Day 1 - 15 June 2007 (Friday)As planned, we gathered at
Mak's place by 8.00 am. Everybody was there will full loads of things to bring to
Terengganu. After a
Doa was read by
Abg Teh, we started out journey to
Terengganu with a scheduled stop at R&R
Temerloh.
Thereon, we headed for
Marang. Before reaching
Kemaman,
Abg and
Abg Teh stopped for Friday's prayers whilst the rest of us drive on further. The
Selamat Datang ke Terengganu sign board welcoming us to that state once we entered Cukai. We reached Marang at about 3.30pm. We were housed in 3 chalets but most were housed in Impiana Rumuda Chalet - a small but quite comfortable place with air-cond. rooms.
Kak Chik and family were already there. We met Denise's family who came a day earlier. Met
Riek (Denise mom), Michel (brother), Manon (sister-in-law) and their 2 lovely kids. There were nice family and we had no problem getting along with each other despite our family never met them before.
While waiting for the rest to arrive, some of the kids couldn't wait to jump into the sea. Full of joy. Although,
Marang's beach was not the best beach in the world, the kids wouldn't care as long as there is water to play in.
Once when almost everybody around ( although some still haven't arrived yet), we started to organise some games. Although we plan to start at 5.30pm but since not many people were around yet, we then start at 6.00pm. Initially everybody was tired and wasn't in the mood for anything. But they were transformed once we divided them into teams head by my bothers and in-laws. Ina (my youngest sis) and Fifi (niece) helped me organised these games.
Once everybody had settled in their team, we started to play the "coconut bowling". Yeah coconut as the bowling ball and water-filled mineral bottle as the pins. It was quite interesting when everyone tried hard to get the pins down with all tactics and style.
The next game was passing rubber bands using straws from one person to another without using their hands. It was hilarious to see them doing things that they have not done before. Young and old alike. Everybody participated and it was quite amusing to see those who were quiet and reserved becoming hysterical and screaming for their teams especially the uncles and aunties.
Next we have another game i.e. filling up water into a container using sponge. By now everybody was getting more competitive and
strategising how they could win. Although it was drizzling by then, they continued to play. By 7.30pm it was already
maghrib and we had to stop playing although there were many games to be played.
At night, some of us went to do the 'squid jigging' (
candat sotong). I was too tired to go after a long day. I heard they came back about 2 am with only 4 squids.
There was a sudden
black out all over the town. It was quite humid. Luckily we were supplied with candle light. The electric supply only came back by 10.00pm.
Day 2 - 16 June 2007 (Saturday)
Woke up early as usual and took a short walk to the beach. Very calm. Only the sound of waves can be heard - no sounds traffics. How I wish I could be there more often.
Kak Chik went out early to by breakfast for us. She bought all the
Terengganu breakfast delicacies she found at the market. Having breakfast at the "
wakaf" next to the chalet beside the sea was mesmerising as well.
The ladies started preparing
bunga rampai for the
nikah ceremony.
Riek (Denise's mom) also help out. It an experience for her.
Since the
Nikah will only be after
Asar, so it was free and easy for us. By 10.30 am, some of us went to
Pasar Payang in K.
Terengganu. I had been there twice before. Since I knew the way there, most of them followed.
Although
Pasar Payang a tourist attraction but it's not the best and most comfortable place for shopping. It had not changed much since I last been there. It was humid, hot and not much ventilation. I wonder how people can survive there for years selling their stuff.
After making a round with my sis and little Mimi, we had to take a breather outside the place. Most of the shops sold the same thing. It's either some batik (which I think its out of fashion too),
songket (which they sold exorbitantly expensive since your don't speak their slang) or some Thailand stuff. Mimi wanted to find a sea-shell key chain as she is collecting of kinds of key chains.
On the ground floor, they sold the dried and wet food stuff. I notice they still sell turtles eggs. That was the first time Mimi saw turtles eggs. I told Mimi that these turtles eggs should not be sold anymore because they are now extinct. I wonder how the authority view this issue in
Terengganu. Anyway I bought some
keropok as Mimi wanted to have some.
