Of Fruits and health...

Above are some images of fruits that we get to enjoy in this country. Apples, Oranges and the Dragon fruits. Have a nice day and enjoy the weekend...

A blogger from Terengganu...

Sometime ago a yet to be blogger wrote to me saying that he was inspired by my way of blogging and enjoyed reading my posting. I thanks him for those kind words and encouraged him to blog. Gave him some ideas of how to start going with his first posting and wait to see the progress. From time to time he left comments in my blog. With every comments I visited his blog to see whether he has start blogging but saw that he has yet to do so. I kept encouraging him to do his first posting, like just post a picture of beautiful Terengganu, a state on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia with its picturesque beaches. He kept procrastinating for reasons only known to himself. Well, guess what!!. Today I received an email from this blogger saying that he has just did his first posting and wanted me to be the first to read it. Read I did. And I am indeed glad that he did well in his first posting. Changgeh is his blogger name, so Changgeh welcome to the blogging world and enjoy blogging. Friends bloggers, I hereby introduce to you the new blogger from the east coast. Here comes Changgeh A blogger from beautiful Terengganu. Have a nice day.

The colorful leaves....

It is Christmas Day and a holiday out here as well. I took it easy and blogging this today. The scenes you see above is not that of Anasalwa's autumn leaves in Boston during the Fall. I live in Boston some years ago and really enjoy seeing the scene turning from green to that wonderful colors of fall in the New England states. Those leave turning into gold, amber and yellow as fall progresses. And soon you would see those leaves in its multitude of colors scattered on ground. Indeed a sight that you enjoy watching. It is also around this time of the year that we would go for apple picking at some orchards in Boston.

For folks like us who are not used to seeing apples in that quantities, sizes and colors would really enjoy such visit. In Malaysia and countries in the tropic we see apples in boxes in the market places and not on trees. At that orchard you see it on trees like we see all those tropical fruits here when in season. For apples on a tree is similar like our Jambu Air when in season here . The apples fruits are everywhere and this includes scattered on the ground below and no one care to pick it up. I do pick it up for we do not see apples scattered like that but in boxes or containers in the stores or the markets. And you get to eat right from plucking it up from the tree. It taste real juicy and delicious. At one orchard that our family went we pay a fee and could pick as much as you want. And it is not much that we took home and eat at the farm. It is enjoying to be there that's matter most. A rare experience indeed for folks from the tropic. The owner of the orchard had a store that sell things apples, like apple tart, apples cakes, cyder and the like. We sampled some and enjoy before leaving for home in Brighton. Happy that we at last got to visit an apple orchard. The scene of joy especially of the kids that day do etched in my mind. A sweet memory indeed.

Coming back to the subject of the images above, it is the closes to the tree in fall in the New England states. These trees now line the Jalan Kolam Air Lama road that lead to Taman TAR. The Local Council had removed the old trees along this road some year ago and we folks were rather disappointed at that time seeing all those tall trees been cut down one by one. We did not know why they did that until now. After cutting all those trees they planted various new species of tree and this includes that one you see above. I an not sure what the botanical name of this tree but folks here says it is Merak dirimba or Peacock in the jungle. Perhaps Zawi could enlighten us with this and share with us some of his knowledge on the green. He is the expert on such things. Recently the trees that lines the road start to shows its true colors and I am now glad that they planted this kind of trees, that gives color to the area. It is real nice to see the leaves of these tree changes color from the green to that you seen in the images, yellow, amber and gold. What a familiarity with the autumn leave in the New England states. Except that these colorful leaves do not fall and scattered on the ground like what happened in Fall in the New England state. It look like every years come December we would see these trees changes color for us to enjoy and appreciate nature at its best.

I believe our cyberpal U.Lee know this place very well indeed. He told me that this area of Ampang was his playground during his youth in the sixties. To quote him " Yes, Ampang Jaya in the 60's was my fishing grounds too, so many ponds and mining pools. Used to go to the catchment area tangkup ikan haruan, Toman too...and quite often bring my girlfriends there too, ahemm. Ha ha. Yes, Ampang Jaya will always hold memories for me.". It is a place of his youth and his youthful activities. In a way it is still like that today. Young kids still would come to catch small fish in the stream at Taman TAR. It is also a place where hundreds of monkey made their home and playground as well. In the sixties this area was part of the jungle of the Banjaran Titiwangsa [Titiwangsa mountain range] and are forested right to the low lying area what is now Taman TAR, with its exclusive housing and the Darul Ehsan club with its nine holes golf course. Many expatriates live here now. It is a nice place to be, full of greens of all shades.

