A Day @ Pantai Puteri...

The sea always refreshes me. That morning on the beach at Pantai Puteri Malacca I was alone; taking my time to wonder the beauty of the vast open space in front of me. The beach, the sea and the horizon yonder and that blue sky up above is a vast space. It awesome, with the scenery changes all the times. Then you realized that in these wide space we are so small, just a dot in that oceans of space. It is only when we are at the beach that we could feel the vastness of space. Knowing that made us humble and appreciate what nature had to offer for our well-being on this planet we call earth; our home. I watch the waves bashing the shore endlessly leaving foams at the shoreline, turning the shoreline into a picturesque scene. It was a sight that changes every time the waves bashed the shore. I sat on the sandy beach with my camera and wild my imagination away careless of what's happening around me. I daydream for awhile while watching the white clouds up above against the blue sky. Like a child I too was imagining the images of the white clouds as I like it to be and enjoy that brief moment of my childhood.

As the day passes by I began to see more and more people coming to the fisherman dent nearby. I saw a few man sat to chat, another taking a nap on the boat and more were seen going over their gear of nets and poles for fishing in the shallow water of the beach. I walk toward them and chat and ask around as to what is the name of that flowering tree nearby. I was told that the name of the tree with the yellow flowers is Tahan Angin, a variety of hardy plant that thrives well on the sandy beach. It leaves could be use to wrap food like the Tapai [fermented rice] and of course it yellow flowers that bloom all the years round did add color to the scene of the beach. And then there is the Ketapang tree which provides shades to the vary fisherman during their time of rest. I talk to the fisherman and they say they are going to catch the Geragau [small shrimp] that is in season at this time of the years.

I watch one of them taking the net and gliding it on the shallow part of the see to catch the Geragau. It look easy but I believe for those who had never done it, it sure going to be a tough job wading in the sea, under the bright sun pushing a heavy net but for these fisherman it was easy. Well according to one of the fisherman they are just doing what had been done by their ancestors for years before them. It is a tradition that they are going to keep alive the best they could. BTW folks the Geragau is use to make Belacan [shrimp paste] and Cencalok [Shrimp sauce] which are use in traditional Malay cuisine.

As the sun began to rise on the east and the beach became brighter I move along and met a person that does not look like a fisherman. He looks more like a Planter with the dress he was wearing that day. I introduce myself to him and continue to chat along. He is known here as Pak Abu. From the look of it and the story he related to me, he is a man with much experiences. We chat on subjects that just come to our minds and soon we became friend. He says that he is quite often at the beach whiling his time with friends since like me he too had retired and enjoy his life in the golden years. We parted with a promise to see each other again.

Well folks I had always love the beach. It is part of me growing up in Kuantan. Every time I am here in Malacca I would take a walk along the beach in front of the condo complex and enjoy the time; at time meeting strangers that became friend like Pak Abu that I met that day. That is life and I am enjoying it.

Have a nice day and Take care.

A fallen leaf...

[Malacca July 27, 2011] Woke up to a beautiful day in Malacca. After having a quick breakfast I took a slow walk at the beach in front of the condominium complex. It was early in the morning. Except for an old woman selling Nasi Lemak and the road cleaner at the roadside, there was no one else on the beach. I was almost alone there. Other then the sound of the waves bashing the beach, the place was quiet. Since it was early morning the beach itself was still clean after last night rain and the shore had been washed by the waves at high tide. So everything on the beach looks clean and undisturbed.

I saw a fallen Ketapang leaf. It lay there on the sand that was dotted by the rain last night. The scene of that fallen leaf looks so picturesque that I decided to take a snap of that image; such a serene and beautiful scene against that white sand. Soon someone would step on it and it would be gone. I did enjoy that short moment in time admiring what nature had to offer in that fallen leaf. For a while I was mesmerized and got lost of times until the sudden bashing of a big wake woke me up to reality.

I then walk slowly enjoying the fresh air and looking at the clean beach with the leftover of seashells strews all over the sand with other debris that one often saw on a beach on a morning like this. I took several snaps and sharing it here for all to see and enjoy the image of the beach before us human walk on it and left our mark everywhere.

