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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, April 07, 2017

2017 visit to the tomb of Sultan Malikussaleh



After Perlak we searched for the tomb of a Pasai female ruler called Ratu Nurul Aqla somewhere in a rural area between Lhoksukun and Lhokseumawe. Having found and visited the tomb we went to visit a more prominent tomb. This one belongs to Sultan Malikussaleh, the great grandfather of Nurul Aqla, founder of the kingdom of Pasai, and the earlier kingdom of Samudera.


This tomb is much easier to find as it is a very famous one.






I have been here many times.





Whenever I have time and opportunity I would make it a point to visit. For the Sultan who lived almost 800 years ago is a great great great grandfather of mine...











The tomb of Sultan Malikussaleh.






Besides it lies the tomb of a son (or is it a grandchild?) known as Sultan Malikuzzahir...








Perlak river from Sultan Sayyid Maulana complex



About 16.5 km upstream following the twists and turns of the Perlak river lies the tomb complex of Sultan Sayyid Maulana Abdul Aziz Syah who ruled Perlak 1,200 years ago.


By road it is about 12 km from the main bridge which crosses the Perlak river.


At one side outside the complex lies a section of the river.








Once upon a time when the river was much bigger it used to see ships from as far as the Arab Peninsular harbouring here...








The main bridge crossing Perlak river



After breakfast we continued our journey to the town Perlak about 30 minutes away. A few kilometres before town we have to pass this bridge.


It crosses the Perlak river.


The name Perlak was also used to call a kingdom centred not far from here.


The river used to be much bigger leading to an ancient busy port a few kilometres upstream...



Views from a new hotel in Idi

Peace be upon you this Friday afternoon. On to the 6th day of the 16th-23rd March Aceh travel...

Tuesday morning 21st March 2017. We have spent the night at new hotel in the town of Idi about 7 hours journey by land from Banda Aceh.


I remembered spending the night at another hotel close nearby.


That was in early 2010. This area used to consist of a number of village houses.





This hotel did not exist then.  Now there is a big office for the district leader being built in front.












Going to the rear verandah of the hotel...








At least I can see houses from then time I last came 7 years ago...








Wednesday, April 05, 2017

Peusangan river at a rural part close to the coast



From the Indrapuri mosque we continued south-east. About 5 hours later we found a detour and followed the proposed direction.


Apparently the regular bridge crossing the Peusangan river was damaged.


We were directed to another bridge closer to the coast.




There, the other bridge crossing the Peusangan river, one of the main rivers of Aceh...


A check with Google Earth shows this is bridge is situated about 4 km from the river mouth. 


 It is also the only bridge between the the regular one on the main road and the coast...


Indrapuri old mosque and the Aceh river besides

Peace be upon you all. Straight to the 5th day of the 16th-23rd March Aceh trip.


Monday noon 20th March 2017. We made a stop at this old historical mosque.





A check with Google Map shows it is about 27 km south-east of Banda Aceh.





So every time I went to Aceh I made it a point to visit this mosque.














This is the look of the mosque from a corner to its west.





From that corner you could see the Aceh river peacefully flowing besides...