A good morning..

Leave home under the beautiful skies of what whishfully a good morning to start the day!

Supermoon

Supermoon - it is where the moon at its nearest distance ti earth so it appears 30% bigger than normal days! But hey, my camera fon cant do much justice to it, sorry...

Reality bites!

I guess this is the ordeal that every 'roadrunner' like me has to face. Reality bites! It hurt you even you dont see the wound..
I'm thankful that there's a good samaritan to lend helping hands, eventhough I have to drive the car slowly from the actual spot to reach the nearest toll booth and to walk a few hundreds meter to call for help..
Anyway, I'm thankful that I'm okay not shaken nor nothing..

Supermoon?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/110926-new-moon-closest-earth-dark-supermoon-dark-space-science/

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A beautiful start

I start my early drive in the morning to this breathtaking view of the rainbow!

De-stress

When you get stress out with various bureaucracy, I would suggest you do this..sharpen all your pencils with whatever sort of knife that available to you... ;)

Festivity feast - primary scholer style!!

Went to fetch my son, and bump into this 'chaos'. These children, dressed colorfully in their latest festive attire to celebrate with their friends and teachers were seen rushing towards the popsicle man to get their popsicles just to quench their thirst at the end of the school day!

Festivity feast goes around

Today, with such glorious good weather, clear blue sky and all, I end up with another feast to celebrate Syawal festivity. This time around it is hosted by my own principal at work. What else could be said..yummms!! ;)

Bright and blue

Love every square inch of the bright blue clear sky of today eventhough the temperature is showing 40celcius!!

Blooms-third round of the month

For the past 5 years of living a good life of current residency, there has never been such fresh occurance like these blooms of mushrooms every time after heavy rain. It would be the third round of this month seeing these mushroom buds blooming on my front lawn..and loving it!

It's raining all the way

Am driving through the whole journey home squirming my eyes to focus in between those drops of rain..

..and this is Bentong..

one of the nooks of Bentong

It's raining today, in fact it is raining all the way through just after I leave Lipis. It has become an interesting attraction to me on how similar Bentong and Raub is, and at times I would get confused of going through almost similar route when I pass through the town.

This is Raub

One of the nooks in Raub

Raub is located 120km away from my local landmark of Subang Skypark. Similarly, the town center bore resemblance of Bentong town, in terms of its architecture, traffic circulation planning and the pace of life. Almost all the building facing the main road in its town center were the 1920s pre-war building of colonial architecture, but there are a few like those in the photos which has been renovated to suit the current owner's needs. But, I would prefer if these pre-war buildings could be articulately maintain as it has become part of the town identity.

I have yet to explore Raub on foot, to seriously look into its history and feel the sense of place, as it always just an act of snap-and-go either on my way to Kuala Lipis or Benta.

Sg Lui

I actually pass by Sg Lui on my way to Kechau-Raub. Just a very small town with busy road.

construction site

Passing by to see the progress of the project site in Kechau-Raub, on my way back to KL from KL (Kuala Lumpur from Kuala Lipis that is). I love the effect of those mountain range as the background.

Nooks and crany of architecture dreams

Living the architecture dreams is not always about glamorous skyscrapers, hitech towers or exclusive bungalows..nor it is about LV's bag or jimmy choo's stilettos..but sometimes it's also about making those dreaded journey deep into certain nooks and crany that 'ordinary people' would not do just because they cant understand what 'architecture dreams' is all about...

I'm doing the Subang - Kuala Lipis - Subang route today and am feeling like an express bus driver!

Dusk of the day

Arriving home from my day trip to Kuantan to this breathtaking sunset..dusk...

Genting's peak

Driving my way west from eastbound, to this silhouette of Genting's peak. From far it seems to blend with whole mountain range..

Night stroll

The children taking a stroll with their dotting aunt! ;)

Daycare surgery

The so called 'minor surgery procedure' to remove stubborn earwax for darling princess..

