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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, July 23, 2008

A whirlwind tour of Pulau Besar in 2 hours or so...

Let me continue where we left off in the article My favourite place of hang-out in Pulau Besar, Melaka. After I'm done fooling around the jungle hut, me, Zaidi @ PerpatihTulus and my cousin's friend Asri decided to take a walk. My cousin Nizam opted to stay behind at the hut as he had a bad knee following a nasty slip in front of the Keramat at Tanjung Tuan (see The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : On to the 'Keramat'... ) and all the strenous walk within the last 24 hours or so.

Our destination for the day was actually a long grave known as Makam (tomb of) Nenek Kebayan (something like the old hag from fairy-tales but a kind one that is) and a place called Gua (cave of) Yunos near a rocky shore of Pulau Besar as we felt too tired to go any further. The places were within 2km of the hut and we thought we had enough energy left for that. Instead, we found ourselves somehow immensely rejuvenated at Gua Yunos and decided to extend the walk for at least 3km, maybe 5km or more! Here is the story...


OK... This picture is actually taken after getting rejuvaned at Gua Yunos and having walked more than a kilometre further. Somehow I forgot to take still pictures at Makam Nenek Kebayan and Gua Yunos, maybe because I was too busy playing the host for the video clips taken by Zaidi. Have a look at my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU to view the video clips.

Anyway, I still got the relevant old pictures from previous articles in this blogspot. Do have a look at these: -

Pulau Besar 2: Why so many long tombs? (posted July 2007) and

The mystery of Gua Yunus (the cave of Yunus) (posted November 2007)

Back to the current flow of storytelling. The picture above is of a stone 'bounded' by the roots from a tree growing on it!


As we walked further ahead, we could see this part of Pulau Besar behind. Near the rocky shores, I think just behind the ones seen at the right tip here lies Gua Yunos somewhere up the slopes...


We went to reach a certain place we have walked through the night before... In pitch darkness except for the little torchlights we carried around.


This is it, the entry to the certain area with a prohibition of entry sign in front...


For here lies an abandoned multimillion five-star apartment project, the only one of its kind in Pulau Besar, in fact the only one of this stature within a 200km radius outside of Kuala Lumpur I think! To know why it became this way, please read the article Sedikit citarasa Itali di Pulau Besar? (A bit of Italian taste in Pulau Besar?) published in the bi-lingual blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) November 2007.


From the abandoned apartment buildings, we went up this path to get to another certain place on top of the second highest peak in Pulau Besar. Hmm... Now I remember why I didn't bother to take much still pictures. Busy making video clips aside, I already have a stash of pictures taken from previous trips - I think I have been to Pulau Besar more than 10 times and most of the time, I would make it a point to walk around the island covering at least half of it!

Anyway, for the pictures from the other certain place, have a look at the article Pemandangan sekitar kelab golf tinggal di Pulau Besar (views around the abandoned golf club at Pulau Besar) ... Also posted in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) November 2007.


Then we walked down and up a ridge to reach another certain place. Hmm... I seem to be pretty fond of using the words "certain place" tonight. Wonder why...

Anyway, along the way is this huge tree which could be seen halfway up the highest peak of Pulau Besar even from afar... I guess that gave a clue that we want to get the highest peak right?


So in time, we arrived on top. Here a lies a certain split stone (ooppsss... I used the word 'certain' again!). And here's Zaidi posing on top of it! For the story, let me continue another time when I feel like it ya! Meanwhile have a look at the video clips to be posted in the blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU afterwards. Cheers! :]

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