WHY I LOVE HARI RAYA

Although I don't celebrate Hari Raya I wish I could and I will tell you why I love Hari Raya.

1. FOOD

Photos:Abundance of Traditional Malay food

Photos: During Ramadhan period, pasar Ramadhan sells home based cooked meals.

Photos: Locals sellingMalay cusine of various taste.

Photos: Nasi Minyak & Nasi Dagang

Photos: Ayam Masak Merah

Photos: Grilled Burung Puyuh

Photos: Nasi Kerabu

Photos: Ayam Percik on the grill

My all time favourite food for Hari Raya are:

Photos: Beef Rendang and Chicken Rendang

Photos: Lemang slowcooked on open food fire

Photos: Jelly Cake

Photos:Pandan flavour Jelly Cake

Photos: Sago Jelly Cake

Photos: Freshly made Popiah

2. HARI RAYA SONGS

I just love the nostalgia and that Balik Kampung feel when you hear these songs.

Create a MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

Don't believe me, have a listen.

3.Hari Raya Decorations and Lights

Photos: Raya lights for pavement

Photos: Ketupat Decorative Lights

Photos: Ketupat with Coconut Shells Decoration

Photos:Plastic Tropical Flowers

Photos: Raya deco in Tropicana City Mall, PJ

Photos: Mock Palm Tree with Huge Ketupat Deco

And finally, why I love Hari Raya is beacuse of the long holidays and the many open houses by friends. So see you in the open house and to all Muslim readers,

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI, MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN

Why I Love Hari Raya, compiled by AphaRock

THE BEAUTY OF MALAYSIA'S NATURE WALK

This post I would like to call The Beauty of Malaysia's Nature Walk. It is merely images of Malaysian Nature from my recent trip to Pahang and Terengganu.

Flower by the road.

Conifer trees by the beach.

Long stretch of sandy beaches along the coast of East Malaysia.

Chalets among the coconut grove.

Moss on rocks.

Ferns on a water fountain.

Hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower.

Monkey walking the wire.

Koi Fishes.

Flowering Fern.

Snail on the slide after the rain.

Crab by the beach.

Water plant.

Fruting Mango tree.

Banana Fruit.

Monkey by the road.

Yellow flowers aplenty in Malaysia.

Thorny flower.

Paper flower.

Trained monkey to pluck coconuts. Noticed the coconut on the ground and the owner walking around picking it up.

Could not catch a good shot but it actually is a shot of a hornbill on the oil palm tree. Maybe just a tiny glimsp of his yellow white beak. I didn't know they actually live in this parts of the country.

JOURNEY FROM CHERATING TO KUALA TERENGGANU

On the second day of our vacation in Cherating we decided to make a trip up north towards Kuala Terengganu. We started our journey around 10:30am and along the way we made a few stops.

Our first stop was the Turtle Sanctuary which was located just next to Club Med Cherating.

It is a Sanctuary for young turtles.

And baby turtles.

Of course you cannot leave the place with buying a toy turtle souvenir.

We continued our jouney passed Kemaman town and right outside Kamaman town we saw a Gerai Lemang and decided to stopped to get some.

They were selling an interesting food called Sata.

We couldn't wait. Immediately ate the lemang with dried beef. It was the best lemang in my life, soft and coconut flavoured rice was just exquisite. Sata was actually fish paste on banana leaf and panggang (grilled) with a hint of spice.

Next, we went and checked out Awana Golf Resort Hotel.

Lobby area.

Awana swimming pool.

Beach actvities at Awana.

We passed the Petronas Oil Refinery Plant at Kerteh.

At the fringe of Kuala Terengganu we stopped at the famous Floating Mosque of Kuala Terengganu. A magnificent sight indeed.

When we reached Kuala Terengganu at around 4:30pm we got caught in a traffic crawl which was worst than KL's and so we decided not to stop coz we had to get back to Cherating and I hate to drive at night and thus no photos taken of KT but this roadside sea creatures.

This is the images of my Journey from Cherating to Kuala Terengganu.

Ramadhan Bazaar Pasar Balok near Cherating

In the evening in Cherating instead of having dinner in the hotel we thought that we'd explore the many Ramadhan Bazaar in Cherating that had sprouted due to the Ramadhan period.

This Bazzar which we chance upon is about 10 minutes drive from Holiday Villa Cherating. It is located in Pasar Balok next to Sungai Balok.

A RM2.00 murtabak.

The giant size murtabak is priced at RM6.00, and I mean huge.

We have the Ayam Percik in KL and Perak and in Cherating, they have the Ayam Golek. This Ayam Golek is ala Thai and priced at RM18 each.

This is the Ayam Golek Madu (Honey) roasting on hot charcoal. The smell could drive you nuts.

This is bizzare food for some;grilled  bishop's nose, buntut ayam or kai put and grilled hati ayam or chicken heart. Very yummy I assure you but we passed this time round.

And lots of local spicy delicacies.

Our collection of food for dinner from the Ramadhan Bazaar Pasar Balok.

RM3.00 murtabak that had onion, potatoes and huge chunks of chicken meat. Two huge chilli squid at RM7.00.

Gulai Nanas (Spicy Pineapple) at RM2.00 and Nasi Merdeka (Independence Rice) at RM4.00 which comes with a huge portion of yummy grilled spiced chicken meat.

RM1.50 worth of fried noodle.

And finally, Nasi Dagang with Beef Rendang @ RM3.50 (not a typo, very cheap) and grilled honey chicken pieces at RM2.00.

Total dinner cost RM23.00; cheap, delicious and very satisfying...buuurpp. Excuse me.

If you are down here in Cherating this week for the holidays before Raya, do check out the Ramadhan Bazzar Pasar Balok near Cherating.