It is also a place folks around here including me would jog from time in the morning or afternoon. For the information of U.Lee and others there are still clear water streams here but I doubt there are much fish around anymore. Anyway it is still a great place to be, to jog around the three kilometers track around the golf course or play golf or just enjoy a drink at the club. Just to give some idea to folks who visit my blog to know of the whereabouts that I live, my home is just two kilometers away from the club. Well folks, I hope you all had a great time on Christmas day as much as I had enjoyed writing this post. And to U.Lee do come over for a holiday and I would be glad to play host. Have a nice day.[click on the image to enlarge]

Merry Christmas....

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2008 to all. May we all continue to enjoy peace and harmony in this country and the world. Enjoy and sharing the prosperity as well. The images above is of the happening at KLCC. Have a nice day and take care.

Malaysia Wildlife Conservation Awareness Campaign..

Fellow bloggers, I have been approach to help and spread the good words on this campaign. Personally I do believe there is a need to do something to save these inhabitant of our planet especially those that live close to us. In Beautiful Malaysia. So let us do our bit to help in this campaign. For further information please visit this site. As the saying in the blogger's world 'One blog might not do much but a thousand, ten of thousand of blogs would surely made an impact'. So fellow bloggers let us join in this campaign and help in any ways we could.

I love animals big or small. How would our world be without those gorgeous, beautiful and cute animals, it would surely be a dull world indeed. From time to time I posted images of animals that made its presence in my little garden. It presence in my garden do color my life. I felt real good when seeing these animals, birds and insects enjoying it selves in my little green world. Just like me I believe you all enjoy the presence of these animals. Like our species the animals in the wild do have the right to live in this blue planet of ours. The animals are part of our eco system. Together we made a wonderful world. So let us join in this campaign and do our part in protecting this species that share our planet especially so in our country Malaysia. Have nice day.

Happy Eid Adha...

Today Malaysian and Muslim all over the world celebrate yet another religious festival. It is the Eid Adha. So Happy Eid Adha to all. May we all continue to live in peace and harmony. And a prosperous life always.

Lives goes on....

Singapore, yes our southern neighbor, south of Johor, once a part of Malaysia. Got a call from our nephew saying the his step father is ill and had been admitted to the hospital. His step father is my late cousin's spouse. She and her only adopted daughter has since been call to the lord and the only person left is this old man of eighties. Since the depart of his loved one, he has been living alone at his apartment in the Public Housing at Al Junid in Singapore. It was lucky that his step son who once live with them and work in Singapore, now living in Kuantan would visit him from time to time. So the old man is ill and admitted to the hospital. We decided to drive to Singapore to see him in the hospital.

Early on the Sunday morning [December 9, 2007] we left the house and drove on taking the highway to the south. The weather were alright all the way until some fifty kilometers from Johor Bahru when it rain. I drove slowly and arrived in Johor Bahru just after two and then proceed to Singapore where our nephew was waiting at the Singapore side of the causeway to lead me into the city and look for a place to stay. We soon found that it was not that easy to get a room during the holiday season but luck was on our side and we got a room at a four star hotel at Victoria Road. Check in and had a good rest after that five hours of driving from Kuala Lumpur. The Honda Accord is a great car for long distance travel and I did enjoyed the drive from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, with a few stops at the R & R on the way.

At seven in the evening our nephew came and we went out to dinner at Arab Street, a great place to get the good old Indian Biayani. And then of we went to the hospital to see the sick relative. Well, at that age of eighty one we can expect anything to happen and we just took it easy. After a while we decided to get back to the hotel and rest for the night. The next day we wake up early and had breakfast at Arab Street and then went to walk around those rows and rows of old shop houses that belong to the Arabs and Indian Moslem from an era gone by. It is a textiles heaven of a sort and a great place if you are looking for exotic textile from India and other countries. We enjoyed the morning walk in this old part of Singapore where time stood still. It is just like before and has not changed much. The above images would give you some idea of what I am talking about, those old buildings dwarfed by the skyscrapers of Singapore.

