Gala dinner & cultural show...

“The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants...” - Omar N. Bradley

In conjunction with the Bosnia Festive Week 2007, we were invited to attend the Gala Dinner and Show at the Manhattan Ballroom, Berjaya Times Square Hotel and Convention Centre. The Tuanku Raja Perlis and Tuanku Raja Perempuan graced the occasion.

After lengthy speeches from the Executive Chairman of Istimewa Restu and his Excellency, the Ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina we were entertained with the unique and energetic cultural performance from the Cultural and Artistic Society Borac from Travnik and the lovely songs from the talented young singers from the Elementary Music School Avdo Samilovic from Gorazde. The 70-member troupe had gone for a road-show in Penang, Langkawi and had recently entertained students at the Cempaka School with their songs and dances based on the civil war that broke out in 1992.

We watched a promotional video on Bosnia & Herzegovina. The war-torn country has risen from the ashes of destruction and has changed into a stunning beautiful country with rich cultural heritage.

I have to add this into my list of places to visit!

Pahang - 4x4 to Air Terjun Bekelah...

“Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with all the world…” - Joseph Campbell, 

(Fast flowing water)

(Crossing the stream to the waterfalls)

(A nice stream for a swim)

(Taking a rest on the rocks)

(Trekking among the rocky path)

(Panoramic photography)

A minah rempit?

"When you have your nose in the air, it's difficult to appreciate the treasures that lie close to the earth..."

(2003 - Leisure ride to Frazer's Hill on my Honda Shadow...)

I looked up this definition in the Wiki. A Mat Rempit is 'an individual who participates in illegal street racing', usually involving under-boned motorbikes or a kapcai. A Minah Rempit must be the female counterpart…

I love to ride the motorbike even at a young age. I love street racings and skinned knees and elbows a few times much too often. Hubby loves to ride too. When we were in campus we used to own a motorbike. So when we had the opportunity with bikers friends we used to race each other and pushed our adrenalin to the max. A few years back when hubby decided to buy a big bike, I was ok with the decision for I love to feel the wind on my face again...

Was I a Minah Rempit? Am I still now?

When I passed my LCE and got enrolled into Form 4 Science in Sultan Ismail College in the 70’s, my abah was so proud of me and he decided to buy me a motorbike. That was the first vehicle bought in the family. The only ‘kenderaan’ we ever had was the old ‘basikal unta’ used by my abah to transport him daily to work from our polis flat in Wakaf Mek Zainab to the polis HQ in kota Bharu.

I was the first girl in school to ride a motorbike. It was the talk of the town. Helmet was not compulsory. I didn’t even have a full licence then. I began to join a group of bikers I met at Pantai Cinta Berahi. I began to spend my weekends riding and racing with them and we became very close. I began to avoid my girl friends. My boy friend disapproved of my association with the bikers as they were mostly dropouts. I was having a hell of a good time then and couldn’t be bothered with his feelings. Slowly, we drifted apart.

(1979 - merempit with the BBA gang in Langkawi)

After form 5 I was accepted to further my study in KL. With heavy heart, I left my bikers friends. In the beginning, every opportunity I had during semester breaks was spent with them. But slowly, my bikers gang began to split too. We grew older and wiser and had other commitments . I missed them. I missed all the fun. We have not crossed path since then but the memory I had with my bikers friends in KB will always linger in my mind.

p.s. To my bikers friends especially Raja Shah Z, where are you now?

Pahang - Frazer's Hill cool mountain retreat...

“The greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time…”

(A view from BNM top floor apartment)

Iwan and Ella came and picked us from our Putramas apartment. We went to Insaf Restaurant to have nasi bryani lunch before we drove to Frazer's Hill via the Ulu Yam road.

We reached the Gap around 6 p.m. It has stopped raining by then, but it was misty and wet. We bought burger for dinner as we were lazy to come out in the rain again later. We were staying the night at the Pine's Resort. The resort is set amidst the cool mountain tranquility of Fraser’s Hill.

(A western restaurant)

When the children were small we used to come here for recreational activities such as horse riding, archery, roller-skating or jungle trekking. But now it has lacked its attraction. We ended up watching football on Astro and played games on our laptops.

(A cool morning on the hill)

Next morning, the kids stayed in bed till noon. I stayed in front of the heater, wrapped in my shawl and played sudoku.

