Bunga kekabu putih melayang,
Dekat di perdu pohonnya cempa;
Mesranya ibu kasih penyayang,
Tempat mengadu duka nestapa.
Dekat di perdu pohonnya cempa,
Cempa di buyung rapat bertudung;
Tempat mengadu duka nestapa,
Umpama payung dapat berlindung.
Pantun berkait ini oleh Abdul Halim "R"
Dipetik dari bukunya Setaman Pantun Kenangan,
Penerbit USM (2006) Ex Libris CNB 1540
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
A Summer Road Trip (cont'd 2)
Jottings from the pages of a road trip journal ...
1977 August 22 (Mon)
At 9.15 am we got up and the proprietor came around to collect the camp fee of 80 pence. After a cold breakfast of cereal, milk plus bread and jam we packed up the tent as it looked like rain again. Not forgetting our cagoules this time, we put on our walking boots and headed for the Cheddar Gorge again. Indeed Cheddar has capitalised on the attractions of the Gorge and numerous gift shops line the road before the Gorge. It was pretty crowded and traffic was ever flowing. We too contributed our share - we bought Cheddar cheese and 'genuine' Somerset cider. The cheese was good but the cider a bit strong.
At 3 pm we left for Wells and after some driving around finally got a parking space just opposite the famed Cathedral. This beautiful Cathedral, with its beautiful carvings in the west front fast deteriorating, needs some 1.5 million pound sterling for restoration!
We left for Glastonbury after an hour, only passing it and catching a glimpse of the famed Tor. On our way to Taunton the unexpected happened - our wind screen was shattered by loose chippings on the road thrown up by a passing car. For a moment we were shocked, me imagining the worst. Then we pulled up at a petrol station nearby and they called a mobile wind screen replacement Unit for us. We had to wait two hours for it to come and another hour for the screen to be replaced. So finally at 8.30 pm and 32 pounds 40 pence poorer we left for Taunton. After passing Taunton, we parked for some dinner of Cheddar cheese and biscuits Then we sped off for Barnstaple. The moon was bright and the sky was clear. At Barnstaple, we parked and went into our sleeping bags.
Notes: Glastonbury Tor - hill with the roofless St. Michael's Tower; Barnstaple is a river-port in North Devon
August 23 (Tue)
At 6.30 am we left for Bideford, and by 7 the sun was bright and beautiful. We stopped by a river to have breakfast. On the way we picked up a hitchhiker till Newquay. From Newquay we went to the seaside town of St. Ives and stayed overnight at a farm camp there. We explored the town centre for two hours till 10.30 pm before calling it a day.
Notes: St. Ives is in the South-western tip of Cornwall; remember the nursery rhyme "As I was going to St. Ives"?
August 24 (Wed)
Around 2 am we had to abandon tent - it was raining cats and dogs! Only at 11.45 am did we head towards Penzance, a port/harbour town in Cornwall. At the Promenade we had our lunch of Cornish pasty and chips. By 3 pm there was great sunshine as we left towards Lands End, the most westerly point of England. We then went to a caravan park with a great sea view at St. Just but had to forget about spending the night there because it started raining again with the occasional strong wind. So we chose to double back to St. Ives to spend another evening in the town - playing Bingo! It was rather quite late to go back to the farm camp so we found a quiet spot to park and slept in the car.
August 25 (Thu)
We were up at 8 am and went on to Hayle, a small town at the mouth of the Hayle River. There we had a wash up and breakfast. Then on to Bodmin, and Exeter in Devon. The Exeter Cathedral was impressive to say the least. We went into the shopping centre, where off the High Street, we had our lunch at the 16th century Ship Inn (said to be one of Sir Francis Drake's favourite tavern). We then headed towards Salisbury. In the New Forest, we set up tent at Lyndhurst, a village of Hampshire.
August 26 (Fri)
At 11.30 am we set out for Bournemouth, another seaside town along the coast, with nice sandy beaches and a pier. Then we went on to Salisbury, the city famous for its cathedral. After that it was on to Amesbury before finally reaching the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain at nearly 6. After spending some time gawking at the stones, we went back to Amesbury to overnight.
