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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.


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Climbing the hill of Broga

On to an activity done just over two weeks ago.




Sunday 3rd July 2011. Just before noon me and family arrived at this place near the small town of Broga, at the Selangor-Negeri Sembilan state border.




A week or two earlier I've learned about the existence of this place through the Internet and a newspaper article. Since then I felt the yearn to visit.




For here starts the climb up to Bukit (hill of Broga), a climb which could also lead to Gunung (mountain) of Tok Wan.




But we just wanted to climb up the hill.




It seems to be a quite popular climbing spot for casual climbers young and old.




What's best, the path is clear and well maintained.




There's a lot of open area which is good for view.




But no so good when the sun is high as you are exposed directly to the heat.


Thank God there are some shades...


What a welcomed respite for people like us who started our climb just before noon.




Mind you we've been been told that it is good to start a climb early morning.




But it is not everyday we have time to go to Broga and since we're already here let's just proceed with the climb... despite the fact I was wearing worn out shoes while the wife was actually wearing casual office shoeware.




There. After a time the peak was in view.




Resting somewhere up to catch our breath we took time to savour the vistas.








Continuing the climb.




The peak at last.




The views from on top.











There's actually two more peaks up the hill of Broga but it's not good to continue under the searing afternoon heat. So enough I guess. Even if I was capable of going on, got to think about the wife and baby...




A look at the newly-opened LATAR highway

OK. The article The Batik cottage industry at village of Tok Panjang made more than 2 weeks ago is actually the last for the eight day of travel of the trip to the East Coast made end of 2010 (spilling over into the start of 2011) at least for this blogspot. There are other articles for that day but almost all were made in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART). So as usual I would make excursion/s after completing a day's worth of story telling from the East Coast trip. Here's one...



Just over three weeks ago I learned that the new LATAR highway connecting Rawang near the Templer's Park to Ijok towards Kuala Selangor has just been opened. So on Monday I took it to get back home to Bandar Tasik Puteri. The next day I took the opposite way and decided to stop just a few kilometres before Templer's Park. Here's a view back towards the west, towards Ijok and Kuala Selangor that is...

As it is a newly opened highway traffic is still scarce. That means I could cross over to look at the other side.






There. A look across. I think I did went to that side but must have forgotten to take pictures. It's either that or I already had a look at that side the previous day, when I was travelling from Templer's Park towards Ijok...


Anyway here's a look to the east, towards Templer's Park.



Back to the car. A view from this side.




I wonder where's the access road to this place and the one across (which I've forgotten to take pictures of)...



Driving on towards Templer's Park you could see interesting cuts of granite.




Getting close to the exit at Templer's Park.




You could see beautiful canopies of trees ahead and that's Templer's Park... actually it is the Kanching forest reserve, Templer's Park is a few kilometres south. But this whole area and its surroundings are popularly known as Temple's Park. So there...