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.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

The hills at Sungai Pusu

This is from Friday afternoon 2 days ago.

It's been a while since I've ventured into a rural part called Sungai Pusu very close to Kuala Lumpur.

I don't know when was the last time I went here, I think it was probably 3-4 years ago, maybe even not that long ago. But I sure can't remember the existence of this uphill road.

So I checked it out and found wonderful views of Sungai Pusu.

A look to the left.

A look ahead.

A look to the right.

On top I found a new housing area. I was told it was built 5 years ago.

From there I could catch a good view of this quartz hill, a very familiar sight for those approaching KL from the Karak Highway.

Here's a view of the same hill from the road out of Sungai Pusu, besides the International Islamic University main campus in Gombak.

The huge Shah Alam mosque

An excursion from the East Coast articles. Come... :]

Last Wednesday I went to Shah Alam and stopped by at the huge Selangor state mosque.

The towers should be equivalent in height to a 30-storey building or so.

Then there's the gigantic dome which I understand is the biggest for any house of worship in South East Asia if not the whole world!

Let's have a closer look.

Hmm. I think it's better to enter from another side, the royal entrance.

This plaques say the mosque was officially opened in 1988.

Getting inside.

The main praying hall lies upstairs.

Here it is...

A look of the inside of the gigantic dome...

Going to the front...

As I was getting out of the mosque's compound I noticed an information board near one of its car parks. This should provide enough information about the mosque including the fact that so far it has the biggest dome in the world...

The river Galas at Gua Madu

Continued from The caves of Gua Madu.

In front of Gua Madu lies a suspended bridge crossing a river.

The river is called Sungai (river of) Galas and it is one of the two major rivers which merge to form the Kelantan river.

From the middle of the bridge I snapped this picture downriver.

This one is upriver.

Having crossed the bridge I then stepped closer towards the water.

Across lies the limestone hill and the caves of Gua Madu.

A look upriver.

A look downriver.

The caves of Gua Madu

Continued from A quick look at the town of Gua Musang

At a rural part of Gua Musang lies a certain limestone hill.

It also has some caves and for whatever reason is called Gua Muda (gua means cave, madu is honey).

I could see a steel stair up a stone.

So I climbed up. Here's a look down.

There are more stairs reaching up.

There's a higher cave as if calling out...

A look down after climbing the stairs.

A look to the sides.

Time to go into the cave.

A look out from inside.

A quick look at the town of Gua Musang

Time for another session of writing articles. Continued from On to Gua Musang.

After stopping by a while at the main mosque of Gua Musang we went around town.

Here we were passing its new town. Note the existence of limestones hills which is a unique feature of this town.

Entering the old town.

Across the train station lies the main limestone hill...

I understand it is from this hill that the name Gua Musang (gua is the Malay word for cave, musang means fox). Look at the old article Kuala Lipis to Gua Musang....