August 27 (Sat)
Only in the afternoon did we leave for Winchester, Chichester, and Bognor Regis for our final destination of the day - Brighton. This town in East Sussex is popular for its beach with day trippers from London, being less than an hour away. We walked into the town centre, going by the interesting lanes and shop fronts. The Royal Pavilion of Indo-Saracenic architecture and Oriental interior never fails to impress although this was my third visit. We walked the Brighton beach before having dinner of fish and chips near the Brighton Pier.
August 28 (Sun)
We had an early morning breakfast at the seafront before leaving Brighton for Margate (in Kent), which we reached at noon. This seaside town, another traditional holiday destination for Londoners, was infamous in the 60s for gang violence (between mods and rockers). We set up tent in a nearby camping ground, before walking the town and beach till late evening.
August 29 (Mon)
From Margate we headed for the neighbouring seaside town of Ramsgate at mid-morning. We spent many hours at the seafront, especially at the Ramsgate Pleasure Park.
August 30 (Tue)
12 - Tunnel? 3.30 - B? (Journal entries incomprehensible/missing from here on; but we got back home to Chorlton-cum-Hardy alright!)
1977 August 22 (Mon)
At 3 pm we left for Wells and after some driving around finally got a parking space just opposite the famed Cathedral. This beautiful Cathedral, with its beautiful carvings in the west front fast deteriorating, needs some 1.5 million pound sterling for restoration!
We left for Glastonbury after an hour, only passing it and catching a glimpse of the famed Tor. On our way to Taunton the unexpected happened - our wind screen was shattered by loose chippings on the road thrown up by a passing car. For a moment we were shocked, me imagining the worst. Then we pulled up at a petrol station nearby and they called a mobile wind screen replacement Unit for us. We had to wait two hours for it to come and another hour for the screen to be replaced. So finally at 8.30 pm and 32 pounds 40 pence poorer we left for Taunton. After passing Taunton, we parked for some dinner of Cheddar cheese and biscuits Then we sped off for Barnstaple. The moon was bright and the sky was clear. At Barnstaple, we parked and went into our sleeping bags.
Notes: Glastonbury Tor - hill with the roofless St. Michael's Tower; Barnstaple is a river-port in North Devon
August 23 (Tue)
 |
| (CNB 1977) |
Notes: St. Ives is in the South-western tip of Cornwall; remember the nursery rhyme "As I was going to St. Ives"?
August 24 (Wed)
 |
| St. Ives |
August 25 (Thu)
 |
| In the New Forest (MB 1977) |
August 26 (Fri)
At 11.30 am we set out for Bournemouth, another seaside town along the coast, with nice sandy beaches and a pier. Then we went on to Salisbury, the city famous for its cathedral. After that it was on to Amesbury before finally reaching the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain at nearly 6. After spending some time gawking at the stones, we went back to Amesbury to overnight.
August 27 (Sat)
 |
| Brighton Pier CNB) |
August 28 (Sun)
We had an early morning breakfast at the seafront before leaving Brighton for Margate (in Kent), which we reached at noon. This seaside town, another traditional holiday destination for Londoners, was infamous in the 60s for gang violence (between mods and rockers). We set up tent in a nearby camping ground, before walking the town and beach till late evening.
August 29 (Mon)
From Margate we headed for the neighbouring seaside town of Ramsgate at mid-morning. We spent many hours at the seafront, especially at the Ramsgate Pleasure Park.
August 30 (Tue)
12 - Tunnel? 3.30 - B? (Journal entries incomprehensible/missing from here on; but we got back home to Chorlton-cum-Hardy alright!)
Monday, 29 October 2012
A Summer Road Trip (cont'd)
Jottings from the pages of a road trip journal ...