I was alone and I took my time to wild my imaginations and enjoy the freshness of the morning air. I had always loved the beach and the sea. My growing up period as a child was always associated with the sea. Born and bred in Kuantan, a small town on the east coast, the sea was a part of me. Whenever I get the opportunity I would always wonder along on the beach, camping or swimming. So this morning been on the beach and beside the sea on the west coast made me felt at home. That is one reason I kept coming to live at our condo at Pantai Puteri in Malacca.

That morning the weather was cool. As the day progresses I began to see more and more people gather around. I later found out that they are all fisherman getting ready to go to sea. To fish or to catch small shrimps the local call Geragau. I went to meet them and then continue to venture on the beach enjoying the fresh air while pondering the wonder of nature along the beach.

The battering of the waves smashing the shore and leaving the foams was such a beautiful scene while it last. I took several images of the beach at these early hours of the morning and sharing it here for all to enjoy. Well folks I am enjoying it and I believe anyone here would enjoy this wonder of nature too, the beach and the sea.

Have a nice day.  [Please click on image to enlarge]

My Saturday Photography - 5...

The above beautiful mosque is in Malacca. One thing I like about mosques is that it design is unique and did not follows the norms of the other mosque which often follow the Moors dome and minarets architecture. If one look at all the old mosques in Malacca one would find that all are designed with the influence of the local environments and not that of the Arabs. Another beautifully designed mosque in Malacca is it state's mosque in Peringgit.  

Have a nice day.

Of Pantai Puteri Malacca...

One of the greatest things about living in a peninsula is that the sea is always not that far away. About a month ago I was at the home of Pokcik Hassan at Batu Rakit, Terengganu. His beautiful country home is with a seafront of the China Sea and today I am at our condo with a seafront of the Straits of Malacca; Hassan's on the east coast and mine on the west coast. It is actually not that far; just a few hours drive from Kuala lumpur. Voila! One is at the seaside.

Last Monday May 20, 2011 I took a slow drive from Ampang Jaya and arrived at Pantai Puteri Malacca just before noon. And stayed there a few days at our condo, enjoying the sea and the fresh air; a place with a different environment than that of our home in Ampang Jaya, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur. On the first evening a relative and his spouse who happen to be in Malacca then, came over for dinner. And later stayed on for a long chat over coffee at our place. It was indeed a colorful evening full of laughter and joy.

The next day early in the morning I took a slow walk along the beach out-front and took some images of the happening there and sharing it here. The images I believe tell a story by itself. I stop at a butcher selling his fresh meat at a roadside stall and watch him meticulously cutting the meat for sale. Had our stay here is longer I would have bought the fresh meat and do a B B Q with friends. Next time maybe!

The scenery at the seaside was green with the Casuarinas and other trees growing well near the beach. The beach is a nice place to sit in the early morning and late evening to while the day away but I found it not that suitable for swimming. Anyway I saw many local folks here use it more for fishing rather than for swimming. This beach is always dotted with folks enjoying their picnic with families and friends. The west coast of the country is part of the Straits of Malacca where hundreds of ships ply the busy sea route all the time, thus the beach at time became polluted with debris and the seawater became dirty. Anyway the sea always brings fresh air to those living at the condominium which is just two hundred meters away.

At some part of the beach there are Fisherman shack and I could see many boats parked on the beach making it a picturesque sight indeed. When they came ashore they would sell their daily catch on the beach and one could get fresh fish literary right from the sea. Indeed it would make a great grilled for dinner.

On one side of the road there are many food-court that sell foods at a relative cheap price. Some of the Fisherman daily catch are also sold at the stalls here. One of the mornings I went to get Nasi Lemak for our breakfast and saw Roti Canai been prepared for frying. It looks tasty but since we had decided that our breakfast for that day would be Nasi Lemak, I did not buy any Roti Canai.

Well folk since this place is faraway from the city, life here is somewhat slow; a different culture of living than in the suburb of KL. Indeed a great place to get lost from time to time.

Have a nice day.

A view from my balcony....

I am writing this over a steamy black coffee. It is a beautiful cloudy morning as I sat writing this in our Malacca home. Just fifty meters out-front is the Straits of Malacca. It is early morning and the sea is calm over a cloudy sky. Looking out of the balcony I saw a huge tanker making its way to the PETRONAS dock delivering raw fuel for the Refinery. About is the image of the tanker as it near the docking jetty. As I was watching the tanker a flock of birds passes by enjoying the breeze near the Apartment tower. These images was taken using a telephoto lens.

