Thursday, September 30, 2010

World's Most Beautiful Lakes

PROLOGUE

How do our lakes compare to these lakes. In continuation with the greatest and most spectacular road on Earth, this Yahoo article considers the most beautiful lakes in the world.

Bera, Cenderoh, Kenyir and Cini - may be we have not been promoting them enough? May be we do not have the spectacular mountains to be the backdrop of these lakes!

On the other hand, I have been in the area where Peyto Lake is in 1990, but did not realize it is more spectacular than Lake Louise. I thought that Banff and Lake Louise are the most beautiful place on Earth. Blame it on the non-existence of Internet then.

Where are you planning your next holiday?


World's Most Beautiful Lakes

These 10 lakes go to all the right extremes

By Beth Colliins
Highest, deepest, clearest—all of these watery wonders showcase nature at its most spectacular. Soak up the views from a boat, a cable car, a trailhead, or a castle tower.


Plitvice Lake

Croatia


These 16 blue-green lakes, hidden by thick vegetation and connected by hundreds of waterfalls, could be the set for the next Jurassic Park. For adventure as well as killer views, start at one of the lower lakes and work your way up following the sturdy wooden planks that turn what could be a treacherous trek into a fun hike. Take a detour along the 10-minute loop that leads to the region's tallest fall, 230-foot-high Veliki Slap ("Big Waterfall"), a breadth of streaming white water that collects in turquoise pools. While hiking, keep your eyes peeled for deer, wildcats, boars, wolves, and bears—a more likely sighting than a T. rex.


Nearby: There are four hotels in Plitvice Lakes National Park, but most people drive in for the day fromZagreb, about two hours by car.


Peyto Lake

Canada


Alberta's Lake Louise is the famous one, on all the postcards and posters. But Louise's sister lake 29 miles north along Icefields Parkway, a two-laner that winds 142 miles through the Canadian Rockies, is even more picturesque. Thanks to glacial rock flour that flows in when the ice and snow melt every summer, the waters of Banff National Park's Peyto Lake are a brilliant turquoise more often associated with warm-weather paradises like Antigua and Bora-Bora. For the most dramatic views of the 1.7-mile-long stunner, encircled with dense forest and craggy mountain peaks, pull into the lot at Bow Summit, the parkway's highest point, and follow the steep hike to the overlook.


Nearby: The town of Banff, the heart of the park, is 62 miles south of Peyto Lake.


Lake Atitlán

Guatemala


Nearly a mile up in the highlands of Guatemala, Atitlán (Lago de Atitlán) rests at the foot of three massive conical volcanoes. Small Mayan villages line its shores, which are set off by steep hills draped with oak and pine trees and nearly 800 plant species. There's no single, must-see view of the lake, so try several vantage points: from up high on Highway 1; from the town of Panajachel, the buzzing market hub that juts out into the water; or aboard a lancha, one of the many small boats that ferry visitors from village to village. We're saddened to note that the lake has built up high levels of blue-green algae over the years. Last October and November, a film of green scum briefly marred its surface. But an ambitious effort to solve the problem is underway.


Nearby: Panajachel is about 2.5 hours by car from Guatemala City.


Loch Lomond

Scotland


With a backdrop of windswept rolling hills and medieval castles, Loch Lomond feels like it's straight out of a Victorian romance novel. The 24-mile-long lake is dotted with islands, some so small that they disappear when the water levels are high, and others large enough to be (sparsely) inhabited. Most ferries stop at the largest island, Inchmurrin (population 10), so visitors can get a look at the remains of a 7th-century monastery and the 14th century Lennox Castle, used often as a hunting lodge for kings.


Nearby: The lake is 24 miles north of Glasgow and 66 west of Edinburgh.


Lake Garda

Italy


If the shape of Italy is a couture boot, think of the imprint of Lake Garda as a design from the funky sister line—long and skinny at the top, opening up toward the bottom. Garda is the country's largest lake and one of the most popular vacation spots among Italians. The southern shore is home to hot springs, resort towns with pastel villas and terra-cotta-roofed hotels, and most of Garda's 28 miles of serene, pebbly beaches. To the north are the jagged peaks of the Dolomites, a magnet for hikers and bicyclists who want to test their endurance. In Malcesine, an adorable speck of a town with cobblestoned streets and a medieval castle, you can board a cable car up to Mount Baldo for one of the best aerial views of the lake.


