Aishah Mustapha

A spot of heaven

2012-01-31T01:28:00.001-08:00

One of the tell tale signs that you are on a great escape, is when you start wondering about the things that have been missing in your daily grinds back home -- be it the smell of the open sea, or the soft gentle breeze that calms you down

I was on a weekend getaway to Terenganu’s southern beaches, and the drive up the coast was an experience dotted with coconut trees and wooden shanties, with glimpses of blue-green waters and white sands.

The roads are mostly one lane after you get off the highway, which lends more credence towards the escape to a simple life. Terengganu is about 6 hours drive from capital Kuala Lumpur, but the highway stops after two to three hours in.

Although Terengganu is often described as a chain of sleepy towns and fishing villages, what they fail to tell you is the calm serenity that engulfs you as you lay your head on the white sand to look up to the clear skies at any of its southern coastal beaches.

Being a city dweller in a country where public cleanliness is a godsend rather than a given, I admit I did not expect much from the beaches. My experiences at well-known tourist beaches were often greeted with litter, mud, and floating carcasses.

This time, I was proven wrong. Although they do not exactly make the where’s where of National Geographic, the beaches still make for a pretty postcard picture. Part of their appeal is they are quite devoid of the noisy backpackers, who prefer heading out to the state islands such as Perhentian island. And they are beautiful enough for you to while away the time.

Just take a leisure drive up the coast, and stop where ever you see bliss in the sands. There’s plenty of little wooden stalls that sell locals delicacies for you to take out the picnic mat and have a feast. You can stay a night or two here, with accommodations ranging from budget to five star.

I usually discover more of myself on trips like these. On this particular one, I found a calling.

The stories that count

2011-08-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

I read two things that made me cry today. I admit, I get touched by others easily.

But it got me thinking. Shouldn't I be writing stories that count? Isn't that the reason I fell in love with reading in the first place, and eventually writing?

The kind of stories that touch you and make you feel emotions you bury deep inside for years. Those stories that make you realize all the mistakes and hate you carried in your heart over the years.

I want to write those stories. I want to find them, listen to them and understand them, so that I can understand my own shortcomings and uncover my own naivety and ignorance.

Now, where do I begin?

In -n-out burger, California

2010-04-04T04:32:00.000-07:00

Having a brother who studied in California, it is inevitable that he'd have boasted about the cult like In-n-Out Burger.

Supposed to be THE burger to have in the fast food category, I trudged my way down 12 blocks in downtown LA just to get a bite. Not that I was that eager, but I kinda miscalculated the subway and stopped earlier, so i had to hike it in downtown LA.

For some reason, downtown LA is scarier than KL. Yes, we have occasional muggings in KL, but downtown LA just gives me the creeps, especially away from all the main attraction (wax museum, chinese mann theater)

Probably had to do with the fact that this Latino guy kept following me for 3 blocks. The fact that he was on a bicycle instead of a motorbike, and he looked kinda young, made me feel a bit relieved that i can try and kick his ass. Maybe not.

Anyway, made it to In-n-out burger without any trouble from the Latino dude. He tried to say hi, I pretended as though i didnt speak English.

At the In-n-out, they only start grilling and frying the burgers and fries after you placed an order. According to them, the beef patties are always made in the morning and they don't use it for the next day to guarantee its freshness.

What can i say? For a fast food burger, it's nice. Probably one of the best I've tasted.

While i was eating, a couple of uni kids next to me just finished their burgers. One guy triumphantly said, "Now all I need is sex and marijuana!"

Lol. I wanted to say "right on" but stopped short in case he invited me for a romp.
That was probably the highlight of my one day LA trip. Truth be told, I dont quite like downtown LA.

San Diego Autumn In The Sun

2009-10-18T01:37:00.000-07:00

I highly suspect that one of the reasons San Diego is called “America’s finest city” is because of the fine people there. In contrast to my previous trips to other states, I hardly saw anyone obese on the streets. Granted, I was only there for a brief period. But throughout it all, I witnessed an outdoorsy culture where people are just happy to walk, jog or stroll down the beach under the Californian sun that stays warm well into the cold months.

A fellow journalist commented that the San Diego-ians strike to her as esoteric people. Though I couldn’t confirm it, I suspect its temperate climate, beautiful coastlines and rich Mexican history has made its citizens fairly different from the rest of the country.

Given its historic roots with Mexico, it’s no surprise that San Diego is famous for Mexican food. Though I did find that slightly ironic, given that San Diego was wrangled away from Mexico by the Americans just before the Californian Gold Rush in mid 19th century. But I suppose with the exhaustive gastronomy affairs you available there, American food has somewhat lost its footing in its own home land.

Hell, Mexican cuisine probably helps with the perennial drought problem California faces. Who needs water when you can down tequila?

I had a lovely experience at a Mexican fusion restaurant in Balboa Park that’s been around for decades. Sipping sangria with a plate of tender steak taco accompanied by two lovely people was a nice introduction to restaurant El Prado. Its patio overlooks a clearing that houses lush greeneries used often for weddings. As I sat there exchanging travel stories with a South African journalist and a fellow Californian with the sun in my face, the day seems perfect. How I wish I could do this more often.

Balboa park itself is also impressive, good enough to make it to tourist's to-do list. Spanning many acres, you can find a variety of museums including a Shakespearean inspired theatre called Old Globe. One of the interesting attractions was the United Nation houses. It basically comprises of little cottages that each represents different countries under United Nations. On the weekends, one house (or country) will host a cultural event for the public. Unfortunately, there was no cottage for Malaysia. Ah, well…we may be small but we make up in spirit.

Sun and the sand

The beaches and coastlines make for perfect surfing grounds. The beaches in Del Mar where the rich (and possibly famous) people live and play look like something out of a vacation catalogue. Houses there are in the millions. Oh, and mid range houses are anything between 500,000 to 2 million. Needless to say, houses in Del Mar are above 2 million. America’s finest city means you either pay through your teeth or make it your retirement destination.

Speaking of beaches, I fell in love with Coronado hotel, founded in 1888 (I like anything vintage) which sits happily by the beach on Coronado island. Taking the ferry to Coronado (5 minutes away from downtown), the place itself also looks like out of the book American suburbia. I can see myself playing happy house here with the love of my life.

But back to the charming hotel. I dare say, it is the most beautiful hotel I have encountered. The white wood against the white sandy beach below a setting sun is just pure pleasantness. See, the thing with me is that I am a happy person. When I want serenity, I don’t need quiet secluded places in the middle of nowhere. And Coronado is perfect. It has the calmness of the ocean but is still surrounded by the vibrancy of the town. To top it off, there was a wedding when I was there, and it just gave me more of that happiness feeling as my feet sinks into the soft sand.

My main reason for visiting Coronado is because one of the funniest films ive seen starring Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe was filmed at the hotel, called "Some like it hot". That memory itself gave the place the old school feel I love. I swear I have an old soul sometimes. :)