Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Kuala Terengganu 2

It was quite busy for the past few weeks and I still do.  Taking a little bit of my time to update the blog. Our Kuala Terengganu trip was from the 29th to 31st of January 2013, six of us and my two nieces Syamim and Syarah came along.




The journey took 55 minutes from LCCT to Kuala Trengganu and Warisan Kasih Homestay was our choice. It is a family business and we were overwhelmed by the kind and warm hospitality given by Tg. Munirah (TG). A great experience and thank you so much TG.

Dihadapan Homestay - tingkat atas. Di tingkat bawah Cafe nasi Dagang dan Kedai Dobi.




http://homestaywarisankasih.blogspot.com/



Apart from the accommodation, she was kind enough to provide us with the transportation and became our informal tourist guide.


Located in a strategic location it was easier for us to commute from one place to another. Travelling with Bas Bandar  was also a different experience.







Bas dengan ukiran kayu

Di dalam Bas Bandar



A wailking distance to Pasar Payang. The Central Market of Kuala Terengganu is a must-visit place. Located just by the Sungai Trengganu and we were feeling great walking along while enjoying the gentle sea breeze. .Pasar Payang serves both as wet market and as a trade centre for the local community and tourists.
The entrance is filled with cycle rickshaws/trishaws or locally known as 'beca' lining up showcasing the decorations of all kinds. I really salute the peddlers on the effort they have to put to carry many people around the town in a day to earn for a living. One 'pakcik' claimed that he has been peddling for almost forty years. The next day Syamim refused to take 'beca' (due to the feeling of sympathy) and asked TG to fetch us instead. Anyway the kids enjoyed.











The ground floor offers variety of local food and delicacies, mostly made from fish. We were welcomed by the ever smiling ladies inviting us to buy their keropok, akok, pulut inti, tepung gomak and many more. Thus, our breakfast were filled  with deliciousness, an experience for every taste bud for sure. Kilos of duku were also bought since it cost me only RM5 for 3 kg.We bought 18 kgs. and brought some home esp. as a token of appreciation  to Ai, Lily and Asyraf  for sending and fetching us to the airport.







A vast of traditional textiles, brasswares, souvenirs and handcrafts can be seen on the first flloor of the central market. The rule of thumb is of course the bargaining power and I think I made it quite handsomely, the way my mom used to practice. There is Bazar Warisan just opposite Pasar Payang, more comfortable and spacious shopping outlet but its existence cannot deny the ambiance preserved by the market.  

Salah sebuah kedai di Bazaar Warisan





The girls captured several amazing snapshots for their remembrance.


Istana Maziah
   


Terengganu is also well known for its abundance of rice based dishes such as 'nasi dagang, nasi kunyit, nasi berlauk, nasi lemak and nasi kerabu' apart from 'laksam', 'pulut lepa', 'sata', 'keropok lekor' and relatively inexpensive. Trust me, we tried almost all, from pasar payang to hawkers stall selling hot 'sata, and 'pulut panggang' to varieties of 'celup tepung'. You can try the 'keropok lekor celup tepung' at home guys :)









Terengganu Trade Centre (TTC) was suggested by TG for our dinner. Again, the kids enjoyed great variety of local cuisine.




Gambar Syakira bersama Adam seorang budak kecil  yang bercakap di dalam loghat Terengganunya.  Kami sedang menunggu TG sambil menikmati Mister Potato.  Tiba-tiba Adam menghampiri Syakira dan meminta "Nak sebutir, nak sebutir". Kali kedua  Adam hampiri Syakira sekali lagi dengan RM1 dan meminta sebutir lagi.Adam tanya "Beli mana ni" dan Syakira jawab dari Giant. Kemudian, soalan kedua pula ditujukan kepada Syakira sambil menunjukkan jarinya ke mulut Syakira yang menampakkan 'braces'nya dan bertanya sekali lagi, "Yang itu pulak beli mana" Syakira pun melayan dan menjawab "beli di Giant jugak".  :) Hmm, bijak budak Terengganu ni......


The next day in the afternoon TG guided us to the local attractions such as Masjid Kristal which is also near to Pusat Tamadun Islam. 








Then, we spent few hours at Pantai Batu Buruk enjoying all kinds of 'celup tepung' bought from a very popular stall nearby (once visited by Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan) and headed home to Warisan Kasih Homestay just before sunset.


Warung ini pernah dikunjungi JJCM











The third day was spent buying some souvenirs and a quick visit to Keropok Losong and  enjoyed our nasi dagang from the cafe downstairs for the last time before leaving.


 Before getting back to the airport late in the evening, TG stopped over at a restaurant for our quick dinner. 


Tg. Munirah (TG) di hujung sebelah kiri


The flight was at 9.20pm and reached Kula Lumpur safely at around 10.15pm.


It was only a short normal domestic flight and just to
Kuala Trengganu, but the excitement experienced by the kids is my true happiness. I am certain Arwah will feel the same way too   if he is still around.

Hope to plan for more interesting visits next time........:)




Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Kuala Trengganu Here We Come

It was quite an early journey today, from lcct at around 5.00am to catch the 7.00 o'clock flight. Not that far but just to Kuala Trengganu, to fulfill one of arwah's promises. The kids had fun experiencing the first ever journey with Air Asia but for the first time ever travelling without him. Hanna kept on sharing her sweetest time she had during her journey to Jakarta with arwah.

A must to Pasar Payang and so we did after an early nasi dagang breakfast.

A lot to share later in my next post .





Wednesday, 16 January 2013

A birthday wish

16 January 1995, it was eighteen years ago at 9.15am in St. Thomas Hospital, London, UK . A day of joy, thankful and happiness. Arwah Hanif was so excited to be called abah/papa from that very day. It was a new experience, just the two of us independantly thousand miles away from the families.

 Today, 16 January 2013, after eighteen years, it brought me back down to the memory lane. "I feel the hapiness, I feel the pain, I thought it was over but here I go again"

I felt as though it happens today, one of the sweetest moment in my chapters of life but today I could not deny the feeling of agony without him.  Akak, the minute you called this morning, I was truly in a wistful mood remembering arwah that I was so speechless to even say thank you for the breakfast.


Arwah dalam kenangan (St. Thomas Hospital)
13 Trinity House, Elephant & Castle

He left in the year of our 18th. wedding anniversary and today he is not around to wish Syakira on her 18th birthday.It is a fate............

Syakira misses her dad but this morning Hanna cheered her up by creating a birthday cake from the tab and proudly showed to her the cake she made.


The thought that counts

Kad ucapan hasil kreativiti Hakim

Hakim came back from school and showed the card he made specially for 'kakak'. All of them shared and managed to collect RM16 as a birtday present to her as well. It was so sweet and thoughtful of them and of course with all wishes from aunties, uncles, friends and everyone made her day filled with happiness.

Syakira, may you have all the joy, hapiness and blessings in everything you do. May your life is filled with iman, amal and taqwa and 'doa' to arwah papa in every breath you take. You have grown up with greater challenges and responsibilities awaiting.