..this old man loves Fridays..he would normally rushed back from his morning prayers, have a quick changed of clothes..jogging shoes, t-shirt and sweat-shirt..patted the cats that milled around his feet..and off to the beach, 4 kilometers away.. Pantai Irama.. catching the sunrise as he arrived...
..ahh..a tryst with the sun..a meeting with the sea heaving its chest..and a lovers carress from the breeze..
..to walk barefoot as the waves slowly teases with its foamy crests...feeling the sand under your feet and your walk feels soft and springy.....a playful wind blows hair askew, and you don't care, as you try to avoid the waves that try to lap your feet..seagulls flew above answering with shrill calls the laughter of youths playing ball on the sand ..and you look to where the sea meets the sky, and a soft red orb casts its spell on you as it rises..pushing aside the clouds..opening the sky..
'hi, pakmat..hi pakcik..'
smiles bridging the sea..
no man, indeed, is an island..
..and later, on the way back, I would stopped for some nasi kerabu at Kak Jah...Cabang Tiga, Kubang Kawah...
.....the spread of various nasi that they had was enough to water this oldster's mouth..nasi dagang with gulai tuna, nasi berlauk.. gulai ikan or ayam, pulut pagi with red beans and grated coconut..and a variety of kuih..by 8 o'clock, a good crowd had gathered..at rm1.50 per packet, pakmat got his in a jiffy..being a regular..
..life goes on for this old coot..far cry from the maddening rush of old..it has more or less settled..like that sand on the beach of a calm sea..footprints left, lingered and vanished...shimmering in the morning sun..
19 comments:
"...pulut pagi with red beans and grated coconut..." Ahhh....pakmat, I just can't shed the thought of such mouth-watering delicacy out of my mind! Must try making one day.
Wow Pak Mat, the nasi belauk looks so good. And still can get for RM1 per pack, I believe. By the way this morning I have a chance to eat nasi belauk with my beloving wife at "Restoran Mak Wan" near Pasar Keramat. Two nasi belauk 'ikan aya', one pulut pagi, and two teh panas, cost us RM10...hmmm.
Note: I follow u.
Salam Pak Mat
I wanted to comment earlier ,but due to time constraints was unable to do it.
Somehow reading this entry reminded me of an article that I read of an American scholar,James Morris who discovered 'ehsan',a humbling kindness that he could not find in the Modern West. This 'ehsan' opened his heart to Islam.
A Moroccon family had showed him such kindness,compassion and sincerity ,going out of its way to make him welcome,knowing the family had spent on him was more than what it would normaly spend in a year.This experience had such a profound effect on him that led him to study the Quran and eventually he embraced Islam.
I have been priviledged to experience this "humbling kindeness' when I was a guest to a family in Kota Bharu(total strangers to me)when the lady of the house took the trouble to buy the varieties of 'nasi' for breakfast for me to sample,making me feel at home .And I am glad to note that from your blog on 'titbits and cousins', the hospitality is very much a part of you and your family's lifestyle.
To quote James Morris ..'these parts of the world may be poor but Islam give them a beauty that is lacking in other parts of the modern world'
I know God has blessed me..
Aini
PakMat dear,
This cat would love to join you on your morning walks and the nasi breakfast afterwards. Care to email us your address?
Mama hasn't made Nasi Dagang for quite a while now, will beg her today. purrr....meow!
..lili..when it comes to breakfast, we are spoilt for choice..dan ore kelate terlalu utamakan sarapan pagi..dari satay sampai ke pulut..and steamed red beans with pulut and grated coconuts is a favorite..
..sot..harga diKelantan, terutama Bachok masih lagi terlalu rendah berbanding KL..:)..sesuai dgn orang pencen..:)..terima kasih..
..salam aini..hmm..was a guest in KBharu before, hey?..so you must have noted and experienced our Kelantanese hospitality..but Kelantanese are sometimes an enigma..yang terbaik dan alim, mereka..yang terjahat dan zalim, mereka juga..a state of extreme..but such are Kelantanese..highly partisan..and clannish..
..but you have a lot to say, lady..think its about time you blog..
happy new year..
