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Thursday, December 30, 2004



Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Monday, December 27, 2004

Gran día de fiesta

Last week we had a wonderful break at Costa del Sol, Southern Spain, by the Med Sea. Weather was great; at about 15C - 18C daytime where we could go about in t-shirt and a tad nippy in the evening which only required sweater or light jacket. It was their low season, so, the place was not cramped as during other times. The costa is a paradise for golfers that recently it has also been known as Costa del Golf. Unfortunately, I'm not one.

We didn't do much activity though, just relaxed (and ate lots of fresh seafood). Hired an A-Class and went around to nearby places like Ronda, Benahavis, Marbella and the famous Puerto Banus, home to some of the most impressive yachts in theworld.

Ronda was about 50km away; a very winding drove up through the mountains of the Sierra Bermeja, and then descended into the Serrania de Ronda and the town itself. Half way there, we all felt sick coz of the winding. The town is famous of its oldest bullring in Spain and for the plunging river gorge known as El-Tajo. It was one of the most impregnable places to the Christian armies that they only managed to 'reconquer' it at the very last end. A church was then built on the site of an old mosque.



We drove uphill for 10 minutes to Benahavis (from Arabic 'Bin al-Abyss', i.e. anak lelaki Abyss) for a late lunch. It was a typical Spanish mountain village with narrow winding cobbled streets and terrain hugging white painted houses.

Puerto Banus is just a place for deep pockets people who park their lovely yachts and luxury boats. Parking spaces along the marina were filled with men's super toys like Ferrari, Brabus Merc, and others. We were told that those nightclubs (and there are a lot) along the marina have two entrances; one fronting the prestigious and more glamourous waterfront, and the other one via backlane. In the evening, those deep pockets people with their designer outfit and supertoys would enter from the seafront whilst the rest (like many of us) would go in via the less grand 'backdoor' entrance. Though strangely, they both simply mingle when inside. We just had seafood dinner at one of the restaurants/cafes fronting the marina, cukuplah.



It was a great holiday, and surely we will return.
A week simply not enough, especially now that we know more of things to do around there.
Gracias.


p/s: now that the tsunami thing has scared me of seafronts... pulak dah.

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Oghen Kelantam Jual Laksam

Laksae Part II
Continuing with my 'keropok leko' vs 'keropok lingkar' & 'keropok gote' vs 'keropok gentel' blog earlier and 'laksae' vs 'laksam', I'm going to 'blebae' (nag) more on this.

Thanks to those commented on my previous entry way back in Nov. This is my theory of what actually happened with one of my best breakfast dishes, laksae. [I normally take 2 klosong of laksae for my breakfast whenever back at Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga].

Large proportion of Kelantanese (especially in Kelantan) do have some problems of adjusting their tongues to speak the standard BM, or what Kelantanese label as 'kkecek luar' (bercakap bahasa orang luar; 'orang luar' is what we called those non-Kelantanese). Often, their tongue adjustments resulted in rather funny and strange all sort of sounds/dialect; something I would rather say sounds between Terengganu's and God knows what. The ending syllable of a word has always been in the loose and lazy 'ae' sounds for Kelantanese. Thus, to force a word to be ended in a rather definate sound is quite a challenge to our untrained tongues.

Examples:

'Kelatae' becomes 'Kelantam' or 'Kelanten'
'Jalae' becomes 'Jalam' or 'Jalen'
'Makae' sometimes heard as 'Makam'

Once, a Kelantanese friend was talking (to a non-Kelantanes) on how easy it was to prepare tom-yam.
And this is what he said (partly),
'Senen saje, katak-katak serai pahtu... ' (It's so easy, just pounce a few stick of lemongrass and .... )

Suddenly the amphibian somehow come into the poor tomyam. Coz why, in Kelantanlingo, ketuk is 'katok'. So much of trying to kkecek lua.

Thus, it's understanable when Kelantanese food stall operators in Kay El uttered the word 'laksam' for the humble yet delicious 'laksae'. Trying to kkecek lua it was. Sadly, the world was introduced to the cuisine as laksam, and laksam it has wrongly become. [bengang aku]

Tabek should be given to Terengganu khepok leko sellers who stick to their mothertongue and not trying to kkecek lua by saying 'keropok lengkor' for instance. It simply stays as keropok leko where it should/could have been truly and rightly 'kerepok lingkar' instead.