Nearby: Lake Garda is about halfway between Milan (89 miles away) and Venice (109 miles away), but to get the full, relaxing effect, stay in one of the south shore's many small towns.


Lake Annecy

France


This alpine lake in the heart of the French Alps is a looker, but don't expect to spend your visit gazing over the water in quiet reflection. Lake Annecy is all about activity—particularly in August, when Paris shuts down and the French take extended holidays. Sailors, kayakers, and water-skiers crisscross the water; bikers and hikers hit surrounding nature trails; and refugees from the city fill the outdoor tables at the lakeside restaurants and bars. Repeat visitors know to plan their trip for the first Saturday of August, when a staggering, nearly two-hour-long fireworks display illuminates the water.


Nearby: The closest major city is Geneva, 30 miles north, in Switzerland, but most people stay right on the lake.


Crater Lake

United States


Thousands of years ago, the top of a 12,000-foot-high volcano in the Cascade Range exploded. The massive pit left behind became known as Crater Lake, the centerpiece of a national park in southern Oregon that displays nature at its rawest and most powerful. Forests of towering evergreens and 2,000-foot-high cliffs surround the lake, where extraordinarily deep waters—at 1,943 feet, it's the deepest lake in the United States—yield an intense sapphire-blue hue. If winter hiking and cross-country skiing aren't your thing, wait until early July to visit, when the roads have been plowed and the trails cleared. Rim Drive, a 33-mile road that encircles the lake, has picture-perfect views from all sides. For a closer look, follow the mile-long Cleetwood Cove Trail to the shore. Brace yourself before diving in: The water temperature rarely rises above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.


Nearby: The laid-back mountain town of Bend, 112 miles away, makes a nice home base for a Crater Lake day trip.


Lake Nakuru

Kenya


The water is blue enough, and the backdrop—grasslands and rocky hillsides—has the makings of a nice photo, but neither is what sets this lake in central Kenya apart. The real draw here is the mass of pink on Nakuru's edges. Flamingos are one of the few species that can withstand the lake's hostile conditions—the water has so much sodium carbonate that it burns nearly everything that touches it —and they flock to the lake en masse. There can be as many as a million birds feeding on algae in the shallows at one time, wading side by side.


Nearby: The lake is in the heart of Lake Nakuru National Park, a sanctuary for black-and-white rhinos, three hours by car from Nairobi.


Lake Matheson

New Zealand


Alternately known as Mirror Lake, this South Island lake is famous for its reflections of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. Visiting just after dawn is ideal, when the water is at its calmest and mirror images are impossibly perfect. The lake itself is well worth exploring, too. Park near the Clearwater River suspension bridge and follow the 1-mile loop past kahikatea and rimu trees, which have extra-tall trunks and fanciful bushy tops and look like something from a Dr. Seuss book.


Nearby: Fox Glacier township, a village that serves as a base camp for trekkers, is three miles east of the lake.


Lake Bled

Slovenia


Why not get to the good stuff right away? To take in this Slovenian lake's most breathtaking vista, head immediately to Bled Castle, at the edge of a sheer, 460-foot-high cliff. You'll see mountains in every direction—the Julian Alps and the Karavanke range—and below, the Alpine lake and its main attraction, Bled Island, a tiny forested circle that's home to the 17th-century Church of the Assumption and its prominent baroque clock tower. Down on the lake's shore, board a pletna boat (similar to a gondola) to the island. Be sure to ring the church bell and make a wish before returning to the mainland. Mountains shield the water from icy northern winds, so Lake Bled is warm, relatively speaking (79 degrees Fahrenheit). If that's still too chilly, head to the lake's northern section, where three hotels have built pools around natural thermal springs.


Nearby: The Slovenian capital of Ljubljana is an easy 35 miles aw

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Selamat Pagi Cinta

This time around, Akmal with his symphonic orchestra.

All arrangements are by Akmal, though he did follow the spirit of the original song to the letter. It was fit enough for a solo performance, but he added the string section using East West Symphonic Orchestra, and made it grand enough for recording, at least in my mind.

We came across this song by chance while looking for suitable piano pieces for a gig. We love the violin in the original and wanted to do it ourselves, but it is going to take us longer than expected as the violin - though non-chalant in character, requires cross-string chords to play and made it nearly impossible.

Anyway here is Akmal. Don't forget to visit us at YouTube and rate and comment us please.



