BeriBeri BiBiks

“Triii……ini ada balas nya mesej kamuuu!!!”

That shrieking, high pitched crackle really did it this time. I had managed to ignore the unbecoming annoyance since morning when I started my work. But this last shrills really struck my anger octave.

My maid Lastri was busy catching up with her morning chores at the back area of our home. The easy access to passers by had obviously made her very popular with the other maids in the neighbourhood. I was later informed that the call had come from one of her best friends. The immediate concern was - how many friends does she have?

I raced upstairs to get a better look at what’s happening at the area behind my house. By then, I could hear voices; and it seemed like there was already a congregation of domestic helpers, intrigued by the earlier uproar.

The excited crowd gathered around Lastri and they fussed over something which looked like a handphone from afar. I later shifted my radar eyes on the other maids, wondering what could possibly be in their possession.

All sweaty from my cat and mouse lurking conduct, I decided to get to the bottom of things pronto – after all Lastri is my maid, and I have the right to know what she was up too. Raced downstairs and I went straight to where everyone was.

My coming into sight caught the group by surprise. There was silence….each one turned towards me and me to them…..or rather what they had in their possession. Hahhhhh….and guess what I saw???

Each maid had in their possession a gleaming Blackberry!!! What the #$$%&@#$%%^????

And then Lastri prompted me a question, “Nomor pin Ibuk apa ya??”

“Wahhhh….kamu SEMUA ada BB?”

“Iya…Ibuk bikin komunikasi sama keluarga di kampong senang.”

I suddenly felt blood rushed to my face, I see bright lights all around me. And vision of these maids aggressively approaching me for my BB pin number made me gasp for air, my breathing became difficult…..

Then there was silence again……
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Suddenly I hear the calling of the Azan. Where was I?? Where were all the bibiks?? Pin number?? What pin number???

Urghhhhh……it was a dream rupanya!!! It sounds kinda slapstick but WHAT a scare it was!!!

Tu lah…tidur lagi time dekat-dekat nak maghrib.......kan dah!!!

Maulidul Rasul 2011

Salam Maulidur Rasul.

Maulidur Rasul (dalam bahasa Arab bermaksud kelahiran Rasul) adalah hari bersejarah keputeraan Nabi Muhammad Shallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam, iaitu pada hari ke-12 bulan Rabiul Awal. Baginda adalah nabi terakhir yang diutus oleh Allah Subhanahu Wataala.

Rumah Maulid (gambar di atas) merupakan rumah Abdullah Ibn AbdulMuththalib dan Aminah, tempat kelahiran junjungan kita Nabi Muhammad Shallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam. Terletak di Makkah Al-Mukarramah, kini rumah bersejarah itu menjadi perpustakaan umum kota Makkah. Sebagaimana kesederhanaan beliau saat hidupnya, demikianlah rumah itu kini berdiri.

Tala'al-Badru 'alayna,
min thaniyyatil-Wada'
wajaba al-shukru 'alayna,
ma da'a lillahi da'

Ayyuha al-mab'uthu fina
ji'ta bi-al-amri al-muta'
Ji'ta sharrafta al-Madinah
marhaban ya khayra da'

Ayyuha al-mab'uthu fina

ji'ta bi-al-amri al-muta'
Ji'ta sharrafta al-Madinah
marhaban ya khayra da'

Mari menghidupkan kembali segala sunnah baginda serta melaksanakan segala suruhan yang ditetapkan di dalam Al-Quran dan Sunnah. InshaAllah.

Sent from my iPad

Sepi Sunyi

Sembang : Kenapa lama tak update?
Kay : Tak de masa lah...

Sembang : Tak de masa or tak de idea?
Kay : Both lah...

Sembang : Vitamin M(alas) lebih ni!
Kay : Kata lah apa-apa...

Sembang : Apalah nak jadi dengan Sembang ni??
Kay : Jadi macam tu lah....

Sembang : I give up
Kay : Ikut you lah....

Stop the eyebrows raising...go have some chocolates :)

Kay's TARA - China 3

Next stop : The Bund - Shanghai.

After walking more than a kilometer along Nanjing Road East and tirelessly saying "bu yao" (don’t want) to street hawkers shouting "Hey mister, hey lady, wanna buy a watch?" we arrived at a large pedestrian walkway bordering the Huangpu River.

The Bund (which means the Embankment) is Shanghai's famous waterfront running along the west shore of the Huangpu River, forming the eastern boundary of old downtown Shanghai. It is one of the most recognizable architectural symbols of Shanghai.

For an excellent view of buildings at the Bund, it is recommended that one go through an underground walkway and then look back at the area from which you came.

The elegant row of European colonial buildings will make you think you're back in the 1920s; all were constructed in western-inspired style - classical, Gothic, renaissance, eclectic and modern.

The Bund is sometimes referred as the 'museum of international architecture,' and indeed it was and still is.

The Customs House (building with clock tower) was built in 1927. The clock has four sides and chimes the hour. It was made in London and shipped for an earlier version of the Customs House.

No. 27 - Jardine Matheson and Co., Ltd. Building; built 1920. Today it is the Chinese Exterior Commerce Ministry.

Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank built this building in 1923 to replace their previous home on the Bund.

Another strong hold at the Bund which houses AIA operations in Shanghai.

Street view of the Bund

Unfortunately, during our visit the pedestrian walkway along the Huangpu River embankment was closed for renovations. The Bund area was given a face lift in preparation for the 2010 World Expo.

The Bund over looking Pudong. Ten years ago Pudong was swampland but today is a showcase for some of the most modern architecture in the world. Seen in the picture the Oriental Pearl Tower.

