Tok Yam's @ Alor Setar

the kids great grandmothers house in ALor Setar, and together with their 2nd, 3rd cousins

Masjid Zahir @ Alor Setar, Kedah

Sg Petani @ Kedah

the kids grandparents house in Sg Petani... from top left: Yummy nasi biryani, the old HSBC building, Cinta Sayang resort, Shezan restaurant, them getting ready for the long drive to KL

Scenes from Alor Setar, Kedah

the courthouse, A.Setar tower, fountain at Wan Jah roundabout, Balai Nobat, Pasar Rabu, Mee Abu...

Ferry @ Penang

from the ferry ticket booth, waiting area, ramp to the ferry and inside the ferry

a few ferries plying the mainland-island route

the ferry approaching the pier, ramp getting down to the ferry, cars moving one by out out of the ferry

Just for the fun of it we took the ferry from the mainland to Penang Island instead of the bridge

Korean dinner with Park Sung's family @ Penang

With our old friend Park Sung and his family in Penang on Friday

before and after

street scenes in my hometown last night (last day of shopping before idul fitri) and tonight on the same road/area... stark contrast

Idul Fitri Scenes

from top left: the family, the kids, + the helper, my boy + his cousins, them in the kampung, back home, at uncle's, my old grandad's place, supper with KFC after all day long with rendang + ketupat... what an ending :)

Tarbush Lebanese Restaurant @ LG2.123 Sunway Pyramid Pyramid

Last day of breaking fast, its Lebanese food for us, nice restaurant, even better view overlooking the man made lake and the Sunway Pyramid/city complex.

Location: LL2. 123 sunway pyramid @ marrakesh, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Cuisine: Lebanese
Contact: 03-5633 9222
Web: www.tarbush.com.my

Serai Thai Restaurant @ Sect 3, Shah Alam

Breaking fast with accounts team at Serai.nice photo from http://www.vkeong.com/2009/food-drink/serai-thai-restaurant-sec-3-shah-alam/ my Nokia5800 cant take picture this good lah :)

contact:
Serai Thai Restaurant
No.5, Jalan Sena,
3/13A, 40000 Shah Alam
Tel: 5510 5729

Breaking fast @ INTEKMA Resort, Shah Alam

INTEKMA Resort & Convention Centre

Persiaran Raja Muda, Seksyen 7 Shah Alam Selangor Darul Ehsan 40000 MALAYSIA +603-5522 5000 +603-5522 5004 http://www.intekmaresort.com.my

My dad's annual breaking fast with his clan

Yup.. there are so many of us, my dad (top left in black) is the eldest of 10 siblings and all of them except one were present. All 10 from 1 mother (my granny.. bottom right photo, in purple) who is in her 90's now.

Sahur Kuda Tua @ PJ Hilton

Was our annual "sahur" gathering for my batch last night/early morning actually from about 11pm to 4.30am @ PJ Hilton. There was quite a turnout about 35 'old' horses were there, those who had to cancel were either out of town or overseas. It was time to catch up on old friends, especially those not in the usual suspect group, Jalil made a short dash from Singapore just to join us... Good man.. but watch that waist bro.. As usual there were lots of issues being discussed, as time goes on the gathering move into small discussion groups.. basically you can sense what topics were discussed at that time base on how loud the group laughed or how many serious faces in the group :)

It was a time to remember our 3 departed friends Shahrir, Rahman and Johan, may Allah bless their souls.

Hopefully we meet again next Ramadhan, maybe more could join in.

Mentera Semerah Padi by M Nasir

mm another of my old favourite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9Uf1QrFpk8 for original version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6xM9FGGUYE for M Nasir + Spider version



Hei! kersani mengalir lah dikau
Menjadi raksa
Mengisi belikat punggungku
Agar aku bisa berdiri
Tegap dan segak
Bagaikan laksmana Melayu

Hei! sepuluh helai daun sirih
Ku gentas bersama
Bunga cengkih jadilah dikau
Darah merah pekat
Mengisi uratku
Agar bisa aku berlangkah
Gagah dan tampan
Bagaikan sijantan yang berkokok

Di mana bumi ku pijak
Di situ langit ku junjung
Alang-alang menyeluk pekasam
Biar sampai ke pangkal lengan

Aku seru mentera pusakaku
Mentera semerah padi

Nur Nilam Sari by Search & Awie

Dengar lagu lama-lama, sedap pula lagu ni...

On YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX3vjxgaI_0
On VodPod http://vodpod.com/watch/172658-search-awie-nur-nilam-sari/a

Nur Nilam Sari

Search Awie

Pinjam sinarmu Nur Nilam Sari buatku merempuhi malam
Kabus berlabuh bagaikan awan mengaburi penglihatan
Menyekat maksud di sempadan
Redup yang kupasangkan angan

Sekadar berhasrat berlindung dalam lena
Pejamkan mata untuk kulupakan sengsara
Berapa kerdipan melaraskan jiwa
Menyusuk ke arah asalku

Senyumanmu satu azimat buat diriku yang hina
Manusia terpinggir melara
Tak pernah kenal erti bahagia
Namunku masih gembira bagiku rahmat semuanya

Oh... Mungkin...
Kalau nasibku berbeza
Aku tak mampu menilaikan dikau

Aku berani, berani aku
Katakan dirimu itu dewi kayangan

Senyumanmu satu azimat buat diriku yang hina
Manusia terpinggir melara
Tak pernah kenal erti bahagia
Namunku masih gembira bagiku rahmat semuanya

Peperangan yang melanda diriku kini
Sudah berakhir... Oh... Berakhir
Kepahitan dulu bertukar menjadi sebuah sejarah
Dan kenangan manis

Senyumanmu satu azimat buat diriku yang hina
Manusia terpinggir melara
Tak pernah kenal erti bahagia
Namunku masih gembira bagiku rahmat semuanya

Senyumanmu satu azimat buat diriku yang hina
Manusia terpinggir melara
Tak pernah kenal erti bahagia
Namunku masih gembira bagiku rahmat semuanya

What is all the fuss about Negara Ku being a song from the neighbour?

national anthem? tari pendet? (Gosh even Discovery channel admitted they made that mistake). Like never ending.. even pernah diperlikan oleh mantan Dubes di Kuala Lumpur pra-Konfrontasi Djatikusumo... and that was in the 1950's

Ooooppsss.. I did it again..

The Jakartaglobe.com: Malaysia Anthem Furor Hits Wrong Note, Says Indonesian Expert

Solo. Oops! We did it again. Moral indignation over Malaysia’s alleged use of an Indonesian song for its national anthem appears — rather embarrassingly — to have been misplaced, according to a leading Indonesian musician and artist, Remy Sylado. (was informed that Remy Sylado is more known as a poet, a playwright, or novelist in Indonesia. see also http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remy_Sylado)

Sylado, speaking in Jakarta on Wednesday, said the so-called Indonesian song “ Terang Bulan ” (“Moonlight”) was actually an adaptation of “La Rosalie,” which was composed in the 19th century by Pierre-Jean de Beranger of Francey.

Citing a Dutch historical text on national anthems, Sylado said the song became popular in the former French colony of the Seychelles and arrived in the Malay archipelago at the turn of the 20th century, where it was eventually used as the basis for Malaysia’s anthem, “ Negaraku ” (“My Country”).

“It is written clearly that ‘Negaraku,’ the Malaysian anthem, is adapted from Pierre-Jean de Beranger’s song. Not from ‘Terang Bulan,’ ” Sylado said.

He said the adaptation of “La Rosalie” to “Negaraku” had a long evolution. In 1888, during British rule of the Federated Malay States, the lyrics were rewritten and localized to “God Save the Sultan” by Raja Mansur, the eldest son of Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah II Habibullah of Perak.......

read the details here: http://thejakartaglobe.com/news/malaysia-anthem-furor-hits-wrong-note-says-indonesian-expert/327697

what was posted in this site in 2005... http://mattingtong.blogspot.com/2005/11/negara-ku-original-or-ciplak.html

Nasi Padang Sari Ratu @ Subang Parade

Another trip to Sari Ratu @ Subang Parade (I guess the 6th in the chain) for buka puasa, this time with our customers... Finally I get my hands on the 'otak' (brain.. yes brain..)

Prices:
Buffet - Adult RM49 (children under 12, 1/2 price)

Ala-carte - check the menu

PS.. don't mind those 2 handsome, macho, tough, 'jantan' men, contact me for their details hahaha

Serambi Pak Engku @ Wisma PKPS, Shah Alam

This is Malay cuisine at its best. Oh so nice pengat (sweet paste) durian with glutinous rice, the many types of kerabus (mixed salad is it?), daging salai (dried meat), tempoyak, udang merah (red prawns), crab (ketam masak lemak.. yummy), porridges - so many of them, rendang, rojak, mee, some Malay cakes - seri muka, seri everything lah... agggghh the list is endless.. I love each and everyone of them

Serambi Pak Engku
4th Floor, Wisma PKPS, Shah Alam

Buffet: RM55

update August 2010
Pak Engku has a new restaurant in Section 8, Shah Alam, entrance from the road next to IPK Polis Selangor, straight up the hill and turn left down and you can see the restaurant on the shoplot 500 metres down the road on the left

my post for buka puasa 2010 is here: http://mattingtong.blogspot.com/2010/09/serambi-pak-engku-bangunan-pkps-shah.html

Itik Panggang @ Seksyen 13, Shah Alam

look at that.. juicy grilled duck

Bariani Johor Pak Anjang @ Shah Alam

My favourite beriyani rice restaurant in Shah Alam... time for Kambing, Chicken and Beef beriani on Sunday. Sorry no photo... too hungry to remember taking the shots hahahaha.

Pak Anjang Bariani Johor

No. 44, Jalan Rugby 13/30

Seksyen 13

40000, Shah Alam

Tel : 03 - 55106535

KLM to JKT

This time its Thursday afternoon flight instead of the usual Friday flight on board the KLM's Boeing 777 - Fulufjället National Park