Sometimes in life, you just need that one shot, one chance to make it count.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Wow.. i think i enjoy doing something other than soccer. Its cooking!
I've been learning to cook some dishes from my mom recently, notably my favourite dish.. AYAM MASAK MERAH! or what u called it red-sauced chicken. With great appetite comes with great responsibility TO COOK. And so.. if in any case i'll be away from home, i think i should not be too worry in getting homesick or missing my mom's cook.
I found this video from my random search and i think i should post it. It is one of the ways i can help to advertise my family's business. hahaha! This was when the recent Hari Raya was nearing(including my A's!) and.. if im not wrong, i skipped school to help them out! Hmm.. Im not sure if i should call myself hardworking.
And i found another video taken 2 years ago during the tournament at Fico Sports hub. Here.. are some of my contributions to the team. chey!
Well, im back from a short family vacation since yesterday. We went to Tanjong Pinang/Pulau Penyengat for 2days on Thurs and Fri. I was particularly excited to go solo buying and shopping my own things there because i think i doesn't do that before! Usually, my mom would buy and let me wear whatever she has for me. hahaha! Talking about a guy who didnt have his own fashion sense and depend on poeple around him to get him one. Well, i can gurantee, im going to have my own choice of fashion from today onwards. Im not going to spend much but at least it won't leave me scratching my head on nothing decent to wear for a concert, outing, or even date(nay!).
To start with, we went there by ferry. A 2 hours journey which is not particularly exciting because i had a slight tinge of seasick.
Upon reaching, we checked in into a resort..
..and proceed on to have our dinner at "Depot" Ayam Penyet. Just look at them.. everyone is either seasick or sleepy while waiting for the food to arrive, except my dad. Haha.
I think it was better than the Spore's version because of the genuine kampung ayam taste with more special side dishes.
Later, we went back to our hotel and played pool against one another. I played 2 games only, both against my bro, and unsurprisingly.. i won. Haha. And the rest of the night, I taught mom, my auntie and lil bro on how to play.
The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel lobby, we went to the beach and posed for more pictures. Here.. we took with Mahadi Syor, a comedian in Suria. He was also there having his holiday!
We checked out of the resort and headed towards the jetty to go to Pulau Penyengat.
Not really a speedboat but its still made me wet cos nak act hero sitting outside the shelter.
Here it is.. Pulau Penyengat!
We had a bike ride around the whole island and it was freakin nice man cos the guy who rode for me and bro was speeding! Gerek beb but dangelous!
The island has unique and vast historical background. There's the old ruler's palace and royal tombs, among them the grave of the respected Sultan Haji. He was also the creater and author of the first Malay Language grammar book, and that is among the legacies left by the Riau sultanate. I wish i have thanked him for the beautiful literature of Malay language.
The pic below are some of the other kings who ruled the island. I was actually searching if there is any 'Raja Khairul' but too bad lah don't have.
The old Istana now turned into muzeum. I like the authentic designs of the whole architecture. It reminds me about those times when i tried to tackle this sweet kampung girl. haha! like real..
The well of never-ending supply of freshwater. It was said this well is only 3m deep and the water is special. Im not sure how special it was so i tried...
and it was really really pure and cooling. And i end up taking wudhu' too and it is one of the best i had.
We posed on the Sultan's throne and i felt like Datuk Penghulu sitting there with that pose.
And seriously this one.. i was disappointed to see people selling those turtle eggs! Well, i guessed they did it for a living, but i was hoping they won't sell it excessively. And nice one.. my dad bought 20 eggs. Turtles.. i tried my best to warn them about your near-extinction. At least i save your kind by not eating those eggs.
Soon after this, my handphone went flat i didnt take our pictures having dinner at some seafood restaurant and the shoppings. It was 2 days worth spent and i learnt alot of of the historical backgrounds of my own race, language and culture. You know.. the locals there at Pulau Penyengat doesn't speak bahasa Indonesia but perfect Malay! I seriously believe they can easily excel doing our Malay exam papers.
I've just realized that i've been using this blogskin for some time now; almost 3 years now to be exact. I wonder why im so loyal to this, maybe because i REALLY think it is nice. nvm.
Other than that, i've been quite hardworking in reading books. I just done with Khaled Hosseini's novel, The Kite Runner. This is one inspiring book which motivates me to read more. If you want to know the outlook of what life is all about and the struggles in meeting basic neccessities of the Afghanis people, the betrayal, guilt, redemption, hope, friendship. love, the cruelty of the Talibans and the misconception of Islam.. Do read this. It has opened my eyes and realized how cruel life can be and the importance of treasuring every moment with our the loved ones. I can tell you one thing.. im so glad and THANK GOD that im born in Singapore. I think i will just be Taliban there to have a decent life. You know.. the Hazaras there were treated like servants, animals. Before this, I doesn't realize the great importance of racial harmony and world peace. I know the situation there was bad but i didnt realize it was THAT BAD.
Anyway, thanks to Fazliah for recommending me this book. Im looking forward more now to your future recommendations. :)
On top of that, i've borrowed this book called Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra. It was my choice and not from Faz's recommendation so... i hope it will turn out good.
Oh ya, the Kite Runner movie is coming out soon!
I've just found out( i bet you all doesn't know it too) that Kaka means Uncle in Afghanis language, Farsi if im not wrong. I will encourage my nephews to call me Kaka Khairul from now onwards. Haha.
And and.. you know what? The role of Soraya, one of the characters in the book, was acted out by this Iranian-born Atossa Leoni. Wooot!