Anyone sitting here some five hundreds years ago would be watching Portuguese and Dutch ships ply this route. They were the master of the sea then. Perhaps some folks sitting on the porch of his simple thatch hut were watching a fight between the Portuguese and Dutch ships, which saw the Portuguese capturing Malacca in 1511. It continues to be here exchanging power to the Dutch and then the British, the Japanese, the British again until August 31 1957, when the country Malaya achieved its independence from the last colonialist the British. From that time onward the country has move forward and became one of the most developed country in this of the world. Now with a population of twenty six millions, it boasts of full employment and the society living in peace and prosperity.

We arrived here from Kuala Lumpur yesterday just after lunch; after a stop over at the Ayer Keroh R & R for lunch. I love driving long-distance and yesterday we left for Malacca taking the North South Highway. I am happy to drive on the highway since it is just driving on a good roads unlike driving in the city where I get stress up when get caught in the traffic jam. So I often avoid driving in the city even in Malacca. On the highway quite so often there was no traffic jam. Most of the time driving became a pleasure while enjoying watching the panoramic scenes pass by on both side of the roads. [If you enlarge the image on the left you would see a large Container Ship on the horizon]

The resort is now been managed by a new team. We would be living here a few days, meeting the new management teams, as well enjoying the peace and tranquility of this place near the sea.

Below is a scene of the sea out-front taken as the sun rises.

Have a nice day.

The Fisherman...

It was a beautiful Sunday morning with clear blue sky. We were in Malacca last week. On that cool Sunday morning I decided to take a drive out of the condominium complex at Tanjung Puteri and on the way back stop at the Fisherman shack along the beach. I parked my car and went to look around. There was not a single fisherman around. They must have gone back home to rest after a hard day at sea. The life of the fisherman is not easy. They had to wake up early to go out to the sea. If they leave for the sea in the evening they had to be at sea all nightlong and back to the land in the early hours of the morning.

In this case it is the Straits of Malacca where the border of Indonesia and Malaysia is not that clear. Stray away into the international water one might get into the Indonesia water and get caught for illegal fishing. Then there are those huge tankers and big cruisers that ply the sea all the times and if one is not careful especially in the middle of a dark night one could easily collides with those ships. At time there are the dangers of pirates on the high seas that one had also to be careful and not to get into a fight. There are so many risk that fisherman had to go through whenever they went fishing. But then that is their lives and perhaps the only way they could make a living.

I walk out at the beach which was calm at that early hours of the morning and look at all the small fisherman boats now lay idle on the beach. This is the west coast and the rising sun is on the other side of the nearby hills. The reflection of the morning sun could be seen glittering on the surface of the calm sea; like little diamond sparkling everywhere. There was not a single fisherman there but the nets and other equipments for the fishing lay there all organized for the next trip out to sea. I could feel the quietness as I browse along those boats and the fisherman's gear including the nets. Only the buzzing of the flies feasting on the dead fishes that were left to rot on the beach breaks that peaceful feeling of the place.

There was no wind and the seashore nearby was calm as well. I took time to look around and snap some picture. It was indeed a rare and unique assort of fisherman's things that could only be found at such a shack along this beach. Actually I was mesmerized with the serene of the scene at the shack and for a while forgot about the world around me. It was the sudden bashing of the shore by the wave that jolted me back to reality. I then remember as a small boy on the beach at Tanjung Lumpur in Kuantan where I would wait for the fisherman to come back bringing their catch. And I would get to buy fresh fish whenever we go camping on the beach. At time we just got the smaller fish for free. The smell of the salty sea is still the same and it does add color to the memory of the boy in me. Actually I do enjoy this moment in time at this fisherman shack.

Here today I did not see the fisherman. But still I could imagine their presence when they had arrived as they hauled their boats to the beach for safekeeping; taking the day catches to the market for sale and some for home to their family. All wet and sweating they would take their time to do whatever needed doing in the same fashion of ritual that had been going on for generations before them. Contented with their day taking they would move on perhaps smoking a cigarette, the only luxury that they could afford and head for home to be with their family and take a good rest.

Tomorrow it would be the same ritual again. That is the life they had chosen for now so that the next generation of their family would have a better day. The irony of all this is the fisherman never gets rich although it is their catch of quality fish that get to the table of the rich and famous. Well folks, that is life.

Have a nice day.

