Surabaya, INDONESIA

February 7 -10, 2008

It was drizzling lightly as we drove from Surabaya’s Juanda Airport into the city. There was heavy overcast and the outlook for a round of golf seemed remote. The rain was building its tempo. Since it was still too early to check into our hotel, Surabaya Plaza Hotel, we decided to stop at Tanggulagin famous for leather products.

After about 20 minutes at the leather shop, we made our way to the golf club. Somehow, lady luck was on our side. The rain stopped and it was perfect weather for golf. We had a hurried lunch of “sup buntut” (ox tail soup). Hamidon, who took an Air Asia flight arrived as we were having lunch. Datuk Iskandar decided to tee off with Haji Amir and Zaki. That left Hamidon, Tan Sri Halil (former Director General of Customs) and Datuk Halim (former Chief of Police for Perlis) in my flight. Tan Sri Halil decided to tee off from the white tee box.

Datuk Halim at Danau's 114m par-3 Hole 3

Ciputra is a 27-hole city course. It is a beautiful and well maintained course. We played at Lembah and Danau nines that measured 5853m from the blue tees. Playing from the shorter white tees made things a lot easier for me.

Tan Sri Halil at the last Hole

I had a bad start. My first tee shot was a dud and ended just after the lady’s tee box. The flight mates were generous enough to grant me a mulligan but the shot was worse. So I played the original shot and still made boogey. From there, it was boogeys and pars all the way. I had a record 9 pars, 2 double boogeys and boogeys the rest. My chipping and putting were in top form that day. The shorter distances from the white tee boxes also helped the good score.

Beautiful houses surrounding the golf course with huge security wall. This one under construction

Playing for the first time with Tan Sri Halil and Datuk Halim was fun. Despite their high social standings, they were very much down to earth and friendly. We had a good round and they made good company.

After the game, we stopped at a Nasi Padang Restaurant for dinner. That was the beginning of many more Nasi Padangs after that. Everybody semed to enjoy the food very much especially Datuk Iskandar, Datuk Halim and Haji Amir. Both Haji Amir and Datuk Halim were a big fan for ox brain cooked in curry. I never picked up the taste. I prefer the usual beef rendang and tendon curry. Anyway, I was not much of a nasi padang fan.

February 8, 2008

We had an early date with our tour guide, Rizal today. Our destination was Finna Golf Club, about an hour drive from Surabaya. We had to leave early to avoid the morning jam in Sidoarjo at the place where the mud flow had submersed everything in its path. The drilling accident in May 2006 caused the hot toxic mud to spew out at a rate of 100,000 cubic metre per day engulfing houses, factories, roads and anything in its path. The problem remains until today. We left early to avoid traffic jam in the area during the morning rush hour.

The hotel packed our breakfast and it was breakfast on wheel for us. We left in 2 vehicles, one carrying Tan Sri, Haji Amir and Datuk Halim and the other the rest of us.

Finna's Foursome

Finna is one of the 2 mountain courses in Surabaya. Taman Dayu makes up the other one and we would test it after Finna. I was paired with Hamidon, Datuk Iskandar and Haji Amir. Zack, Tan Sri and Datuk Halim made up the other flight.

Finna's Tight Course

Finna was a tough 6,345m course. The fairway was narrow and hilly. I still remembered the par-3 184m hole 5 from my last round there many years ago. It was the signature hole flanked by rice field and with mountain as backdrop. Since the weather was cloudy, it was not much of a photo opportunity. Finna claimed to be East Java’s first world class championship golf course.

Finna's Signature Hole

When approaching towards a few last hole, Haji Amir was struggling with his migraine to the extent that he had to quit the game. He left for the hotel in the smaller 4-wheel drive while the rest of us proceeded to play at Taman Dayu Golf Club.

Finna's Caddies

We split into 2 flights of 3 golfers each at Taman Dayu. I was paired with Zack and Hamidon while Datuk Iskandar, Datuk Halim and Tan Sri Halil made up the other.

Asia's Best?

Taman Dayu is an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus championship golf course set in a lush green foothills of Mount Welirang. It is in the resort area of Prigen, East Java near to Finna within one hour drive from Surabaya. It claimed to be the best golf course in Asia.

Taman Dayu's Beautiful Topography

It may not be the best course in Asia but Taman Dayu is certainly the best in Surabaya. It was well maintained and manicured into an enjoyable course. This 6,166m course is a must play course in Surabaya.

February 9, 2008

It was shopping day as everybody decided to lay off from golf. The 36-hole rounds did us in. We went back to the leather shop in Tanggulangin where I bought myself a leather overnight bag. After shopping at Tanggulangin and lunch of nasi padang again, we went for massage & mandi lulur. It is a famous Javanese therapy, where they would massage you and rubbed your body with avocado and milk. It was good enough for our aching bodies.

