Quaint buildings in Penang...

I was in Penang at the end of last month. While playing tourist there I photograph many scenes of George Town. Most of the buildings in the old part of town remind me of my growing up period in my home town of Kuantan. I was happy to see all those old buildings still standing around; row and row of it with a few in between modern buildings that have been built in recent years. We call these rows of shop houses as pre-war buildings as most of it was built before the Second World War. While I was at the 6th floor of the Hotel room that I was staying I took a picture of some old building from the window of the room. This is indeed an opportunity to get a rare shot of the row and row of the shop houses from up above. It looks need and well planned. I grew up in one such shop in Kuantan where my father had run a restaurant. During a period where there was hardly any fan let alone air-conditioning, the interior of the build was always kept cool. It has ceiling made of hardwood and planks. With a high ceiling it allows the hot air from below to move upward and disperse through the vent above. 

While taking a slow walk around the town I came across an old building that is still standing on one corner of the street, doing business as usual. The one storey build look old and I believe it must have been built about a hundred years ago.

As I move on I saw a familiar signage that show the Odeon cinema.  During my childhood growing up in Kuantan there was a cinema there of the same name that I often goes to watch movies. Here in one corner of the old section of George Town stood an old building call the Odeon; nostalgic  indeed. 

Have a nice day.

Kluang, Johor.. 44 years later...

December 23, 2013, on the way to Port Dickson from Johor Bharu we make a stop at Kluang where I work in 1967, some forty four years ago. Kluang is special to me since it was there I first start working as an officer of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, a Federal Government post. The designation was the District Cultural Officer where I had to cover three districts; Kluang, Segamat and Mersing. It was a challenging job where I had to travel to various places in the rural areas in the three districts doing social change programs. This is the first visit since I left that place on a transfer to Malacca in January 1969. Kluang got its name from the Malay word for Flying Fox... Keluang, thus the town is name as Kluang. On the way to the town of Kluang from the North South Highway exit I saw lots of changes, all land that was once rubber plantations are now develop into residential estate, schools, shop lots and other government institution like the Agricultural experimental station and Veterinary research and development centre.

When we arrived in Kluang I hardly could recognise it. It used to be just a two streets town divided by a railway gate with the the hospital on the other side. Thus when the gate is closed to allow for the train to pass by one cannot get to the hospital on the other side. I notice the railway gate is still there but the township has developed on both sides. On looking round the places I still could remember the Railway Station and the Telecom Department where my spouse once work as well the two streets, now known as the old part of the town. Other than that the whole town is strange to me. Forty four years has changed the town totally and I just could not figure out some of the places where I used to roam daily.

I stop at the Railway Station to have a look at the famous Kopitiam shop the serve great local coffee and some snack but that day it was close for business. The train station looks almost the same with very little change. While I was there a train was just coming into the station. It was indeed a fortunate time to be there where I got to watch the train arriving and the arrival of folks as well the departure of others. I snap some picture and sharing it here.

We then tried to look at the government quarters where we live once but I just could not remember the exact location. I knew it somewhere near an Army Camp but because of the place have been developed it was difficult to remember the exact location. So with whatever memory my spouse and I could remember we try to look for it. It takes going round and round until our son in law who was driving the car found the place. He parked the car nearby and we went out to have a look. The house is still there but had been left to rot. Looking at the building memories of past happening came rushing back. At that time we were just a young couple in our mid-twenties, with two young kids who were as yet to go to school. Asmah my spouse was working at the Telecom Department and I as the District Cultural Officer for East Johor with a base in Kluang. I remember there was then only one semi-detached house, one of which was occupied by us and the other by a friend who work in the hospital. It looks like they have built more such houses nearby so it takes time to recognise the house we live in. Sad to see that house is in ruin and left to just rot.

Happy with the find we left the place and before proceeding to our next destination, we went to have lunch at the a new Kopitiam, a much modern and spacious place than their original outlet at the Railway Station. While having lunch there I met an Indian couple with three young kids. We got connected and exchange notes on the development of this place where I once call home. They had come all the way from Batu Pahat to enjoy their meals here. The foods was good and the ambience cosy and we did enjoy our lunch there.  After a while we proceed to our next destination, Port Dickson.

Have a nice day.

Of the date 11-12-13...

