Ladyinblack

Awesome! thats how i describe the Borobodur Temple when i first saw it from a distant. One will wonder how on earth this awesome structure was built back then 1,300 years ago. God.. The ancient monument was beyond anyone’s imagination! At last i was able to witness its existence during my visit to Jogja with my buddy recently and this one memory that i can never forget.

more stories on Borobodur can be found in this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur

When i first got the news from zalin, i just couldnt believe that she was getting married very soon after all these years being single.. She’d already reached the dreaded 40s and have been very independant all her life..Thats why i was overcome with joy to know that she’s getting married and was very happy for her. I was also delighted to know that she will be married on the auspicious date of 8-08-08. She has been my buddy for a long time and we used to go for holidays together and enjoy each others company. Zalin is a person who likes to travel all over the world and most time alone. She is an easygoing person, warm and friendly, brave, confident and happy with her life.

My last holiday with her was to Jogjakarta last April08, the city famous for its Borobodur and renowned for its javaness art and culture. That was the time when she broke me the news of her impending wedding plans and reminded me not to forget our friendship after her marriage and said that she will still be the old zalin that i know before.

Together with a few of our close friends, i set off to Singapore to attend the wedding on 8-08-08. The wedding was splendid and grand, complete with "kompang" and silat as well as karaoke music. Both Zalin and husband looked radiant and beautiful on the wedding dias and before i left, I hugged zalin and wished her all happiness and a blissful life in her marriage.

i will share some of the wedding photos as a remembrance of my unforgettable memory in Singapore.

Hi again..

Whenever I remember Padang, I couldn’t help but it reminds me of my instant ’soulmate’, Alan. A nice and cheerful chap, he was excited when I agreed to ‘wed’ minangkabau style with him on the colorful dias complete with the unique wedding gowns, usually worn by the minangkabau people on their wedding day. We looked like a perfect couple, my friends told me later that day. Well, it was a nice feeling actually, to be in that costume, and ‘bersanding’ like a raja sehari..I sure felt like a princess.. but unfortunately it was time to change..and I wasnt a princess anymore. And Alan and I, we parted and went our own ways.. That was a sweet experience and one that I shall remember for quite sometime..

Then, later that day, my happiness turned into somewhat sad.. That was when our group visited “pantai air manis” or “pantai malin kundang”, the place where legend of Malin Kundang belong. There we saw pieces of stones supposed to be the wrecked ship, ropes and barrel that belong to Malin Kundang. Malin kundang, the ungrateful son who was ashamed of his poor mum, was later cursed and turned into stone.

Well..I learnt something from the visit.. and that is, whoever we are, or where ever we may be, we must forever be grateful to the Almighty, for without His blessings, we wont be on this earth..

cheers!

I came back from Padang, Sumatera Barat on Wed 14 March 2007. What an experience! I must say that my trip to Bukit Tinggi & Padang has opened up my eyes to another scenario of sufferings of the people in Sumatera. The recent earthquake had destroyed their homes and lifelihood, especially to those living in Solok and those areas that was hit. But i did not see this at the begining of my journey to Padang and Bukit Tinggi.

When I arrived in Padang, a bus took us to Bukit Tinggi about 4 hours ride from Padang. Along the way, we stopped at Lembah Anai or Air Terjun Anai, famous for its cool water and beautiful landscape. The tour guide told us that if we wash our faces with the water, we will look 20 years younger! I, of course didnt waste any time and quickly ran towards the waterfalls and washed my face, same time carrying an empty bottle with me to fill with water so that i can wash again in my hotel room. All of a sudden, we heard loud noises followed by trees falling. As i looked, i saw some trees and earth near the waterfall started to slide down right in front of my eyes! wow..that was close! We all ran back towards the bus..I believe, the landslide were just waiting to fall due to the recent earthquake and what a coincidence that i was there.

After that, our bus took us to Putri Minang, one of the cheapest shopping areas there. One can bargain for embroidered materials, songket and so son. We also went to Hjh Rosmah, famous for her fine and exclusive embroidery.

We stayed in a hotel which is near to Ngarai Sianok, an asian grand canyon, but due to the landslide there, we could not explore the underground tunnel or "Lubang Jepang", a historical site. But I managed to eat some durians there which i bought for 2500 Rp each.

The next day,  we went to Fort the Cock and  Jam Gadang, a landmark in Kota Minangkabau. But the most touching place that I visited that day was to Istana Pagaruyung, the place where the history of Raja Minangkabau began. Istana means Castle, and it was built with intricate design and fine artcraft as shown on its wall. The castle was built without using a nail! But unfortunately I did not have the chance to witness its beauty, because this Castle was burnt to the ground on 27th of Feb 2007..hit by a lightning! How incredible! But I managed to buy a CD showing the fire at the Istana Pagaruyung.

                                                  (to be continued..)

Come to think of it.. I feel its only yesterday that I was in Medan, when actually 3 months had passed by..

I went there on December 11, 2006 and now exactly 3 mths after that, I will be travelling to Padang.. If u are wondering why i keep going to that side of the world, its because the places there have so many things that you can find cheap! yes, its so cheap to buy for example, materials to make your dresses or gowns, handycrafts, arts, food and cakes.. yummy yummy…i love cakes..and they have this traditional cake called Kek Lapis..they are very very tasteful..

I was in Medan with my NGO friends, umi, bada and noya.. only 4 of us. And we had a hell of a good time there. We shopped and shopped..with hundreds of thousand of rupiahs.. hah..ha..ha.. yes..i became an instant millionaire while i was there..and believe me, anyone would have experienced what i was experiencing in terms of mathematics.. When you are handling rupiahs there, all your sense of mathematics gone… its because you will feel that you are handling a lot of money.. even 1000 rupiah seems a lot. But i was shocked when the street boys whom I tried to give the 1000 Rp, they turned it down.. I thought it was so big..but soon i realized its only worth 25sen here in KL. No wonder…

But that did not stop me from spending in Medan till my last rupiah. And upon my return to KL, my purse was empty but I had a great time travelling to Medan which was my second trip there.

I hope to visit Medan again not too long from now.

I can’t wait to fly to Padang tomorrow, 11 March 2007. My flight is at 7.50 in the morning. The place where recently had experienced an earthquake at a scale of 6.3 richter.Everybody was telling me to call off my plans tomorrow. It’s not safe, they said. But I, for one, wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity to see for myself the place that is within the ring of fire. I’m going with Zalina, my good friend who had been to many parts of the world and like me, also love to be in the midst of acitivities and happenings. We both love to travel, and if not for the other commitments in life, like having to go to work and children to take care, i would have gone anywhere in this world to travel, and see places.

Padang will be next in my agenda and which i had planned since January 2006. Coincidently, on March 6, 2007, two strong earthquakes hit Padang in Sumatera killing at least 80 people and I feel a great sympathy and sad for the people living there. How lucky that I am living in Kuala Lumpur with all the peacefulness and beautiful people that had made my life very very pleasant. I wish I could help, like the one where i participated for the flood victim in Johor with my NGO. Anyway, I will be bringing some little change (RM) to give to the unfortunate kids while in Padang. There is nothing much that i can do. I can only pray that help will come from all over the world in this time of need.

So, Padang..here i come..