So, once and for all:
IT IS LAKSAE , NOT bl**dy laksam !!!

Saturday, December 25, 2004

Back to this coldness

We've been away for a week. Hence, no update (and comment at others).
... been enjoying the sun and sea down here....



Just got back home in the last hour, shall update later.
Merry Christmas

Friday, December 17, 2004

Sawadee ka

Last week we received Kakak's tour schedule. For those who missed my previous entry, Kakak will be in The King & I UK Tour (theatre production) next year.

The children will be divided into 2 groups and perform separately. At certain venues, only one group will perform and at others they'll devide the showtimes between them. They're named 'Siam' and 'Bangkok'. Kakak is in the 'Siam' group with 5 others.

So, the schedule looks like this.

Rehearsal in London: Starts daily on Jan 5 2005 for 2 weeks.
'Siam' will then do:
- Liverpool: Jan 22. Press night on Jan 24;
- Eastbourne: Feb 15-17, 24-26;
- Northampton: Mar 15-19;
- York: Mar 31 - Apr 2;
- Oxford: Apr 7 - 9;
- Bradford: Apr 19 - 23, and finally
- Edinburgh May 24 - 28.


All are invited to the shows.
hai ubat hai ubat
mari beli ubat
kalaulah telambat
tak dapat....

The info pack also includes among other things, the rules and regulations such as the use of mobile phones to contact the kids, list of hotels they'll be staying, what to bring, etc. They'll have their own minder/chaperone who is also a teacher and will continue their education as they tour. Children will return home to their normal routine in between performances. Payment is per performance, but we're quite surprised how 'little' they're paid with such hard work. Kakak gets far better doing magazine photoshoots (£50/hour). But, this tour is a great oppurtunity not to be missed.

So, it looks like the next academic term (the last in this academic year) would be really tough for Kakak, and we don't really know how it's gonna be like for us as a family. This is the first time Kakak will be away. Not having the luxury of domestic helper, nanny, other siblings or parents/grandparents around, we've, so far, no choice but to go everywhere together all the time. Kakak, for instance, has been dragged into our numerous office functions and grown-ups activities since birth.

We shall see...

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Buta dan Cintanya

Kata orang, 'Cinta Itu Buta'. Kerana, kata orang lagi, 'Orang yang bercinta itu membabi buta'.

Hingga ke saat ini, talqin politik masih terus dibaca di setiap ceruk media sejak awal senja tadi. Ternyata talqin ini akan terus dibaca hingga ke hari-hari mendatang. Talqin politik Si Buta David Blunkett yang terpaksa melangkah lalu akibat bahana korban cinta.

Seorang ahli politik yang disanjung dan dihormati ramai, oleh kerana kebutaan beliau dan juga cara beliau berpolitik; terus, ikhlas dan lantang. David Blunkett yang dilahirkan dan dibesarkan di Sheffield melalui jalan kehidupan yang sukar; masuk sekolah khas berasrama sejak berumur 4 tahun dan tatkala berumur 12 tahun, ayahnya meninggal trajis setelah masak seluruh badannya bila terjatuh ke dalam kawah menggelegak di tempat kerja. Kehidupan beliau agak susah bersama ibunya yang tidak empunya banyak wang. Mungkin kesusahan inilah yang menebalkan tekad beliau berjuang dalam arena politik pilihan. Pernah Tony Blair berkata di perhimpunan parti, "I don't have the toughest job in this country, David Blunkett does".

Hari ini David Blunkett gugur, bersama cintanya pada isteri orang.... dengan membawa harapan untuk mendekati anaknya yang terhasil dari cinta terlarang itu. Bersoraklah musuh-musuh beliau. Hancurlah cinta si buta; cinta pada kerjayanya, cinta pada khidmatnya, cinta pada masyarakatnya, cinta pada negaranya... atas citanya untuk menggilap cinta pada puteranya. Selamat maju jaya....

