Thots Travel

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Sejarah Kulim

Daerah Kulim dipercayai dibuka dan didiami sejak pertengahan abad ke 18 lagi iaitu dengan jumlah 100 orang yang berasal dari keturunan Melayu Pattani. Menjelang pertengahan abad ke 19 Kulim telah menjadi tumpuan kerana penemuan hasil bijih timah. Pada tahun 1890 terdapat 400 pelombong Cina beroperasi di Kulim. Antara kawasan terawal pembukaan Daerah Kulim ialah di Belakang Tebok.

Lombong-lombong bijih timah yang terbesar telah dibuka di kawasan Kulim ialah Taman Tunku Putra, Kg Bukit Besar, Karangan, Terap dan Kelang Lama. Menurut catatan pada tahun 1854 terdapat 8 buah syarikat cari gali bijih timah dengan jumlah pekerja seramai 1500 orang.

Kawasan ini dipercayai bekas lombong bijih terawal di Taman Tasik Putra, Pada tahun 1888 tercetus peristiwa besar di Kulim yang melibatkan pekerja-pekerja lombong bijih timah. Peristiwa ini dikenali sebagai "Perang Nyonya Cantik" atau "Perang Kulim". Kejadian ini bermula apabila taukeh-taukeh lombong bijih di sekitar Kulim bergaduh sesama sendiri kerana merebut seorang wanita Cina yang cantik atau wanita simpanan. Taukeh-taukeh ini telah menggunakan pekerja-pekerja lombong masing-masing dalam pergaduhan yang terjadi. Keamanan penduduk telah terancam dan pergaduhan ini telah berlanjutan bertahun-tahun lamanya dengan memakan korban yang banyak di antara pihak-pihak yang terlibat.

Insiden Perang Kulim 1888 ini telah menyebabkan kerajaan Kedah terpaksa melantik seorang rakyat British iaitu B.E Mitchell sebagai Ketua Polis Kulim pada tahun 1890 dan kedudukan kewangan negeri Kedah yang teruk. Melalui Perjanjian Bangkok pada tahun 1909 maka pihak British telah menganggap Kedah telah pun berada di bawah pemerintahannya. Hanya pada tahun 1923 barulah Sultan Abdul Hamid membuat perjanjian dengan British bahawa Kedah secara rasmi menjadi naungan British.

Nama Daerah Kulim dipercayai diberikan kerana terdapat banyak Pokok Kulim yang terdapat di kawasan ini terutama di kawasan Bandar Kulim oleh penduduk awal ini. Bekas pelombong yang bekerja di kawasan perlombongan yang kaya dengan hasil bijih timah di negeri Perak iaitu di kawasan Larut, Matang, Taiping dan Selama adalah yang mula-mula membuka Daerah kulim.

Bekas pekerja lombong ini melarikan diri dari kawasan bijih timah di negeri Perak kerana tidak mahu terlibat dengan pergaduhan yang sering berlaku di antara Kumpulan Kongsi antaranya kumpulan Ghee Hin dan Hai San yang sering di tubuhkan oleh pekerja-pekerja lombong negeri Perak bagi merebut kawasan yang kaya dengan bijih timah.

Dipercayai pelombong-pelombong ini melarikan diri merentas hutan belukar di kawasan Kulim menuju ke Pulau Pinang untuk mencari pendudukan baru. Pulau Pinang ketika itu sudah menjadi bandar pelabuhan yang sibuk di Utara Tanah Melayu sejak pembukaannya oleh Inggeris pada tahun 1786.

Ketika melalui kawasan Kulim bekas-bekas pelombong ini mendapati dalam sungai dan tanah ada tanda bahawa wujudnya bijih timah dan telah mengambil keputusan untuk tinggal menetap dan membuka perkampungan bagi memudahkan mereka mendulang bijih timah.

Di antara bangunan warisan yang masih terdapat di Kulim ialah panggung Coronation,Sek Men St. Patrick (1933) yang mana telah dijadikan sebagai bangunan perniagaan. Sekolah Menengah Sultan Badlishah (1948), Balai Polis Kulim dan sebagainya. Manakala jam merdeka Kulim telah dirasmikan oleh DYMM Sultan Kedah pada 15 September 1957 yang masih kekal menjadi mercu tanda bagi bandar Kulim.

Penguatkuasaan Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976 (Akta 171) mulai 1 Febuari 1978 Ditubuhkan pada 1 Ogos 1975 berikutan Undang-undang Kerajaan Tempatan (Akta 124) Perntukan Sementara. Ia adalah Percantuman diantara Majlis Bandaran Kulim, Lembaga Bandaran Kulim, Majlis Tempatan Lunas, Majlis Tempatan Padang Serai, Majlis Tempatan Junjung, Majlis Tempatan Mahang dan Majlis Tempatan.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Breakfast at Iman's

Iman's mother invited us over to their home for breakfast. So after checking out from New Pacific Hotel we drove over to their house along Jalan Telipot. It's an orange wooden house with lighter orange and lilac interiors. It's cute! Comey lotey as Kelantanese say it.



