventures after this.

ANOTHER LUNCH TREAT FOR MY BIRTHDAY

2026-10-14T22:49:18.229+08:00

Someone wanted to treat me lunch for birthday so a lunch was set. The chosen venue was Plaza Pelangi and I suggested we had a sandwich each at Subway.

The place was still empty when we arrived at about 12:30 p.m. but soon the place was crowded with people who came to buy food for lunch.

It was a short meeting as my friend had to go back to work once lunch break was over.

Thanks Mr. Shafiq Jaafar, an ex-colleague of SMK Dato' Jaafar, for the birthday treat and the birthday present as well. Only Allah may repay your kindness.

THE IMPROMPTU BREAKFAST SESSION WITH A FRIEND FROM SUNGAI PETANI

2026-10-14T16:16:25.320+08:00

Puan Suhana Abdul Jamal, a friend of UPM TESL Class of 1993, is in town. She is visiting and taking of her mother for a few days.

Early this morning, she messaged me to notify her whereabout. She was with her mother at Kampung Melayu Market [now known as Medan Niaga Kampung Melayu], about to have breakfast. She asked me to quickly meet them there.

I managed to get there in less than 10 minutes as the venue was quite near [and there was no heavy traffic]. I had Cucur Udang and then a plate of Sate to be shared with the other two diners. It was a short sit in session. This was my first time meeting Puan Suhana in Johor Bahru, despite the fact that she frequently comes back home, believe it or not. There is a possibility for another breakfast session after this but we shall wait for confirmation.

THE PARCEL THAT ARRIVED ONE DAY EARLIER BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY

2026-10-13T23:52:44.782+08:00

9TH OCTOBER 2026 ~ A parcel arrived one day earlier before my birthday and it was from Puan Hazlina Aziz, another friend from UPM TESL Class of 1993 group. Thank God she messaged me to ask whether the package had arrived so I did not have to find out who the sender was on my own.

Thank you, Puan Hazlina. Only Allah may repay your kindness.

THE BIRTHDAY LUNCH AT TEA GARDEN

2026-10-13T22:23:23.441+08:00

10TH OCTOBER 2026 ~ Even though I already informed my gastronomic adventure buddy there was no need any celebration for my birthday, he still insisted that we went out for lunch. Despite the fact that I was still full from the feast at the wedding reception before meeting him [READ HERE], I did not want to let him down. I suggested we just went to Tea Garden Restaurant in Taman Nusantara and hopefully there would be something light for me to eat.

Unfortunately, there were many items on the menu that we wanted to order were not available, like the Portuguese Egg Tarts and Fried Radish Cake.

I opted for Fried Kuew Teow while Mr. Redzuan chose to have Fried Rice.

Thank you Mr. Redzuan for the birthday treat. Birthday or no birthday, the gastronomic adventure must go on.

INTRODUCING SS9 FOOD COURT TO GUESTS FROM SHAH ALAM

2026-10-12T23:40:54.461+08:00

10th OCTOBER 2026 ~ Mr. Ridwan A. Wahid, Puan Suhaila Sulong and their daughter, Ms. Reihana, were back in town. We decided to meet up for dinner and this time I wanted to introduce SS9 Food Court to them.

We just had the usual food selections and it was a relief that they had positive reviews of the choices made. Puan Suhaila wanted to come back to this place to try the Rice Porridge next time.

The gastronomic adventure would commence the next morning for breakfast at another new place [for us].

ATTENDING THE WEDDING RECEPTION OF THE SON OF DATIN LATIFAH A. GHANI

2026-10-11T23:43:37.912+08:00

10TH OCTOBER 2026 ~ I received an invitation from Datin Latifah A. Ghani to the wedding reception of his so. It was very thoughtful of her to still invite me even though I could not make it to the first reception of the family before this. Besides, I had never taught in the same school with her but we were still acquainted.

The event was held at Danga Bay Convention Centre. It was my first time going there and was not actually aware of its existence.

As usual, there were a few people whom I recognized - ex-colleagues of SMK Taman Universiti and SMK Mutiara Rini, English teacher friend and officer from District Education Department.

I got to thank Puan Latifah again for her kind thought of sending out the invitation to me. Congratulations to Datin Latifah and family on the arrival of the new member and hope to be invited again for similar event in the future.

