Saturday, February 27, 2010

Kafe Che Tom, Menu Cendawan Segar


Somewhere in Batu 4 3/4 in Gombak - between Jatikraf furniture shop and Seng Hock Metal Engineering workshop, opposite Masjid Sg. Mulia - there's a cool restaurant by the roadside named Kafe Che Tom.
The interior design is very simple but neat, and what's great is it's very clean. It offers great choices of food, both western and local. Our favourite is the mushroom soup - at only RM2.50, it's none like the instant powdered soup that we get elsewhere. It's originally homemade and comes with a piece of garlic bread. The restaurant's mushroom fried rice which is priced at RM3.50, are also worth given a try.
The mushrooms are homegrown, right behind the restaurant. If you are nearby, why don't you look for this particular spot?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Banding Lake, Perak.


The gateway to the Royal Belum Rainforests. One day, I would come back to explore this place.

The top of Titiwangsa, Perak.


The view from Amiza Titiwangsa Restaurant alongside the East-West Highway.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Keropok Batang Merbau


Terlepas peluang 'shopping' keropok lekor di Kuala Terengganu dan Kuala Besut. Nasib baiklah ada pulak gerai keropok ni di Jeli. Nampaknya tempat ni memang popular. Sentiasa ada yang menunggu keropok siap di rebus. Angkat habis, angkat habis.

Zul ikan bakar, Kuala Besut


Tiap kali pulang ke Besut, mesti abah belanja makan ikan bakar. Selalunya abah akan berpesan, jangan makan apa2 sebelah petang - abah nak kami makan ikan bakar puas-puas, kenyang-kenyang. Ikan fresh lagi, memanglah memuaskan.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Medan Selera Buluh Kubu, Kota Bharu


Variety of delicious food available especially with the food night market going on but the dirty surrounding would kill anybody's appetite. One can see big rats dead, and alive, here.

Surau Sri Jerus, Kelantan


All petrol stations should follow the example set by Caltex at Sri Jerus. The surau it has built for the public is so different than other surau's' that travellers would usually come across. The exterior and the interior furnishing has been designed with such care as if it's a personal home. Such a joy praying in it. The petrol station's public toilet is nice too. I hope the management of this place will maintain both facilities well, and may Allah bless the effort made by the owner. Amin...

Pantai Bisikan Bayu, Kuala Besut, Terengganu


In the map, this place is also marked as the "Beach of Whispering Breeze". It looked like a deserted beach visited by only by the local folks, with rubbish everywhere. Could be a nice attraction should the local authority pay some attention to it.

The best satah n otak-otak


We bought these at the roadside in Kuala Besut, right at the place where they were made and grilled. So much cheaper than the one we used to get in the Klang valley - satah is only 25 sen per piece, and so much tastier. The fish tasted so much fresher and sweeter, especially when eaten under the tree near the "Beach of Whispering Breeze".

Monday, February 15, 2010

Dataran Shahbandar, Kuala Terengganu.


Awesome place with awesome view.

Goodbye Kenyir


The lake is still as impressive as I remember it from my first visit 15 years ago. We enjoyed watching the sunset and the view from our balcony was awesome. We had fun soaking ourselves at the Saok Waterfall for an hour at noon. However, we decided to pack our bags and leave right after that 'coz we couldn't put up with the craps we received from the place that uses the tagline 'You get what you deserve at Kenyir S... Resort'.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Masuk sekolah baru - sekolah oh sekolah!




Tahun ini merupakan bab baru dlm hidup anak2ku. Irsyad ke sekolah menengah dan Naufal pula ke sekolah rendah. Gambar di atas diambil ketika mereka seronok mencuba pakaian sekolah masing2 sebelum menyertai program orientasi di sekolah masing2 keesokannya.

Malangnya awal2 sekolah dah bermacam2 malang menimpa yg menumpulkan keterujaan mereka. Naufal telah ditukarkan kelas selepas seminggu selesa dgn kawan2 barunya di Tahun 1 Jupiter. Alasannya, bagi mengimbangkan bilangan pelajar setiap kelas. "Depressed" sungguh Naufal masa tu. Terbang semangatnya nak ke sekolah.

Dua tiga hari kemudian berlaku kemalangan di kantin akibat kecuaian pihak pentadbir sekolah di mana palang yg dibuat dari bata sbg pengadang kantin telah runtuh dan menimpa tangan kanan Naufal. Nasib baiklah Naufal kidal.

Irsyad pula sentiasa menjadi ancaman pelajar2 samseng di sekolah menengah dan terpaksa berikhtiar sendiri untuk "survive" memandangkan guru2 pun tak dapat berbuat apa2 sekiranya peristiwa diugut dan dibelasah diadukan; malah pelajar2 yg mengadu bakal kena belasah dgn lebih teruk lagi. Apatah lagi kalau ibu bapa yang datang mengadu atau laporan polis dibuat.

Fikir2 dan kenang2 semula memang tak seronok jadi pelajar. Politiknya adakala lebih hebat dari politik di tempat kerja. Patutlah ramai yang memilih "homeschooling" sekarang - "at least for the peace of mind'. Apa agaknya komen Kementerian Pendidikan ya?

Aku memang minat sangat dengan konsep "homeschooling" ni. Masalahnya, kalau aku jadi cikgu di rumah, siapa pula nak mengambil-alih bayaran hutang2 bank dsbnya? Tambahan pula aku fikir, anak-anak perlu ada ruang keluar dari bawah ketiak mak-bapak dan belajar bergaul dan berdikari dalam masyarakat, dan sekolah merupakan wadahnya. Sekolah juga merupakan tempat terhimpunnya minda2 intelek yang majoritinya amat dedikasi dalam penyebaran ilmu yang membolehkan anak-anak berguru dan menimba serta mengumpulkan ilmu yang terbaik daripada setiap minda ini.

Harapan aku, pihak sekolah dan kementerian, tolong-tolonglah ambil-berat isu keselamatan pelajar di dalam dan di sekitar kawasan sekolah. Pihak polis pula janganlah pandang laporan2 yang berkaitan dengan gangsterism di sekolah dengan sebelah mata saja... Masing-masing janganlah tunggu sehingga berlaku kematian baru nak bertindak.

Kembalikanlah kuasa merotan guru-guru agar mereka kembali "bertaring" dan mampu mengawal kerenah pelajar. Aku sendiri pernah meggunakan rotan ketika bertugas sebagai guru di sekolah dulu, tetapi dipanggil pula oleh Pengetua.

"Cikgu," katanya. "Sekarang ni kita di sekolah mengamalkan budaya penyayang. Dah tak boleh rotan-rotan budak ni..." Jawabku, "Puan, sebab saya sayangkan diorang lah saya rotan... Kalau tak, buat apa saya nak kisah, nak tertungging ke, nak terlangkup ke, bukannya ada kena-mengena dengan saya...Lagipun, anak-anak murid saya siap cakap lagi "Eleh cikgu, tak sakit pun cikgu rotan?" Saya bagitau mereka, saya rotan bukan nak bagi diorang sakit, cuma nak bagi diorang ingat..."

Bagi para guru, bila merotan, perlulah dimulakan dengan Bismillah dan disertakandengan niat yang ikhlas - untuk membetulkan, untuk mendidik dan bukannya untuk melepas geram seperti yang dilaporkan dalam akhbar baru-baru ini - tentang guru yang merotan muridnya berkali-kali di bahu hingga cedera... Kalau gitu namanya, cikgu tu le pulak yang jadi kaki buli di sekolah...
Hai, sekolah oh sekolah...