Sunday 24 December 2006

Memories Part.1

Its been more a year since I deserted Sudan (November last year). Although it was a hell of experience to be working there, I admit sometimes I miss my job in Sudan and friends who are still there to complete the project. I have heard from a friend of mine that the project will be completing soon. And now, soon after the completion, he said Ranhill are looking for project in Libya and other country in Middle East as well. Wish could join them once again. But coming to think again, Sudan will do just fine.


Like always, during completion's date getting nearer..staffs will be cut off or demobilized very often. Anyways, the journey I have been through, becomes one of my favourite (some, not all). Sand storm, hot weather, learned to speak Arabic (swaya, swaya..), riding the 'Tut Tut' (taxi with 3 wheels), beautiful Arab women, the scenery, pyramid and last but not least, working with the Sudanese (God, until now I am clueless). I am sure for those who knows how Sudanese work, I guaranteed our point of view will be the same.





Among the Sudanese staff I have worked with.



The next picture was taken during our 'happy hours'. After work, me and my friends like to hang out in front of this particular shop. The house we living in is just around the corner. The shop is special, why? Well, for me because the owner knows how to speak understandable English (quite good compare to other locals) and we get discount for drinks, also we could bargain for groceries..but on top of all that, honestly.....we just enjoy to 'lepak' and being accompany by some of the locals, being the owner's favourite customers is one thing...and we don't know where else to go. A few drinks and laugh,jokes does not hurt. After all, the routine makes us forget about our 'homesick' for a while...sometimes.





The shop owner third from the left


Well, here we are waiting for our 'driver' to pick us to work. Take notice, a person lying motionless behind us..nak dijadikan cerita. The night before, we experienced a black out. So, no power supply and no air-conditioning. I cant sleep without air condition, in fact everybody in that house cant. I can not describe how hot and warm it is without any air conditioning on. I guaranteed you will be sweating like hell after 5 minutes inside. And even if you could stand the heat, you can not tolerate the heat and you will surrender after long endurance battle. You will be sweating until you fell asleep and wet the bed with your sweat. They only thing that makes me sleep during this episode...fatigue and tired. You know why, during this hour, my hand will take turns to swing to and fro in fan like motion to make me cool a bit. After a while eventually I will fall asleep because of the tiredness.


Some of the guys cannot tahan the warm temperature decided to take their mattress and sleep under the moonlight. But, "this is Sudan" (me and my friends like to say that phrase during any unusual occasions occur..) they don't expect there will a sand storm during the night. That why, kalau you tengok betul-betul, very fine sand particle all over the place. Sometimes it is very interesting to know, the Sudanese could sleep in this kind of weather outside during sand storm. Well I guess like old Malay saying... "alah bisa tegal biasa..".


Tiga jejaka kesunyian..KAH KAH KAH KAH KAH KAH!!!!

Fyi, I was staying in that house about 5 months before we transfer to another staff house somewhere in 'Mahmura'. The house behind me located at 'Taif' district. Pretty spacious I may say so. We have 6 bedrooms, 2 living halls, 1 big and very roomy hall, 6 bathroom, 2 veranda, 1 servant house complete with utilities, a satellite TV, 2 TVs, a kitchen with cooking area, 2 washing machines and a garage fit for 2 4WD. But, coming to think of it, even though the house is big and merry...it doesn't feel like home.


"Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri..".


So I supposed, sometimes we have to live with it whether we like it or not.


Our new staff house situated at 'Mahmura' area, some says the place is for the middle class, as I have noticed, yeah, maybe but not all of them, most of them yes. Sometimes I wonder whether 'Mahmura' comes from word "Rumah Murah". Well, I suppose I am not the person to criticize.


amacam? ada gaya sapa??? LOL

Tuesday 19 December 2006

Cruziing....


