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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.


Saturday, July 02, 2011

The Batik cottage industry at village of Tok Panjang




Further upriver towards the main road to Pantai Cahaya Bulan lies a small road into the village of Tok Panjang.

We came in here to look for the tomb of the person known as Tok Panjang (literally the long elder, either referring to his extraordinary height or length of his tomb) but found workshops like this instead.


We stopped at one to see what was actually worked on.



Ah. They make traditional Batik clothes here.







Well, I guess we got a tour of sorts. I can't remember if I've been to any Batik workshop before. In a sense it is a treat for the family too.








Here, you get to look firsthand at how the beautiful batik clothes are made.








For a closer look at the patterns look at the article Original colours of Batik made half a year ago.






Kelantan river from the Kedai Buluh food court

Continued from A bay of sorts.

Next we headed out towards Kota Bahru. Just about 2-3 km or upriver from Kuala Besar and the village of Pantai Che Latiff lies this grilled fish food court.


Apparently it was just completed, not opened yet for business.

However I went there not for food.



I just wanted to enjoy the views of the Kelantan river from here.



A look towards the river mouth.



A look across.



A look upriver.



And a look to the sides.



A bay of sorts

Referring to the previous articles Waking up to the new year at the Pantai Che Latiff mosque and The sand hill and peninsular at Kelantan river mouth. Between the village of Pantai Che Latiff and the sandy parts close to the Kelantan river mouth lies what seems to be an elongated bay of sorts.


While it looks quite wide, a study of the satellite picture using Googe Earth shows it to be quite narrow compared to its length.



For the record it is connected to the Kelantan river.




Now let's just enjoy the views...















The sand hill and peninsular at Kelantan river mouth




Soon everyone was up and raring to go. Exploring a small rural road we then arrived at this sandy parts.


Ahead lies a sand hill.


We started climbing up. A look back to where the car was parked at.


From here you could see the vastness of the South China Sea.


You could also see the mighty river of Kelantan...


... right at the river mouth where lies what seems like a peninsular.


Just like this sand hill I'm not sure if the peninsular is natural or man-made. Never mind. I must have a closer look.




I must walk all along its length.








A look upriver from the middle of the peninsular.



A look back towards the sand hill.


On towards the end.


A look along the side facing the sea.



There. The very end of the peninsular which should also be the very middle of the Kelantan river mouth!


A look upriver from there.




Waking up to the new year at the Pantai Che Latiff mosque

After almost 2 weeks of hiatus it's time to continue the East Coast stories. Come.


When we last signed off with the article Revisiting Kuala Besar it was Friday at dusk. Let me remind you again the date then was 31st December 2010. And let me add we then bunked at a nearby mosque, at a place called Pantai Che Latiff.


That means we spent new year's eve at this place. So obviously we woke up to the new year of 2011 at Pantai Che Latiff.


Come to think of it. A mosque is quite a good place to start a new year at.


As I breathed in the fresh morning air and stared out at the surrounding village, I tried to remember if I ever started a new year in a mosque before.


Nope. Can't recall...


I then went around the mosque anti-clockwise.


Upon arriving outside the window of the part where we slept at, I played peek-a-boo with the kids...


Ah. I've always thought one day I would spent the night at this part of Kelantan, a part very close to the Kelantan river mouth.


It's just I've never thought it would be at a mosque, and on new year's eve some more...