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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".


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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 17, 2007

Now, Danau Tok Uban...

Note: Another adaptation from CATATAN SI MERAH SILU. An almost direct translation of the Malay one made yesterday in a rush!


Time is running out while I still have 2-3 stories to let out before I can feel satisfied. Ah... Just do it...

After leaving Bukit Panau last Wednesday, I got a bus up to the junction to get to Tok Uban... Never thought Danau Tok Uban, the mysterious destination next on my list is rather far from there, almost or more than 10km away while I can't see any public transport coming in. So I have no choice but to walk far dragging all my goods... Quite a while later then I got to hitchike a lorry which is supposedly headed for Danau Tok Uban...

On the way, the lorry driver said he must stop at a village to pick-up some workers. He said, then they will go to Danau Tok Uban.

I just obliged. As it turns out, not only I have to wait long before the workers in question showed up. I was then taken to another village where they want to cut down an old rubber tree to be used as furniture wood. Don't know how long all these will take if I want to wait until the tree is cut into pieces small enough to be carried up the lorry... And so I had to walk far again...

Some time later, arrived at the small town of Tok Uban... The people there were amazed to see me walking alone carrying a big rucksack while dragging along the carriage which is part of "Berpetualang ke Aceh" book series promotion kit under the hot blazing sun...


Posing a minute in front of a school... After some time, someone took me up and drove me to Danau Tok Uban... From the school, I've walked almost 2 km before getting transport... As it turns out, there's another 3 km to go before I got there!


Look at the trees around Danau Tok Uban... Feels like somewhere overseas! They say because there's a lot of Tembusu tree. I just nodded... Not that I know which one is Tembusu which one is not... What I do know, the trees here do look different!

The first time I arrived here was in 2004, following a friend who was shooting a local drama there... The story-line involves scenes which are supposed to happen in England. And so Danau Tok Uban is chosen as one of the 'overseas' location...

There, the wide expanse of lake known as Danau Tok Uban... But maybe most people don't realise how big it is because of the kiambang (a kind of growth on water, sorry can't find the English word off-hand) covering most of the surface...

Apparent behind is Bukit (the hill of) Panau in the province of Tanah Merah. The Danau (lake) is situated in the region of Pasir Mas.

The white mosque built by the Sultan of Brunei across the lake leaves a lot of questions... Why built it there? Is there a secret behind it?


The lake seen from a different angle...

Part of the only restaurant in the area...

"Berpetualang ke Aceh" poster 'hanging-out' beside the jetty...



The restaurant seen from far...

A picture taken from a part of the restaurant floating on water, immediately after waking up from an afternoon nap...


Snap a pix of this tree... The promotion kit also wants to pose along, haha!

The picture above and below were taken from the Brunei mosque but that is another story...:]





1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for putting Danau Tok Uban in your blog.Tok Uban was my paternal ancestral village.Now i'm in the process of tracking the journey back to my late grandmother's era.It's nice to read about Tok Uban from the perspective of 'orghe luarr'