Kay's TARA - China 2

Next destination Shanghai's Nanjing Road.

Back in 1839 - 1842, after the Opium War, Shanghai became a treaty port. Nanjing Road, a famous street in Shanghai became the first British Concession, and then turned the International Settlement for the Westerners. It was the hub for the import of large quantities of foreign goods.

Nanjin Road now - the premier shopping street in Shanghai, stretching 3.4-mile-long. Rows of shops house latest couture in Chinese fashion.

A signature call sign in this fashion district

Over 600 businesses on Nanjing road offer countless famous brands, superior quality, and new fashions.

Over time, Nanjing Road has been restructured, undergoing significant change.

A local brand with a western sound alike name

Locals queuing for food at lunch time

While others take some time to read the local dailies

Spotted a domestic squabble, ooppsss...who spilled the chestnuts??

More up market stores, all packed with customers.

Fashion adverts on big billboards attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world

Specialty stores, theaters and international hotels have mushroomed on Nanjin Road.

Youngor?? Perasannnnnn..........

After walking the entire block, we finally reached the east end of the famous street.

Kay's TARA - China 1

The hour long reality show ended sometime last November. It was one show that everyone in the family never wanted to miss. No matter how late we were, we’d rush home to catch the thrilling weekly episodes together. Of course each one of us had our own favourite teams and there were those which we collectively disliked.

I remember posting harsh status on my FB about the unbecoming behaviour of a member in a team which we wanted so much to be eliminated. And I wasn’t alone, there were others who felt the same as I did. Reading the status trails now puts me in chuckles as I look back at our occasional silliness and over imaginative comments.

Well, that was how much impact of this reality show – the Amazing Race Asia (TARA) Season 4 had on us. At season finale, our favourite team, the Richards – team from the Philippines claimed top spot and confidently walked home with the US$100,000 prize reward.

During TARA season 4, we saw similar places where we had tracked during our own previous travels. And it was kind of exciting seeing teams going at logger heads trying to solve clues and asking for directions in places which were so foreign to them. Of course this was all familiar to us during our travels!! And how very well we could relate to the challenges the teams faced.

The non speaking English countries were the most grappling. Try giving an instruction like “I want to get to the airport” to a Mandarin speaking cab driver in Hangzhou China for example. Tough…tough but one can never under estimate one’s creativeness at desperate times. I must have used all my might to get that what I thought a simple message across. Thank God someone understood my octopus like arms waving gestures and helped decode into plain Mandarin to the waiting cab driver. Fuhhhh…..talk about luck!!

In the next few postings, I will feature our amazing race like encounters and adventures similar to those of TARA teams.

My TARA flag off is travel from Hangzhou to Shanghai, October 2009

View of down town Hangzhou from Hangzhou Cheng Zhan Railway Station located in the downtown district at 1, Huan Cheng Dong Lu, Shangcheng District.

Still early, volume of cars was manageable

Since Shanghai is only two hours by train from Hangzhou many locals commute daily.

Make sure you know which platform to take. One wrong step may take you to another city in China.

Ticket from Hangzhou to Shanghai on the fast train cost 64Yuan (about RM30. You can buy train tickets 3 days in advance.

Mentelaah lah map tu....all in Mandarin yar!!

Just a short wait for the train

Average speed of the train 160km/hour. Everyday, over 100 high-speed trains run between these two cities from early morning at 06:32 to around 21:00.

Already in Shanghai....in less than 2 hours

When MCBs Meet.....

During the last MCB – Mak Cik Blogger meet I came sans my ole and faithful camera. Hence, no pictures to flaunt here in the blog. Fearing the repeat would happen, just before I left home for another MCB meet last Sunday, I took extra effort to ensure the lil’ device had its battery fully charged and nicely tucked in my handbag. All geared, my noble intention was to capture as many great moments as I could.

But then after arriving at Kak Puteri Kamaliah’s place, after the ooooossssss…..ahhhhh….hiiiii….ohhhhhhhh picture taking didn’t seem that important anymore. All I could say was this – it was a great feeling being in the company of such admirable ladies – Kak Puteri (our gracious host ), Kak Teh (our guest of honor all the way from London), Kak Nana (you look greattttttt!!!), Zendra (if only I could be slim and tall like you!!), Mamasita (love you…love you darling!!), Sab (we definitely have similar stories of the other halves!!), Kak Ezza (whose hug was so, so motherly), Zai (hope I didn’t confuse you with the way I gave directions!!), Yani KG (your macaroons....ooooooo), Zaimah (yesss…my worigh whose travel boots take her everywhere), Wan Shana (whose yummylicious dalca saved my Lebanese rice), Emylia (if only I could eat like you and nothing happens to me!!), Aida (whose intro was well said in one breath!!), Dee (a lady who’s so gracious and so calm), Jannah (Mamasita’s eldest – so pretty like Mommy!!), Ollie (finally get to meet you after reading the exchanges in FB).

To all…thank you ....thank you…thank you for an awesome evening :)

Ahhh...you are finally here Zen!!!

Kak Nana, Kak Teh, Mamasita & Jannah all so attentive listening to Yaya's fluent lines on how we communicate.

Desserts.....all the way from Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan

More food....will not say how many of those murtabak I walloped

Yani KG's mouth melting macaroons.....

Ahhh....I made this moist choc cake...he he

Mak Cik Bloggers & FB sistas :)
Too bad we didn't get everyone in the picture. Next meet kena get paparazzi tu snap a group picture.

Yani and Muhammad - such an adorable fella

Nissa who got to lepas kan rindu with Kak Puteri's furry Lillie