And the original is posted below.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

To my cousin Baharom, get well soon

I just saw him during the Raya 2010 when his clan dropped by at Mak's house on the fourth day. He even picked us up at Simpang, since we didn't know the route to his twin's house, a couple of hours later.

Last week I was told by his bro Abg Ned that he is now in ICU Hospital Taiping after he had undergone operations. Apparently he had hit his a pot hole while riding his motorbike and beyond bruises all over his arms and leg, he had internal bleeding.

Baharom (far right) when he came avisiting on Raya day
 in 2010.
Twelve days later, he is still in induced coma. According to the nurse, normally by a week, he should be awake.

He was very close with us since we both used to live in Aulong while we were growing up, and we are of the same age. Climbing the rambutan trees at 1290 PWD Aulong would be his forte, when we were kids. His house was the house we were when we did the dodol in 2005.

"Ya Allah, Engkau selamatkan sepupu ku ini dan sembuhkan lah dia, agar dia dapat menjalankan kehidupan dia seperti biasa bersama keluarga, dan beribadah kepada Mu."

Amin.

EPILOGUE


All because of pot holes! When would we take our government officers to task for sleeping on the job? Better still, we should take them to court! All because of tidak apa attitude and the lack of responsibility. Didn't we pay enough taxes already to have a pot-free road?

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Ayat-ayat Cinta - a piano minus one

OK here is another rendition by Akmal.

I am sure there are many fans of this song, even if it is at least 2 years old. You can certainly sing along here as it follows the spirit of the original song and not played by novice and untrained pianist. I thought again Akmal did a great job writing the arrangement for this song. The problem with non-English song is the dearth of piano sheets and notes, and it takes a long time to write them down, note by note.

Honestly, if I may say it, I think this is the best piano rendition of Ayat-ayat Cinta on Youtube, despite the errors here and there. You have to trust me on that one, even if that statement is from the dad of the pianist himself!

I am known for my impartiality! :-) hehehe.. masuk lift picit button sendiri. Enough said, let's enjoy the piano moment.

Monday, September 20, 2010

The classical guitarist on the piano

Enjoy the guitarist playing the piano. Bila Cinta, an Indonesian number that is a favourite of mine.

And seldom a new song would be able to catch my attention, if ever, nowadays. I would go for retro anytime, anywhere. But Bila Cinta did, like no other. Thank to the song writer team of W Benyamin and Gio.

Why can't we have good Malay song anymore?

I am glad Akmal was diligent enough to find the chords and notes for this wonderful ballad. The classical guitarist is fast becoming the default piano player at home.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

A Raya To Remember

Empat sahabat dari tahun 1972 bergambar ramai dihari raya
ketiga di rumah mertua Jie yang jugak rumah Nazri, classmate yang duduk
bersebelahan dengan saya sebelum saya kehilangan anugerah penglihatan.
Siapa menjangka 38 tahun kemudian beraya bersama kembali?

I am always grateful to my teachers.

It does not matter if they had taught me at secondary school, or during our foundation years in primary. They would always be close to my heart, and I have nothing but good things to say about them.

Never mind that I had been caned before by them. Actually not once, but twice; once in Std 1 by Cikgu Ainon – for not being at my place when she told us so, and once in Std 4 at KE by Mrs Kuppu – for not bringing my homework with me. But that’s about it, nothing serious I would confess.

I told Lokman and Jie during the last week of Ramadhan that it was high time we went and ziarah our teachers  this year, and the 3rd day of raya was chosen as the three of us were quite free that day, and it so happened that it was the exact day of our reunion a year ago.

So the timing was perfect. My brother Latif had also agreed to join the three musketeers and make it four.

Latif:
Kami bergerak jam 0920 pagi, dan jangkaan saya tepat, jam 1033 kami tiba di rumah mertua Khairul (Jie) di Lenggong. Ya! Hari ni hari kedua saya kesini, minus anak anak. Saya dan Rahman bersama pasangan masing masing. Saya tak jemu turun ke daerah kecil ini.

Armed with three-reunion albums, we went to Jie’s in-laws in Kampung Kota Lenggong and waited for our best buddies Lokman to turn up. In the end, the four classmates from Std 1-3 from the 70s (that’s nearly 40 years ago) plus two more and their families decided to make it a raya to remember.

Latif:
Jie dan isteri sudah sediakan mee kuah ketam untuk sarapan kami. Lokman pun tiba kira kira 10 minit kemudian, jadi bercerita panjanglah.
By the time we finished our excellent mee kuah courtesy of Jie’s family, it was already 12 pm. And we were running late before we even got started. Nazri, my good buddy and partner in Std 3A, aka Jie’s brother’s in-law, decided to join us that day as the fifth musketeers.

