Early Morning Moon...

It was just past eight in the morning. I woke up to a beautiful morning with the sun just rising at the back of the house. After doing the normal ritual at the front of the house I open the gate and enjoy the fresh air and look at the sky above. It was a gorgeous blue sky. Then I saw the three quarter moon against the background of the blue sky. It was majestic. I went up into the house and took my DSLR with it telephoto lens and snap a few images. About is one of the images that came out very well indeed, taken at 8.06 on January 10, 2015. Enjoy it folks.

Have a nice day.

A break from Blogging...

On March 31st 2015 I went for a surgery to remove gallbladder-stone at the Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital. I am now recuperating at home. The first week had to do with non-solid food and then on the second week start taking solid food but without any fat.  At the same time I had no appetite to eat thus I became weak.  As of today I have not got back my full energy but gaining strength by days. I believe because of my age it would take a longer time to regain all my energy and continue to live a normal life. Well folks like if like that. Take care.

Of Old Age and Forgetting...

I am 75 + years old. It is normal for folks of my age to forget things. So to be on the safe side I tried to remember wherever I leave or put things but in reality it not always that possible. Many times when I left something like my glasses to go and have a shower. After the shower I would be looking around for those glasses. It happened with other items too. You just forget the instance you put it down. Had it be in the house it is all right, you can always take times to look around but what if it happens outside the home, it going to be a nightmare looking for it. In this posting I am going to related what happened to me just a few weeks ago [January 21, 2015]. As usual after all the bills had arrived I would go to the nearest payment places at Ampang Point to makes payment. I never like to keep bills and makes payment at the last moment to ensure a smooth living. On that particular day I went to Ampang Point to make payment. First I went to the Bank nearby to get some cash for making all the payments. I then went first to make the first payment of an Astro bill at the Maxis shop there. After that went to makes payment at the Telecom Point nearby where bills could be paid using the Machine there. Before doing that I went into the building and sit on the bench to get the relevant bills to pay there. I took out an envelope that contains all the bills to be paid that day and from the envelope took out three bills to be paid at the Machine here. Normally I would ask the staff there to help to make payment using the Machine so as not to makes mistake keying the relevant numbers of the bills. The staff there all the time would help me. So for today I approach the counter and ask them for help as usual but this time instead of helping me to make payment using the Machine the staff says she would give me a number and that I could make all the payment manually at the counter. My number was call-up and I went to make payment. It was done in mere minutes. I thanks the cashier and immediately left the building to make payment of another batch of bills that could only be paid at the Post Office at the Ampang Point mall. I took a slow walk and went to the Post Office there. Took a number and while waiting I look for the six bills to be paid there and found to my dismay it was missing. I decided to trace where I had left the missing envelope with the six bills. Inside the envelope were only bills and no cash so I was not that worry but still had to find it so that I could settle it that day.  Although I was not that well that day I still take the time to look everywhere. I went and ask at all the places that I had stop whether they had seen the envelope with the bills inside it but at every place I was told they had not. Had they seen it they would have kept it so that when the owner came back it would be returned. I continue to think and trace. I believe I had left the envelope on the bench at the Telecom Point since it was there I took the envelope out of my sling bag and from the envelope I took out three bills and pay it manually at the counter. After paying I then left the building and move toward the Ampang Point mall where the Post Office is without realising that I had left the envelope with the rest of the bills on the bench there. it was only at the Post Office that I realised the envelope with the six bills was missing. After exhausting all means of finding that envelope I went home and start thinking of how to get copies of the missing bills and get it paid later. There is no use fretting about this as at this age forgetting in mere seconds could happen. So as not to get depressed I forget about it and move on. Well folks at this age forgetting things have become a norm so it is wise to be just extra careful of things that one carry especially when going out. Ageing is like that and we have to take it as a fact of life and move on. 

Have a nice day.

Beautiful People Beautiful Moments.