[Please click to enlarge]

The AGM of the Owner's Association of the BPBR Malacca..

We were in Malacca for the weekend. This time was to attend the AGM of the Owners Association of the Bidara Puteri Beach Resort [BPBR] formerly the Mutiara Malacca Beach Resort] of which I was the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee. The meeting on Sunday April 25, 2010 at 2:00PM went out very well and as usual the old committee was reelected, with Col.Yap as the Chairperson and I as the Deputy.

This time we invited the Representative of Commissioner of Building [COB] to attend and brief the members of the function of this new Government agency that was established recently by an Act of Parliament. Mr.Mohan, the representative of the COB gave us a wealth of information on the role of the COB as well as that of the Joint Management Committee. On the advise of the COB we elected a Joint Management Committee to manage the Condo complex. Under the new Act all Condominium or Apartment complex had to form the Joint Management Committee by law. Once this Committee is registered with the COB it would became a legal entity to manage the complex professionally and with legal backing under the act.

The Joint Management Committee would work hand in hand with the Association to manage the complex. In the past the Owners Association as an NGO does not have the legal backing to manage it professional. With the Joint Management Committee [JMC] which has legal status under the COB, the JMC would be able to provide better management to the complex. Thus would be able to provide better benefits to all the owners.

The Call of the Beach...

I have always loved the beach. Been raised in a small town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the beach has been my playground ever since I could remember. Maybe I was just five or six years old at that time but I could remember vividly of the happening during those times. Kuantan my hometown is situated beside a river mouth and not far away is the sea. The nearest is at Tanjong Api a beach across Tanjong Lumpur. The beach at Tanjong Lumpur are dotted with fisherman huts so it is actually not a beach at all, thus not a good place to go for a walk or to take a dip. Anyway been growing up and always at the beach wherever the opportunity arises, the beach has became part of my growing up culture. I love the smell of the sea and enjoy the saltiness of the seawater.

So been in Malacca over the weekend and staying at our Condo which is just about 50 meters away from the beach it was just like coming home to my hometown. The only difference is that the beach here does not have that golden sand like on the east coast. Here the sand is gray and not as clean as that of the east coast. This is because here the sea is full of ships that ply the Straits of Malacca, thus all sorts of debris and other throwaways over times has drifted over to the shores. One reason I kept going to Malacca and live there from time to time is actually because of the sea and the open space out front of the apartment that one could see beyond the sea toward the horizon. The horizon has never ceased to fascinate me for the scene never remains the same at any moments in times, it sort of like a moving postcard. Such a mystical sight to watch and wonder as the sun faded away.

That Saturday evening my spouse and I decided to take a walk along the beach in front of our resort complex. At the beach we decide to split for a while since our interests at that moment in time was different. She went for a slow walk along the beach while I decided to play around with my camera as I walk along the sandy beach. That evening the waves was forceful and it kept bashing the beach, creating roar as it bashed the seafront. I saw kids play and running along as the waves come and go. Like me when I was at their age I know that they are really having fun. As I walk along I saw debris that has been washed onto the beach as the wave strike the shore. All kinds of debris were laying there, coconuts, driftwood, bottles and plastics litter the sandy beach. It would be there for a while and eventually would get back into the sea or collected by souvenir hunters or just be cleanup by the cleaner come morning. I saw the damages that the sea has done to the embankment as it washes up with force where the trees has been uprooted. It is always like this on the seafront; at some places the trees are uprooted whereas at other places young plants are left to grow. Fascinating of how nature take care of it selves. Wasting no time I took aims of those objects and sharing it here for all to see and understand that the beach is never the same at any time of the day.

As usual young lovers are drawn by the sea and that evening I saw many such couple sitting and enjoying their brief period perhaps saying passionate words to each other and then I saw someone had written words of love on the sand and left it there for others to see and soon the next wave would erased it away for good. I did not want it to go to waste and took a snap of that letter in the sand and sharing it here for all to see where lovers were trying to immortalize their dream on that sand; now for a fact that like a dream it would fade away. The sun was beginning to set and that evening the glow was just like yellow not the usual amber orange. It actually lightens up the beach allowing long shadow of the objects lying on the beach. Indeed a good subject to capture. It is not always one get the opportunity to get such a shadow with an object in an open area like the beach. The above images show the shadow of the objects that I took that evening.