The plan was to visit our primary school teachers in Lenggong, Kuala Kangsar before heading to Sungai Siput and Ipoh. If we were able to fit in all, that is.

Latif:
Agak lama kami berbual, sambil mengatur rencana kearah mana tujuan kami berlima ni.

Kata sepakat dicapai bila Ustazah memberi laluan untuk kami bertandang.

Yes, kiranya, kali terakhir jugak saya bertemu Ustazah ni pada tahun 1972, dah melebihi 38 tahun.

Rumahnya bersebelahan surau Bukit Senyum tu.

Ustazah Maimunah

Ustazah Maimunah during the early 70s must be the only teacher with a selendang over her head. She taught Ugama to us all. I don’t remember specific incidents with her, since she was not our class teacher then. But I was made to understand that she was reasonably strict.

Then again, which teacher was not strict in the 70s?

Latif:
Saya masih ingat wajah Ustazah Maimunah di tahun 1972. Satu satunya guru yang berselindang dikepalanya. Bila kami minta foto foto lama simpanan beliau, jawapannya, "Buat apa nak tengok, tak elok pun gambar gambar lama tu."

She did not come to the reunion due to prior engagement, so she told us. We had to introduce ourselves to her and it is normally easier to introduce ourselves as the son of so and so. She probably would remember our parents better.

“Saya anak SO Hariri,” I introduced myself to Ustazah. After Jie and Lokman had introduced themselves to get her to jog her memory lane. I am not sure if she remembers me at all. To be honest, at this stage, it didn’t matter at all. But she remembers quite a bit of everybody else. It is just a matter of telling her anak siapa. Anak-anak Ustaz Latif, Cikgu Saidin, Tok Penghulu Ibrahim, Cikgu Razman or Cikgu Zakaria – she remembers them all. “Mana Zainoor Liza?” she asked when looking at the album. She remembers him too, very well I guess to be asking about him.

I am not surprised she remembers most of us, if not all, judging from her reaction while looking at the reunion albums.

Latif:
Bila kami tunjukkan foto Reunion Coolbatch 2009 tu, ternyata Ustazah Maimunah boleh menyebut dan mengingati setiap nama anak anak murid , siap dengan nama jolokan ayah masing masing lagi. Hebat kan?! Apa yang saya suka, Ustazah boleh mengingati SO Hariri serta anak Tok Kadir yang rambutnya berdandan dua tu!

Kalaulah anda dapat melihat layanan Ustazah Maimunah ni dan kepetahan beliau bercerita, anda pasti merasa seperti emak emak anda jugak. Ternyata, sebut sahaja nama ayah masing masing, pasti beliau akan mengingati nama anak anak mereka.

She could not believe seeing Cikgu Hizam with all his sideburns and beards. “Yes, he looks like a professor now,” Lokman said.

One for the album with Ustazah. We were all her students in primary school.
One with everybody in it, well, almost. Except the
photographer I supposed.
Latif:
Di awal perpisahan tu, saya jangkakan hanya bersalaman biasa, antara saorang Ibu Guru dan anak murid, ternyata saya silap.

Berguguran air mata Ustazah Maimunah. Saya yang pertama besalaman, dan Ustazah terus memeluk saya dengan deraian airmata. Habis sebak satu rumah. Saya tak sangka yang Ustazah begitu terharu dengan kehadiran kami, kesemua anak murid beliau, beliau peluk sayang, termasuk para isteri kami.

Apa yang saya nak katakan lagi?

Beliau sebak kerana ada anak anak murid yang masih mengingati beliau pada ketika saat usia begini.

Kepada rakan rakan batch 1971-1976, apa ditunggu lagi. Lakukan sesuatu.

As told by Latif, when it was time to go, she started hugging us one by one. I didn’t give it a second thought until I heard noise resembling someone crying. I looked up at her and then I realized that Ustazah was crying. And it did not just stop there. More tears were shed as she hugs us all; one at a time. “Terima kasih datang melawat ustazah,” she said, “kalau dengar ustazah dah tak da, sedeaqahkan lah alfatihah kat Ustazah. Tak payah panjang-panjang, al-fatihah pun jadilah”

Kami doakan Ustazah dipanjangkan umur dan diberi kesihatan,” Jie replied. I am glad Jie was there. He always knew on the right thing to say at the right time.

