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

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.


Saturday, May 07, 2011

Enjoying the breeze at Pantai Sri Tujuh

Continued from The waters near Tumpat.



Next we went further up north and reached a place called Pantai Sri Tujuh.



It is actually the name of a beach (pantai = beach).



But you have to drive a distance to get to the actual beach passing what seemed to be lagoons and lakes.



That looks like open sea ahead. From here I have to walk.



Ah. It was breezy when we arrived around 5:30 pm. As we still had other places to rush to the wife and baby just waited in the car.



There. The beach and South China Sea.



A look to the right...



A look to the left. For the record this is the 757th article in this blogspot.




The waters near Tumpat

Continued from Tumpat train station in daylight.



Not far from the train station lies a recreational field and this hut.


Upon closer examination in turns out to be a platform facing a body of water.



A look to the right. It looks like a river.




A look ahead. The land across could be an island. I'm not sure but these parts of Tumpat could still be an extension of the Kelantan river delta. Crosscheck with the article Going around the Kelantan river delta made yesterday.




A look to the left.



Looks like open sea at the end...


Tumpat train station in daylight

Continued from A quick look at the town of Tumpat.


We then went to Tumpat train station.


Last year I went here with a photographer to make a book on a train travelling. But we arrived from Kuala Lumpur at night and tight schedule meant we have to catch the earliest train the following day which left early morning still in the dark. Look at the old articles On to Tumpat, the furthest point on the East Coast route and Kelantan stations early morning.


So in this visit I took the opportunity to have a good look at it in daylight.



A look to the left. That's where the track ends...






A look to the left. The track goes slightly west but on to the south where it meets the north-south West Coast line in Gemas.


A quick look at the town of Tumpat

Another round of articles on the trip to the East Coast made end of 2010. Continuing from 'Facing' death at Tok Selehor's special meditation hole.



Soon we arrived at the town of Tumpat.


It is a small town about 17 km by road north-west of the city of Kota Bahru.


So here's a quick round by car.



It is possible to cover all the streets under 10 minutes as traffic is quite light...





Friday, May 06, 2011

'Facing' death at Tok Selehor's special meditation hole

Continued from Tomb of Tok Selehor revisited.


Within the graveyard area also lies a certain building.




It is a special place, a remnant from the time of Tok Selehor when a certain way of meditation was practised to allow pupils to have a peek at the universe' hidden realities.


What realities are we talking about? For one it is about life after death.



For inside this building lies a hole.




It goes down 6 to 8 feet or so reaching the same underground level as the deceased buried.




This is no joke. Only a few feet of dirt and ground separates us from the actual remains of the dead. This is how it looks in the darkness. And this was still daytime.




A picture with flash. Baby Al-Rasyid was getting agitated having been forced to sit still for this shot. Notice the sloped area to the right. That's when pupils used to lie in silent meditation just like the dead. If your lucky (or unlucky? Depends really on how you see the supernatural) you could have the experience of seeing with your very own eyes the coming of two angels sent specially for questioning your deeds on earth. And what happens next, whether it is scary or beautiful depends on how you did upon examination. No joke. I understand it is practically a glimpse of paradise or hellfire...




Tomb of Tok Selehor revisited



After we're done going around the Kelantan river we went to the Tok Selehor religious school where lies this Muslim graveyard.


The graveyard lies in front of the Tok Selehor mosque.




This whole area which included a number of school blocks and traditional houses used to be supervised by Tok Selehor, a major Kelantan religious master of saintly status.


He lived about a century ago and was laid to rest at this sheltered part.


There. The signboard says "Kubur (grave of) Tok Selehor".



I first came here in 2007 or 2008. This is my second visit and I have the family in tow.






There's a total of four graves in this fenced area.



This should be the headstone of the tomb of Tok Selehor...

Going around the Kelantan river delta





OK. I've been around here by boat once and saw some superb views, I think in 2007 or 2008. But I was then alone with a friend. This time I wanted the family to also enjoy what I've seen. So here we were on a boat...

That's me sitting at the front alone, easy to see around from any angle.


Here's the boat starting to move...



OK. The boat is actually used to ferry people in and out of some of the populated islands. Have I mentioned that here lies the Kelantan river delta and its many islands?




Depending on availabity, one could rent a boat to look around. Or just pay cheap fee of RM1 per head one way to get to the closest main island.




As for me I sort of chartered the boat for a little family trip while at the same time allowing other passengers to get on board. So that is a sort of in-between arrangement making it rather cheap.





Here is the main inhabited island.









Welcome to Pulau (island of) Beluru.




Three passengers stepped off the boat as we continued our journey downriver.




Seen here is still part of Pulau Beluru if I'm not mistaken.




The river Kelantan flows into the South China Sea which should be a few more miles ahead.





But we weren't going that far. At this juncture the boat has made a u-turn to return to Kok Majid.