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE: SEARCHING FOR TERRACOTTA ARMY IN XI'AN - PART 3

2026-10-08T23:10:16.254+08:00

CONTINUATION OF PART ONE AND PART TWO

4th SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ The best time to visit the Terracotta Army in Xi'an would be during the weekdays I supposed. We were there on Saturday during summer, and everybody seemed to be going out at the same time. I had to squeeze through the crowd and find a gap nearest to the excavation area to get a better view of the clay statues. At the same time, I needed to make sure I would not be separated from my tour group.

Some interesting facts about Terracotta Army:

It was made by Qih Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
The clay statues were constructed to guard the Emperor in his afterlife, a traditional Chinese custom and belief.
The remnant was first discovered in 1974 when a farmer was digging a well in his farm.
There are over 8000 Terracotta warriors in the museum, with the average heights of 180-190 cm.
The Terracotta warriors are unique as each statue has a unique face with different facial expression.

This is a once in a lifetime trip for me, and I am glad to see the remnants of the past civilization that have been unearthed for people of the present.

[MY XI'AN TRIP MAIN PAGE]

THE SECOND BIRTHDAY PRESENT OF THE YEAR ARRIVED TODAY

2026-10-08T22:17:35.867+08:00

A parcel was awaiting for me outside my door when I arrived home from the Surau after the Isya' prayer.

It was a birthday present from another UPM TESL Class of 1993 friend, Puan Aunillah Hilmi and her husband.

Thanks a million to the lovely husband and wife couple. Only Allah may repay your kindness.

KEM BESTARI SOLAT PROGRAMME AT UiTM PASIR GUDANG

2026-10-07T23:39:14.715+08:00

Pasukan Kebajikan Kanak-kanak of Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Johor Bahru organized Kem Bestari Solat [Smart Praying Workshop]. The programme was held at Universiti Teknologi Mara [UiTM] pasir Gudang at its mosque. It was a collaborated activity with the university's Islamic Centre. A discussion with the staff was earlier held, two months before the event [READ HERE].

The focus group comprised of one hundred school students and juveniles under the observation of the Department.

The programme started at 8:00 a.m. and ended by 1:00 p.m. Then the participants performed the Zohor prayer in group [jamaah] and lunch was served for everyone.

This was the last activity for Pasukan Kebajikan for the year 2026. I have to thank and congratulate Puan Norhamizah for all the hard work that had been put to run all the programmes for the Group throughout the year. May we continue with other programmes for the children for 2027.

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE: SEARCHING FOR TERRACOTTA ARMY IN XI'AN - PART 2

2026-10-06T15:55:41.486+08:00

CONTINUATION OF PART ONE

4TH SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ After the challenging ordeal to get into the Terracotta Army complex, we finally made ourselves into the first building.

There were two main buildings which housed the remnants of the past. Both were huge and there was not enough light inside. The bright areas were the centre area where all the Terracotta Army had been excavated.

Terracotta is actually a clay-based brownish-orange ceramic material that hardens when fired. [SOURCE: AI Overview]. In other words, it is similar to the ceramic flower pots that you have outside and around the house.

However, the Terracotta Army statues in Xi'an were constructed in 246-206 BC. How long had these Army lasted, you do the Maths.

One could only observe and admire the clay statues from afar. Another challenge that needed to overcome, to walk and mingle with the big crowd in the buildings.

Make sure you try to take as many photos as possible here, and that would be the only best thing that I was able to do here.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART THREE

[MY XI'AN TRIP MAIN PAGE]

VENTURING OUT TO PONTIAN FOR LUNCH

2026-10-05T23:44:10.931+08:00

4TH OCTOBER 2026 ~ We decided to venture out of the district for lunch this time. We were at Kopitiam Kampung in Pontian at about 3:00 p.m. after discovering the place on TikTok.

There were customers dining in when we arrived and there were still people eating as we were about to go out.

We both ordered rice dishes for our meal that afternoon.

MY HONEST UNPAID REVIEW:

Mine was steamed rice with fried chicken. The chicken was too small and it was very hard. The drumstick was either overcooked, or refried. The meat had become solid hard and crispy like chips. The curry was a bit too sweet for me.

My friend had fish. Both the vegetables cooked in coconut milk and sour/spicy sauce were too sweet as well.

the sea in front of the restaurant

THE MORAL OF THE STORY: Do not believe everything you watch on TikTok especially when someone is being paid to do a food review. I wonder if the owner had read the reviews written on Google about the place as they were not encouraging too. [I only checked them after finishing the food]. Just hope the management could do something to improve the quality and taste of the food.