It was a touching scene, a very touching moment indeed. I did not expect that at all. I did not know how to react, to be honest.

She has difficulty letting us go. After we had gone to our cars, Lokman and I had to wait for another 15 mins or more, while she and Jie’s wife continue chatting outside. It was obvious to us she didn’t want it to end.

And this is the picture I took of them from my car. YOu can see Ustazah with Jie's wife there.

If anyone of us has time, do go and visit her. Our visit must have caught her by surprise, and it overwhelmed her, to be honest.I certainly did not expect that to be honest.







Latif:
Rencana seterusnya ke rumah Cikgu Kamarul Baharin. ternyata azan zuhur. Selalunya Cikgu Kamarul Baharin berada di Masjid, jadi, kami menghala semula ke rumah Cikgu Aziz.

Cikgu yang paling ceria dengan senyuman manisnya!

Kami tiba pun waktu Zuhur, jadi kena tunggu hingga selesai solatnya Cikgu Aziz.

Cikgu Aziz Debok

Mana gambarnya?” he asked the moment he stepped into his living room where we had been chatting amongst ourselves, while waiting for him.

All of us burst into laughter. We had been expecting him to say that. “Cikgu Faridah said the same thing, Cikgu,” I told him, while handing him the albums I had brought from KL. I was prepared for that already, that's for sure.

Latif:
"Ha, yang ini tunggu lama baru nak dapat tengok. Dah setahun ye?" permulaan cikgu Aziz bila menatap 3 foto foto Reunion Coolbatch . Memang tak kering gusi dengan lawakkan beliau.


Bewak aka Biawak is his favourite story of the Gelok slang when he was a headmaster there. Sampaikan ada ibu-bapak yang datang bertanyakan tentang kesalahan anaknya yang menulis perkataan 'bewak' didalam kelas.

It was Endless Laugh at Cikgu Aziz house.
And then he delivered his verdict on us. “This is the most successful batch SRJK(I) Lenggong had ever had,” claimed Cikgu Aziz Debok, while browsing through the pictures, “in term of career, that is.” I am surprised by his declaration, but proud nonetheless.

Thanks to our teachers,” Jie responded immediately.

“No, no, it was your own effort,” he retorted. I could not believe it to be honest. He denied having any responsibility for our ‘success’. Typical real teachers, I guess. Humble. If we are successful, it is our own effort. If we failed, then they have failed as teachers. Hmmm..

Dalam berbual, sempat cikgu menyakat
Nazri, samada perlu ayah mencarikan
pengganti. Nazri tersipu, tapi Jie menyampuk
dengan mengatakan spec abang iparnya
itu terlalu tinggi!
Honestly I am not sure if indeed we are. There are more successful individuals like Datuk Sri Shazaly of Celcom Axiata – he seems to be on their lips many times, and a few others that have escaped me. We did not have outstanding individuals, but in general, we do have a successful batch as a group.

Doctors, engineers, teachers, administrators to name but a few. Who am I to say many of us are not successful parents too?

And then again, there is nothing to be gained by Cikgu for saying that to us. He is not like Juan Antonio Samaranch, the former IOC president who would declare at each venue that that was the best ever Olympic, to the applause of the home country, but to the chagrin of everybody else.

Duit raya time for the cucu-cucu.
A teacher is always a parent.
And then again, he has been a teacher for over35 years and a good number of years as headmaster in the Lenggong valley. He knew what he was talking about.


He did have his regrets.  "I tried, but failed to stop the authorities from demolishing our old school. It was done after I have retired. They should have spared the school," he told us, "It holds too many memories for all of us."


Most of the time, I am in Shah Alam or Kota Damansara,” he told me. That’s why we were able to meet up with him at the wedding of Cikgu Faridah’s daughter a few years back in Taman Tun. Had I known it, we could have invited him for the buka puasa too last month.

Latif:
Betul. Cikgu Aziz sering bertandang ke rumah anak anak di Kuala Lumpur. Katanya, seminggu sebelum berangkat, pasti beliau mencukur bersih kepala beliau, gara gara cucu cucu yang nak bermain dengan kepala datuk mereka!!.  Adakah kita akan begitu jugak? Hahaha..

Begitulah Cikgu Aziz, walaupun saya tak sempat dibawah seliaan beliau, dihari ini, saya boleh bayangkan bagaimana Roziah cukup gembira dapat berada di SRJK(I) hingga tahun 1976.