December 24, 2014 a day before Christmas I had decided to meet a Facebook friend whom I had only known in the virtual world. I always look forward to the day when I could meet some of my virtual friends in the physical world. It always nice to meet in the physical world the person that one had share thoughts and banter with from time to time in the virtual world. Facebook give us the opportunity to make friends in the virtual world thus a meeting in the psychical world would complete the friendships. Before Facebook, Bloggers would meet in the physical world over lunch or coffee. I love to meet those smart folks who could articulate well on issues been posted from time to time on Facebook. On that Wednesday I got the opportunity to meet one such person from the northern state of Kedah. She was on the way back from a holiday in Turkey and made a stopover for a few days in KL before going back to her home of Sungei Petani on Christmas Day. Earlier on the wall of her Facebook she posted that she was at Kinokuniya in KL  Knowing that she was in KL I send her a note asking whether she would like to meet. She replied that she would love to. So we decided to meet at the KLCC, a place that is easier to meet. So at eleven in the morning on December 24 we met. Since we were strangers and had only met  in the virtual world  I told her to meet me in front of the Cashier counter of the Kinokuniya book store and then would go for coffee at the Coffee Club on the mezzanine floor. The Coffee Club at Kinokuniya is a place where I would meet friends and strangers for coffee or a snack from time to time. While waiting there for her to arrive I notice an odd looking person at the Cashier counter. Read the full episode of the happening here [ I blog about this here ] Soon that stranger [Adrina Omar] arrived,  we shake hand  and left to have coffee  at the Coffee Club at the Mezzanine floor above. We  ordered hot drinks and snack. Found a nice table and sat down to chat. Since this was the first time we met face to face in the physical world there was plenty to talk about. While in the midst of the chat a familiar face [Shakirah Zain] a Blogger/Facebook friend suddenly appears smiling, a certain smile, a happy looks. I was surprised indeed to see her in that moment in time. She was with her daughter. We shake hands and I introduce her to the stranger who was with me then. She then told her daughter to take the next table and continue to chat with us for a while. I was sort of mesmerized with that beautiful scene been played in front of me in that moment in time. After a while she left and joint her daughter to enjoy their brunch. With that my new friend and I continue to chat on various subjects that comes to our minds. Adrina is loaded with knowledge and it made discussing history and current happening in the country lively. Shakirah an Accountant turns professional translator despite been a single parent handles her situation raising the kids on her own very well indeed.  Both women have  beautiful minds of their own and I always love to share thoughts and banter with such people. It does enrich my mind too.  I had completely forgotten about the happening at the Cashier's counter earlier before we when up for that coffee. It not always that one gets to be part of such happenings in one location in one day. Perhaps this is what Carl Jung said synchronicity!


Have a nice day.

Of Coffee and living...

It the beginning of the month of December 2014 and I thought that I would just write about the drink I love. I love coffee and have been enjoying this drink since I could remember. The first cup of drink I take when I wake up in the morning is a steamy cup of coffee that I made myself. I always make my own cup of coffee so that I know it is perfect to my taste. I would sip it along and enjoy it aroma when it is still hot. To me even a cold cup of coffee taste as good, especially the last drop. I always end my meals with a good cup of coffee. When I am out I often take coffee at the Coffee outlet at the mall where they brewed their Coffee of the Day. Recently while at KLCC I found a new coffee outlet call the 8 Oz Coffee. I tried and found their coffee is good and to my liking. So now I would go there to enjoy my cup of good coffee. Above is an image of that cup of coffee. 

Have a nice day.

The Plane and the Moon...

