Pasar Ramadhan Shah Alam

Nasi ambeng at the Pasar Ramadhan SA (CNB 2013)

The Pasar Ramadhan in Shah Alam (Section 13) is a real feast for the eyes. Despite my resolution to not visit any Ramadhan bazaar/market this year, I still made a visit there on a recent Sunday at 4.30 pm, to err ... take photos! (Yeah, right!?). We thought we were early, but there were already so many people jostling to buy food for iftar/buka puasa and also dinner.

We observed that there were many stalls selling the various states' fare. There are several Nasi ambeng stalls - not surprising because you are in Selangor after all. Then there are the obvious Kelantan attractions of blue Nasi kerabu, golden Ayam percik, Laksam, and desserts such as Lompat tikam, Puteri mandi, Akok, etc.; Trengganu associated food - Nasi dagang, and Sata; Pulau Pinang-mari fare of Laksa Penang, Murtabak, Char kway teow; Negri Sembilan Gulai kawah, etc., etc. Of course international fare abound too - kebabs, colourful puddings, Chinese dumplings, all sorts of cakes, etc., etc. (Like Yul Bryner, the "King of Siam", I too love my 'etcetra, etcetra'.)                

Gulai kawah and Nasi ambeng in one stall (CNB 2013)

We got Nasi ambeng from this stall at RM6 (CNB 2013)

Blue Nasi Kerabu stall (CNB 2013)

Ayam golek - contributing to air pollution? (CNB 2013)

Of course when there is food, there must be drink. The drinks come in all colours and hues, of which 'blue lemon' proved outstanding. The Smurfs must be happy, but then we settled for the very safe colour of soya bean.

Blue lemon, yellow oren & brown mata kucing (CNB 2013)

B at the soya bean stall (CNB 2013)

Despite telling ourselves that we must resist buying too much, we still did. (And I thought I only went for the snapshots, ha ha!). We bought Kueh lopis, Lompat tikam, Dim sum, Nasi ambeng, Pulut udang, Sata, Ayam goreng Uncle Bob, and soya bean drink. Hello, indigestion!

Selamat berbuka puasa ... (CNB 2013)

14 July 2013

Two years, 342 postings

Two years ago on this date I started blogging. This is post number 343, and I have mostly enjoyed the 'journey' so far ... Sometimes I blog about what I have done, and sometimes I do what I want to blog about what I have done ... Go figure!

SA Garden Catalogue: Common Wrightia

The weather in July so far, seems to hover between days that were quite hot and balmy (and air polluted) with periods of cooler rainy intervals. This seems good for the garden (and for me since I do not really have to water it too often, ha ha!). Many more plants are in blossom since our tropical summer started.

The Common Wrightia or Water jasmine (or simply Melati in Malay) has quite a few inflorescence now in the garden. Usually a small  tree 2-5 metres tall, it has small leaves and very fragrant small dangling white flowers, produced all year round. It is a plant that is quite often used for bonsai. It is also a hedge material and widely planted because of its medicinal qualities. I have only one plant in a container and it has grown quite tall. I have not 'bonsai-d' it as I do not favour this form in plants.

Common name: Common wrightia, Water jasmine
Scientific name: Wrightia religiosa
Malay name: Melati
Family: Periwinkle
Origin: Malaysia (Kedah & Perlis) and Thailand





The white flowers of the Common wrightia are more common in the single form than the double flowered form. Propagation is easy, by seed from narrow fruits shaped like a pair of horns, or by stem or root cuttings. No insects seem to have pollinated the flowers so I have never seen any fruits on the plant in my garden. The Common wrightia loves the full sun and so does very well in our tropics. Just do not forget to water often.

Melati buds ready to bloom in the garden (CNB)

Salam Ramadhan al-Mubarak

It is the month of Ramadhan again, a month all Muslims look forward to. May all your good deeds be amply rewarded, and may you always have peace and happiness, now and always.




Pic by CNB (2009): One of the minarets of the Quba Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Dance, Food & Fireworks at the Bon Odori 2013

Everyone gets a Uchiwa (fan)

Bon festivals are celebrated annually in Summer in Japan and other countries where there are Japanese expatriate and immigrant communities including Malaysia. Although celebrated on a smaller scale outside of Japan, it is also more about Japanese culture and entertainment, and less associated with the original religious (Buddhist) element of ancestor honor/commemoration. Bon festivals include the traditional dance of Bon Odori.

The Bon Odori 2013 was held on 6th July at the Kompleks Sukan Negara Shah Alam/Panasonic Sports Complex in Section 21. I had never been to one before although this festival, for some time already, has been organised by the Japanese expatriate communities in Pulau Pinang, Ipoh, Shah Alam (for Klang Valley), Johor and Kota Kinabalu. So when A had an assignment at the Bon Odori recently, I tagged along to see what I had missed all these years.

I had the opportunity to watch the dancers do their last rehearsals in the indoor stadium before going out to browse the 'fair grounds' for Japanese food and paraphernalia. If one wants to really get into the mood of this summer festival, one could sport a cotton kimono or yukata. Anyway I never saw more people in kimonos when I was in Japan than I did at the Bon Odori in Shah Alam! There were also a fair number of Malay girls in tudung wearing kimonos. (I am guessing that maybe they were formerly students in Japan or even still studying there because the Japan Graduates Association of Malaysia is also involved).

