BERPETUALANG KE ACEH

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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, April 09, 2014

The muddy area near the mouth of Aceh river

Continued from The boat on top of houses at Lampulo.

Later we went to a certain area near the mouth of the Aceh river and saw this new road.

Along its right, our right that is is the sea. On the left is a wide muddy area.

As we went further I was pointed to a patch close to the village of Kandang Aceh.

The patch is close to some mangrove trees. Our driver said it was there that the locals accidently found hundreds of old gold coins 4 months ago.

To have a closer look we must turn back and take an inland road. Then we have to walk...

Soon we could see a line in the horizon which is the road besides the sea.

The patch where the gold coin were found is about 200 metres ahead.

I walked down the mud for a closer look.

This is the furthest I could reach without soiling myself too much. The patch should be down just across this strip of water.

The fact that old gold coins from 400 years ago and earlier were found here suggest that this area used to be an important centre of commerce.

The boat on top of houses at Lampulo

On to the 2nd day of the 23-30 March visit to Aceh...

Monday 24th March 2014. After a good night sleep at a mid-town hotel in Banda Aceh we started the day with a visit to a place called Lampulo.

The place is famous for a fishing boat stranded on top of houses, washed away by the Tsunami of 26th December 2004 which killed more than 200,000 Aceh people.

Me, wife and our then 3 plus month-old son Rasyid first visited this place early 2010. Since then new structures have been built around it as the boat has become a well-known tourist attraction.

There. My parents on top the highest platform watching.

The boat was actually on repair at a dock a distance from here but got washed by the huge waves of Tsunami. That's when some 50 plus survivors managed to get on board and stayed on until the water subsided.

Kudos to the authorities and locals for making this a good place to reflect on the Tsunami.

Friday, April 04, 2014

Views from Kuta Leubok

Continued from Walking down to Kuta Leubok.

So there are remains of an old fort at Kuta Leubok which should be more than 500 years old. But I won't elaborate on it. You could see more of the fort in the article Benteng (Fort of) Kuta Leubok made in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART).

Here I'd rather enjoy the views. The hill seen in the background reminds me of the white cliffs of Dover in England.

There is also a nice beach besides Kuta Leubok.

For the record this is the 1,221th article in this blogspot.

Walking down to Kuta Leubok

Peace be upon you and a happy Friday. On 23-30 March me and family made our latest trip to Aceh and visited some new places apart from those we've been to before. A series on it has been started in my main blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU. As usual this blogspot would host some supporting articles...

Sunday 23rd March 2014. Not long after landing at the airport in Banda Aceh we visited a number of tombs. Then we went to a seaside area near a gulf called Teluk Lamreh. There is a historical place called Kuta Leubok which I have wanted to visit for some time. From the nearest road side we have to walk.

The roadside itself is situated on top of a hill area while Kuta Leubok is situated besides the body of water that is the Straits of Melaka. So to reach it we must walk some distance...

Oh. I came with my wife and kids. That's my boy Rasyid walking with the driver, our friend Agam.

Along with us is my 72-year-old mum and dad. They are not shown in these pictures as they were walking behind me while I snapped pictures in front.

Soon we were down the hill.

There, the water front in view.

See the ruins at the centre? That is what is left of the fort of Kuta Leubok. To be continued...

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Hol at the 'Steel Mosque'

Continued from Rasyid's climb up Batu Caves.

This is from 10 days ago.

Me and family went to the Sultan Mizan Mosque fondly known as the 'steel mosque' due to its structure...

There was a hol, a celebration in remembrance of the 11th century Muslim saint, Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani along with the Maulidur Rasul, birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Dinner outside at the compound.

Then back in with the kids...