By this time
Kak Lang was a bit dizzy due to the heat so we had leave. On the way back, I was looking for a Cake shop as
Kak Chik reminded me to a cake to surprise
Taha (brother in law) to night. Believe me, it was easy to find a cake shop in K.
Terengganu. We went round and round until I gave up searching. So we decided to head to lunch in
Pantai Batu
Burok.
After lunch and on the way back to
Marang, we still put on our radar in search for a bakery shop. At last we saw one small bakery shop in one of the
kampung. Aren't we glad that there is at least bakery shop in
Terengganu..
heheh.. So we immediate bought one and head for the chalet to get ready for the
Nikah ceremony.
By 4.00 pm, everybody was ready to go to the
Masjid Tengku Tengah Zahrah or more popularly known as
Masjid Terapung Kuala Ibai. Everybody dressed in shades blue.
After the
Asar prayers was done, the
Juru Nikah came and met us. The
Nikah ceremony was to be done in the middle of the mosque. The
hantaran was arranged nicely in a row.
Both Emma and Denise dressed in matching cream
songket and satin. They looked brilliantly well but was a bit nervous though. Who won't when everyone was eyeing on both of them especially when the groom is a mat
saleh. I was told that this is the first time ever a mat
saleh wed a
malay in the mosque. I don't know how far if its true.
Even our official photographer, Bob, invited his friends who is a journalist/photographer from
Kosmo to cover the event. No wonder there more than 5 photographers were there clicking their shutterbugs but were strangers to us.
My brother-in-law did the
Akad himself and was witness by my two eldest brothers. It was done in English. "I wed you with my daughter
Rizaitul Emma
Razali with RM50 cash". Dennis who had been practising it before but he forgot to say the RM50 cash. So it had to be done again. The second time, he calmly pronounced the whole sentence. Thus they now became lawfully husband and wife.
After all the legal documents were signed-off, the giving was "Mas
Kahwin" and exchanging of rings was done.
We managed to group everybody around for the group photograph, which was quite hectic as it was not easy to everyone sitting still for a snap shot. We got some stares from people around us. Probably they were wondering what on us are these people doing here.....
Later we adjourned to the veranda for a simple tea. We were served by at least 6 varieties of local
Terengganu delicacies. It was prepared by some my brother-in-law's staff based in K.
Terengganu.
Below is the picture of the newly wed couple with both side of the family.
Surprise..surprise. Remember our official photographer? He arranged for a
trishaw (
beca) for the newly wed couple.
Dennise cycle the
trishaw while Emma in tow. He loves doing it but made everybody laughed. He even cycled around the lake while the photographers snapping their shots.
Day Two - Evening
We were a bit tired when we got back to the chalets. It was already 6pm then. But I took a rest for a while.
Did I tell you that there was no water supply in the chalet? The pressure was low and the supply didn't get into the main tank. Thus all the rooms were without water. It happen in the morning and we thought by the time we got back, the water supply was back. Unfortunately not. The only supply of water was from a pipe near the wakaf at the back of the chalet. So everybody was seen carrying buckets of water into their rooms. I wonder what these Dutch family of ours think about the water supply in Malaysia... hahaa..
After Magrhib we were ready for the next event. Barbecue cum dinner and also some games. I tell you, the food were plenty. Initially I thought it was only Nasi Ulam and Nasi Minyak plus the barbecue. The portion was so much that we can serve at least one hundred people. I already told my sister why is food too much that we can even serve the whole kampung folks. But that was not the end. Later my brother-in-law's staff brought another big portion of Laksam/Laksa and Nasi Dagang plus the left over kueh from the Masjid (after the Nikah). I tell you we could now served the whole of Marang people.
Earlier they brought a full tank of
soya bean milk like the one you saw sold in the
pasar malam. My sister arrange with somebody to send it to our chalet. It was so nice and that I have been drinking cups after cups of
iced cold soya bean milk. (Now I regret it because I now had bad cough and my voice now croaking and I'm supposed to the MC at their reception in Seri Melayu).
We started off with
Doa Selamat read by
Abg Dak. Prayed that everything was fine. We were seated on mats arranged nice besides the chalet. My sister just want to do something different especially when some of our foreigners guests were around. Even the
journarlist / photographers were around clicking away these unusual scene.