Yesterday, me and my daughter cruising along at the nearby park in Wateringen. While walking and talking to her (I know one or two baby language...ehehhehe), I managed to grab a few shot that I would like to share. It is winter now 'they' said..the view was impressive. Pity the quality of pictures (amateur), as I am obviously not a professional photographer. Can you imagine if I am one? LOL




There were houses nearby, a playground and also benches along the small canal for tired traveller, couple of bridge and a mini football field. One or two jogger jogging along the sidewalk of the park. The temperature about 7 degree C at that time..quite cold for an Asian like us. Even my daughter's nose getting red..ehehhehe..




A group of duck trailing us along the canal waiting for free lunch..memula sekor, then another, another duck 'ducking' in and the next thing you know, almost 20 of them following us! I think some of them get bored tailing us without getting anything, so, they decided to go ashore. And there was this one little 'fellow' managed to tracked us down very near and he almost take a bite of my daughter's finger! Well, I guess those ducks were not ducks you like to fool around like the old days...these ducks different, they were rough. Better stand down..ehehehhe




Anyways..


'Sayang Singkarak kotanya tinggi,

Asam pauh dari seberang,

Awan berarak hamba tangisi,

Dagang jauh di rantau orang'



more...



'Tudung saji hanyut terapung,

Disulam mari dengan benang,

Hajat hati nak pulang ke kampung,

Lautan lebar tidak terenang'



and,



'Bengis sungguh orang pangkalan,

Lalu lalang perahu dihalang,

Menangis dagang sepanjang jalan,

Mengenang nasib di negeri orang'






Sunday 17 December 2006

Pengantin Baru


17th December 2006 (Sunday)!! Hari persandingan my youngest brother at our parent house in Lawas, Sarawak. Sedih sebab kami inda dapat datang kenduri kamu....Anyway, kami (me, yatie and syirah) ingin ucapkan SELAMAT PENGANTIN BARU..wish him and our new sister inlaw semoga panjang umur hingga sampai ke anak cucu!! So, bro, WELCOME TO THE CLUB!! and sis, WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY!!


Engagement day



p/s: Pictures and photos (wedding ceremony) balum lagi dapat dimasukkan dalam blog ani, balum dapat feed back lagi dari sana..tapi papapun..tunggu!

Friday 15 December 2006

Sehari di MATRADE, Rotterdam


While waiting for my wife in a nice and windy Tuesday afternoon, I managed to shoot some photos outside Malaysia Trade Center in Rotterdam, Holland.




Winter's flower one



Two


Three


Bye!!


The next post will be out in short time....

Wednesday 13 December 2006

A new beginning

Being a parent really is some adventure that I would reckon a hell of a journey. A journey that will last forever (a nice one of coz). In the beginning I never thought one day I would be a father. Well, I did after 27 rains (an old African term for years) breathing. Being a parent cause you a lot of patience and huge responsibilities, also tiring I might say.


5 years back, after almost 2 years of engagement, I told my wife, Yatie, that I did not want a child within the first two years of our marriage. Hehehe...what do you think? I don want to start a family yet, no sir. Not just yet though. It is not I don't want to, I just feel it is not the right time yet, you know....to be a father.


Anyway, during the first year of marriage we were still in honeymoon state of mind, and of coz I always away for works. You can call it a 'monthly' husband, more or less like a month working and a week holiday, then its start all over again. Well, it was quite unusual life for me and also my newly wedded wife..but apa nak buat..


The second year our marriage life were no different as the first year. Until May the same year, after more than eighteen months of suffering and quite some ding dong ding dong if i may so...I had switched my job which were more 'in house' husband like most other normal husband do.


During this stage, me and my wife thought this is the perfect timing for us to have a baby. And we did. January 2004, she was pregnant with my first child. And in October 2004, my daughter was born and I named her Nur Insyirah Irdina (quite a long name). Initially, we would like to name her Nurul Iman. But that one a different story...


Cut long short, April the following year, I received an offer to work in Sudan, Africa. Doesn't took long before I accepted the job offer. The cycle of me being 'a monthly' husband start all over again but this time a little bit longer, 4 months! And 2 weeks off. (Boleh ke beb, kalau lu orang??..)



Cut long short again, now after 2 years and a month and 9 days, I will be a father again! Yup, my second child will be due in June 4th 2007.