ATTENDING THE WEDDING RECEPTION OF MS. KHAULAH AB. RAHIM

2026-10-04T23:23:22.040+08:00

3rd OCTOBER 2026 ~ Today was the wedding reception day of Miss Khaulah Ab. Rahim, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti. The event was held at Taman Sri Pulai Mosque.

Glad I could make it on her big day as she was one of the few ex-students who still kept in touch [even though not that frequent anymore]. At the same time, many of her other siblings also attended the same school and that made them my ex-students automatically.

I arrived at the reception venue at about 1:15 p.m. and I was already greeted by an ex-student outside the hall.

As expected, there were some ex-students and ex-colleagues who attended the reception.

There is now one less people to go for coffee outside and gossip, but I am still very happy for her. Congratulations Miss Khaulah on finding her forever person and wishing them both a lifetime of love and happiness.

A FAREWELL GATHERING AT A YEMEN RESTAURANT

2026-10-03T23:11:16.368+08:00

2nd OCTOBER 2026 ~ Another ex-colleague of SMK Taman Universiti got her transfer approved. However, instead of getting back to her hometown in Terengganu, she was put in a school in Negeri Sembilan, and she was left with not much choice.

A few friends organized a farewell party for Miss Maizura Abu Hassan at Al-Nawras Restaurant in Taman Pulai Flora. Luckily, I was also invited so I could officially bid her farewell.

Wishing Miss Maizura the best of luck in her new school. God willing, may we meet again some other time in the future, either in Johor Bahru or Negeri Sembilan, and who knows may be in Terengganu.

FOOTNOTE: I have now discovered a new eating place for Arab food.

MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT ARRIVED EARLIER THIS YEAR

2026-10-02T16:07:29.416+08:00

A parcel arrived on my doorstep [there was literally none actually] this afternoon, all the way from Kuala Lumpur. It was my birthday present sent by my UPM TESL Class of 1993 friend, Puan Hanna Sheikh Mokhtar. The present arrived very early but I was not complaining and it was a big one this time.

Thank you to Puan Hanna for her kind thought. May she be abundantly blessed by Allah Almighty and be granted with good health all her life.

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE: SEARCHING FOR TERRACOTA ARMY IN XI'AN - PART 1

2026-10-01T23:10:56.316+08:00

4TH SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ The visit to Xi'an would not be complete without visiting the Terracota Army. It was one of the wonders of ancient civilization and was one of the items in my bucket list.

The trip to the historical site was not a pleasant walk in the park. The first obstacle was to get through the entrance gate. We already saw a sea of people upon arrival, mostly local Chinese.

The queue was very long and the weather was hot. Nevertheless, the line was moving quite fast. There was security check at the gate, similar to the process at the airport.

After the clearing the security check, we then had to take a ride on a buggy to get to the main complex.

To get to the exhibition areas was already an adventure on its own. And it was not easy to get 28 people in the group to stay together and not be separated.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2

[MY XI'AN TRIP MAIN PAGE]

THE LAST SCHOOL VISIT FOR THE YEAR 2026

2026-09-30T22:17:13.257+08:00

Finally, it was the last school visited for the Crime Prevention Campaign organized by Pasukan Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak [Children's Welfare Team] of Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Daerah Johor Bahru [Welfare Department. The lucky school was SMK Pasir Gudang 3.

The talk sessions started at 3:00 p.m. and ended by 5:00 p.m. The first one was delivered by the staff of the Department and the second one by two policeman officers.

The school Principal is actually an old friend, an English teacher who used to mark PMR English Exam Paper together a long time ago.

There will be one more programme next week but it is not going to be done in school.

THE GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE AT CHICKEN RICE SHOP

2026-09-30T13:54:34.647+08:00

27th SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ Someone who was a bit under the weather wanted to get Chicken Rice for dinner. So we drove to Sunway Bigbox Mall, the place where a Chicken Rice Shop was located and would not be crowded even on a weekend.

Chicken Rice

The last time we had Chicken Rice was in a proper restaurant was in Kulai a few months ago, but in a different restaurant [READ HERE].

Chicken #1

Chicken #2

Bean Sprout

Fishball Soup

Everything was alright except the Soup was a bit bland. There was no chicken taste in it, just salty. They should add in more chicken parts in the gravy, or at least more chicken cubes.

