All adventure at Eifel tower

“Don’t forget to wear your jackets,” abang had warned us before my little brother and I had stepped out of our hotel. The sky was crystal clear, warm and sunny. Sure it wasn’t Malaysian weather, but why ruin a perfectly beautiful day by wearing layers of clothes.

We didn’t take heed to abang’s warning. Both of us took the metro from Bibliothèque station to Champ de Mars. We had been in Paris for three days now, and every time we past the magnificent structure it just took my breath away.

I was delighted to see that there wasn’t a long queue to go up Eiffel Tower. At a price of € 12 to reach the peak( I found that pretty reasonable) and joined the small crowd. I watched at the people in the line. They were from  all over the world. There were the three Japanese old ladies in front of us, chattering away, sometimes glancing around , nodding and grinning as our eyes met. The group of Russian boys, whoopping and talking loudly, the French couples cuddling to each other. All of them had one thing in common. All of them were wearing coats! I looked at my white long sleeve T-shirt and my brother’s short sleeve. It was getting breezy but surely it would be warmer as we go up the peak.

After we had passed the tight security (mental note please check your pockets before you passed the metal detectors. And no the metal detector will not breakdown no matter how many times it beeps when you passed by!)

 

We took the elevator which led us to the second level of the tower. There we had to queue up again to go on the elevator that will take us all the way to the summit. It was a loooooooong wait. That was the time when we felt the cold. The wind was blowing strongly. My hands were numb and my nose was turning pink. My brother was starting to do a little jiggle to keep himself warm.

 The minute the elevator open its door, I was hit by the blast of the wind. It was really, really cold! We tried to channel the cold by focusing on our surrounding. And WHAT a surrounding it was! We could see the whole of France. WE saw a mini Notre Dame, Louvre and Champ De Mars. It was heaven to amateur photographers like the two of us ! We were snapping away like mad, either taking picture of one of us or helping to take picture of others. We even got our pictures taken ! But our excitement lasted for fifteen minutes as the cold got the best of us. And we head down.

 I had a sore throat even before we reached the hotel and had a full blown fever as we drove out of Paris I didn’t even dare to tell abang as I know I wouldn’t be able to escape an ‘I told you so’. Goodbye Paris , Goodbye Eiffel Tower, I would never take your weather for granted if I ever come back.

 

 

 

 

Soul asylum (part 12)

“Aargh!!!” shouted Sharifah bolting up. Something wet and cold was on her face. Panicked she pulled it away. She stared at the thing, disoriented. It was a small wet towel. Sharifah looked around her. She was in a room, with a stack of mattress laying in one corner and a long study table in front of her. She could feel her clothes wet and sticking to her.  Even the mattress beneath her was wet. Where was she? Where was Rafiq?

She was startled by a presence at the door.

 

            “Your awake!” screamed a hysterical Sofia and flung her arms around Shairfah. Sharifah gave a weak smile.

 

            “Who long have I been asleep?” she asked in pure Malay.

            “ Three hours the longest three  hours ever. You were delirious ma... Talking and sleep walking. Wanted to call 999 tadi,” said Sofia kneeling beside her. Sharifah tried to get up and fell back down. Her legs were still weak.

 

            “ Ha, be careful , tengah demam nak pergi mana,” said Sofia feeling her forehead. It was even warm. Sofia moved her hand to Sharifah’s cheeks and then under her chin. She felt beneath her chin.

 

            “Peliknye… your fevers gone,” said Sofia with a frown. Three hours ago her friend was blazing hot and now she was normal. Not even a single temperature. Sharifah tried to get up again. She had to go see Rafiq. She had to go see wether he was ok. Slowly she got up and started towards her the bathroom.

 

            “Jom gi hospital, I need to see Rafiq,” said Sharifah to the still confused Sofia.

 

            “Rafiq? Michael and Aida ada sama dia. He had another a seizure. Their monitoring him,” said Sofia. Sharifah stopped midway to the bathroom.

 

            “Micheal?” asked Sharifah, when was he called so informally?

 

            “You tak ingat? What happened at the clinic and that he sent us back here,” said Sofia.