First glimpse of my new companion


Was that your spine?


A miracle

A new life precious and small
A gift from heaven for one and all
A joy to hug and hold
A developing spirit to mold
A beautiful sight to see
A priceless part of me
A special kind of love
An angel from above

Saturday 2 December 2006

Rain

Today is Saturday, weekend. Me and my family suppose to be out as per yesterday's plan. But, unfortunately, it was raining since earlier. I woke up at 5 am this morning hoping to see sunshine and clear sunny day. Yet, the rain seems like forever. You know, the kind of light rain that pour down every half and hour, stop for five minutes, then start pouring again? Yup, that kind of rain....




Dude, you know what, my life more or less like the rain...at first, you go out into it willingly and dance, full or energy and excitements, splashing, jumping and singing, but once you are soaked down to the skin, you realized how cold it can truly be. You could feel chill in your soul, cold, hard drops of water pound your exposed skin. That's the life I'm in right now..care to join me? Still plenty of room if you want to...I don't mind, really.....LOL!


Anyway, although it is raining outside, I promised my wife to take her to Open Market today (where we buy most of our Asian delicacies and spices) located approximately 15 to 20 minutes drive from our house (depends on the traffic though)..Can you believe the average speed limit in town area is 50km/hr? More than that, if you get caught for speeding (CCTV like 'BIG BROTHER' here..they are everywhere!!), Euro3 for every km/hr you crashed into. Don't ask and don't let me start...(maybe I will bring this topic up someday).


At 10:00 am, rain still out there and no sign nor bell of halting. I really hope eventually it will cease out. Unfortunately something telling me she's not slowing down.



Because of untimely rouse earlier this morning my head felt slightly dizzy..but I'll managed...for driving of coz!...errk..I think. Anyway, after a simple breakfast, a cup of black tea and a slice of bread, me, my lovely wife and my daughter packed our self up and off we go! Well there goes my story for today, in Saturday morning, sweet and bitter rainy day.





Wet







"Rain, rain, go away...Come again some other day"






"We want to go outside and play...Come again some other day"



Tuesday 28 November 2006

My Wife's Corner

Batavia Stad


Batavia Stad (Lelystad)



Batavia Stad
pula merupakan pusat membeli belah yang terkenal. Terletak di Flevoland, the twelft Dutch provice. Lebih kurang 200 km dari Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.


View di sepanjang perjalanan memang menarik.. terdapat deretan kincir angin moden... something yg agak baru bagi kita rakyat Malaysia.. selalunya tengok kat poskad or majalah-majalah je.. yang ni live! Sampai leh terlopong la mulut bila tengok.. Mana taknya.. kincir2 angin tu terletak di tepian pantai.. bayangkanlah betapa cantiknya view.. tapi malangnya tak sempat nak mengabadikan gambar2 menarik tersebut disebabkan kesuntukan masa utk berhenti.. tambahan pula tiada hentian rehat..


Batavia Stad ni adalah antara syurga shopping.. boleh tahan murahnya..mana taknya.. levi's pun leh dpt dlm Euro 20 sehelai.. I'm so excited bila smpai di sana.. biasalah org pompuan.. bab2 shopping kitorang lebih terrer.. macam-macam nak dibeli.. padahal baju dah berlambak kat dlm almari.. apa lagi nak dikata....(ibarat kata xpdc)



Salah satu tempat yg mesti dilawati oleh tourist yang berkunjung ke Holland.. nak tahu kenapa? sebb inilah tempat yang paling sesuai utk beli cenderahati... terutama sekali untuk dibawa pulang sebagai tanda ingatan buat kaum keluarga dan teman-teman serta sanak saudara.. dengan harga yang paling murah jika dibandingkan dengan tempat2 lain seperti di Amsterdam atau Den Haag.. kami pun apa lagi.. walaupun belum masanya lagi utk pulang ke Malaysia, tapi bila dah smpai ke Volendam.. sure beli punyer..! Mcm2 jenis cenderahati ada.. bunga tulip.. (diperbuat drpd kayu ..) replika kincir angin (berbagai design)... t-shirt holland.. dan mcm2 lagila..



