Selamat Pengantin Baru

Today is a big day for Pidin, son of our dearest friend – Arwah Prof Iskandar & Prof Jamaliah. Finally Pidin.. kahwin ko jugak ye.. We arrived at Alor Gajah right after the akad nikah ceremony. I saw the happy face of Pidin smiling to us when he saw us. He looked very smart n handsome. Naik seri pengantin..

After lunch we waited for the newly wed couple for the sanding ceremony. This was the funny part as Uci who was the best man had to pay ‘toll’ before Pidin could sit on the pelamin. This is the tradition that is still practise in our Malay tradition culture. I guessed Uci never knew n expected this to happen as he was clueless n panicked.

He left Pidin alone there negotiated with the toll guards. After minutes Uci came back talked n after a few RM notes given finally Pidin got to sit on the beautiful pelamin. When I see Pidin n his wife, the brothers n Laila it reminded me lots of their parents.

They managed to organize n arrange the big day without their parents around. I am very sure they got blessed from their parents.

Selamat Pengantin Baru Pidin dan semoga berbahagia dan berkekalan selamanya..

Get Together Session

Today I invited my buddies came over for brunch at home. I call them perempuan2 cantik – Noorul & Nadia. Their children are Nabila & Hakeem classmate. Nadia has started her new hobby@business in baking cakes/cuppies. She also came to deliver the wedding cake I ordered for our family friends – Pidin’s hantaran which is on this Sunday.

I cooked nasi lemak, ayam berempah, ketupat pulut & rendang, bake macaroni n for desert – cheese cake, chocolate cake n kek lapis. I was so pleased to have them around. Finally I managed to arrange this meeting as a few times it had been cancelled for several reasons.

The children were having their good time too. After 5 days break from school they have started missing their friends. I will surely arrange this get-together session again. I actually seldom got to meet them at school. If there is an opportunity it was always a short time as everybody rushing to get back home. Nak bergosip pun kelam kabut je.. :)

Lunch With Friend From Oman

Today I have a friend from Oman having lunch at my home. She is Kak Zilla.. rakan seperjuangan bermain netball mewakili negara Malaysia (bangga ni…). Those days when I was in Oman, we have sports tournament between three countries – Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei.

I represented Malaysia in netball game. I had not played netball since my school days somehow managed to perform well in the game n was chosen to be GK, GD. Anyway we lost to Bruneian.. reason coz the referee were Bruneian n always berat sebelah.. Biasa ah.. dah kalah mcm2 lah alasan.. hehehehehe.. We got 2nd place in netball..

Kak Zilla came 2 weeks ago before she went to Melbourne to attend her daughter's graduation day. I felt bad for not having her for lunch or dinner. So today I insisted her to come over n have lunch. She just arrived from Melbourne last night n will fly back to Oman tonight.

Though today also was a brisk time spent with her but I am glad that she could make it. I wish her a safe journey back to her family in Oman. Selamat menjamu selera kek-kek lapis tu.. :)

Another Day In Singapore

We started our yesterday morning going to Geylang the central Malay community in Singapore. There are lots of Malay, Indon, Arab restaurants selling halal foods in Geylang. We had our brunch there n strolled along the street. Since it was Sunday, the area was crowded with people shopping for their weekly groceries n also Indonesians, Philippines workers who had their day off. Meriah sungguh...

When I was in the taxi going there, the driver told me about the weird thing in Singapore. If it is Raya festival you can only see this area being decorated represented the Raya festival. Then if it is Deepavali it will be the Little India town n if it is Chinese New Year it will be in China town. When it’s Christmas the Orchard Road will be decorated sparklingly for that season.

I told the driver proudly that in Malaysia, be it any festive we will decorate the whole town, nation according to the festival. All of us celebrate n share the joy moments together. Huh.. begitu patriotik sekali.. One Malaysia lah katakan...

We got back to the hotel in the afternoon as the kids already tired. At 6.30 the transport came n took us to the Night Safari. We arrived there at 7.00pm. We started with the cultural show. It was the tribal dance performance of dances, acrobatic acts, fire eating displays n blowpipe demonstrations.