,..my dear cat..pakmat would love to have your company in my morning walks..to quote Uncle Lee, let the sunrise pales with your presence, and perk up this oldster walk with a lively jaunt as you purr and skit on the sand..(Im not sure whether Lee said that, but Im sure, given half a chance, he would..)happy new year, cat..jdbb..
laa.. kawe tak ingat bila laa kalai terakhir gi pantai ni... ak gi pantai irama ni rasa tak tergamak nak duk lepak2 dgn anak beranak.... banyak gangguan pandangan
Sedap sungguh nampoknya nasi berlauk tuh.....
Salam Pak mat
He he...sorry again to take so much space.Now that you mention about Kelantanese being highly partisan and clannish...yes thats why I always have problem interacting with Kelantanese. In general they exasperate me with their attitude.May I know why? I hope I am not being rude here.
Aini
Hello Pakmat, love your pictures here. I have always loved the sea. And Kelantan has really beautiful beaches.
I will always remember Pantai Cinta Berahi of years gone by...of course not alone, *wink*.
Sometimes I think back of those years sitting on the beach with a lovely Kelantan maiden, listening to her beautiful Kelantanese Malay accent watching the sun go down, soft Trade winds caressing us...far away hearing lovely kronchong music...
ahhhh, pure Nirvana.
For whom the bell tolls
No man is an island.
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
Here's wishing you the very best of the new year. May your days be filled with laughter always and good health.
Happy new year, Pakmat, best regards, Lee.
the beach make me warm and miss the old times in my village, what a wonderful beach there and o lot of memories that i think it only come once in my life.. :)
sifu..guano demo ni..duk dekat pata..tak rajin gi..rugi tu..rugi sakan..mari jogging pagi-pagi jumaat bersama pakmat kalu tak tergamak duk santai petang..tapi kalu gi petang dan nampak ado ore tua duk main sports kite..wau 2 tali..pakmat la tu..
pakman..
..memang kak jah ni sohor tempat jual nasi berlauk pagi-pagi..enak-enak belaka..
..aini..no, you r not being rude..just curious..and Kelantanese are clannish once they are out of homestate..they tend to watch out for each other..important for survival in the early days..but back in their homestate..they r ok..friendly and hospitable..
..Uncle Lee..
..you got me in your last post..its poignancy leaves this old man searching for words to express his feelings..and you got me now..for yes, I was quoting John Donne..I quoted just a line..and you quoted all..:) for no man is an island..entire by itself..for we are all of one author..interconnected..spread all over the globe..thro time and space..and when a man dies, a chapter is not torn off..but translated into a better language..and pakmat akins the tolls of bells as the azan..the call to prayer amongst Muslims..calling the congregation to come..for every man's death diminilshes me..diminishes us all..you, uncle lee and me, pakmat, and others like us..for we are involved with mankind..and death has always been my constant companion..
cheers, lee..take care and be good..for life is short..but seconds long..
.anatalia.,.
..pakmat tahu pantai andi lebih indah dari Pantai Irama..I am sure you are missing home..:) and have lots of memories..but you re making more memories now, andi..and one day you will look back and remember them fondly..and maybe one day you might just step foot on Pantai Irama and remember Pakmat...selamat tahun baru..and always remain focus on whatever you r doing..jdbb
Thank you Pakmat, men like you don't grow on trees, ha ha.....glad our paths did not cross old days, otherwise my florists semua retire early, arhaaaa ha ha, best regards, Lee.
.no, Lee, we do not grow on trees..for we, you and me, are the sons of the soil..I like to think that we are the trees..given shade and shelter to those in need..giving temporary relief..and, especially you, bringing cheer and a smile to tired hearts, like me..and others like me..
Hi Pakmat, I love the pictures you take. Very Malaysian, very warm. They tell a lot of stories. I remember there's one pic of your son and a cat taking an afternoon nap. Very inspiring. How nice if I can draw it. Oh yes, the fisherman pic is also also very nice for oil painting.
ytc..my medium is limited to the camera and words..I can't paint..unlike you..painting is a gift confined to a few..so paint, ytc..honed that skill that youre gifted with..and if you find my pic inspiring, draw them..no need to ask..
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