Blooms after rain

Mushrooms at 12noon..

There was a heavy downpour all the way through of yesterday's late evening. In fact when my firefly landed on the taxiway, skypark was still amidst of sweet drizzle of the much awaited rain. I believe it drizzles all way through the night as I was busy doing the house chores and not able to keep track of the weather outside.
So, this morning when I'm about to leave the house to send off the children to school, I saw a group of blooming mushrooms in front of our lawn-it's a good sign of how much the earth is missing the rain!! Me too, actually..

mushrooms at 6pm of the same day..

Bright blue

Love this bright blue sky!! A new start of brighter day, hopefully!

An opportunity of Bachok hospitality

Bachok architecture style

I never imagine I would have such opportunity to experience personal hospitality in Kelantan moreover in particular suburb as Bachok. This small township which located just not more than 30 km away from Kota Bharu is also a local district township. Having to experience such hospitality is somehow an awesome feeling to my what supposed to be just a basic working trip.

Kota Bharu Central Market is a 'Female market'?

This particular market in Kota Bharu which were made popular by the fact that majority of the trader are FEMALE. Known as Pasar Siti Khadijah, it is located in the city center and it's a one stop center for any tourist visiting Kota Bharu as you can get almost everything under one roof. Of course you would notice a different dialect of lingual used here (I'm a Malaysian but most of the time I do have hard time understanding them..hehe) so, if you could get your local friends to tag along would be better, but if you are on your own, I think it wouldn't be much problem - they're all friendly people and charmingly sweet too! 

I've been here more than 15 years ago, and it hasn't change much except with new coats of paint. It is still as merry as before but me being myself, simply being 'dumb' of not knowing what should I shop for as souvenirs or as appreciation to the local traders. Luckily, I end up buying some 'serunding' (meat cooked in curry gravy till it dries off and shredded for easy consumption)

KL-Kota Bharu-Besut

It's going to be another journey to my project site in Besut, this time around I'll be making my way via Kota Bharu transit-just to make use of the opportunity. I'm logging-in while waiting to board the Firefly. It's the usual full house for all the morning flights as seen from the crowded departure hall. Anyway, I do hope the journey would be smooth, ameen.

View from the air after immediate take-off: thick haze has seen engulfing the Klang Valley

Clearer skyline as the plane leaving Klang Valley behind..and surprisingly  able the see  the moon  above the haze horizon (just below the letter 'z')

love the mountain range - the backbone of Malaya

Kota Bharu :  a clearer skyline

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Retail fascination of Kota Bharu

I didn't anticipate that we (my engineer friends and I) will be going for a shopping spree here in Kota Bharu. But here we are...  

Batik and I doesn't get together very well, as I fanatically goes for solid plain color. I worship BLACK the most! So, I'm more interested at the way the craftsman doing his job rather than those colorful 'batik', and on top of it I'm more interested at his ironing machine which is way bigger than the normal domestic iron. Wow, imagine how much faster I would be able to complete my ironing chores with such iron?! but hey, he said that machine is not for sale!! (serious..I DID  go and ask!)




I purposely snap photo of my engineer 'getting frenzy' looking at these pots and pans and kettles..haha (I was too!! but hey, I'm a shopping dummy, remember) She actually bought a kettle home! and she keeps mumbling about having to drag it onto the plane, after that (it isn't that heavy and it's just the size of 12by12 inch box.. but hey, it's an extra load for her ..LOL!!)

Delicacies of Kota Bharu ?

I was kind of exhausted wit all the travelling and window shopping task (imagine when 3 female engineers/architect gets together during a working trip..can you imagine?). However, we are being lucky to have a personal 'tour guide' for that day, whom personally drive us to where ever we wish to go, and to add on to that, he's pampered us with a treat just before we leave for the airport. 

