Friday, December 19, 2008

Beautiful Philippines II

Fort Bonifacio ,Makati-From the window of our condo. The Tagaytay Highlands Resort with Lake Taal and volcano just behind us.

Rockwell Shopping Mall
A car park in Makati



Clarke Fields,Pampanga-the road from the airport we landed ,north of Manila.


Tagaytay Highlands-a 2 hour drive from Metro Manila




A rainbow greeted us upon our arrival to the Philippines(from our bedroom window at the Fairview condo.)




Filipinos are mostly Catholics.This chapel was designed by our friend the renowned glass sculptor ,Ramon Orlina.He and Lay An got married here.Yes !sorry we can't see it!


A street in Pasig .





Lunch break






More tomorrow okay.




Thursday, December 18, 2008

My beautiful Philippines

I was so lucky that this December we make our way for a short trip to the Philippines. When we arrived, we stayed at a friend's brand new condo all to ourselves, in Makati .We left for Taal but stayed at the highlands to attend a ball during the weekend.We stayed at another friend's log cabin in Tagaytay Highlands .Later after the ball we went to stay with Ab Fab in her spectacular house in Makati.

The Filipinos are the most generous and hospitable people I have ever met in my life.

This picture below is the hardworking toll collector.There was a long queue at the booth so this man walked in the hot sun to collect toll from vehicle to vehicle.

We travelled quite a bit and on one of the hi ways,we passed a giant soft drink
factory.My girls were so thrilled thinking that we re going to drink all that , all the time in Peens(Philippines).

The firework in Taal (a volcano lake town south of Manila) The grand ball was held under the dark sky in the social court of Taal ,in front of its old Basilica.

I'm working on more photos to be uploaded soon.In the mean time ,come back soon ok!

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Saturday, October 18, 2008

A Malay Wedding

Day 1-Preparing for the akad nikah(solemnisation). Before the akad /wedding a brief meeting.

A stop by the road side, to snack on rambutans on the way to the bride's house.




We stopped at Nilai 3.A shopper paradise for cheap fabrics and fake flowers!Ab Fab, you won't like it here.But we can have lots of fun capturing pictures.

We were told by our dear bride's mother to get fabrics for the entrance staircase. The idea is to wrap the banister and make it ala hotel set up for a wedding, yup!dream-on.But we did it and turned out ok.
Day 2

Bride's grandpa looking caterers ,preparation for the tea reception.





The day of the akad nikah.I'm in my 'baju kurung ' malay traditional costume.



Before the arrival of the groom.
On the floor is the' Hantaran' or Gifts for the groom from the bride.In a Malay wedding it is s customary to exchange gifts.These are trays of flowers , cakes and traditional sweets ,songket (gold and sliver thread woven cloth)and other knick knacks.


Upstairs in her bedroom,the bride is getting ready for the 'akad nikah.'

While we wait anxiously for the 'kadi' and the groom to arrive ,for the ceremony ,we ate!


The solemnisation was about to take place.
The loving and kind, bride's parents.


The radiant bride


And here 's the staircase that we wrapped and adorned.Lucky it looked nice !But we did knock our heads a few times literally hanging those fabrics and flowers.!End of day of the akad nikah.

Day 3.The lunch reception or kenduri.




Inside the reception hall with its blue and white theme.



Bride's youngest brother played the traditional drums and sang for his sister at the reception ;yes how sweet!


I attended more than 5 weddings a funeral in Oct and Nov!I'm happy to say I'm now quite free.

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That's all folks!


Wednesday, October 15, 2008

My Hometown-Alor Setar

The Rulers-HRH Sultan Abdul Halim and his Queen
Alor Setar is really a small town in the Kedah state.but we re close to Thailand(only an hour to the border).Its landscape is flat and rice is the main produce. The first roundabout-The Fountain Tower is made from gold glass mozaics in the 70s. What's left of my school after 100 years -St Nicholas Convent.




Main Post Office
Alor Setar is 250 years old
Good ol' Mc ds
My hometown is also an hour away from Penang island.This pic was taken on the bridge-Penang Bridge.For most of us in the northern part of Malaysia,Penang is the place to go, especially during holidays .Eating in the stalls and just picnicking on the beach is a weekend must.


The bridge was built in 1984.It was officially opened on my birthday that year ,14 Sept.The 6 miles long bridge connects the peninsula of Malaysia to the island.We used to stop our vehicle and gazed at the horizon from the beautiful bridge.But after so many suicidal cases and other unfortunate accidents we re not allowed to stop anymore.

I was also in school for 4 years in Penang and was lucky to grow up in a such a colourful place.Colonial and yet asian.

My photos are nothing compared to the real Penang.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Eid Mubarak


As we come to the end of Ramadhan,a month of fasting and abstainance.we

welcome Eid Mubarak. With this I asked forgiveness and peace for all.

See you all next week.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

And the shadow is..

A beautiful hand sculpted silver ring holder. I found it in Bali.There are many shops selling similar things .Most pieces are quite basic but with an understated artistic value.

Some with a more intricate traditional carvings or modernised pieces in wood ,stones ,glass and semi precious stones .

Bali is one place one should try to visit at least once.

By the way I'm thinking of deleting this blog soon and write no more.

I would like tho to have you on my FaceBook.

Please send me your e mel if you still want to see me.

Surah 78 An Naba"(The News)

Have we not made the earth as a bed.
And the mountains as pegs?
And we have created you in pairs male female,tall short,good and bad
And we have made your sleep as a thing for rest.
And we have made the night as a covering(through its darkness)
And we have made the day for livelihood.
And we have built above you seven strong heavens.
And we have made (therein)a shining lamp(sun)
And we have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant water...

Then in what statement after this (Quran)will they believe.

I love Violet

I love Violet

Fara

Fara

Calm

Calm

Cosy

Cosy

Play

Play

Rest

Rest

Valentine's getaway

Valentine's getaway
Jetty Kuala Kedah

Rumah Molek

Rumah Molek

Rose's Choice

Rose's Choice
Goldpaper Jar-Candle holder

And Yellow

And Yellow

Dress Up

Dress Up

Alleg

Alleg

girlfriends

girlfriends

Beras

Beras

Tools

Tools

Antique Rug.

Antique Rug.

Inas

Inas
Aniq's photography

Merdeka- 51 years

Merdeka- 51 years

Handy Bag

Handy Bag

All walks of life

All walks of life

Silver

Silver

Good Luck Beijing!

Good Luck Beijing!

Aniq's

Aniq's

Dah Habis!

Dah Habis!

See You Soon!

See You Soon!

Morning sky

Morning sky

the red lantern

the red lantern

Tok Abbas Plate-early 1800

Tok Abbas Plate-early 1800
Angelica Kaufman-handpainted

Budji

Yummy Candle

Muphy

Muphy

Happy 74th Dad

Happy 74th Dad

Rose's choice

Rose's choice

Natural Beauty

Natural Beauty

Rest

Rest