Saudi Arabia 2000: 5th Umrah - Madinah al-Munawarah...

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome..." - Samuel Johnson

Madinah al-Munawarah

(22-26 November 2000)

(Our hotel in Madinah)

(Masjid Quba')

(Masjid Nabawi)

(Masjid Nabawi)

👈 2000: Makkah, Saudi Arabia

2000: Hiroshima, Japan 👉

Japan 2000: Hiroshima - The first atomic bomb explosion…

"Once you've accepted your flaws no one can use them against you..."

Hiroshima, Japan

(13 - 15 September 2000)

The participants of ODA Loan Seminar took the bullet train, the Nozomi shinakansen to travel from Tokyo to Hiroshima. The Nozomi shinkansen is the fastest type of bullet train and takes 4 hours to travel direct. We stayed in Hiroshima for two days and visited some of the attractions.

Hiroshima city is in western Honshu, the largest of Japan's four main islands. Hiroshima means "wide island" literally and refers probably to the expansive delta on which it is built. It is in fact made of many islands, and none of them actually very wide - all long thin affairs. The city was founded back in the late 1500s by a Mori Terumoto, as a castle town to control trade and promote good order. A visit to the castle provides a great insight into the city's growth and construction.

(Ferry ride to Miyajima Island)

Hiroshima is a very pleasant place. The flipside of the destruction wrought upon it at the end of the war has been the freedom it has offered town planning since. Leafy parks and boulevards abound, and the city is broken up by seven rivers which carry breezes down from the surrounding hills to the island packed inland sea. This helps keep it cooler than other Japanese cities, even at the height of broiling summer. There are a few trips available on the rivers.

'

(Miyajima, a temple island)

'Hiroshima is easy to get to, about an hour and a half on a faster Shinkansen from Osaka., and perfect for people on route to or from Kyushu. Many people come here even if it is not strictly on their circuit though, mostly to see the Peace Park and Peace Museum, and to see for themselves the legacy of the atomic bomb. The bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945 and exploded about 500m above the city centre at 8:15 in the morning. The Peace Park is now built on top of an old entertainment district that was obliterated in the blast, being only a few hundred metres from the hypocentre.

(Tame deers roaming the streets)

Though many of the memorials in the park and the museum itself are ugly concrete structures, the sheer force of history is such that few can come here and fail to be moved. Downstairs in the museum and free is a small gallery of artwork by survivors of the bomb, with descriptions of what they saw, where they were and so forth. This is an incredibly moving exhibit that deserves a lot more time the main museum itself.

(The Peace Dome at Hiroshima Ground Zero)

When we were in Hiroshima, we went for a day-tour to Miyajima island, home to more than a thousand Sika deer. According to local folklore, the deer in Miyajima were considered sacred messengers from the gods. Until 1637, killing one was punishable by death. They're still protected by Japanese law today, but not quite that harshly.

In most places, deer are difficult to approach, running away when you get close to them. But Miyajima deers are different. You can easily pet them or feed them.

👈 2000: Madinah, Saudi Arabia

2000: Tokyo, Japan 👉

Japan 2000: Tokyo - Capital of Shoguns and Ninjas....

"The meaning of life is to give life a meaning..."

Tokyo & Hiroshima

(4 -23 September 2000)

I was in Japan for the ODA Loan Seminar from 4 – 23 September. We had the opportunity to visit a few factories in Hiroshima over the weekend and joined a guided sight seeing of the city and nearby island.
'

(A tour of Tokyo city)

Tokyo, symbol of the Japanese success story, is a sprawling megalopolis on the Pacific coast of Honshu, the largest island of the Japanese archipelago. In 1590, the city was founded as Edo, the capital of the shoguns, the succession of hereditary absolute rulers of Japan and commander of the Japanese army. Edo boasted its own vibrant culture, the celebrated ‘floating world’ of pleasure quarters, theatres and cherry blossoms, immortalised in the Japanese woodblock prints of the time. Following the fall of the shoguns in 1867, the city was renamed Tokyo, the Eastern Capital, heralding its rebirth as a dynamic modern city and the showpiece of a rapidly modernising country. Despite the catastrophic 1923 earthquake and near obliteration during World War II, Tokyo was able to rise from the ashes to host the 1964 Olympics and went on to preside over the Japanese economic miracle.

(Visiting the Royal Palace)

Tokyo enjoys a temperate climate, with warm although sometimes muggy summers and mild, dry winters. The balmy spring days or in autumn are the best times to visit the city.

👈2000: Hiroshima, Japan  

1999: Paris, France 👉

France 1999: Paris -The City of Lights...

"Worry is a down payment on a problem you may never have..."

Paris, France

(21 - 25 October 1999)

Hubby was on an official road trip in Europe. At the end of is trip, I took a flight to Paris and he met me at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. We spent five days in Paris and visited most of the attractions.