We had late brunch and packed our things. The caretaker called to warn that there were a few incidences of mud slides and fallen trees. So instead of driving through the Gap, we took the same road we came from yesterday.

(The girls in the family)

Although Frazer's Hill lacks recreational activities, it is still a perfect getaway place to run away from our busy life, to relax and breathe fresh, cool mountain air.

A call for celebration!

"No journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within...” - Lillian Smith

Sara sounded excited when she called at noon last Friday. She received her appointment letter. Effective Monday she will be posted at the Selayang Hospital as Penolong Pengarah, HR Department.

Alhamdulillah, I was happy for her.

On Saturday night the three of us had a celebration dinner at the Italianis, 1-Utama. On Sunday night, another celebration dinner at TGIF, the Curve. This time with Ella and Iwan. The queue was long but it was ok as the food that came after was superb.

Although full to the brim, we shared a plate of choc cakes for dessert….

Serious Work Out

"You got to approach everyday as if it's your last..."

It has been nearly a year since I visited the club to work out. After my angio procedure in February last year I was very careful not to exert myself or over stress my heart. And I have gain unwanted pounds too. The last time I went there was with the gang to have light meal at the bowling café.

Tonight, after a long break, we decided to go to the club to work out. Earlier, we called Sara and Iwan to ask whether they are interested to join us in a game of squash and bowling. Iwan and Ella came straight to the apartment from office. After solat maghrib we headed to the club in one car. Played a few rounds of squash but had to take turns as Iwan and Ella were sharing sports shoes with his Abah and Sara. After an hour of strenuous exercise, we cycled to cool down while Iwan and Ella started first at the bowling alley.

We ordered food from the café and had a sumptuous family dinner together.

Melaka - Happy New Year!

"Forget what you wanted to do, forget what you meant to do, and look at what you did..."

(On the beach of Pulau Besar)

This year we spent the Aidil-Adha together with our kids, Sara, Iwan and Ella. We were joined by Iwan’s mother-in-law, Normah and Ella’s sister Kak Nini and hubby, Azmi and their cute son, Anwar Aliff. The last day of year 2006 was spent at Kampung Sri Minyak Melaka.

On Saturday, Iwan and Ella in one car and Abang Azmi and family in another, drove to A’ Farmosa and spent the day at the Water World. From KL we drove to Melaka late afternoon and met the rest at Mahkota Parade and headed to my Mak’s place. Earlier we called to invite all in the family to ikan bakar’s treat at the Anjung Batu restaurant. We managed to gather almost all of my siblings, nephews and nieces. The ikan bakar and small nasi lemak bungkus were really finger-licking good.

(Staying in Gerbang chalets)

Tonight we decided not to stay at my parents place as there are many of us and there is not enough room for every family, takut tak cukup oxygen!. Mak was a little kecil hati when we told her that we already booked 4 chalets at the Gerbang Sri Minyak Resort, only a 5-minutes walk from Mak’s house.

(Visiting Ja's grave and reciting the doa)

Next morning, we solat Aidil-Adha at Mesjid Sri Minyak and had breakfast of nasi empit, rendang and kuah lodeh at Mak’s place.

(On the boat to Pulau Besar)

The men went to the masjid to assist with the Qurban, The ladies stayed at home to eat and gossip. Later we packed our bags and checked out of the chalets and went to visit kubur Ja and sedekah al-fatihah for him.

(Sara and Alif at the beach)

Next, we headed to Umbai’s Jetty to rent a boat to Pulau Besar. The 10- minute boat ride was comfortable. We walked along the pretty sandy beach and played in the clear blue water.

(Taking the ferry around the island)

There are 2 resorts on the island. Pulau Besar is the burial ground of early traders and missionaries from the Middle East. Used as a base by the Japanese during World War II, the legacy of its history is evidenced by several ancient graves, a few wells in the jungle, a dynamite store and a bunker. We cruised around the island before we headed back to the mainland.

Drove back to KL and we had a sumptuous dinner at the Absolute Thai at Ikano. There was a big crowd at The Curve as they were having a concert before the countdown to the New Year. After dinner we went back to the Apartment. Iwan and the rest stayed back to join the count down and watch the fireworks. We went back to our apartment and watched the fireworks from the 22nd floor.

(Another resort on the other side of the island)

Happy New Year!