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This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


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The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Friday, January 18, 2013

Pantai Pasir Hitam, the black sand beach

Continued from The myth of Gua Cherita.


From Tanjung Rhu we drove westwards towards a place called Pantai Pasir Hitam.




Pantai means beach, Pasir is sand and Hitam is black in Malay.


This is because the sand here is indeed black.





The myth of Gua Cherita

Continued from Gua Kelawar - The Bat Cave.


Soon it was time to return to Tanjung Rhu.


We headed towards the open sea and started to follow the coast.



Soon this sign could be seen.


Close to Tanjung Rhu lies a long jetty.




It leads to a cave called Gua Cherita.




The myth or legend goes, more than a thousand years ago a giant bird called Garuda hid a Chinese princess in the cave to prevent her marriage to a Roman prince. 






For the record the story is mentioned in an old Malay classical text called the Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa.




Gua Kelawar - The Bat Cave



The boat then headed to another inland part.


Next stop is the wooden jetty to a tourist attraction.




Welcome to Gua Kelawar, the Bat Cave.



















The waterway from Tanjung Rhu towards jetty to Kilim

Continued from The beach of Tanjung Rhu.


At the beach I decided to take the family for a boat trip.


From Tanjung Rhu the boat swerves above the Andaman Sea heading for a bay.


The trip should cover a number of places starting with a fish farm.




Here we spent a short while looking at quite a number of types of fishes swimming in their almost natural habitat. Almost...


Next is a spot often frequented by eagles.


This where people get to see the majestic birds swooping down on food thrown by boat operators.



Then we followed an inland waterway through a mangrove swamp.




We passed through steep valleys.


We even went through a cave known as Gua Buaya or cave of the crocodile.






It is called that because there is a combination of stones outside which looks like the mouth of a crocodile.

Soon the waterway widens up again giving way to what seemed like a private parking lot for yachts.


Then we can see a jetty which we have stepped upon earlier during the day. Look at the article The entry point to Kilim Geoforest.


The beach of Tanjung Rhu

Continued from Jetty of Tanjung Rhu.


Soon its time to check out the beach of Tanjung Rhu.


First, park the car at the stalls.




Then walk towards the beach. Ah... the view is already breathtaking from here.


Part of the beach is fenced as it is a private area under a resort.


Still the sand is alluring at both sides of the fence.




And the sea, the Andaman Sea. This is indeed a sight to behold...