Both the capital of the nation and of the historic Île de France region, Paris is located in northern central France. Central Paris - known as Intra-Muros, or within the walls - is a nice, ovalish shape, divided neatly in two by the Seine, with 20 districts spiralling clockwise from the centre in a logical fashion. The area north of the river, the Rive Droite, includes the tree-lined Avenue des Champs-Élysées, running west to the Arc de Triomphe.

(The Avenue des Champs-Elysees)

(Notre Dame de Paris)

East of the avenue is the massive Musée du Louvre, the Centre Georges Pompidou and a lively district of museums, shops, markets and restaurants. Immediately south of the Pompidou Centre on the Île de la Cité is the world-famous Notre Dame.

(The Eiffel Tower)

(The Louvre)

The area south of the Rive Gauche, is home to the city's most prominent landmark, the Eiffel Tower. To the east, in the Saint Germain de Prés and Montparnasse districts, Paris' famous academic, artistic and intellectual milieus waft in and out of focus through a haze of Gitanes smoke.

(A cruise on the River Seine)

👈 2000: Tokyo, Japan 

1999: Brisbane, Australia 👉

Australia 1999: Brisbane - Gold Coast and Green Mountain...

"Forget the times of your distress, but never forget what they taught you..." - Herbert Gesser

Brisbane, Australia
(4 - 10 October 1999)

The sunset strip of Queensland. From surf & sand in the east to crops and cattle in the west, this area is brimming with a multitude of activities and entertainment to interest even the most discerning holidaymaker. Play in the warm waters of the pacific ocean at the world famous Gold or Sunshine Coasts and enjoy a lifestyle that is as fast as you would like to make it.

(An apartment with full amenities)

Take a trip into the country and revel in a panorama of rolling green hills and mountains that stretch for as far as you can see. The southeast area of Queensland has many interesting and relaxing pastimes to offer those who venture to this friendly paradise, come and experience the pleasures of this area for yourself, because some great times are awaiting your arrival

(Visiting O'Reilly forest resort)

Brisbane, the capital of Queensland is neighboured to the east by Australia's tourism capital, the Gold Coast with golden beaches and exciting nightlife. North is the natural beauty and more relaxed atmosphere of the Sunshine Coast.

(At the Wax Museum)

The World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef spans 2 000km from the tip of Cape York to Gladstone in the south. A scuba divers paradise with 2 900 individual reefs, 71 coral islands, 10 000 species of sponge, 350 different species of coral, 4 000 species of molluscs, 350 species of echinoderms and over 1 500 species of fish.

(A Factory Outlet)

I WOULD LIVE IN YOUR LOVE

I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea,

Borne up by each wave as it passes,

drawn down by each wave that recedes;

I would empty my soul of the dreams that have gathered in me,

I would beat with your heart as it beats,

I would follow your soul as it leads.

(Sara Teasdale)

(Scene at the airport)

👈 1999: Paris, France

1999: Manila, Philippines 👉

Philippines 1999: Manila - The Colonial capital of Intramuros...

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall..." - Nelson Mandela

Manila, Philippines

(17 -20 September 1999)

I was with four other TERAS team members on a bench-marking visits for the new treasury system for the dealing room of Bank Negara Malaysia. We spent most of our time in offices and have little time to do sight seeing. This was my second time visiting Manila.

Manila is located on the west coast of the Philippine main island of Luzon and surrounded by fertile plains. The city straddles the delta of the Pasig River, a short navigable stream that connects the freshwater lake of Laguna de Bay with the huge natural harbour of Manila Bay and the South China Sea. Hot and humid throughout the year, Manila’s climate is slightly tempered by the sea breezes. Typhoons sometimes occur in May and November.

(Relaxing at one of the beaches)

Originally Manila was a conglomeration of 17 towns and villages, which were brought together under the regime of President Marcos in 1976. Metro Manila is the actual urban core, 15 sq miles of urban sprawl extends to outlying towns and villages such as Quezon City, Pasay City, Pasig City and Makati City, the centre for business and much of the nightlife.
'
Manila today is a sprawling chaotic agglomeration that exercises a disproportionate influence on the entire country and is a lesson in contrasts. The dichotomies of wealth and poverty are evident, with the palatial neighbourhoods around Makati contrasting with squatter camps along the river, where the destitute scavenge to survive. So much of Manila still remains mired in the Third World and democracy has brought little change as yet to the poor. The city’s chaos also reflects the Philippines’ cultural diversity – there are more than a hundred cultural minority groups living in the country.

Manila is an overpowering city and can certainly prove to be hectic if you are not prepared for it. A combination of the bustle of the traffic, noise, pollution, poverty and often-shabby infrastructure makes the city seem intimidating. However, Manila’s energy and the good humour of its people become infectious.

The sun shines everywhere.

It lights even the tops of clouds.

Why do I gnash my teeth at daisies

Just because I'm not at home?

👈 1999: Brisbane, Australia

1999: Makkah, Saudi America 👉

Saudi Arabia 1998: 4th Umrah: Madinah - The Runaway Travel Agent

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow..." - Doug Firebaugh

Madinah, Saudi Arabia
(13 - 16 December 1998)

(Ja at Jabal Uhud)

(At Jabal Uhud)

(At Masjid Quba')

(The 2 emak stranded at Madinah Airport)

👈 1998: Makkah, Saudi Arabia

1998: Alexandria, Egypt 👉

Saudi Arabia 1998: 4th Umrah: Makkah - Family Umrah Trip...