After the entrance we queued up to take a tram ride. The 45min tram ride covering 3.2km which we saw animals from Himalayan foothills to the jungles of Southeast Asia n Africa. The children were very excited as they could see rhinos, elephants, tapirs, tigers, lions along the ride during night time.

After the dramatically ride we went to see the show at the amphitheatre. The show demonstrated the behaviour n abilities of the animals like binturongs, otters, raccoons n hyenas. It was quite an interesting enjoyable show.

We left the place at 9.30pm with each of us having the yummy luscious BEN&JERRY’S ice cream. When asked the kids, they totally enjoyed the Night Safari. Today we are leaving Singapore in the evening. Our check-out time is at 12.30noon n I guess we just wonder around again along the Orchard Road to kill the time.

In Singapore

We arrived in Singapore at 1.30pm. From the airport we took a taxi to our hotel which located along the Orchard Road. The reason we were in Singapore solely just for a holiday. My children are having a week term break next week.

Another main reason is because of Hakeem! He always asked n begged us to go to Singapore. He told his daddy that all his friends at school go to Singapore. He kept saying that his friends said his favourite toy – BAKUGAN are much way cheaper in Singapore! And that’s why he wants to come here.

I could see his eagerness n excitement once we reached the hotel. In the plane he was nonstop asking “Are we in Singapore yet?” “Why it is so long to reach there” “Is it cold in Singapore?” More n more curious questions n comments from him.

We then strolled along the Orchard Road. It was crowded as it was weekend n holiday too in Singapore. We hopped in from one Mall to another. No desire n thrill to shop as the current currency is RM2.50 = 1 dollar Spore. So darab tolak campur.. it became more expensive compare to Malaysia.

There is a lot of new shopping malls along the street. We went to Orchard Central Mall which famous for the soaring steep outdoors escalators. This is known as Singapore’s tallest vertical Mall standing 12 storeys with 2 basements. It was quite interesting as the escalators connecting directly from the ground floor to fourth floor. We went till the top floor taking 3 different connections of escalators. We could see malls after malls down us. It looks quite scary but there’s a glass panel protecting us so that we would not fall out while looking at the scenery!

I have actually not being in Singapore for soooo long. My last trip here was 14 years back attended my cousin’s wedding. When I was small Singapore was like my 2nd home. Every time when we balik kampong (Batu Pahat), my parents brought us here. We normally drive n overnight at my uncle’s house for a week.

My mom’s favourite place was Woodland – beli buah oren n laici!! Then TANG at the Orchard Road. There is not much different Singapore from the last time I had been here. The country is still clean with trendy people n of course now with more Malls.

Anyway today was our first day here. Hakeem already got what he wanted so much – BAKUGAN which of course more expensive after converted to our currency! Tomorrow we plan to go to Geylang n have our lunch there n also to other interesting places here. To be continued then...

One Malaysia

Wow… aren’t I proud to be Malaysian? Yes I am. Yesterday I went to Jalan Tunku Abd Rahman. The reason was to look for Hakeem’s Deepavali costume. Every year my children’s school organizes each festive that we have in Malaysia. Hakeem’s last year costume got ripped as I bought the cheap one (RM5). Pakai sekali terus koyak then buang…

Last year I went to Brickfield n this time I decided to go to Jalan TAR. As expected the place was totally crowded. There were stalls selling Indian sweets, muruku, saree, Punjabi n all sorts of things for the festive. I pun sama naik lah bershopping n looking around for baju raya…:) I got a nice costume for Hakeem. I tried to look one for myself too – not saree definitely but Punjabi suit.

Unfortunately the one that I like was extremely expensive (RM400-RM500) – sayang ah pulak duit... Further more it’s so difficult to get Punjabi suit with long sleeves. Anyway I was enjoyed wondering around looking at all the beautiful sarees n costumes. Be it any festive – raya aidilfitri, deepavali or CNY the place will always be crowded n attraction to all Malaysian. ONE MALAYSIA!!

Today is the day that Nabila n Hakeem wearing their Deepavali costume. They have an hour show about the festive at school. Everybody at school including teachers n parents looked so pretty n vibrant wearing the colourful costumes.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Indian friends a very happy and prosperous Deepavali.