1977 August 20 (Sat)
After a good night's sleep in the hotel, we left at 9.30 am for a day look at Cardiff, capital of Wales.The shopping centre was busy and looked not unlike any other in other cities of England i.e with department stores like Littlewoods, M & S, etc. We also walked by the City Hall which looked quite different now in daylight - less beautiful. We went to see a part of the docks and clearly this part of the city is not very new - in fact it looked deserted!
Then we left at 11.30 and headed for Newport, another port after Monmouth, for the Wye Valley. For the length traversed between Monmouth and Chepstow, we followed the Wye River and the views were magnificent. At times the trees made a natural tunnel of green! We turned back from Chepstow and stopped at Tintern to look at the famous Abbey ruins. Then retracing the road we made camp at a farm - there were no facilities except a cold water tap and ... a ground toilet!
After a meal of tinned soup and salad (very crispy and nice) we went for a walk along the Wye River bank but for a short distance only because of 'Keep out' signs which M thought was very disgusting. Then we walked up to Cleddon Shoots and Waterfall but as it rained lately so the path was slippery. But we made it up another way. As it was getting dark (nearly 8 pm), we made our way down again. I must say I felt quite afraid as nobody else was around and the sky was really getting dark. We got back to camp and made kuku (Persian omelette) - must say its a bit tedious but it was interesting to cook and eat in the open by candlelight. Then M read a book while I cleaned up and we went into our bags.
August 21 (Sun)
It rained a little in the night but in the morning it was fine as we headed for Chepstow to cross the Severn Bridge at 11. In Bristol we walked an hour in the city centre, quite near the docks. We saw the civic centre with the two golden deer on its rooftop and the cathedral nearby.
Then we went to Clifton to see Brunel's famous suspension bridge over the Avon Gorge. It was a piece of engineering genius started in 1836 but only completed in 1864, after Brunel's death. After this we headed for Bath, the lovely Georgian city with its famous Roman Baths. It was indeed more beautiful than last I saw it in in 1975. There were flower baskets everywhere and indeed impressed M to say that its the loveliest city he'd seen in England. Likewise for me too.
We passed the shops on Pulteney Bridge and entered the Parade Gardens. Then we walked the little streets between the rows of shops. Later M went to see the Roman Baths while I waited outside the Cathedral (I had seen the Baths before). Then we saw the famous examples of Georgian town planning - the Circus and the Royal Crescent.
We left at 4.30 pm for Cheddar to pass along the Cheddar Gorge. Indeed it was an impressive sight of steep rugged rocks with some green ivy and foliage growing. We set up camp at Church Farm camping ground, on the eastern end of Cheddar, a little town famous for the cheddar cheese. There were many other campers and 'caravaners' there. After a dinner of packet rice, eggs and salad, we played some badminton. After the game we walked in the town and had drinks at a pub. But at 9.30 pm it rained and we had to run back all the way to the camp. As we didn't have our cagoules or the umbrella, we had a thorough drenching because the rain was quite heavy and there was also thunder and lightning occasionally. After changing in the car we got back into the tent and went to sleep.
To be continued ...
1977 August 20 (Sat)
After a good night's sleep in the hotel, we left at 9.30 am for a day look at Cardiff, capital of Wales.The shopping centre was busy and looked not unlike any other in other cities of England i.e with department stores like Littlewoods, M & S, etc. We also walked by the City Hall which looked quite different now in daylight - less beautiful. We went to see a part of the docks and clearly this part of the city is not very new - in fact it looked deserted!
 |
| Tintern Abbey (CNB 1977) |
After a meal of tinned soup and salad (very crispy and nice) we went for a walk along the Wye River bank but for a short distance only because of 'Keep out' signs which M thought was very disgusting. Then we walked up to Cleddon Shoots and Waterfall but as it rained lately so the path was slippery. But we made it up another way. As it was getting dark (nearly 8 pm), we made our way down again. I must say I felt quite afraid as nobody else was around and the sky was really getting dark. We got back to camp and made kuku (Persian omelette) - must say its a bit tedious but it was interesting to cook and eat in the open by candlelight. Then M read a book while I cleaned up and we went into our bags.