At after ten our nephew came and we went to the shopping paradise of Singapore, the Orchard Road and had a quick look around of the shopping there and then after lunch went to the hospital again. On arrival we were told that the old man has just passed away. We said a prayer and get going with the funeral. Fortunately now they have various packages for such occasion. With that done and the difficulty of getting room for another night stay, we decided to leave for home and drive back. Since it was late in the afternoon and raining heavily we decided not to proceed straight to Kuala Lumpur but to stay a night at our condo in Malacca. With the rain and the darkness I drove slowly and arrived at our condo at just an hour before midnight. Had a warm shower and took a rest in our own home here. The next day after four in the afternoon drove back to KL and arrived just after seven in the evening. It was a tiresome journey but had to be made. My spouse and me are glad that we went to Singapore and saw him before he was called to the Lord.

Well friends, life is like that, one day you are around and the next day you are gone forever. The living must go on living for that is the nature of our species on this planet. So do not lament of the past but instead enjoy life to the fullest, for when our time is up we would have enjoyed living to the fullest. And like centuries before lives goes on and on, on this beautiful planet of ours. Take care. Amen.

The fountain @ KLCC..

I was at Kinokuniya again to get some books and while there I took the images above showing the splendours images of the fountain in front of the KLCC. In the background is part of the sprawling greens where there is a wading pool for kids to enjoy the water and parents to relax under the tropical trees. In the early morning many folks around Kuala Lumpur would come to jog around the garden or just sit to enjoy the fresh air. This area was once the racing ground of the Turf club and now it is one of the green lung of the city of Kuala Lumpur. So for today just enjoy these images as much as I had enjoyed snapping it. Folks, its summer as usual in this part of the world. And because it is the monsoon season on the east coast, the weather is a bit cool. Most of the time it is now below 30% Celsius. Have a nice day and take care..

Our Sun...

It is about the sun, our glorious sun that we see everyday and at time we took for granted that it is there. Unlike the snow that I was talking about in my last posting everyone of us from any parts of the globe get to see the sun, at sunrise or sunset and throughout the day if it does not rain, whereas the snow only those people in the northern and southern atmosphere get to enjoy it. The differences between the Snow and the Sun is that we all get to see the sun wherever we are. It does not matter where you live, you would be able to see the sunset as well as the sunrise. The only differences is that if you live beside the sea you get to see the rising sun creeping up slowly along the horizon, making it appearance with a blazes of golden and amber color. It is the same thing when it is seen in the evening, it just slowly dip into the sea below the horizon and disappeared until the next evening.

Just a few days ago my spouse and me went to stay at our condominium in Malacca. Our apartment is just five hundred meter away from the shore of the sea facing the Straits of Malacca. Not far beyond is the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It was a clear day and as evening arrived I saw the sun began to set. I took my camera and wait for it to do its daily disappearing act. With my camera I stood at the balcony and watch this wondrous red ball that would soon disappeared below the horizon. In that lapse of times I enjoyed the cool breeze of the evening and watch the horizon changes from one scene to another, like a huge moving postcard coloring the horizon with the gorgeous amber, gold, red and yellow, that we normally see when the sun began to set. Against the gray and white background and the blue sea below it is a picturesque as well a magnificent sight to watch and wonder. In between that moment in times I snap a numbers of shot, thus the images above. I stood there watching and enjoying the evening, while the sun disappeared below the horizon. Turning the sky into gray and with that the night began at this part of the world.