Tapi yang paling penting, jgn lepaskan peluang utk bergambar dengan pakaian tradisional Holland.. Pakaian tradisional ini merupakan pakaian tradisioanl yang tercantik dan terindah di sini (Holland). Tetapi malangnya, generasi-generasi muda sekarang jarang memakainya kecuali pada acara tertentu atau majlis-majlis keraian ataupun majlis keramaian. Jika ingin mengambil gambar dengan pakaian tradisional ini, terdapat banyak studio2 gambar yang menawarkan perkhidmatan tersebut, cuma perlu rajin memilih kedai mana yang sesuai kerana, harga bagi gambar studio dengan pakaian ini tidak sama dari satu kedai ke satu kedai. So, kita harus bijak memilih. Walau apapun, tidak rugi membelanjakan sedikit wang untuk merakam saat-saat manis ketika berada di Volendam. .. gambar2 tersebut akan diproses dlm masa sejam.. kira instant photo la.. isn't it interesting? boleh amik gambar satu family tau.. bagi baby pula.. boleh bergambar dengan pakaian tersebut smbil duduk di dalam terompah kayu gergasi!! so cute!! kami pun tidak ingin melepaskan peluang utk mengambil gambar tersebut, tapi malangnya kami smpai dah tghari, long queue! terpaksala melupakan hasrat tersebut buat kali ini.. maybe some other time...



Volendam juga merupakan salah satu daripada perkampungan nelayan yang tertua di Holland. Pelbagai jenis dan rupabentuk kapal nelayan serta kapal layar dapat dilihat disini.
Dan lagi, jika ingin makan ikan segar di sinilah tempatnya. Kedudukan geografinya yang berada di teluk North Sea menjadikan volendam bukan saja sebagai tempat pelancongan tetapi juga salah satu tempat untuk merasa pelbagai masakan segar dari laut dengan harga yang berpatutan. Terdapat banyak restoran dan gerai-gerai di sepanjang pelabuhan. Boleh pilih nak makan masakan laut dengan masakan yang berbeza!



Selain daripada membeli belah dan menjamu selera dengan makanan laut, kita juga boleh menaiki bot/kapal layar ke "Marken" (Sebuah pulau yang terletak berhampiran pelabuhan Volendam). Marken merupakan sebuah perkampungan lama yang cantik dengan rekebentuk bangunan yang unik, pemandangan yang indah di sekitar pulau, taman-taman yang cantik dan bak kata orang tempatan, "Marken is a living monument, not a museum"



Marken pada awalnya terpisah dari tanah besar, tetapi pada tahun 1959, sebuah empangan telah dibina dan secara tidak langsung pulau yang dahulunya terasing, kini boleh dilawati dengan menggunakan kenderaan darat. Tetapi jika ingin merasa angin laut serta desiran ombak, bolehnya menaiki bot-bot yang telah disediakan dengan harga yang berpatutan.



Berehat selepas puas bershopping (my lady friend with her son)



Dalam perjalanan balik, kami singgah di satu kawasan rehat berhampiran dengan Schiphol Airport sambil makan tengahari.

Autumn in My heart


Autumn..





Early Autumn


Don't you love autumn (fall)? Is it the most beautiful time of the year? Well, it is my first ever autumn experience in my entire life since 29 years ago. If you ask me, My answer obviously "Yeah! I love autumn" (that's the idea-the blog...).


Yes! I love the autumn (again). I love early autumn when the weather is settled and mild, and the leaves are just starting to turn. I love the mid-autumn when the trees are golden and red and brown and the leaves crunch beneath your feet. I love it when the sunsets are fantastic and there's a lovely feeling to the air, and even when the weather's stormy and blustery and you have to start wearing warm clothes. Ahh, it's put me in such a good mood thinking about it...