August 21 (Sun)
It rained a little in the night but in the morning it was fine as we headed for Chepstow to cross the Severn Bridge at 11. In Bristol we walked an hour in the city centre, quite near the docks. We saw the civic centre with the two golden deer on its rooftop and the cathedral nearby.
 |
| Clifton Bridge(CNB 1977) |
We passed the shops on Pulteney Bridge and entered the Parade Gardens. Then we walked the little streets between the rows of shops. Later M went to see the Roman Baths while I waited outside the Cathedral (I had seen the Baths before). Then we saw the famous examples of Georgian town planning - the Circus and the Royal Crescent.
We left at 4.30 pm for Cheddar to pass along the Cheddar Gorge. Indeed it was an impressive sight of steep rugged rocks with some green ivy and foliage growing. We set up camp at Church Farm camping ground, on the eastern end of Cheddar, a little town famous for the cheddar cheese. There were many other campers and 'caravaners' there. After a dinner of packet rice, eggs and salad, we played some badminton. After the game we walked in the town and had drinks at a pub. But at 9.30 pm it rained and we had to run back all the way to the camp. As we didn't have our cagoules or the umbrella, we had a thorough drenching because the rain was quite heavy and there was also thunder and lightning occasionally. After changing in the car we got back into the tent and went to sleep.
To be continued ...
Friday, 26 October 2012
Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha
 |
| Ba & Mak leaving for Hajj on Jordan Airlines, 23.11.1974 Bro MN accompanied them. |
Thursday, 25 October 2012
A Summer Road Trip
Jottings from the pages of a road trip journal ...
1977 August 15 (Mon)
After some hectic shopping and getting the MOT for the car, we left Chorlton-cum-Hardy at 8 pm, heading for Shrewsbury. After passing Northwich and Whitchurch, at 9.50 pm we set up camp near Wem, 4 miles off the A49. Must say it was not easy putting up the tent quickly by the car headlights. After some tea we got into our (sleeping) bags.
Notes: Chorlton-cum-Hardy (a suburb of the city of Manchester) - our home from 1977-mid 1980; Wem is a small market town in Shropshire
August 16 (Tue)
It was nice and dry and we left Wem at 9 am, reaching Shrewsbury half an hour later. This city looks a bit like Chester with black and white buildings. Leaving Shrewsbury we went on to Church Stretton. Here we spent four hours walking up The Long Mynd, coming down via a stream valley, and the Old Radnor Forest. The weather all along has been nice and cool. I must confess that my new walking shoes hurt a bit although M felt 'nothing'. After passing Ludlow, Leominster (cities again reminding one of Chester), and Kington we crossed the border into Wales (at 5.30 pm), and spent the night in Walton. By this time it was raining and even by the next morning it was still doing so.
Notes: Shrewsbury, birthplace of Charles Darwin, is a beautiful Shropshire medieval market town lying on the River Severn; Church Stretton - another historic market town in Shropshire; The Long Mynd - part of the Shropshire Hills area of great natural beauty; Old Radnor Forest - a rock dome.
August 17 (Wed)
The rain just fell and fell and by 2 pm we got fed up of being caved in the tent and got out for Kington, about 4 miles away. Here we walked up to Hergest Ridge along the Offa's Dyke path. There was rain, wind and mist but it was a wonderful experience walking amidst the bracken and watch the mist rising up. We only met three other people on the lonely ridge. At 4.30 pm we left and after packing headed for Rhayader to spend the night near Devil's Bridge. All along, the Mid Welsh countryside were beautiful - lowlands of grazing sheep and farms and uplands of heather. The camping ground which was owned by a farm was quite full, especially of families with
caravans. The wind was particularly strong.
Notes:
Kington is a market town in Herefordshire; Hergest Ridge - a large elongated hill which traverses the border between England and Wales; Offa's Dyke is an earth bank built around 1200 years ago and runs along/near the borders of England and Wales; Devil's Bridge or Pontafyrnach in Welsh is 'the bridge over the Mynach'.