It was a beautiful Saturday morning November 15 and I was about to go out when looking at the sky I saw the trail of a plane passing by and on the other side I saw a half moon. It was a fascinating sight to watch at this early morning. Plane passes by daily at this part of the country en route to its destinations. In a split of seconds I thought that I should take a photo of both images but my DSLR with the telephoto lens was in the house and it would take a while to get the camera. As the plane was travelling fast it would just passed by in mere seconds. So I did not want to take a chance of missing this  golden opportunity to get such a shot. I had we me the new Nokia Lumia 735 with a better camera but had not used it to take distance objects. Anyway I thought I had to try. I aim the tiny camera to the sky and took two shots before plane went out of sight. I take a look at the viewing screen on the phone and saw the tiny image on one of the shot. I then edit it so as to get a closer look. I did it; I got both the plane with its white Wake trail and the moon. I was delighted to have got such a shot. I then posted in on Facebook for all to see and enjoy that moment in time. Here is that wonderful shot.

Have a nice day.

Malay foods @ Simple Restaurant in Kuantan...

Last August I was in Kuantan. It was lunch time and we decided to go to Wak Sufiah restaurant in town. On arrival there we found the shop closed. It seems it has been closed since the Eid Fitri holiday a week before. Our nephew who was driving the Nissan decided to take us to another place but before that we decided to stop at a Dry Fish shop at Jalan Besar. After buying what we need at the shop I went out and saw one of the workers brought a plate of rice filled with dishes and I ask him where he had that. He replies that next door.

I went to have a look and sure enough there is a simple restaurant there. Nothing fancy. I went in to have a look and saw many people enjoying their lunch. I then look at the spreads and saw some very tempting dishes; simple home-cooked like. It does wet my appetite. I then told my spouse and my nephew why not we just have lunch here. They agreed. We select a table and then served ourselves on the buffet spreads.

I just selected a simple grilled fish and some sauce together with a bowl of Siput Sedup [Fresh water snails- Cerithidea obtusa]] cooked in coconut milk which I had not taken for such a long time since it difficult to get such dish in Kuala Lumpur. Without much ado I sat down to enjoy my lunch. It was a sumptuous meal indeed. After the meal I had a talk with the owner and soon found that this restaurant is a Ma and Pa business.

The name of the restaurant is R and R. I thought the R and R mean Rest and Recreation but soon found that it the the first alphabet of their names. Both of them was working in Kuala Lumpur and had retired. After retirement they decided to open a restaurant. Since she was from Kuantan she decided to open one in her home town. She managed to rent a shop at the Main Street [Jalan Besar] and open the restaurant. Here are some images of the spreads served at the restaurant.

 

Have a nice day.

A Trip South of Kuantan....

It has been a long time. The last time I have been to the south of Kuantan was in 1989 when I visited Rompin while I was working in the state of Pahang. I retired in 1990 and since then have not visited that parts of the country. So I decided I would try to visit all those towns from Pekan to Johor Bharu whenever I had the opportunity. At this age it is not possible for me to drive all the way.  I had a talk about the visit with my nephew who now live in Kuantan and ply that road from time to time to do business as far as Singapore. It would be just nice to hitch a ride in his car when he next make the visit to Singapore. I then found that he would be making his next visit to Singapore on August 8 and 9 so I planned to follow him on that trip with a request that we make an overnight stop at Mersing which I had not visited since 1990. He agreed. [Above is a scene on the Mersing River]

So on August 6, 2014 with my spouse accompanying me I drove the Honda to Kuantan and spend the night there before proceeding to Mersing the next day. I left my Honda at his house and follow him on the trip south in his Nissan. While he drives the Nissan I sat to enjoy the scenery and at time take photos from the window of the moving car. We first pass the royal town of Pekan and then proceed on to Rompin. All along the road I saw progress like new plantations of Oil Palm and many bungalows along the roadside. The road all the way was straight and wider than when I was using this road twenty four years ago. In those days the road was narrow and townships near the river were small and hardly any development. This time it was different. There are development projects everywhere. The once small towns have now grown into a large township with schools and community hall and housing estate. Electricity and running water which was once confined to only a small sector of the town is now a norm. Every houses and buildings now got regular water supply and electricity and with that come all the appliances such as TV, refrigerators and the like and of course cars. So is the emergence of Malls and Supermarket and other stores to service the thriving populations. [On the left is a street in Rompin]

Our first stop is Endau; a town that sprung on both side of the Endau River which is the boarder of the state of Johor and Pahang. We cross the bridge and stop at the Rest and Recreation area on the Johor side and had lunch at a restaurant call Nusantara. It is sort of a rest area for folks travelling from Singapore to Kuantan and vice-versa. After a good lunch there we proceed to Mersing.

