Chinese New Year in Satun, Thailand

Normally every Chinese New Year we would go for a beach holiday somewhere but maybe coz we just went for one in Ko Lanta in Nov 2011, we didn't plan for anything this time around.

But since we were in Penang, we thought of a day trip to Satun. After all, we always go thru the town on our way to Pak Bara. And it will be a good opportunity to check out Tammalang pier, which I heard has boats to Ko Lipe & Langkawi.

We already know how to cross the Wang Kelian border via these posts:

http://bucit.blogspot.com/2010/12/exploring-satun-140910.html
http://bucit.blogspot.com/2011/03/crossing-wang-kelian-border-2nd.html

Our plan was to go to Tesco with another travel buddy Che Rose & Family but that didn't turn out as planned. Oh well, it would have been more fun with Che Rose around.

I had wanted to have lunch from reading a post here http://dahasry.blogspot.com/2011/10/lunch-and-shopping-in-satun-thailand.html but we were a bit early so continued to pier.

Cikli at Tammalang Pier, Satun

Sorry we didn't take the front of pier pic. Building & facilities wise, this place is much better than Pak Bara. There's a food court, clean toilets & surau here with the usual travel agents. But I think there's more tourists at Pak Bara compare to here; don't know why.

I was quoted RM65 for one way trip to Ko Lipe, which I think roughly the same price at Pak Bara. And to Langkawi was RM30. I think.

On our way back, we stop at Satun market at these co-ordinates http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6.613131,100.060772 . Lucky I asked around at the border crossing for this place. We kind of like going to markets whenever we travel. It sort of gives you the feeling of being local and show you their actual culture or characters. As opposed to the polished shopping mall (or Tesco .. hehehe) which is almost the same everywhere.

Since it was a day trip and border closes at 7 pm Malaysia time, we didn't explore much but here are some pics.

Buying fruits at the market. Cheaper than at border naturally.

Happy campers :)

The market is by the river

Being a Muslim

Shaykh Hisham & Shaykh Nazim

I haven’t written much nowadays. Perhaps with Facebook, I waste quite a time there compare to blogging. But recently I was watching this interview of Shaykh Nazim by a Greek journalist. And I was fascinated by his answer to the question, What happens to good people of Christians or other religions after death?

The link is here http://www.saltanat.org/Blog/tabid/271/PostID/264/It-Was-a-Dream-I-Was-Waiting-For-en.aspx

Shaykh Nazim, may the good Lord prolong his life, replied that on judgment day, the ultimate Judge is Him. He is the Creator and we are all creations. Not even prophets can judge other people.

At the end of the interview, the journalist kissed Mawlana’s hand and Mawlana said O my grandson and kissed his head. I almost cried watching that scene. Shaykh Nazim may not be much to some people, even to me, I have never met him. 

But I’ve been to some majlis of Shaykh Nazim’s murids, namely Shaykh Hisham & Shaykh Adnan when they came to Malaysia. I didn’t join them 100% but some functions I was lucky to attend.

Looking at their faces, they have certain attraction to them. Watching their kindness and humility up close makes you feel proud to be a Muslim. Their perseverance in spreading advise and love for our prophet is to me, legendary.

Back to Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, such kindness and moderation when dealing with people amazes me. Even when the journalist asked about Ben Laden, he did not speak directly about Ben Laden but said he was against killing of innocent human beings.

This kind of gentleness, reminded of another story told by Shaykh Hamza Hanson of the US. I can’t remember which youtube file it was but he was telling a story how a convert asked Shaykh Yaqoubi how to deal with a gay relative. And Shaykh Yaqoubi replied being a kuffar is worse. To my understading, a kuffar here means somebody who not only opposes truth when it comes to them, but also against it and covers it with falsehood.

Hopefully we can follow their footsteps eh J.