Masih segar hangat jejarimu
Waktu ku genggami dahulu
Sambil kita meniti hari kekasih
Dalam lingkaran
Cinta suci

Engkau masih tersenyum malu
Waktu ku kucup di dahimu
Sambil kita bisikkan janji
Kekasih
Tanpa kemunafikan cinta

Tetapi kini
Semuanya tiada lagi
Rindu dan cinta
Jadi mimpi yang menyakitkan

Semua janji
Hancur tiada kesannya
Kau tinggal aku
Bersama hati yang pedih
Kembara tanpa arahnya
Mencari cinta yang hilang
(Kopratasa)

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

What is Art?

Congratulations to the world famous British architect, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, for his appointment as the new trouble ridden Royal Academy of Arts announced today. The position at the 1768 founded establishment has always been held by artists. Yet of late, it has been filled with turmoil surrounding administrative matters. Sir Grimshaw’s first task is then to bridge the gap between the artists and an administration that is perceived with much mistrust. All the best.

Last week, the £25,000 Turner Prize, one of the most important and prestigious awards for the visual arts in Europe, went to Jeremy Deller. This prize, started in 1984 is intended to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art. However, Mr Deller was once upon a time, in fact, advised not to take arts for his CGSE at school.

Speaking about modern or contemporary arts, names like Tracey Emin and Damian Hirst would first come to play. Many argued about their arts are not actually arts. Tracey once had displayed her unmade bed (with used condom among other things) as a piece of art. Damian is on the other hand famous with his animals in formaldehyde art. Both are indeed famous and managed to get huge dosh into their pockets from their arts.

I remember that I hated art subject at school. I guess it was due to rather slim vision of what is considered and taught as art. ‘Lukisan’ time at primary school was only about a piece of off-white newspaper quality paper and watercolour. And since I was and still am not good at watercolour, the whole thing just put me off. Nevertheless, I did owned quite a few watercolour sets then, coz I guess it was the one and only thing artist would have. I did, however, represent my primary school in a state ‘pertandingan lukisan’… and what was it? A lukisan batik, what an obvious cliché. It was two of us, me and a friend H (now an accountant at DRB-Hicom) who were considered to be good in lukisan. I remember, another friend, also H (we were at boys only school then), who always drew nice funky Harley-style motorbike whenever the cikgu said ‘lukisan bebas’, and his drawings were great (I can’t draw like he did). Yet, he was not considered as an artist then. Similarly, those who could draw Tempe Asuka were also not taken aboard the artist bandwagon (I did know how to draw this Jap hero, and Space1999 ship). Mmmm…

I was actually rather a lazy ‘artist’ then. One day in Standard 6, I was so very malas to participate in the last double period lukisan. Our young lady teacher left the class to draw whatever we like and would come back at the end of the lesson to check. I then just took the great opportunity to wonder around the class (40 of us) admiring at others masterpiece. A few minutes before the school ended, I quickly took out my brush and crudely painted something like this….

© atok

When Miss X came into the class, she began to go around checking all of our arts.

Stopping at my desk, she asked (or rather half scolded): “Apa ni!?”
I said, “Permandangan di Stesen Bas cikgu”. (Yes, all piece had to be named, how proper).
She said, “Hah? Awak jangan main-main dengan saya!”.
I then explained, “Saya duduk tepi stesen bas. Tiba-tiba bas ni datang berhenti depan saya. Yang saya nampak nil ah, yang saya lukis ni…. tayar dia je. Yang ni skrew dia, cikgu”. (Explaining my modern art)

I guess she wanted to laugh (as the rest of the class did) but couldn’t resign to being cheated from her anger. I was left to clean all the mess left by my classmates instead, which was not a bad punishment after all, I reckon…..

Monday, December 06, 2004

here or there....

Last nite, on our way back from attending a birthday party in Barking, London,

Kakak asked: "Daddy, can we go and live in Malaysia?"
I said: "Why?"
Kakak replied: "Coz I want to be closer to my religion".
(this often cropped up on every Christian festive time, when her whole school (and the rest of this island) just simply busy with all sorts of things like play, singing, carol, decoration, etc. of which have somehow alienated her from the rest of the crowd).

... and the never ending 'debate' of packing up and go back (for good) to Malaysia just simply never go away.
[p/s: as a family, we've never stayed in Msia, apart from those few weeks odd 'holidays' we had].

Saturday, December 04, 2004

simply kakak


© atok 2004