 

Sharifah looked confused and shook her head.

 

            “Fill me in on the way to the hospital,” she said and turned back towards the bathroom.

 

            Half an hour later the two girls were in the bus towards Kuala Lumpur. Sofia told her what had happened when they went to the clinic, her talk with Michael and while she was sick. In returned Sharifah told her what had happened in her dreams.

Sofia took it really well, she didn’t make fun of her instead she was excited. This would confirmed her theory. Sharifah didn’t say anything and looked at the orange color surrounding the sky as the sun was setting and night emerging.

 

It was dark when they reached the hospital. There wasn’t anybody outside the ICU. Sharifah’s heart was pounding. Normally Aida’s family would be waiting outside the room, waiting anxiously. There was no one. Sharifah felt  scared, for herself and also for Rafiq. Had she failed?

            Sofia saw her anxiety and put a hand on her arm.

 

            “Relaks, it’s just 7.00. Visitors are not aloud inside the ICU so I think they have all gone home.” Sharifah shrugged. The two of them sat on the bench facing the ICU door hoping that either the nurse or even Michael would come out.

 

 

 

They sat there for almost an hour. It was the longest hour that she felt. Both Sofia and Sharifah had fallen a sleep. Sharifah woke up when she felt a hand shaking her. Sharifah opened one eye and saw that it was Aida.

 

            “Hey,” said Sharifah shortly. Aida smiled at her. Was she forgiven?

            “Hi, what are young doing here?” she asked.

            “I heard Rafiq had a seizure so thought of checking up on him”

            “He’s not in the ICU, they moved him.” Sharifah looked at her surprised. Wasn’t he in a critical condition. Why move him? Sofia stirred beside her and woke up. Lazily she smiled at Aida.

 

            “Come on, I’ll take you to him,” said Aida helping Shairfah up. Sharifah looked at her friend trying to search her eyes, wanting to say the words ‘I’m sorry’ and to be forgiven. Aida smiled back at her friend and squeezed her arm gently as if to say that everything between them was okay.

 

            “Are you ok?” asked Aida worriedly. Sharifah just nodded. Aida took them into  a ward full of patients. Aida walk.ed on passing each row of beds until she stopped at the end.

There was a lot of people surrounding the bed, talking excitedly. Shairfah saw Aida’s mother and father. There was some that Sharifah didn’t recognized. All of them looking towards the bed. Aida pulled Sharifah nearer to the bed. The people there parted and gave way for them to walk through. There sitting up straight with a pillow prompt at his back was……..Rafiq, alive, awake…a bit pale but he looked healthy.

 

            Sofia had held back when Aida pulled Shairfah near the bed but she saw Rafiq clearly. Her mouth dropped.

 

            “Exciting isn’t it,” said a voice behind her. Sofia turned and saw Michael standing right behind her, smiling happily.

 

 

            “When did he wake up?” asked Sofia

 

            “Almost two hours ago. Suddenly he bolted up like he’s been electrocuted or something,” said Micahel . “It’s a miracle no signs of brain damage and yet he had three seizures.”

 

            “Yeah  miracle,” said Sofia thoughtfully. She watched as Sharifah approached Rafiq and her gazed dropped at Aida. She looked so happy, there was no sign of jealousy seeing Sharifah near Rafiq.

 

Sharifah walked cautiously towards Rafiq. He was eyeing her even when he was talking to Anita at the other side of his bed. She reached his side and smiled. He smiled back, a bit confused. He looked like he was trying to remember her.

            “Sharifah, my friend,” whispered Aida behind her.  Rafiq nodded and smiled but Sharifah noticed something……something else in his eyes. Was it recognition? Did he remember what had happened? But it was gone and he looked and smiled warmly at Aida behind her. Sharifah’s heart dropped…. He didn’t remember…Sharifah walked away from the crowed and went to Sofia and Michael. Sofia saw her downcast face and put an arm around her shoulder.

            “You know, I could use  an ABC now. Who wants to follow? My treat,  I’m still off today,” said Michael looking at the two girls.