I went for the lontong while the others the laksa.
Menu hari tu, laksa, lontong, ketupat dan rendang , termasuk kuih muih. Agak lama kami bertandang.

Until he reminded us that we still have quite a few houses to visit, then only we started making our moves.

But before we left, we still need to complete one more task - taking formal picture to commemorate the occasions.



One for the album with Cikgu Aziz and his wife. This house was built
on the site of our first ever house in Lenggong. Cikgu bought the land
from ADO Abdullah who is the father of another classmate of ours, Fazidah.





Latif:
Seterusnya kami bergerak ke rumah Cikgu Kamarul Baharin. Ternyata cikgu dah pulang dari Masjid Kg Chain mengerjakan solat Zuhurnya.
Cikgu Kamarul Bahrin

I don’t remember him that much since he didn’t teach our class the first three years, so I am not sure if I can add much here, to be honest.





Latif:
Kami disambut mesra. Agak berusia cikgu ni. Saya memang tidak mempunyai apa apa kenangan bersama Cikgu Kamarul Baharin ni. Tapi, bila lihat foto beliau di awal perkahwinan, kira boleh cam lah jugak, siapa guru ini.

But he has quite well-kept old albums of the yesteryears, and as usual Lokman and Jie had to jog his memory lane while going through the reunion albums. If I am not mistaken, he was in KK during the reunion and totally forgot about it that day, and hence did not join us that night.

Entah apalah yang menarik minat 4 sahabat ketika membelek album cikgu Kamarul Baharin.


Lokman explaining to Cikgu on events during last year's
reunionBro was our official spokesman that day.

One for the album with cikgu Kamarulbahrin. Kami melindungi
kereta proton saga cikgu yang ber-platekan negeri Kedah KBC dot-dot
dot-dot. Katanya Lokman, Kamarul Bahrin Chain! Cantik.

Cikgu Aripuddin

Cikgu had just joined us in 1972 and was the class teacher for Class 3B, while Cikgu Faridah was the class teacher of 3A. Then a bachelor, he stayed in Kampung Sira, and would hold tuition class for many of us who would frequent his house. I remember using his tuition class as an excuse on a Saturday morning to not attend kelas mengaji by Makcik (kampung Masjid?).

Then he has a Vespa and I remember a time when he would ask me to carry a TV set (or according to him, it must be a radio set since he did not own a TV set yet) for repair.

I guess it must have been one of the earliest tuition class (and in Std 3, mind you) though unlike tuition of present days, his was free of charge!

Thank you, Cikgu.

I remember him reasonably well because of that and the Ceritera Tiga Sahabat that he told while taking over Class 3A in the absence of Cikgu Faridah in 1972. I related this to him and he was able to quote the 3rd sahabats.

I used to have an entry on this story, but I guess I must have lost it with the closure of Yahoo 360 blog. I would have to rewrite it again if you have forgotten this. The story is about si Botak, si Kudis buta dan si Hingus. You would be amazed with the adventure ala pak pandir!

Jie mentioned a tip by Cikgu on how to have a good ‘remos’. When you wash your hand after your meals, make sure you wipe your hair with your hand!

Cikgu Aripuddin concurs with his 1970s tip this Raya.
As usual, the explanation is left to Lokman.

It was quite a fun late afternoon with him. He used to own a Mini Cooper, and he would pull up the aerial to the max, pretending as if his Mini Cooper has a radio, when it did have one!

Obviously many more stories were told and retold that afternoon. We decide to end the ziarah raya at his house. Cikgu Nurul apparently has a gathering to attend, so it didn’t make sense for us to head to Sg Siput. As such, we had to skip heading to Ipoh too as it was getting late too.
One for the album with Cikgu Aripuddin and his family

What a day it has been for us, and I do hope we have made a difference to our teachers’ raya day this year, in our small ways.
Time to say goodbye. Till we meet again..thank you
to my four brothers, three of which are in this picture.
Thank you for the support for this expedition.

We do owe Cikgu Nurul, Cikgu Ainon a visit. Of course not to mention those in Kuala Lumpur including my secondary school teachers, especially those who had been visiting us the past few years like Cikgu Dr Fatanah.

EPILOGUE

This is a joint entry between the two brothers. The segments in English are by yours truly, while the Malay segments are by Latif and they are in yellow. His blog can be found at izzuddinjanaton.blogspot.com. You can also double click on the pictures to see us in our full glory.