Rojak

We had Rojak to complement the lunch set meal for two that we chose.

Pai Tee

The visit to Chicken Rice Shop would not be complete without its Pai Tee, something like Spring Rolls but in a different shape and form.

The gastronomic adventure for the week was done and we now have to think of a place to go for next week.

THE HEALING SESSION AT PUNGGAI BEACH IN PENGERANG

2026-09-29T23:15:59.696+08:00

16TH SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ For city people, one of the common places visited for a healing session is at the beach. I just got to know the beach at Amerald Hotel in Pengerang [where we were staying] is called Punggai Beach.

My friend and I went down to the beach at about 5:30 p.m. There was no sun in the sky, but it was still quite warm outside. It must be the haze that originated from Kalimantan, Indonesia.

There were not many people at the beach on Malaysia Day public holiday, as it was only a single day in the middle of the week. That should be something that I would be thankful for as a huge crowd would not contribute to our plan to enjoy peace and tranquility by the seaside.

the view of the hotel from the beach

the seaweed that was washed ashore

Basically we just strolled along the beach, and admired the view, and took as many photos as possible.

As I was lost in my own world, the biggest surprise happened. A lady and her partner approached me, smiling and asked whether I am Cikgu Zainal. She is an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti who happened to spend her holiday with her husband at the same place.

I got to thank Miss Yasmin Awatief for stopping by to say "hi" to me. I sometimes met my ex-students who had grown into fine young men/women at the most unexpected places. Guess fans are just everywhere.

ZAINIK CAFE REVISITED FOR A LATE LUNCH

2026-09-28T22:33:16.018+08:00

27th SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ The late lunch on Sunday took place at Zainik Cafe, one of the eating places that we always visit in Gelang Patah. One reason: one could get freshly cooked Malay dishes from the kitchen. Even though it was already late, at about 3:00 p.m., there were still many people dining in when we arrived. Perhaps people eat out on Sundays.

Rice

Tom Yum

Chicken Asam Pedas

Fried Cabbage

Omelette

My friend the regular partner of the gastronomic trips was happy with the food, and so was I. There could be possibilities we would be coming back again to this place some other time.

FOOTNOTE: I had dinner [cum a farewell gathering] after that in the evening at a Mamak in the same area as Zainik Cafe, with my Chess teacher friends. [READ HERE]

THE FAREWELL GATHERING OF A CHESS TEACHER FRIEND

2026-09-27T23:52:57.646+08:00

Mr. Ariff Alias, a teacher friend of the Johor Bahru Chess Team, called for a gathering this evening at Al-Safa Restaurant in Gelang Patah. The reason: his application to be transferred back to Terengganu was approved.

This was my first time at this Mamak restaurant. The eating area was huge especially the open area which was supposed to be parking spaces for vehicles but were filled with tables and chairs.

Mr. Ariff will still be here until December so there might be a possibility that another gathering will be called after this. We chess teachers just love to party once in a while.

EXPLORING THE SOUTH GATE OF XI'AN CITY WALL IN THE EVENING - PART 2

2026-09-26T22:51:41.094+08:00

CONTINUATION OF PART ONE

3RD SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ I noticed that we were at the gate where there were not many activities going on, except for the theatre performance in the centre court. Maybe the activities were restricted because of the show. Once the performance was over, more lights were lit up, and the place became brighter. So we continued taking as many photos as possible at different spots and angles.

You still have to be there to observe and admire the beauty of the City Wall at night. The photos I took did not do justice to the spectacular view of the Chinese architecture.

There was another trip to another gate of the City Wall which was in the itinerary. However, that would happen in the afternoon and the vibe would not be the same with what we had experienced in the evening.

[MY XI'AN TRIP MAIN PAGE]

THERE IS ALWAYS A FIRST TIME AT TAMAN NUSANTARA NIGHT MARKET

2026-09-26T10:29:13.274+08:00

24TH SEPTEMBER 2026 ~ Someone wanted to get food for his dinner and suggested we go to the Night Market at Taman Nusantara. I happily obliged as I would like to know if there was anything special sold there.

We arrived at about 5:00 p.m. and there were already many people. Most of them were those who was on their way home from their work places and stopped by to get something from the night market.

As usual, there were variety of items on sale, especially food.

It was just another Pasar Malam [Night Market] but I was happy to be there for the first time. I don't mind going again next time.