I never anticipate to find a good 'murtabak' here in Kota Bharu as it is always about 'nasi kerabu', 'nasi dagang' and other sweet stuff. But, this stuff is GOOD. I mean, my travel isn't about searching for good food,  it's always about work, and I usually goes very modest about food (a basic McDonald's meals is fine with me, you know) but sometimes when such opportunity to indulge in good food occurs - it'll be a bonus! 

But, hey forgive me ..I have forgotten to jot down the name of the shop and it's location *doink*

Table accessories

Delicious Murtabak - looks good,eh? YUMMY

Eiffel..I miss you!!

Was browsing through National Geographic the other day..and today I stumble again upon the same steel icon that I adore..be it literally or physically... and I guess I do miss IT !

Me and Eiffel back in 2010

a pick from National Geographic

Eve of Bubba's Birthday

Weekend outings for the family, plus a lunch treat for our beloved 'bubba'.  :)

Another tour around the city..

Our neighbour is having a pre-wedding dinner party outdoor, and I guess it's part of the chinese celebration to  party all night long with karaoke session and mahjong and such, so we decided to make way and try to seek some 'peace' (not that we are against it but karaoke in the middle of the night out in the open..err?? gimme me a break!) Anyway, we headed for city centre just to catch the glimpse of sparkle, the night ambience and such and we end up at Kampung Bharu, a village right in the middle of Kuala Lumpur city centre. It is no longer a pure traditional village like it used to, since it has overly develop in such a rugged manner where certain quarters simply have ignored the originality and go for commercialism. However, if you care to take a walk around you could still find at nooks of it,  there are some old cottage which has been beautifully furbish to maintain its originality to withstand the modernisation, mind you KLCC Twin Towers is just a glance away and it seems like the pair are looking down at this village!

Eventhough Kuala Lumpur at night was so bright with colorful neons and LED lights and and street lights and   the dancing light that shine on the buildings or on the walkways, but I DO miss the twinkling light of the stars which has been overcome by the artificial bright light of the city! Either I'm getting old or am seriously romantic..haha!!

one of the famous landmark of Kampung Baru - Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa's stall

KL Tower seen from Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa's stall (where we are chilling out with a plate of nasi lemak in the middle of night...burrpp..guilty!)

Missing the evening sirrus

The Klang Valley skyline for these couple of days has been covered with smokey haze which has been reported as the source of Indonesian open-burning! Therefore a slight screening of the sirrus this evening makes me realize, how much I missed the clear blue sky and the lovely evening sirrus!

Blurry haze

Blurry image of Telekom Tower seen from Pantai Expressway at 1pm today. The stuffy haze has again envelope our country creating a very uncomfortable surrounding, not to mention the effected quality of air that we breathing in!! At this juncture, there's no better way to end it rather than praying hard for the rain to fall and wash it away!

A secret nooks of Tugu Negara

I never had the slightest idea that there is an eatery place right behind Tugu Negara area, as all I was aware that  Tugu Negara has been the only place situated at that particular nooks of Kuala Lumpur. This place serves a good yummilicious variations of local dishes as well as the organic chicken popularly known to local as 'ayam kampung' (literally translate to be country chicken ;))

If you are early, you could get a seat facing the Bukit Aman or Tugu Negara gardens down below, but if you came during the peak hours, you'll be lucky to get a place to seat!

Enjoy!!

Full itinerary for the day

Nilai Square

Full itinerary for the day: bfast by the poolside at bandar bukit mahkota, then lunch at kota warisan sepang, followed by tea time by the poolside again, then barbeque dinner by the garden..and i think this gonna be the last program for the day..leisure time at Dataran Nilai!

barbecue dinner

grilled lamb! burrpp

Adoring the twins

We were driving through the city centre of Kuala Lumpur after a Raya Feast at one of our friend's place and upon passing by the twins, this is the view that managed to be captured via the moon roof! Awesome!!

Ain't the same feeling..

Packing ur travelling bag to go for long holiday aint the same with packing it to end those holidays...sigh..g'bye Ipoh!!

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