A traveller's reflection: 09 Kembara Ramadhan

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Tuesday, 11 April 2023

09 Kembara Ramadhan - Alor Setar

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies..." - Mother Teresa

(Masjid Zahir, Alor Setar)

Day 09: Sunday, 9 April 2023
Route: Kangar - Alor Setar
Distance: 45 km
Hotel: Seri Malaysia Hotel, Alor Setar

By noon we checked out of Hotel Seri Malaysia, Kangar and headed towards Alor Setar.

(Having early sahur at Seri Malaysia Hotel)

We arrived in Alor Star early so we decided to visit the Surau Lama in Langgar. While we were in Langgar we visited the Royal Mausoleum. Maahad Tahfizul al-Quran Langgar is situated across the mausoleum.

(Kedah Royal Mausoleum in Langgar)

(A brief history of the Royal Mausoleum)

(The royal cemetery, dated back to June 1701)

(The first Sultan of Kedah chose Langgar as the Royal burial ground)

(The first PM, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj was buried here)

(Sungai Langgar and the Maahad Tahfiz al-Quran)

The Surau Lama Langgar is located behind the Maahad Tahfiz. This surau lama is also known as Madrasah Tok Janggut was to have existed soon after Islam arrived in Kedah with students from as far away as Brunei, Pattani and Indonesia coming here to further their religious knowledge.

(Visiting a century old madrasah)

(Founded by Tuan Haji Ahmat Tua, Tok Janggut)

(Taking a walk in time)

(The remnants of wood carvings of Tembusu hardwood)

After visiting the dilapidated madrasah we drove to Masjid Tengku Kalsom, a new mosque a short distance from the mausoleum. From there we tried to locate Masjid Tua Limbong but were led through small narrow road across the vast paddy fields. We came to a new mosque of Masjid Al-Rahman in Limbong but unfortunately unable to locate the old mosque.

(Masjid Tengku Kalsom, Makam DiRaja Langgar)

(A mossque next to the Royal Mausoleum)

(a beautiful mosque)

We cautiously maneuvered our bigfoot on the small paddy fields narrow road, and were relieved to get out of the paddy field safely unscathed.

(Driving on a narrow paddy field road)

We visited another mosque, Masjid al-Muttaqin in Taman Jayakami before we checked in Hotel Seri Malaysia Alor Setar. We rested in the room until it was time for iftar. Iftar was Zinger Cheesezilla and snack plate combo bought from KFC next door.

(Masjid al-Muttaqin in Taman Jayakami)

Tonight we performed our tarawih prayers in Masjid Zahir Alor Star, the grandest and one of the oldest mosques in Kedah. Located right in the heart of the town of Alor Setar, it gets to be the world's fourth most beautiful mosque .

(Hotel Seri Malaysia, Alor Setar)

(Spacious room, our lodging for the night)

(Iftar with KFC)

This magnificent Alor Star landmark, in its present form, was built in 1912. The five imposing black cupolas symbolise the main Pillars of Islam. Although more than a century has passed, most of the original structure and design have successfully withstood the test of time.