The hill called Bukit Marak

Continued from Revisiting the tomb of Kelantan's Raja Abdullah.

Next we went to the hill called Bukit Marak.

It is said that after Raja Abdullah passed away, the widowed Puteri Saadong then moved to set up residence at this hill.

That's the hill, behind a modern school named after Puteri Saadong.

To get close to it I took this small obscured road...

The road leads to an isolated wooden house at the foot of the hill.

The house is surrounded by big giant boulders. In fact it was built around some.

Leaving the wife and kids at the house I decided to venture closer to the hill.

More giant boulders came into view.

There's also this house, I'm not sure belonging to whom.

Hmm. The climb up the hill is rather steep around here.

While I would like to climb up to the top I was short of time. Besides it was slippery and wet as it was rainy season.

Revisiting the tomb of Kelantan's Raja Abdullah

Continued from The place called Taman Serendah Sekebun Bunga.

Next we went to place called Padang Halban where lies an old tomb.

In the previous article I have mentioned the name Puteri Saadong as the adopted daughter of Chik Siti Wan Kembang.


Well this is the tomb of Raja Abdullah, husband of Puteri Saadong.

This is either my second or third visit here... I think.

What is sure the first time I came here was more than 3 years ago. And this is the first time I brought the kids along.

The place called Taman Serendah Sekebun Bunga

Continued from Tomb of Tok Kenali revisited.

Next we went to a rural area called Kedai Piah and entered a small road.

The small road was full of sand.

It leads to the banks of the Kelantan river. Apparently sand is extracted around here for whatever use, presumably to build houses...

But we're not here to get to the bank. We want to find this path leading to a certain place.

The path was rather muddy. It was then rainy season.

Soon we could see the place we want to go to.

Welcome to Taman Serendah Sekebun Bunga which literally means "lowland garden flower farm". It is said to be the residence and centre of rule for Kelantan's famous olden times female ruler Cik Siti Wan Kembang and her adopted daughter, the princess known as Puteri Saadong.

It might not look like much of a garden now. But who knows what beauty it was like when Cik Siti Wan Kembang ruled the state of Kelantan, said to be around 450 years ago.

This lake is said to be part of the Kelantan river before the flow changes and it was isolated to become a lake.

Going further inside.

Hmm. Looks like a resting place.

Even better there is a gazebo.

There's a part which is fenced.

A signage says beyond is a restricted area, I don't know why...

Behind the gazebo there's path up.

It leads to a sort of land verandah overlooking the lower parts.

The signage says here lies or used to lie the her majesty's palace referring to Cik (also spelt Chik) Siti Wan Kembang.

Tomb of Tok Kenali revisited

Peace be upon you all. After 9 days of hiatus let's continue again with the storytelling on the trip to/in the East Coast end of 2010.

Thursday morning 30th December 2010. After having a nice sleep at a mosque in Kubang Kerian, Kota Bahru we went to this nearby Muslim graveyard.

We want to visit this building.



It is surrounded by plenty of graves...

Entering the building.

Welcome to the tomb of the famous Kelantan religious master and saint Tok Kenali. Having passed away about 80 years ago he used to conduct classes making the state a focal point for Muslim students from all over South-East Asia.

Oh. His tomb is the one marked by the rather round river stones. Next lies the tomb of his wife.

Then there' s the tomb of his family members. Tok Kenali is still a very well-respected name and his family still looked up to. By the way the mosque we slept at is the mosque of Tok Kenali built by his son in an area where the saint used to run his traditional Islamic learning school.

Sungai Perak from Batak Rabit

Yesterday, I went to a cousin's wedding at Batak Rabit, Teluk Intan, the place where my father was born and raised at. As usual, whenever I went there and have time I would stop by at a jetty nearby overlooking the Sungai (river of) Perak...

Here's the jetty in question.

While it is mainly used by fishermen to head for the waters, it is a nice place for anyone to relax at.

A view upriver. The Perak river extends a further 350 km or so inland.

A view across.

A view downriver. The estuary should be about 50 km away following the river's curves and turns.

There. The kids enjoying the atmosphere...