Colours of Autumn



Another glimpse of autumn




More Autumn



View from my wife's office at Rotterdam (almost end of autumn)



Autumn also known as fall in North American English is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition from summer into winter. In the temperate zones, autumn is the season during which most crops are harvested, and deciduous trees lose their leaves or should i say their hair..... It is also the season where days rapidly get shorter and cooler, the nights rapidly get longer, and of gradually increasing precipitation in some parts of the world. And also, for most Korean movies fanatics, autumn also known as 'romantic seasons'. Season which people falling in love, snuggling arms, where all the romantics and fairy tales stories pop up in view. And of coz, it is the season for married couples making babies! Yup..it is.



A few weeks back, a friend asked me how is autumn over there (Holland).



"Aiseh, macam cerita autumn in my heart dalam tv tu.." I replied.



Actually, there were several Korean's love story related with autumn, for example, 'Autumn Tale', 'A Tale of Autumn', 'Endless Love', and of coz, 'Autumn in My Heart' and banyak lagi autumn sana and autumn sini. For those who fond for korean love and romantic story, I assume you know better than me.


Later, after several more conversation (bla bla bla bla ) about autumn, he gave me the ultimate answer, the bestest of all!.


"Yalah, autumn makes people falling in love all over again, the wonder of its beauty takes your breath away and where love find its perfect place in ones heart.., that's the beauty of it. Walking through Autumn leaves with your love one brings back memories of magic moments together".



Alamak beb, jiwanglah mamat ni, tapi ada betulnya apa yang dia kata.
I am speechless. Dude, he is 29, a 'rich' bachelor, nice car and money to spend...and yet he talked about love? Dude, why standing there? Wake up! Go find a chick and get married, have a couple of children of your own and settle down.... And he did. Kenduri this December. Woah...truly, i did not know autumn had made such an impact in individual love self esteem.



Another view from my wife's office (opposite direction)



The sky looks gorgeous in Autumn


And this coming December, my youngest brother will have his wedding, the wedding of his life. He will be unite with his one and only true love. The important piece in his life will be craft forever and for eternity. The beginning of everything..... Autumn sure makes a differences in ones love. Autumn is the season of LOVE, a season of change, we matured and with that so did our love...



My youngest brother and his lovely wife



The moon shimmers through the branches




So, farewell season of love... and let winter snow walk through my door.

Sunday 26 November 2006

Hari Raya 2006


Hari Raya 2006, my second hari raya luar mesia since Sudan last year. Yang ni gambar our Ambassador making a Hari Raya speech. Actually during this memorable speech, i was outside...tengah punggah lauk pauk untuk hidangan. Biasalah, bila dah kat sini suma kena buat sendiri..malaysian community berapa kerat je, but at least i have done some parts of the celebration.



Well its been a while since agus asked me to create a blog...ehehe, well agus, here i am with my second posting of the season. My first blog, kind of scary blog i guess. Its not that i have a clean lung as u may see, but at least from now on i will think again before light up a stick of cigaratte. Enuf of tat, gambar kat atas tu was taken during our 2006 Hari Raya here in Holland. Guess what, i tengah belah lemang! Venue, Malaysian Embassy, Den Haag. Lemang was imported from Malaysia..i know, i know LEMANG IMPORTED! Its not that we dun know how to make lemang, but, nak carik buluh lagi, daun pisang lagi.... Most probably we could get frozen bamboo and banana leaves (ada tau)...might be though, tapi kenapa nak susah-susah nak bakar lemang kalau you boleh import FOC? What a day..





Yang ni pulak, antara wajah-wajah ceria anak-anak staff and masyarakat malaysia yang ada kat Holland. Walaupun jauh dari tanah air, duit raya still dapat! My daughter kat centre (red and white), sian dia tadak baju kurung. Late parcel! Baju raya lambat sampai from Malaysia (We received the Baju Kurung 2 days later).




Haa...yang ni pulak my daughter with her precious Baju Kurung from her grandmother..shes cute isnt she! The picture was taken at ambassador's open house. Wahh..sate, laksa, lemang, nasik himpit, ketupat..you name it! Suma ada. Well, after all she is our ambassador LOL!



Eh, kambing ni pulak tengah buat apa kat blog ni? Konpius

So..it is now started


Well...lets start the game...