August 18 (Thu)
After breakfast we walked to Devil's Bridge, picking raspberries along the way. At DB we visited the tourist attraction there - the waterfalls, but it was far too 'touristic' for us. At 2 pm we left for Aberystwyth some 13 miles away. Aberystwyth proved a nice little seaside town with narrow streets and a very long promenade. It was quite a busy town with no doubt tourists welling up the 12,000 population. The sun was out but still it was a bit chilly.We left Aber for Fishguard, passing Aberaeron and Cardigan. The coast road enabled us to see Cardigan Bay and the Irish Sea.
On reaching Fishguard at 6.30 pm (after some very winding narrow streets!) we stopped by the harbour and saw what I thought was a sinking ship. Then we retraced the road to set up tent at Fishguard Bay. The wind was ever so strong and was keen to blow the tent away! But luckily there was no rain ...
Notes: Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea; Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire
August 19 (Fri)
I thought too soon, because just before morning there was rain which stopped only at about 9 am. Then we went on a two hour coast path walk. It was really splendid to see the little bays and steep cliffs. All the way there there were blackberries and heather galore! At one spot the yellow gorse and purple heather growing in between the rocks was a lovely sight to see. At the end of the walk we were quite near Fishguard town and from this point could see clearly what turned out to be a sunken Liberian cargo ship (I found out it was grounded in December but because of insurance problems, was still lying there to be recovered).
We left Fishguard at 2.30 pm and intending to spend the night in Brecon, we traveled through Haverfordwest, Carmathen, Llandeilo and Llandovery. But there was no camping ground in sight at Brecon (a market town) or Abergavenny or nearby Pontypool. In fact it was getting dark and the areas around were not too inviting (Brynmawr and others looked like industrial ghost towns!) so we sped for Cardiff which by night almost reminded me of Paris. We stayed at the Balkan Hotel (Bed & Breakfast), draining 8 pounds sterling from our pockets. But the shower (and breakfast the next morning) did us some good because M was very tired.
To be continued ...
1977 August 15 (Mon)
 |
| Chorlton (CNB 1977) |
Notes: Chorlton-cum-Hardy (a suburb of the city of Manchester) - our home from 1977-mid 1980; Wem is a small market town in Shropshire
August 16 (Tue)
 |
| (MB 1977) |
Notes: Shrewsbury, birthplace of Charles Darwin, is a beautiful Shropshire medieval market town lying on the River Severn; Church Stretton - another historic market town in Shropshire; The Long Mynd - part of the Shropshire Hills area of great natural beauty; Old Radnor Forest - a rock dome.
August 17 (Wed)
 |
| (CNB 1977) |
caravans. The wind was particularly strong.
 |
| (MB 1977) |
Kington is a market town in Herefordshire; Hergest Ridge - a large elongated hill which traverses the border between England and Wales; Offa's Dyke is an earth bank built around 1200 years ago and runs along/near the borders of England and Wales; Devil's Bridge or Pontafyrnach in Welsh is 'the bridge over the Mynach'.
August 18 (Thu)
 |
| (CNB 1977) |
On reaching Fishguard at 6.30 pm (after some very winding narrow streets!) we stopped by the harbour and saw what I thought was a sinking ship. Then we retraced the road to set up tent at Fishguard Bay. The wind was ever so strong and was keen to blow the tent away! But luckily there was no rain ...
Notes: Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea; Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire
August 19 (Fri)
I thought too soon, because just before morning there was rain which stopped only at about 9 am. Then we went on a two hour coast path walk. It was really splendid to see the little bays and steep cliffs. All the way there there were blackberries and heather galore! At one spot the yellow gorse and purple heather growing in between the rocks was a lovely sight to see. At the end of the walk we were quite near Fishguard town and from this point could see clearly what turned out to be a sunken Liberian cargo ship (I found out it was grounded in December but because of insurance problems, was still lying there to be recovered).