Abang, my eldest brother started burning the charcoal before
marghib so that the charcoal will be nicely turned into
ambers for the barbecue. The even barbecued the squids that they got the night before.
Once the tummy was filled, it was time for games. Their spirit was still high since they had played some games the day before. Everybody seems excited to play. As they were new comers i.e. Emma's Irish friends who just arrived from New Zealand this afternoon, I divided them into the already formed teams.
The first game was making "words out of a word". It simply making out other words using alphabets from a given words. For a start, I gave them the word "
PERSIAPAN". From this word, they can rearrange the word and start making more word
eg.
siap,
papan,
siapa, etc. etc. It was fun when every trying to make as many words as possible
within 5 minutes.
The Irish, Dutch and Indian now complaining as they didn't understand Malay. But there were surprise that I have already plan someting for them in English. Thus the next word was "EXAMINATION". Now they got no excuses for not playing. And this get everybody more excited. You know, all kinds of words you never heard of came out. What a laugh?
The next game was the Teka-Teki and also Riddles in English. See I prepared for them so that everybody will enjoy it. And of course, some of them came out with ridiculous answers.
See if you could answer these:
1. What is so fragile even saying its name can break it?
2. What 11-letter English word does everyone pronounce incorrectly?
Or the Malay teka-teki :
1. Apa dia kalau kita berjalan dia berjalan, kalau kita berhenti berjalan dia terus berjalan, tapi kalau dia berhenti jalan kita yang jalan?
2. Apa bezanya jatuh pokok kelapa dengan jatuh perigi?
Got the answers?? Hehehe.. I told you it was fun.
Next, we have "building a stucture by using only straws and musking tape" game. Everybody get the same no. of straw and the challenge is that they have to build a structure as highest as possible and it can at least stand by itself for at least 10 seconds.
Now it was fun seeing these people young and old so excited to get their highest stucture built up. Unfortunately some does last for 5 seconds and they collapse.
It was too much fun that we did noticing that it was already about 11.30pm. So it times for prize giving. I had earlier calculated all the scores and have already identified the winners. The prizes was all sponsored by the family members. It was only water tumblers, tooth brush and soap container, cheap watches, instant noodles, purse and many more. These prizes were not expensive but the excitement is worth more than it.
After all the team prizes were given away, there were still plenty of prizes. Thus we had to do the treasure hunt i.e. who ever got the things first that I mentioned will get the prize. It was hillarious seeing everybody searching for things so that they will win the prize.
But before we forget, it was a Taha's birthday (my younger brother-in-law). Luckily Kak Chik reminded me on that. I was too involved in the games and prize giving, I totally forgot about it. So Ija took the cake from my room and had everybody sang Happy Birthday for Taha.
It was already mid-night when the last prize was given away. So we took a group photograph.
The last agenda was playing fireworks at the beach. The kids were already excited and everybody headed for the beach. With fireworks exploded in the quiet mid-night, I hope it didn't wake up the kampung folks.
I was already tired by then. After the whole day affair, I was already up for a good night sleep.
Day 3 - 17 June 2007 (Sunday)
As usual, I am an early riser. Woke up by the sound of Azan from a nearby mosque. It was very calming sound of the muazzin calls for morning prayers.
By now the water supply is back as normal. After taking prayers, I went to help my sisters preparing the breakfast at the wakaf. And as expected, it was the left over of yesterday abundance food. The Nasi ulam and the Laksam was still good for breakfast. They make the nicest Laksam there. Somehow it tasted better than the Laksam I used to eat in KL.
I woke up Mimi and Acik asking them to go for their last dip in the sea before we go back. Their cousins were already playing in the water. Of course, they would wake up happily and got into their swimming suits and headed for the seas. How I wish their would do the same at home when I woke them up to go to school!!!!
By 10.30 am. we were prepared to leave Marang. Kak Chik & her family will only leave when they have settled everything there. Me and some of us left early. We do make some stop here and there to buy some lemangs and keropok lekor to take back. We reached home safely about 6.30 pm.
Now it's time to prepare for Emma's reception in Seri Melayu and Getah Asli this weekend. I hope my croaking voice will be ok by then for me to emcee the ceremony.
