BERPETUALANG KE ACEH: Batu Feringghi: A day at the beach...

-----------------------

This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.

"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006

"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007

"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007

It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.

While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".

My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.

Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.

My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".

-----------------------

The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Batu Feringghi: A day at the beach...

Good morning! Time to change tack...

After spending a night at Masjid Lebuh Aceh pondering serious matters regarding the fate of the Penang Malays and the actual state of the Muslim faith in Malaysia, I decided to play the normal tourist role walking the lengths of Penang's many interesting streets before heading for the famous beach of Batu Feringghi some 15km or so from the city.

Oh... Now I remember... I must have slept at Masjid Lebuh Aceh on the 14th. As my records show I was in Penang (Seberang Prai which is situated on the mainland is considered to be in Penang too) 7-16 January and that includes the day after spending a night in Batu Feringghi, I arrived at the beach on the 15th... And I was at Lebuh Aceh the previous day.

Anyway, on with the story...

This is how it looks like from the little motel where I stayed for the night. I have no problem practically sleeping anywhere to save money. Usually I would put up at mosques or suraus (small praying halls) which are available almost anywhere within a 2km radius in Malaysia as this is after all a Muslim country. But the thing is at those religious venues, I must be ready to wake up by 5am in the morning for the Subuh congregational prayers.

The time for prayers itself started at around 5.45 or so depending on your location on the globe while one can perform the Subuh alone by the latest at about 7am. But at such places, the caretaker almost always comes early to prepare the venue and it is not polite for you to be still sleeping and not join the congregational prayer.

This is OK if I'm not so tired travelling but there are times I felt so whacked or simply so lazy... And there are times it's easier to put up at a cheap hotel especially when I have bundles of soiled clothes to wash, so there...

OK... Can you see the sea already? If not, watch closely again...

There, if you still can't see the sea, you better replace your eyes with marbles or something like that. Or maybe as they say, you have lost your marbles... Haha!

This is how a typical day at Batu Feringghi looks like. The beach is the most popular in Northern Malaysia attracting tourists from all parts of the world. The Mat Saleh (a Malay term for the whites) really seemed to love this beach...

In the background is Gunung (mount of) Jerai in Kedai, the most visible mountain up north. The history books say that was how merchants of the olden days find their way and navigate to Kedah... Eh... I'm not supposed to talk about history here... Ish... Ish... Ish!

Another look at the beachside. A place to relax and cool down. So forget history and serious matters eh?

A look towards the north-east horizons. Seen in the picture are the hills making up that part of Penang... Hmm... There's actually another pair of hills in the picture if you are observant enough, haha! :]