We left Fishguard at 2.30 pm and intending to spend the night in Brecon, we traveled through Haverfordwest, Carmathen, Llandeilo and Llandovery. But there was no camping ground in sight at Brecon (a market town) or Abergavenny or nearby Pontypool. In fact it was getting dark and the areas around were not too inviting (Brynmawr and others looked like industrial ghost towns!) so we sped for Cardiff which by night almost reminded me of Paris. We stayed at the Balkan Hotel (Bed & Breakfast), draining 8 pounds sterling from our pockets. But the shower (and breakfast the next morning) did us some good because M was very tired.
To be continued ...
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
SA Garden Catalogue: Frangipani
It has been raining daily lately so no need to water the garden except for the plants under the porch. Both the pink and white/yellow Frangipani have been in flower for some time already. Only the two planted in containers. The one on the ground seems quite reluctant after one initial burst of blooms. Anyway, some Frangipani facts:
Common name: Frangipani
Malay name: Kemboja
Scientific name: Plumeria acuminata (for the Pointed frangipani) & Plumeria obtusa (for the Rounded frangipani)
Family: Apocynaceae, Periwinkle family
Origin: Tropical America
The Pointed frangipani are hybrids that come in many exotic shades of pink, red, yellow and white. The leaf tips are pointed. The Rounded frangipani has white flowers with yellow centres, ant the leaf tips are rounded. Frangipani loves the sun and is easy to propagate by terminal shoot cuttings. But personally, I have not been successful in planting any red ones.
In the 1940s, Frangipani trees were commonly planted in graveyards. Traditionally the Malays do not like to plant Frangipani in their gardens because it is deemed bunga kubur, the graveyard flower. So if you are anywhere near a graveyard you can often see the trees of mainly white flowers, and sometimes you can smell their fragrance, especially at dawn and at dusk, the supposedly 'eerie' hours of neither day nor night. (Ooooo... Just hope you do not come across a pontianak or two! Just kidding ... Mana ada hantu?).
For the Hindu, especially in Bali, India and Sri Lanka, the Frangipani is "temple flower" because the trees are planted near temples, and used in temple ceremonies. The Hawaiians and Polynesian islanders have used these beautiful flowers as leis of welcome and to adorn themselves since a long time ago. Of course the fragrance of the Frangipani has led to its commercial use in aromatherapy; perfumes, essential oils, soaps, lotions, and candles.
 |
| SA Garden pink Frangipani in July (CNB 2012) |
Common name: Frangipani
Malay name: Kemboja
Scientific name: Plumeria acuminata (for the Pointed frangipani) & Plumeria obtusa (for the Rounded frangipani)
Family: Apocynaceae, Periwinkle family
Origin: Tropical America
The Pointed frangipani are hybrids that come in many exotic shades of pink, red, yellow and white. The leaf tips are pointed. The Rounded frangipani has white flowers with yellow centres, ant the leaf tips are rounded. Frangipani loves the sun and is easy to propagate by terminal shoot cuttings. But personally, I have not been successful in planting any red ones.
 |
| This Frangipani planted in the ground flowered only once in March and not since (CNB 2012) |
In the 1940s, Frangipani trees were commonly planted in graveyards. Traditionally the Malays do not like to plant Frangipani in their gardens because it is deemed bunga kubur, the graveyard flower. So if you are anywhere near a graveyard you can often see the trees of mainly white flowers, and sometimes you can smell their fragrance, especially at dawn and at dusk, the supposedly 'eerie' hours of neither day nor night. (Ooooo... Just hope you do not come across a pontianak or two! Just kidding ... Mana ada hantu?).
For the Hindu, especially in Bali, India and Sri Lanka, the Frangipani is "temple flower" because the trees are planted near temples, and used in temple ceremonies. The Hawaiians and Polynesian islanders have used these beautiful flowers as leis of welcome and to adorn themselves since a long time ago. Of course the fragrance of the Frangipani has led to its commercial use in aromatherapy; perfumes, essential oils, soaps, lotions, and candles.
 |
| The potted white-yellow Frangipani in October. Flowering since June, this is the second bunch (CNB 2012) |
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
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