Tan Kim Hock, Melaka, May 2012

Dear Diary,

In May, we attended my biras’ brother’s wedding in Alor Gajah.  Hubby didn’t waste the chance to ronda-ronda Melaka after attending the wedding. He loves Melaka. So, some sightseeing we did.

On one of the routes that we took, Hubby remembered a famous cendol place. He made a turn, parked the car and there we stood in front of Tan Kim Hock Production Center.

While waiting for our cendol, we combed the shop’s aisles. There are many merchandises being sold but they are ridiculously overpriced, in my opinion. I can get the same item at much cheaper price elsewhere. Hubby being himself, he still bought some snacks as buah tangan to bring home.

Then, we proceeded to Tan Kim Hock Delicious Dessert House next door. Weird! There was nobody around except for our group. I thought the cendol is famous, why there’re no customers?

Durian Cendol

Gula Melaka Cendol

When the cendol finally arrived, I eagerly tasted the desserts. It is in fact delicious. There are 2 flavors to choose - durian cendol and gula Melaka cendol. I like durian cendol better. Full of durian flavor!

Still, I think that would be my first and last visit…

Address: Tan Kim Hock Production Center Sdn. Bhd. No. 85, 87 & 89, Jalan Bendahara, 75100 Melaka. Telephone number: 06 – 281 2763 & 06 – 282 6099. Fax number: 06 – 282 3379.

Happy 8th Birthday, Imran!

Dear Diary,

Today, 24^th of November is my firstborn’s birthday.

Muhammad Syaheed Imran,

Eight years ago, your arrival was the most awaited event in the whole family. Not only you’re Abah and Mama’s firstborn but you’re also Tok and Tok Ma’s first grandchild. Everybody was looking forward to welcome you to the world.

Eight years later, you’ve grown to become an active and inquisitive child. You love playing games be it PSP or iPad. You have a very good memory. Janganlah berjanji dengan dia kalau tak boleh nak ditunai sebab dia ingat dan dia akan tuntut.

You like to ask challenging questions. Soalan yang mencabar minda, membuat Mama terkedu kadang tu. It’s okay dear because it reflects your thirst for knowledge. Learning is a lifelong process.

I believe you’re one bright boy because you easily grasp whatever we teach you. Bab menghafal memang cekap. Surah-surah dalam Muqaddam dah banyak dia hafal. But when it comes to study, you need a lot of push and encouragement. I guess because there’re so many distractions that shorten your attention span. Thus you tend to lose focus. I know when the time arrives you’ll rise to the occasion.

When Mama is sick, you’re always there for Mama. Tolong picit kepala, tolong urut. Your tears come easily too. Sometimes, you’re such a baby even though you’re the eldest. One skill that you’ve acquired and mastered is pijak belakang. Memang sedap dia pijak. Just the right pressure and weight.

Hah, one more thing I must mention here is that you’re very penakut. Even in broad daylight, you’re afraid. You’ll ask me or Zarra or even Irfan to keep you company. Malam tak yah cakaplah.

Whatever it is, Imran, today is your day. Enjoy it to the fullest. Happy 8^th birthday, Abang!

My wish for you as any mother’s wish in the world is for you to grow up as an obedient Muslim, a good son, a virtuous person and most importantly a happy man.

Nature's Canvas

Dear Diary,

Subhanallah....

 

 

After Rain

Dear Diary,

For the last couple of weeks, it has been raining daily in Shah Alam. We experienced all sorts of rains, be it drizzle, heavy downpour, strong wind, etc.

One of the evenings, I managed to capture these views of river behind MSU after heavy rain. The water level has risen drastically and nearly reached the banks.

Kedai Keropok Cap Tenggiri, Kemaman, May 2012

Dear Diary,

Alhamdulillah, our tummies were already full after a latelunch at Pak Lim Nasi Arab. So, what's next on our agenda?

Since our trip was a free and easy type of holiday, we unanimously agreed to follow Pak Ban back to Kemaman. When you’re in Terengganu, you must treat yourself with keropok lekor. Tak sah la pi Terengganu kalau tak makan keropok lekor. Apart from keropok lekor, we also wanted to indulge in sata and otak-otak. Nonetheless, it was never meant to be because sata was already sold out at the shop that we always frequented and we had to wait for otak-otak. There were 11 tables on the waiting list before us!

To console my broken heart and appetite, we went next door to Kedai Keropok Cap Tenggiri. We ate yummy keropok lekor there. One thing about Terengganu’s keropok be it keropok lekor or keropok kering, they’re rich with fish flesh and full with fresh fish sweetness. Cukup rasa ikan!

Not enough with only eating there, we also bought some to bring back home. Yang makan, makan. Yang bawak balik, bawak balik. The shop also sells many other items such as keropok kering (fish crackers), ikan kering (salted fish), ikan bilis, local snacks, souvenirs, etc. Macam-macam ada!

After our car boot was full with things that we bought, we made one final stop at Pak Ban’s house to freshen up before headed home. Overall, it was a fun filled trip. A chance to visit my uncle and his family and spend pleasurable time with loved ones is a good enough reason to make this a worth while trip.

Address: 1399-I, Kampung Geliga Besar, 24000 Chukai, Kemaman, Terengganu Darul Iman. Contact numbers: 09 – 8686176 / 012 – 9542089.

Pak Lim Nasi Arab, Kuantan, May 2012

Dear Diary,

Though we didn’t fully explore what Swiss Garden got tooffer, we still had a pleasant time. After checked out, we went to Kuantan town again. This time we ventured into Berjaya Megamall. Sempat la sambaq blouse sehelai kat Parkson.

To satisfy our growling tummies, Pak Ban brought us to Pak Lim Nasi Arab for a late lunch. One glance at the restaurant’s name, it gives the impression of a Chinese restaurant selling Nasi Arab. Kind of weird huh! Don’t jump to any conclusion just yet because Pak Lim is short for Pak Halim. Abd Halim is the owner’s name.

Both Nasi Arab and Nasi Mandy taste quite good but still cannot beat Al Diafah or Tasbush. Pak Lim Nasi Arab offers catering services.

Nasi Mandy Ayam Panggang

Nasi Arab Kari Kambing

Nasi Arab Ayam Panggang

Alhamdulillah, our tummies were already full. So, what's next? ...to be continued.

Address: B2, Ground Floor, Jalan Haji Ahmad Satu, 25300 Kuantan, Pahang. Contact: Abd Halim bin Abd Razak, 013 – 9163899.