As I walk I continue to see the beach been sort of vandalized with debris, uprooted trees with it roots jutting out. There are others that are man made such as footprints, castles built by kids and writing on the sand. I then notice some marking or imprint on the sand that is rather unfamiliar. I took a closer look and saw that it is the impression of the footprint of a horseshoe. Then it dawn on me that earlier I did saw some youth riding horses on the soft sandy beach, thus the mark left behind. On the left is the imprint that I snapped up and not sure whether it is the right or the left hoof. Let's leave it to the expert tracker to determine it.

By evening the whole beach would be one hell of a mess but not to worry the waves would take care of it. It would organize itself. Anyone who had ever been to the beach at an early hours of the morning would know that one would be delighted to see a clean beach looking so peaceful and innocent comes the next morning. I have seen these scenes many times and enjoying it. Whatever damage or disturbance that our species did to the beach the previous day would be erased by the waves during the night and the next day without failed we would get to see a brand new beach again. And that ritual would continue to happen day in and day out. Well folks that have been the ways and it would continue to be so for millions of years from now. The beach is a place for us to enjoy the peace and tranquility of space that is special, a one of a kind on this blue planet of ours. And as for me it is part of me and I love the beach. Have a nice day.

[Please click image to enlarge]

A beautiful day @ Pantai Putri...

Greeting is very important to me. "Good Morning". That is how I start the morning since school days. Starting with a Good Morning greeting to our teachers and later on in life I always say Good Morning to whomever I first met in the morning. So to all the good folks everywhere; Good Morning to all. May you all have a great day. Today it is not only a good day but a beautiful day as well. Indeed a gorgeous day.

I woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning in Malacca. We had been at our second home at the Bidara Putri Beach Resort for the weekend. It has been a hot and humid day all throughout the week and that morning it has been cool. Seeing the ray of sun creeping through the window's blind I walk and open the door toward the corridor which is on the east side of the apartment and I saw the glow of the morning sun behind the small hill at the back of the condominium complex. It was a majestic sight. I took my camera and wait for it to make its appearance. As usual when we wait it takes its time to come out, the seconds and minutes seem to be rather long. I have not taken any image of the morning sun as it rises in Malacca since it is the evening sun that we normally notice at the balcony. Every time we spend the days here we would watch the sunset and making it disappearing act at the horizon on the glittering sea off the straits of Malacca. It just glows and slowly disappears beyond the horizon, at time in the multitude of color of amber, gold and at time just yellow and silver. The scenes have always not been the same and a wonderful sight to watch and wonder as evening fell to darkness.

That morning it was different. It was the sunrise that I was watching at the back of the apartment since the front of our condo face west, thus the entrance is on the east side where there are corridor that leads to all the apartments. Our apartment is on the second floor so I have just to wait to see the sun creep through the hills and bushes to made its daily appearance. Indeed it began to show its glory when it slowly rises up. It was just 7.52AM and by 8AM it brightens up with a yellow ball of fire. Indeed such a magnificent sight to watch. I aimed my camera and took as much shots as possible before it became too hot to watch. And voila! I got some fine shots and the one above show a flock of birds flying toward the northwest direction. I did not notice the birds when I took the picture but when I saw the images on the live view of the Nikon D60 I was rather amazed to see such a wonderful picture of the morning sun with those birds. It is not always that one gets the chance to get such a great image. It is just like a perfect postcard picture. What a day!

The next morning while talking to friends at the corridor of the apartment a pair of white dove flew in and perched on the railing nearby. It was really nice to see such a pure white pair of the bird. In love perhaps! enjoying the day. It was so close nearby so I thought that I should take the opportunity to immortalize the event. I went in to take my camera and by that time it has flown just a bit further but still together. I took a few snaps and sharing it here for all to enjoy. This is the first time that I saw a pair of such white dove here. There are now many doves making it nest at the corridor of the apartment and most are of the normal color of gray and dark blue but these white dove are seldom seen. They say that doves bring good luck, love and happiness to the place of its habitat or frequent. The sign of peace is always the white dove, so it was with good feeling that we get these pair of white dove here at our condominium in Malacca. Indeed a good sign for our dwelling. Now that we have the doves perching around and the sound of the sea out front, it does made the place more enchanting then before. A great place to hang out from time to time and of course enjoying life as well. Have a nice day.