In about twelve hours from now the sun would raised on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, where I believe our friend the new blogger from the state of Terengganu changgeh, who has yet to do his first posting, would be watching the same sun rising yonder in the South China Sea, at yet another horizon. Watching it slowly rises from the waterline and brighten the morning with its ray of hopes. That golden, amber and sometime yellow glowing ball that welcome us every morning. For us living in the peninsular part of Malaysia the east coast and the west coast is not that far a part. The furthest is about four hundred kilometers and the nearest is less then one hundred kilometers. And if you want to watch both the sunrise and sunset at the sea's horizon on the same day, you could drive from Kuantan on the east coast after the sun has risen, have a great breakfast in Kuantan and then drove on using the Karak Highway to Kuala Lumpur. If you still have plenty of time to waste, do some shopping in Kuala Lumpur, have tea at KLCC and just then off you drive on to Port Dickson or Klang and you could see the sunset there. Have a great dinner beside the sea and watch the wondrous sunset. Well that is our sun and I did enjoy watching it whenever I am staying at our condo at Pantai Putri. Our apartment is part of the resort hotel which is now known as the Bidara Putri Beach Resort, Melaka [formerly the Mutiara Melaka Beach Resort].

The sun is the most important planet in our solar system, for without the sun there would be no life on this planet of ours that we call earth. It is the source of our energy. Just take a moment and think!!! Would there be life on earth if there is no Sun?. Surely not!!, It is this glorious sun that provides all the energy and without energy nothing could survived on the planet earth. Appreciate it and enjoy its presence for the sun gives us so much. But the sun alone could not save the earth if we the earthling did not take the necessary care and love for mother earth. If we all do our part together, like keeping the environments clean then we would be able to continue to watch this wondrous sun in all its glory forever and ever. And we could continue to enjoy life as well. Have a nice day..

The Snow fall...

Yes I am talking about snow. No, we do not have real snow in Malaysia but just a made believe scene like the one you see in the images above. It is actually a deco in the concourse of a shopping mall call the Curve at Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. It look so real isn't it!!, Just like the real one. The nearest you could see artificial snow is at the Theme Park at Genting Hingland. That's the way it is in Malaysia, come the festival time like Christmas, the whole shopping complexes would go mad with the deco of Christmas atmosphere. One thing about this country is that you get to enjoy all the great festivals of the races and religions. So now it is the Christmas season, thus the deco changes to meet the occasion.

Reading Ana's blog, a Malaysian lady professional living in Boston, bring me back memories of the great times that our family had while living in Boston, US. Especially so of the changes in the landscapes during the Fall and Winter. In the Fall the area in this New England's state turn into a sort of a paradise, the leaves of trees soon turn into amber and gold from the normal shades of green. With that kind of color scheme the whole landscape turn into a scenario of a wonderful strong and vibrant colors of brightness. Someone quips that when God created heaven a piece of it fell down and it became the New England states. Anyone who have seen these scenes of Fall [Autumn] in the New England states would agree that the scene of those leaves turning from the various shades of green to amber and gold is simply fantastic. A wonder of nature that only happen during the Fall. It is indeed a sight to watch and enjoyed. And when winter comes the whole scene changes into a totally different mood beginning with the falling of the first snow flakes.

To me the first day of snow fall is the best scene of the moment on our blue planet. The snow flakes drops bit by bit and slowly covering everything on its ways like a sprawling white carpet. At that moment in time, it shows how clean, peaceful and innocent the good earth is. Everything turned white as the snow flakes continue to falls. As night begin, with the background of the evening sky the falling of the snow flakes became majestic. The falling white snow flakes against the gray background of the evening sky makes the scene more astounding. I have walk in the snow before but all those times the snow has already fallen on the ground or still falling as you walk.

My first experience of the first day of snow fall is simply awesome. For someone who had never seen the first snow fall, its indeed a sight to wonder. When I first saw that first day of snow fall some years ago I was simply fascinated with the changes of the scene, from the normal color of the fading rainbows in the last days of fall to that simple pure white when winter arrived. Never had I thought that white and whiteness is so beautiful. The first day of snow fall is a day that I felt is such a wonderful and unique day of the year. So very clean in every aspects. For once the whole world look so clean and innocent. The blue marble is tranquil and at peace with itself. All of a sudden white became so beautiful. A color that we normally took for granted soon became so grand in that moment in time. The first day of snow fall is yet another piece of heaven fallen to the ground for us to enjoy. A rather short moment in time indeed. The first day of snow fall is indeed a glimpse of the wonder of nature. The scenes of the days after as the snow been tramped is a different story all together. Have a nice day.