Kota Bharu, Kelantan yet again.
Third semester lecturers’ induction meeting for the PISMK program.
Kota Bharu, Kelantan. 16 to 20th October 2006.
Day one 16/10/06. Monday
It’s that time again: time to take a few trips and meet a few people to do a few academic things. This time the first trip is to Kota Bharu to attend and run the lecturers’ induction meeting for the PISMK program. I’m making this trip with Ina and Prof Razak. Ina is the interesting one this time. Her father’s a Kelantanese but she has never been to Kelantan. So we will be trying to introduce her to some of the delights of the Kelantanese culinary world. This afternoon, after a trip to the KB OUM office, we went to the Ramadan street food market and we bought her a few things: some jala emas, tahi itek, akoq and a little seri muka for us too.
After the first night’s getting briefings a few of us decided to go the White House café near the old Istana. It’s probably one of KB’s more famous eating places, probably because it appeared in Jalan Jalan Cari Makan that series on eating out on TV3. Menu is really rather mundane, it’s famous for its half boiled eggs, barbeque toasted bread and homemade kaya (egg based spread), and homemade (presumably) coffee. I had some toast, one egg and coffee. Admittedly it was tasty and a pleasant break from the usual fare we get at night in most places – the tom yam stuff.
Day two 17/10/06.
Didn’t get to sleep much last night. The White House coffee was much more potent that first expected and I laid on my bed eyes with but not getting anywhere near sleep let alone REM state. I was only able to sleep a little after Syahur perhaps thanks to the food load in my stomach.
The work proceeds like three legged canine that has just been shot with a 12 gauge shotgun in one of the remaining legs.
Day three 18/10/06
I got myself a rented car and went to visit my grandmother for iftar (breaking of fast). It was good to see the family. I’ll not be able to make it back to Kelantan for Eid this year because Ain’s father is still in hospital at the moment and he will only be released, probably, around Eid. Then he would still not be strong enough to travel anywhere. I also went to visit my uncle on my way back to KB.
Day four 19/10/06 Thursday.
The work is coming to an end with the groups presenting what they have prepared. The work only went on for half a day today because the group wanted to go shopping in Rantau Panjang. So after a nap I went to the old market to buy some tudungs. I found a barber shop called Kedai Gunting Rambut Bangkok (Bangkok Barbershop). I seemed interesting so I stopped for a haircut. My hair was beginning to be unmanageable anyway.
I was getting somewhat bored with the below quality cooking at this hotel. Since day one I have noticed that among the people selling at the Ramadan food market across from the McDonalds in KB there is a stall that has been receiving far more attention than the rest of the stalls. I’ve noticed that there has been a sizable crowd surrounding the place since the first day. So I decided to give it a try today. It was a bit of a hassle with the crowd in the way but I managed to buy a nasi kerabu and some ayam percik.
The things they serve there however caught my interest. We are often told to remove the skin from a chicken to reduce cholesterol intake and also to avoid coconut milk for the same reason. Well, they have kulit ayam percik there which is chicken skin with spicy coconut milk sauce. There was enough there to give many doctors nightmares. I think I should bring Dr. Anand (my family GP) here. He’s a specialist in anti-ageing medicine and cholesterol control is one of the things that he keeps going on about. Perhaps I should buy some for him J
24 October 2006
The first day of Syawal. For the uninitiated, Syawal is an Islamic month, the one that comes after Ramadan. More importantly, it the first day of Eid ul fitri. The Islamic celebration of the end of fast. Theologically, I am told, this is the celebration of the return to ones nature: fitrah. The fasting month is essentially a month long training session when the person undergoes physical, emotional and spiritual cleansing. Syawal, is kinda like a graduation. /QdIlfItri:/
Unfortunately, this year we are not really celebrating much. Ain’s father is in the hospital going in and out of the Intensive care Unit due to various problems related to diabetes. Well, at least he is doing well according to the doctors. Hopefully he will be able to be discharged soon.
So, this morning I went to Eid prayers with Azlan and after that the whole lot of us went to the hospital. We spent the morning there going in and out of the ICU but mostly in the waiting room. I met another family there who were waiting on their mother who was in the ICU also. She was fighting cancer.