We had Kelantanese breakfast delicacy, Nasi Kerabu which literally means Salad Rice. Steamed rice is dyed blue with a kind of flower. Then served with sambal tumis kelapa which is ground chili paste with grated coconut and fish. Sprinkled with generous helpings of thinly sliced ulam-ulam or fresh local herbs, leaves and vegetables like pegaga leaves, bunga kantan and long beans. Hmmmm...crunchy!



With budu (shrimp sauce) taugeh (bean sprouts), grated coconut and keropok (fried fish crackers), it's finger licking good. I was literally licking my fingers hehehe...



I like the solok lada which is green chillies stuffed with a fish paste.



Usually you eat it with kari ikan tongkol (tuna fish curry) or with other curries, but Iman served the rice with broiled beef instead. That tasted even better.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah

One of the things I don't like about traveling with my mom is that she would not let me go back to bed after Solat Subuh or morning prayers. Emak said, if I want to sleep in at the hotel, better stay home and not waste my time traveling. Sigh...


Fotunately the scrumptious breakfast buffet at the coffee house was something to wake up that early for. I caught sight of my favourite dish, Laksam, which is a Kelantanese breakfast delicacy. Laksam is pearly white rolls of noodles in a tasty creamy fish gravy. It's topped with super crunchy bean sprouts and a dollop of chopped green chillies for extra kick. It was good to the last drop...

After breakfast, we left the hotel and drove over to Jalan Temenggong to do some shopping at Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah, or Siti Khadijah Central Market.






Evident from the majority of women dominating its economy where 80% of traders at the central market and other parts of the city, Kelantan is no doubt a matriach society. Well at least economically.




On the ground floor you will find all the wet raw food like fish, meat, poultry and vegetables.





On the second floor are the dry processed foods like keropok and other goodies.






On the third floor you will find a splendour of colours as you browse through a variety of textiles ranging from batik to songket to silk.


You can also buy ready to wear clothes, selendang and tudung.




After doing some shopping we had a drink at the sidewalk cafe next to the market. Hehe on the streets of Kota Bharu, I saw a lot of signboards saying "Terima Kasih Kerana Menutup Aurat". Alamak, I was not wearing tudung!

Then, we went back to the hotel to pack up and check out.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

What kind of traveler are you

According to Tickle.com, Nel is a Cultural Traveler.

See the world. Meet new people. For a Cultural Traveler, traveling is an unparalleled chance to see what makes the rest of the world tick.

Curious and social, a Cultural Traveler get just as big a kick from chatting up locals as they do from visiting historic sites.

Different people, cultures, and landscapes help you appreciate what a Cultural Traveler has and also see the world from someone else's eyes.

It's a learning experience they are after, so whether they find that in museums, ruins, or local markets, they're sure to come away with a new view or idea. Take it all in!

Take this test at Tickle


Nel is a Cultural Traveler


What Kind of Traveler Are You?

Brought to you by Tickle

Monday, July 10, 2006

An Aussie Ghost Story

According an Aussie friend, this story happened a while ago in Brisbane, Australia. Even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's true...



John Bradford, a Sydney University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. Suddenly he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped.

John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got in the car and closed the door, just to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on! The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before he hit the curve, a hand appeared through the window and turned the wheel.

John, paralyzed with terror, watched how the hand appeared every time they came to a curve. John saw the lights of a pub down the road so, gathering strength, jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and asked for two shots of tequila. He then started telling everybody about the horrible experience he went through.

A silence enveloped everybody when they realized he was crying and wasn't drunk. About 15 minutes later, two guys walked into the same pub. They were also wet and out of breath. Looking around and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other, "Look, Bruce, it's the bloody idiot that got in the car while we were pushing it."

* * *

Hahaha bet you didn't see that coming, eh???

Friday, July 07, 2006

World Cup Babes

Sleepless nights watching World Cup 2006? Time for a commercial break. If you're a guy, these pictures would refresh your tired eyes with some eye candy. World Cup Babes dressed up in themes to support their favorite teams for the love of the game.

Viva Brazil...



Ole Ole Portugal...



Mama Mia Italy...



Holland....



ABBAcadabra Sweden...



Paraguay...



Trinidad & Tobago...



Poland...



And finally...England!



Hahaha...Omigod! God Save the Queen!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Bangsawan Naga Chini

Last night I watched an opera called Bangsawan Naga Chini at Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya with Belle of the Party.



We got complimetary tickets from Tony Eusoff, a good friend of Belle of the Party, and a friend of mine too, who played Aria Chakra a peace envoy from Kemboja Sari in search of Kota Gelanggi but was stranded in Paya Chini.



That was my first experience watching a bangsawan, a traditional Malay opera that was once called wayang parsi.






Main casts were Ako Mustapha, Jehan Miskin, Tony Eusoff, Serina Redzuwan, Zuliana Abd. Aziz (Jue), Yalal Chin (BCM), Ebby Yus and Juhara Ayob.

It's a story of how love for one woman, Puteri Mayang Sari, brought about war between two men, Arus Putra and Gempita Sakti who are twin brothers.



The opera subtly reflects the reality of today's life intertwined in myth and legend.

My question is, if love is pure and beautiful, how can it bring about so much hatred, pride and prejudice? Love should bring peace - not war.



Nobody really gains from war…