Well someone mentioned on Facebook that today December 11, 2013 is a special day. It is 11-12-13 and that it only happened once in 823 years. Well it is not always we get these numbers coming along like that. When I was in school there was a date that I remember well indeed. It was May 5, 1955 and we wrote happily in our excise book as 5-5-55.  Well it was one of those days in our lives and could easily be remembered. I was then fifteen years old and was in Form three and still enjoying my schools days oblivious of the happening in the real world. In 1957 I took the most important examination in my school life and that was the Cambridge School Certificate. In 1958 with the Form V certificate I start to work in the government service as a clerk. In those days not many talk about going to the university so it was natural that kids like us went to work eager to start making money on our own. That folks start my journey of life as an adult. 

Have a nice day.

The Demise of Nelson Mandela...

The greatest statesman of our time passed away in Johannesburg  today December 6, 2013 at the age of  95 years old. No one in the known history who has gone through such pain after been jailed for 27 years but Nelson Mandela and came out of it with a forgiving heart. That  is his greatest strength, FORGIVING. Thus with that strength he became the greatest leader that ever walk this earth. Before him there was Gandhi but he raised above all and to me he is the greatest statesman of all times. I do hope that there are other leaders who would learn from his leadership quality and provides the worlds of ours with such quality leadership like what Nelson Mandela did.  Condolence to his family. 

Images use in this posting was taken from the Internet. Thanks  to those who own it.

Have a nice day.

Ex KKBS officers lunch get-together....

Well I thought that I would write about the happening last Saturday, November 9, 2013. It was a lunch gathering of retired folks who was working in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports [in BM it is known as Kementerian Kebudayaa, Belia dan Sukan thus KKBS] from the early day of its establishment in 1967. The lunch was held at a Wisma building in the heart of the city. I got an invitation through SMS and decided to attend it and was hoping to meet all those who had retired like me.

On arrival that day at first I could not recognised most of the people. Remember I went on optional retirement in 1990 and since that time except for a few I was totally out of touch with the officers and staff of the KKBS. It takes a while before I could recollect putting the names to the faces. A few I still could not remember until on the way back while talking with my spouse. My spouse Asmah's memory is better than me and with her help soon most faces became familiar. You have to excuse an old man for that. We did have a great time that day except there are a few who still want to stick to title and protocol which I hate most, otherwise the lunch meeting was a success. To me we all had retired, title and protocol should be left behind. I told everyone I am on Facebook and was hoping that more are or would be on it as we move along. Back home I posted on Facebook the photos that I had taken and soon I was contacted by a few who are on Facebook. It was indeed great to see more and more folks are now in the Social Media like Facebook  With that we may continue to keep in touch from time to time.

I was rather surprise as to the venue of this lunch. It was held in a space that looks like it has not been completed as a proper hall, with the upper part where the ceiling should be look like an unfinished job. Its air condition ventilation protruding out without a proper ceiling and it look so untidy and ugly. To me it is not a place one should organised a lunch.  I thought it would be better to do the gathering at a cosier place like at a Three to Five-stars Hotel in town. What is wrong of pampering ourselves with the luxury that all of us could afford and enjoy the gathering in an atmosphere of cosiness and luxury like at all the halls in such hotels? Organising in such place is easier. Just tell folks to come to a Buffet or High Tea at the Hotel at a given date and time. There is no need to book the foods; just be there and enjoy whatever spread at the Buffet or High Tea together. Anyone can bring guests but they must pay for it. And no protocol after all we are now ordinary folks who have retired. I felt too there is no need to give goodies from some company as well gift from the organiser to the attendance. The main aim of the get together is to meet old friends and chat of old times. It would be great if the party start with a cocktail so that folks can mingle and meet before sitting for the lunch. Do away with the speeches for we had enough of it when we were working.

On that day the dishes was cold and because many did not attend I was told there was plenty of foods that was not consumed and most probably go to waste. The organiser had order more foods in anticipation of a large gathering. Because the arrangement was that folks pay per head for the attendance; the non-attendance created problem in getting the bill settled. Anyway with the good hearts of those who attended it was solved by everyone donating extra Ringgits. Had it been done in a Hotel [Buffet or High Tea] such a thing would not have happened and the inconvenience avoided.

Anyway Asmah and I did enjoy the gathering and glad to see all the friends are happy and full of life. I do hope that in future it would be held at a better venue and not to worry about the cost. I believe every one of us who are in the golden years could afford to foot the bill without difficulty. After all it is time that we pampered ourselves with the luxury and continues to enjoy life.

Thanks to the organiser for getting the lunch organised.

Have a nice day.