Along the roads I saw many big houses as well row and row of Oil Palm as well some coconut trees. I believe in the years to come there would be no coconuts trees along this road. It would be replaced with Oil Palm and houses. It was really nice to see such a scenic sight where coconut trees could still be seen. It would surely be history soon. Sad but that is what progress is all about.

We arrived at Mersing just before noon and spend the night at the best hotel in town but to me it was not as I had expected. It just an ordinary hotel in town, nothing to be talk about. We had no choice but to stay there since I wanted to see Mersing which I had not seen for some forty years. We took a spin of the town and saw the Air Papan beach nearby but did not see many people using it. I believe it worth having a picnic there and enjoy the the swim. When I was working in this part of the country in the mid seventies I often stop at this beach to enjoy my packaged lunch which I had brought along from Kluang where my office was then. To me Mersing is just an ordinary town on the east coast of Johor and not many people stay overnight there except for tourists who come to Mersing just to get to the island of Tioman in the China Sea. There is a Ferry Terminal here where one can get boats that ply regularly from morning till dawn. Most folks just come and stay in the budget hotel so as to get an early trip to the island the next morning.

There is nothing much to see in Mersing so early the next morning after a hearty breakfast at the hotel we left for Johor Bharu. With my nephew driving I just sat and enjoy the trip. We head for Kota Tinggi, a town near Johor Bharu. I soon found the road that I used to drive in 1967 were no longer the same. It is now wide and straight all the way. Along the roads which was once covered by Rubber plantations now has been replace with Oil Palm. On both sides of the roads are the green, green of the Oil Palms as far as the eyes could see. I was indeed surprised to see such transformations with Oil Palm been the main economic crops planted all over. With that I saw the prosperity in the township have grown beyond what I could ever dream of seeing. Indeed Oil Palm have brought prosperity to the people of these area beyond my wildest imagination. On the road both ways I could seem more buses and Singapore plate cars plying the road. I believe Singaporean use this road to get as far as Kuantan or even Kota Bharu on the east coast; where else Singaporean could drive on a long roads and enjoy driving. In the island of Singapore they could just cruise in the vicinity of the island. Here in the mainland they could have a field day driving everywhere; on Highway and Country roads with ease; perhaps taking their families for holiday to the country side away from the hustle bustle of the concrete jungle of the city state.

After a few hours of driving we arrived at Kota Tinggi. Here again I was surprise to see this once one street town has sprung into a big township. We stop for an early lunch and then proceed on town Johor Bharu. I saw for the first time that Kota Tinggi is link to Johor Bharu by a Highway, making it easy to travel both ways. On both sides of the Highway I could see Housing estate and Malls which was not even there when I was working in this part of Johor in the mid-seventies. Amazing indeed what peace and prosperity had done to this part of my beloved country. I am happy indeed to see such progress during my lifespan.  Everything I saw from the car's window is new to me and I love it. Mesmerised with the lush green and the beautiful townships everywhere I was sort of lost in time and before I knew it we had arrived at Johor Bharu. My nephew drops us at the Puteri Pan Pacific Hotel in the heart of the town and he proceeds on to his destination in Singapore. We spend two nights in Johor Bahru and return back to Kuantan with him via the same route that we came.

It was indeed a wonderful adventure to this part of the country. During this short visit I saw prosperity everywhere I look and happy to see the other parts of the country has been transformed into a prosperous area providing the local with prosperity that they had never dream of in such a short period of time. On the left is the beach in Mersing.






Have a nice day [ Please click on the image to enlarged it]