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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.


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A visit to the high waterfalls at Lata Kinjang

Something from my March 2010 picture files...


During the March school holidays, me and wife spontaneously decided to take our kids to the Lata Kinjang waterfalls...


At first we just wanted to take a drive towards Kuala Kubu Baru 40 km from our house. On the way we felt like going further to Tanjung Malim, just past the Perak-Selangor border. Upon arriving there we felt like hey... why not go on to Lata Kinjang were lies a very high series of waterfall? Although the place is 150 km away from our house the drive felt like a breeze and we practically arrived there in no time. Here's a number of Orang Asli (indigenous people) house which could seen towards the waterfalls.

The wife and kids posing at the lowest waterfall...


Oh, now I remember. That day, 13th March was when our baby Muhammad Al-Rasyid became 5-months old!



There, baby Al-Rasyid loves this place...




Just look at the other people enjoying it too...





As for me, it is customary to try the limits...






So I decided to climb up further. Thank God for the stairs...







Here's the second level of waterfalls...












I've circled the position of the first level relative from here...






Still there are upper reaches to explore...







So time to climb further on.






The third level in view...






One could see a suspension bridge going across higher...






Actually the bridge has been closed to public. But hey, I can't help exploring OK...







From the bridge one could see visitors enjoying the waters at what seemed to be the fourth level. Anyway, it is a level higher than the place I've mentioned as the third...







A look towards the lower levels. See the people having picnic? That is at the place I've marked as third level. Lower down towards the centre of the picture is the second. It's almost impossible to see the first level with the naked eye...





Yet Lata Kinjang still have higher waterfalls!






Too bad, the suspension bridge is the last and highest place with a clear path. If you want to go higher you have to do some serious jungle trekking. That's all...

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh articles in full


Since the series "Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh" have been succesfully completed, it makes good sense to do a compilation of the links. Here I'd like to also add links to the stories running alongside in the blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU (which features video clips of this trip). Do enjoy it OK... :]

1. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Dari Perak bertukar ke Perlak...

2. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : A sudden unexpected trip...

3. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Ke kompleks anak yatim Nurin di Lhoong

4. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : A feeling of old Kedah... or rather, old Malay country before Western colonialists spoiled everything?

5. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Makam Syiah Kuala... dan makam Maharajalela Abdul Rahim...

6. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : Enter the tomb of Syiah Kuala...

7. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Pemandangan kapal apung...

8. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : The ship that got swept inland by the Tsunami of 2004

9. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Gunongan dan beberapa tempat bersejarah di Banda Aceh

10. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : The historical sites at Banda Aceh

11. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Rombongan ke Perlak...

12. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Majlis Maulud di Masjid Nurun Niswah, Perlak

13. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Makam Sultan Saiyid Maulana Abdul Aziz Shah...

14. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : Maulidur Rasul, the Ahlul Bait Sultan and a legacy from old Perlak

15. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Kuala Idi dan makam raja daerah sini...

16. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : The kings of Idi

17. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Makam Sultan Malikus Saleh!

18. Maulidur Rasul di Aceh : Kembali ke Banda Aceh, singgah ke Masjid Raya Baiturrahman

19. Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : Back to Banda Aceh

Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh : Back to Banda Aceh

Saturday evening was a relaxing time as we waited for the convoy to mack the move back to Banda Aceh. Here's a view from inside our hotel in Idi, the dome of a nearby mosque in view...


Our baby Muhammad Al-Rasyid sprawling on the couch...


When he woke up we took him downstairs. Here's a pix of baby with mummy in front of a frame containing an artist's impression of the first four Caliphs of Islam, the best companions and deputies of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Here's a pix in front of our hotel.

We left Idi after Maghrib, that is around 7:30 pm or so. As our route to Banda Aceh passed-by Geudong, Lhokseumawe were lies the tomb of the pious king Sultan Malikus Saleh (deceased 1297 AD or so), we paid a visit. Here's our friends Haji Muzaffar and Puan Suzana in front of the tomb.


Later we stopped at Matang to enjoy its famous satay. If I remember correctly it was around 1 am then...



A distance after the town Bireuen we stopped and visited Makam Syahid Lapan, the tomb of the 8 martyrs who died under Dutch fire early 20th century.



Here's the last picture I took in this trip, when we stopped for breakfast at a place on the foot of Mount Seulawah. This place is more than 40 km away from Banda Aceh. But that is already near considering the fact that we started in Idi some 340 km further away.

That very afternoon we took the flight back to Malaysia. So this is the end of the "Celebrating the Prophet's birthday in Aceh" series. Cheers! :]