"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything..."

Makkah al-Mukarramah

(16 - 26 December 1998)

(Iwan and Ja with their abah)

(All in the family at Masjid Tanaeim)

(The 3 kids with Atok Abah)

(Sara, Iwan and Ja at Jabal Rahmah)

(Ja with his Abah and Tokbah)

👈 1999: Manila, Philippines

1998: Madinah, Saudi Arabia 👉

Egypt 1998: Alexandria - Shining pearl of the Mediterranean...

"Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart..." - Alan Alda

(A family photo in Alexandria)

We had a day tour of Alexandria and Abu Dzar, my nephew who was studying in Cairo joined us in the tour.

The second largest city and the main port of Egypt, Alexandria was built by the Greek architect Dinocrates on the site of an old village, Rhakotis, at the orders of Alexander the Great. The city, immortalizing Alexander's name, quickly flourished into a prominent cultural, intellectual, political, and economic metropolis, the remains of which are still evident to this day.

(Ja at the guard house to the Palace)

(Photo shots with the palace guards)

(A beautiful palace in Alexandria)

It was the renowned capital of the Ptolemies, with numerous monuments. It was the site of the Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as the Great Library. It was along these shores that history took a tragic turn at the time of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian.

(Iwan and Ja at the Old Lighthouse ruins)

(The remnants of the oldest lighthouse)

Alexandria lies north-west of the Nile delta and stretches along a narrow land strip between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mareotis. It is linked to Cairo by two major highways and a railroad line. It is one of the most notable summer resorts in the Middle East, for, in addition to its temperate winters, its beaches, with white sands and magnificent scenery, stretch for 140 km along the Mediterranean Sea, from Abu Qir, in the east to Al-Alamein and Sidi Abdul Rahman, in the west.

(The two of us at the Cornish)

Much of ancient Alexandria is covered by modern buildings or is underwater; only a few landmarks are readily accessible, including ruins of the emporium and the Serapeum and a granite shaft called Pompey's Pillar. Nothing remains of the lighthouse on the Pharos, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World , and the site of the royal palace lies under the older harbor.

(Time to say goodbye and headed to the holy lands)

👈 1998: Madinah, Saudi Arabia

       1998: Cairo, Egypt 👉

Egypt 1998: Cairo - Tombs of the ancient Pharaohs...

"Good things come to those who wait. But better things come to those who work for it..."

(A family photo)

(Ja at the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt) 

This is our family umrah trip with a few days stop-over in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. We brought along our three kids with us and also my parents and my Mother-in-law.

The heart of Egypt for more than 1000 years, Cairo demonstrates the dichotomy of all things Egyptian. It's in Cairo where the medieval world and the contemporary western world come together in a confusion of earthen houses and towering modern office buildings, of flashy cars and donkey-drawn carts. Nobody really knows how many people live in Cairo, but estimates put it at about 16 million, and the city's many squatter camps and slums alone accommodate around 5 million people. Housing shortages are terrible and the traffic is appalling, but the government has begun a campaign to ease these pressures, opening an underground metro system and constructing satellite suburbs.

(A journey on camels to the Pyramids)

(All in the family admiring the great pyramids)

(With the two emak and abah)

(Iwan and his Abah)

Islamic Cairo, which is no more Islamic than the rest of the city, is the old medieval quarter, and stepping into its neighborhoods is like moving back six or seven centuries. This is the most densely populated area of Egypt, and probably the whole Middle East. Districts like Darb al-Ahmar are full of tiny alleyways, mud-brick houses, food hawkers, and goats, camels and donkeys. The streets are lined with mosques and temples, and the air is filled with the pungent smells of turmeric and cumin, animals and squalor.

(Sara and the three Pyramids)

(Ja visiting the tomb in the heart of the pyramid)

(Not for the claustrophobics)

(Even abah managed to reach the crypt)

Some of Islamic Cairo's highlights include the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, dating from the 9th century and the city's oldest intact and fully functioning Islamic monument; the 15th-century Mosque of Qaitbey, considered the jewel of Mamluk architecture; Al-Azhar Mosque, the keystone of Islam in Egypt; and the Citadel, an awesome medieval fortress that was the seat of Egyptian power for 700 years. The Citadel has three major mosques and several museums.

(In front of the National Museum)

(Visiting the National Museum)

(A special tour of the perfumery in old Cairo))

(Jumaat prayers at Citadel of Salahuddin)

River alive!

by Alun Buffry

Whether we laugh, or whether we cry,

the river of life goes rushing by,

down the hills and mountain sides,

into valleys, long and wide,

The happiest of people don't necessarily

have the best of everything;

they just make the most of everything

that comes along their way.

👈 1998: Alexandria, Egypt

             1997: Hong Kong 👉