 

            “I’m in,” said Sofia cheerfully. “Teh tarik for Sharifah. She just recovered from a fever” she added cheekily.

 

            “ Tak achi,” said Sharifah punching playfully at her friend.

 

The three of them went to the ICU entrance, the automatic door opened and as they walked out, the door closed behind them……………

 

Eid Mubarak

It's that time of YEAR !

No not shopping SALE .......:P


Eidilfitri , a festive season where Muslims gather with family members and friends after a month of fasting, marking the end of Ramadhan.

 The Ramadhan is the month where we fast from dusk to the break of dawn , where we avoid temptation not only from food and water but also from earthly temptation , lust, greed , anger and hate. We try to purify ourselves and be closer to Allah. Sure its easier said then done but Ramadhan month teach us to be patient with ourselves and also others, to be humble, moderate , forgiving and giving. Its not to say that we only do it during this holy month but to maintain it through out our life.


For me, I know I'm a short tempered person, do me wrong and you will see my face turned bright red and smoke coming out of my ears.It takes even a small thing that can aggrevate me so imagine if I am hungry , my temper could be ten fold but since it is the month of Ramadhan where every thing is a test and patients if you can hold on to it will give immense reward to the world after. I;m trying and every year it has been a huge obstacle for me but I  believe that I have grown patient, hopefully mature. (I think........I hope)

You can't simply say YIPEE Ramadhan is over and go back to your old ways, it defeats the purpose of Ramadhan.

Coming to Syawal , Eidilfitri is the time where we gather with our family members, friends to forgive one another , to mend back broken ties , to unite as a group. It is a time to be happy as we have either succeeded in completing our goals in Ramadhan or we have learn a lesson about ourselves during that month. This is the time we open our doors , our food and our generous hearts to people be it muslim or other religion , rave of culture. Beware though, this is the time that your pounds will be shooting up, your calories will be off the chart cause it will be food galore.......varieties of dishes, cookies and food will be put on the finest culinaries.

So the preparation in my house during festive season (1st Syawal) or in Malaysia it will fall on 8th August 2013 will start almost two weeks before Syawal comes . House cleaning , curtain washing, white washing the fence, gardening, mowing ...............all has to be done to welcome our relatives that will gather to our house on the first day itself.

6 th of August 2013

How I wish I can  download what I have done today , two days before Eidilfitri , my mom and I will be preparing  "Rendang" a traditional dish that is a taboo if you do not have it in your house for Eidilfitri.

Rendang is made of either meat or chicken (in my house we normally cook both, in big Wok cooked at the back of the house) The ingredients use are : Coconut milk, (onions, garlic, ginger , lemongrass (blended  together) , curry, lemon leave, red chillies )
It's a production  house when we cook the Rendang, I will normally take the tearfultask of dicing dozens and dozens of onions for the dish . Then mom and I would cut the meat into  cube shapes while Dad will milk the coconut (That sound SO Wrong) What I'm trying to say is that people normally get their coconut milk prepared in tin can or boxes but in most houses we like to do it manually as it gives the original milky taste minus whatever additive be it water or etc in the can. So Dad will put warm water in  the shredded coconut and press out the milk with his finger, it's a tedious task but it makes a huge difference between the manual way and the ready to serve in a box coconut milk. (you could try it yourself) 

 First the meat is heated in the wok to drain the meat juice, then the mixed of onion, garlic, ginger, lemos grass is poured inside the mixture , with salt to give the flavor, mixed it a while before you put the curry (not too much ) and blended red chillies to give the hot flavour. Let it simmer together before you pour the coconut milk. Then mix everything at a high temperature and cook it until the dish either dry brown (dont worry when I say dried brown it doesn't mean you cook until its burned)
You have to dry the dish (depends on the individu though) as that  is when the flavor is  mixed together giving an explosion of taste in your mouth, spicy, with the salty and creamy feeling of the coconut and the sweat juicy flavor of the meat.



I'm really sorry I could not  down load the photos , I'll see what I can post tomorrow.

Tomorrows going to be a busy day as well.
One  day before Eidilfitri and counting........


Busy , busy , busy...... BYE