Pedal Power Merry Go Round, Tanggulangin

By night time, we visited the Tunjungan Plaza, Surabaya’s most famous shopping mall. Datuk Halim wanted to buy some traditional batik clothing for his family. So I accompanied him to Mirota where I remembered buying a jukebox replica during my last visit.

Haji Amir and Hamidon left for home today. That left one extra golfer. I had to bow out from the next game at Bukit Darmo the next day. I had played there during earlier visit.
February 10, 2008

The remaining 4 golfers proceeded to play at Bukit Darmo. I chose to stay behind and went shopping at Surabaya Plaza located next to my hotel. The first thing I noticed was J Co Donut outlet. In KL, you have to stay in line for almost 40 minutes just to buy the doughnuts. Here, I was the only customer. They even gave me an extra donut. I bought 1 dozen for the rest of the gang.

At 6.55pm we left Surabaya for home. I was already down to my last dollar.

Kuala Terengganu, MALAYSIA

January 1 – 3, 2008

It was a long weekend due to the Federal Territory Day. We decided to drive to the east coast to Kuala Terengganu since we had not been there for many years. My sister, Liza lives there with her husband, Hadi and their son, Hazwan.

The drive along the East Coast Highway was smooth. Once we hit the old trunk road from Kuantan we encountered quite a lot of traffic. The drive along the coastal road was very pleasant due to the beautiful beach sceneries. We stopped for lunch at Awana Kijal Golf Resort. I just had to be near to a golf course!

Awana's Lobby

There were a lot of street hawkers along the road. One thing about them is they tend to sell the same products at the same location. In one area, everybody would be selling lemang. Then in another, corns, or even keropok lekor. I stopped at a stall selling coconut sapling called nira. It used to be my favourite when I stayed in Kelantan in the mid 80s.

Kemasik Beach

I remember the name Kemasik when we passed through the area. Somehow, it rang in me to stop and check out the beach. When I was working for a local bank in the 80s, somebody mentioned that it was quite beautiful. It was not too late to check it out. It was beautiful all right but there are a lot more beautiful beaches in the East Coast. Somehow, the beach was littered by indiscriminate picnickers.

After 7 hours on the road, we reached Liza’s place. Liza lives in teachers’ quarters near to Sekolah Menengah Sultan Sulaiman where she teaches. It was a five storey apartment close to beach. Even our room faced the beach. I just loved the sound of the ocean and the wind. It invigorated me.

View of the Beach from Liza's Apartment

In the evening we drove to Kuala Terengganu’s most famous beach, Pantai Batu Burok. The place was packed with weekend crowd. It was Friday, a weekend in holier than thou Terengganu.

Hazwan, Anas & Maisara at the beach
Taman Tamadun Islam
February 2, 2008

We had only one day to tour KT. The choice of where to go was clear. KT was launching a place called Taman Tamadun Islam (Islamic Civilisation Park) that includes a beautiful mosque called “Crystal Mosque” and various miniature mosques and monuments of the Islamic world.
The bus that ferries visitors take up the shape of Malay architecture

The park was built on a 23-hectare islet called Pulau Wan Man in the middle of the Terengganu River. It cost RM250 million which was part of the project under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER). The park features 21 replicas of mosques and monuments. They include Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock (Qubbah As Sakharah), Spain’s Alhamra, India’s Taj Mahal, Malaysia’s National Mosque, Brunei’s Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, Pakistan’s Badshahi Mosque, Saudi Arabia’s Masjidil Haram and Nabawi, Indonesia’s Almanar Kudus, Uzbekistan’s Kalyan Tower, Nigeria’s Agadez Grand Mosque, Iran’s Sheikh Lutfallah Mosque, Syria’s Aleppo Citadel, Tunisia’s Qairawan Grand Mosque, China’s Xian Mosque, Iraq’s Samarra Grand Mosque, Turkey’s Suleyman Mosque, Thailand’s Central Pattani Mosque, Afghanistan’s Abu Nasr Parsa Tomb, Egypt’s Mohamed Ali Parsha Mosque, and Russia’s Kul Sharif Mosque.

Crystal Mosque

The park was yet to be officially opened by the Prime Minister the following day. When we arrived, the crowd was getting bigger. There were buses to ferry the visitors into the park. Private cars were not allowed in.

Dome of the Rock in Terengganu

The park was hardly ready to be officially opened. The road leading to the park was small and appeared to be hastily constructed for the opening ceremony. The area where the mosque replicas and monuments were located was out of bound. The main attraction was the Crystal Mosque, even that it was closed to visitors. The visitors were limited to taking photographs from a distance. There were some festivities in the area but they were in line with the Islam Hadhari’s concept. No wild parties!

After taking some photos, we decided to leave. We may be coming back for a closer look in the near future. Another “Malaysia Boleh” project.

We also visited Liza's house which was still under construction.