Kota Bharu, Kelantan. 16 to 20th October 2006.
Day one 16/10/06. Monday
It’s that time again: time to take a few trips and meet a few people to do a few academic things. This time the first trip is to Kota Bharu to attend and run the lecturers’ induction meeting for the PISMK program. I’m making this trip with Ina and Prof Razak. Ina is the interesting one this time. Her father’s a Kelantanese but she has never been to Kelantan. So we will be trying to introduce her to some of the delights of the Kelantanese culinary world. This afternoon, after a trip to the KB OUM office, we went to the Ramadan street food market and we bought her a few things: some jala emas, tahi itek, akoq and a little seri muka for us too.
After the first night’s getting briefings a few of us decided to go the White House café near the old Istana. It’s probably one of KB’s more famous eating places, probably because it appeared in Jalan Jalan Cari Makan that series on eating out on TV3. Menu is really rather mundane, it’s famous for its half boiled eggs, barbeque toasted bread and homemade kaya (egg based spread), and homemade (presumably) coffee. I had some toast, one egg and coffee. Admittedly it was tasty and a pleasant break from the usual fare we get at night in most places – the tom yam stuff.
Day two 17/10/06.
Didn’t get to sleep much last night. The White House coffee was much more potent that first expected and I laid on my bed eyes with but not getting anywhere near sleep let alone REM state. I was only able to sleep a little after Syahur perhaps thanks to the food load in my stomach.
The work proceeds like three legged canine that has just been shot with a 12 gauge shotgun in one of the remaining legs.
Day three 18/10/06
I got myself a rented car and went to visit my grandmother for iftar (breaking of fast). It was good to see the family. I’ll not be able to make it back to Kelantan for Eid this year because Ain’s father is still in hospital at the moment and he will only be released, probably, around Eid. Then he would still not be strong enough to travel anywhere. I also went to visit my uncle on my way back to KB.
Day four 19/10/06 Thursday.
The work is coming to an end with the groups presenting what they have prepared. The work only went on for half a day today because the group wanted to go shopping in Rantau Panjang. So after a nap I went to the old market to buy some tudungs. I found a barber shop called Kedai Gunting Rambut Bangkok (Bangkok Barbershop). I seemed interesting so I stopped for a haircut. My hair was beginning to be unmanageable anyway.
I was getting somewhat bored with the below quality cooking at this hotel. Since day one I have noticed that among the people selling at the Ramadan food market across from the McDonalds in KB there is a stall that has been receiving far more attention than the rest of the stalls. I’ve noticed that there has been a sizable crowd surrounding the place since the first day. So I decided to give it a try today. It was a bit of a hassle with the crowd in the way but I managed to buy a nasi kerabu and some ayam percik.
The things they serve there however caught my interest. We are often told to remove the skin from a chicken to reduce cholesterol intake and also to avoid coconut milk for the same reason. Well, they have kulit ayam percik there which is chicken skin with spicy coconut milk sauce. There was enough there to give many doctors nightmares. I think I should bring Dr. Anand (my family GP) here. He’s a specialist in anti-ageing medicine and cholesterol control is one of the things that he keeps going on about. Perhaps I should buy some for him J
24 October 2006
The first day of Syawal. For the uninitiated, Syawal is an Islamic month, the one that comes after Ramadan. More importantly, it the first day of Eid ul fitri. The Islamic celebration of the end of fast. Theologically, I am told, this is the celebration of the return to ones nature: fitrah. The fasting month is essentially a month long training session when the person undergoes physical, emotional and spiritual cleansing. Syawal, is kinda like a graduation. /QdIlfItri:/
Unfortunately, this year we are not really celebrating much. Ain’s father is in the hospital going in and out of the Intensive care Unit due to various problems related to diabetes. Well, at least he is doing well according to the doctors. Hopefully he will be able to be discharged soon.
So, this morning I went to Eid prayers with Azlan and after that the whole lot of us went to the hospital. We spent the morning there going in and out of the ICU but mostly in the waiting room. I met another family there who were waiting on their mother who was in the ICU also. She was fighting cancer.
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