Dancers from the Japan Club get ready in the indoor stadium
(CNB 2013)

With a 'little Miss Japan' (Maz 2013)

There were two 'stages', one raised (yagura), the other on the field/track. Actually the yagura had the dancers in full view of the people below purposely, so that the public could also participate by following what the dancers on the yagura were doing - sort of line dancing, but in circles. Great fun! The repetitive movements of the dance and the mesmerising drum music was a pull factor to join in.

Dancers on the yagura (raised stage) under the toro nagashi
 or floating lanterns (CNB 2013)

Dancers (public) down below (CNB 2013)

For food and drinks, there were the Japanese food stalls run by Sakae Sushi, Yakult, Sushi King, among many others to complete the Japanese 'theme'. Many Japanese companies take part to promote their products.

Yakult mascot & staff Mazlin (CNB 2013)

My dinner was from Sakae Sushi - yummy! (CNB 2013)

The Bon Odori ended with a bang - literally. The most magnificent fireworks lighted up the sultry Shah Alam sky, marking the end of the dance festival.

Fireworks across the Shah Alam sky (CNB 2013)

I look forward to Bon Odori 2014, if not for the dance and food, then surely for the spectacular fireworks display.

An Artsy Fartsy Sunday

On a Sunday recently B and I went to the Balai Seni Visual Negara (National Visual Arts Gallery) off Jalan Tun Razak, KL. Before that she had accompanied me to a sharing session at the Perceptorship Program for Malaysian GPs and Non-Liver Specialists Pt 2 Advanced Workshop at the Ixora Room of Double Tree by Hilton, also on Jalan Tun Razak. I will write on this medical event later maybe, but now I prefer to 'story' about the artsy fartsy.

I have not been to the BSVN in a very, very long time, even missing out on the six-month long Latiff Mohidin retrospective exhibition! Tsk! Tsk! We had to be content with the current exhibitions of 'Absurd(c)ity', 'Warisan' and 'Penglipurlara'.

Absurd(c)ity & B (CNB 2013)

The 'Absurd(c)ity' exhibition (01.06-31.12.2013) has 60 pieces of art works (paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, installations) by 30 artists from the BSVN collection. The exhibition "is a presentation of a narrative of art of the surreal nature from modern to contemporary from Malaysia from 1950 to the current year 2013". The artists/works include Long Thien Shih, Zulkifli Dahalan (Kedai-kedai/Shops, 1973), Ilse Noor (etchings), Askandar Unglehrt, Hamir Soib @ Mohamad (Dan Master itu sedang bekerja, 2005), Maryam Abdullah (Sri Teja 3, 1991), Chang Yoong Chia (Safe house, safe city, safe country, 2008), Ilham Fadhli (Arson's delight, 2010-2011), William KK Lau, Nor Samad, Zainuddin Ismail, Mustapa Ibrahim, Ali Rahamad, S. Amin Shahab, Lee Kian Seng, Raja Zahabuddin, Tsai Horng Chung, Tan Chin Kuan, Eng Hwee Chu, Imanordin Mohd Shah, Wong Woan Lee, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Shahrizan Akil, Jeganathan Ramachandram, Chan Kok Hooi, Ruzzeki Harris and Haslin Ismail, Loh Bok Lai, Yee I-Lann and Khairul Azmir/Meme (Orange dragon).

Zukifli Dahlan's Kedai-kedai

Chang Yoong Chia's Safe house, safe city, safe country

Eleven young artists works of the surreal style in the contemporary art scene include those of Haslin, Khairul and Ilham (abovementioned), Shamsudin Wahab, Lim Keh Soon, Azam Aris, Mahadi Ayob, Muhd Sarip, Tey Beng Tze, Hafiz Yahya, and Shahrul Hisham.

The works that qualify for this exhibition are in the words of the BSVN, "any form of art that combines facts, whether images, shapes, events that exist in the real world or impressed from an interpretation of elements in a dream into an assumption, perception and justification". I must admit that I am only familiar with the works of Long Tien Shih, Zulkifli Dahalan, Ilse Noor and Askandar Unglehrt, but all the rest are 'new' to me! Just shows how much I keep up with the art scene! Anyway I am not really into surrealist art, although who can forget Salvador Dali's Time?

Part of the Chinese calligraphy exhibition

Apart from Absurd(c)ity, the "Warisan"/"Cheng Chuan"(Heritage) exhibition on Chinese calligraphy is also on from 25 June till 19 August 2013. This 6th Malaysia Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition is organised by the Calligraphy Society of Malaysia, and co-organised by the NVAG, Malaysian Stone Lover Society and Soka Gakkai Malaysia.

Puisi: Bougainvilla

              semua bougainvilla
              dicipta dari kertas cahaya.

warna dibaur
sehingga tercampur
putih bersih lembut
dengan mawar dara,
merah melawan marah,
kuning raja langit.

              dan yang terindah
              dikait
              serta disidai di ampai petang.

semua bougainvilla
dinikmati dengan mata 
berkolam cahaya.

              muhammad haji salleh


dipetik dari 'Sebutir Zamrud di Deru Selat; Sajak-sajak Alam USM'
Penerbit USM, 2006. Ex Libris CNB 1591
Gambar A & Bougainvilla @ Taman Pekaka, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang oleh CNB