MC

Often even if I have a temperature and larat berjalan, I would still go to work. Last couple of days, the cough I picked up the last few days in Uzbekistan got worse and I was groggy and yet I dressed up to go to work after visiting the doc.But Allah tu Maha Kuasa, doc gave me two days mc for conjunctivitis...memang I had to stay at home! And all I did was sleep and rest.But malamnya the cough got worse.And I lost all sense of time and day. Rupa2nya it's almost the weekend already!

I missed Nusrat's defense and the seminar on Faruqi. Nusrat said her thesis proposal was well accepted. The Dean himself would now co-supervise cos' Dr. Aimilia said it involved comparative literature and hence, someone from comparative religion would be more apt.I told Nusrat it was really her rezeki to get Prof Zein to co-supervise.

So used to moving around, I cooked Uzbek pilaf. Terlebih air so the rice lembik sikit but everyone said very nice.The second time would be perfect IA. Senang je membuatnya. Asalnya from Kabul.My tok nenek moyang moyet on my dad's side punya makanan. Patutlah saya suka mcm itik ke air. :D

Aminah came to do acupuncture on me...the cough got better and I could sleep better. Syukurlah Aminah still does home service.

Marilah kita berdoa sihat tubuh badan dan panjang umur untuk membuat ibadah Ramadan kali ni.Selamat menyambut bulan yang penuh baraqah.Our surau dah diperbesarkan.I told Nik to inform surau comm to keep the garden.Itu sebahagian dari senibina Islam.Jgn dok jadi kering kontang gitu.Tempat tinggal, tempat ibadah mesti sentiasa green dan segar.

I left my heart in Tashkent

Muahaha..looks like we are going back sooner or later!But Z said if she were to carry my knees on her and her dad, dream on la. :D

More pics. Nabila has 2k pics on her.My battery asyik kong...so these are the few I managed to get.Some are taken from pics sent to our WA group.

The girls at their boutique hotel in Bukhara (old city)

the photographer wanted a free style

there were 20 of us, 5 men but you see Dr Abideen Adawale shj in this
pic.We call him Mr. President Barack Obama cos' everyone stopped him
for pictures (tak pernah tengok org dari Africa)

The culture show at the restaurant we went to in Bukhara (piantan Maghrib)

Russian model showing Uzbek textile (also
at the restaurant we were dining)

With the young engineers

At the mosque in Bukhara which could take 10K people.
During Genghis Khan's time, he turned part of the mosque into his stable

This couple is celebrating their 55th anniversary.Both are scientists.
The lady taught Physics, the groom taught biology.A rep from the mayor
came to honour them.

A group of IIUM academics from various disciplines
on rombongan cik kiah

Sheikh Habibullah the khat king showing off the piece of work he gave to the President
of Uzbek (this one is his set)

Collecting white mulberries at the backyard of Sheilh's home.Manis gila

At Sheikh's khat gallery at his home with his grandchildren

Mr President, surrounded by admiring Uzbek gals

Smiley Ashrali and Khairul (our tourist guide who could speak Malay)

Our escort to shopping mall in Uzbek

Not from UIA, OK?  :)

Our breakfast table at Bukhara

Early diners

Architect Aziah tengah chong apa tu?

Cherries from the backyard. Oxford boy Firdaus sedang tersengih

Rombongan Cik Kiah with TIU

Queen Sheila with her dayang2

Tashkent : A happening city

The Russians moved Uzbek capital from Samarkand to Tashkent.What a sprawling,modern and exciting city.The people are friendly but things are expensive for they only want USD when we shop.Very limited credit card use even in the malls.Mostly they take Master card not Visa.I bought a shirt close to RM200.In KL maybe around RM60.Maybe they bought in KL pun.

But our time at Tashkent Islamic Uni was cool.A few research projects are in the pipeline.I'm keen on being in the manuscript team,translating some unpublished works of say Imam Bukhari ke.We saw a huge Quran written on leather during the time of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan.Allahuakhbar! Another teary moment for me.Tak pernah termimpi to be this close to someone who lived during the prophet's time.I missed visiting makam cousin nabi, Kusam ibn Abbas cos' tangganya tinggi sgt.I sat di kaki tangga.Jadilah.He brought Islam to Uzbek.Kata Nabi, Kusam was like him in looks and manner.

Sufis in Bukhara

We went to visit more mausoleums..Nashabandi ke hapa..pembawa sufi movement yg unggul itu.Then visited the first ruler who brought Islam to Bukhara.Will get the notes later.

We flew to Tashkent frm Bukhara.Russian plane.Seram.Dia bawak laju mcm takda brake basikal.Some air turbulence.But alhamdulillah selamat after some drama at the airport (Sheila and Marliah were not listed!).

Sampai Tashkent almost midnight..hotel screwed up..gave our rooms to another group.No room till 5 am.Gila ke hapa? There were two rooms je.Sheila took one and Marliah took another.Sheila kesian kat I sakit lutut (too much walking and panjat tangga) she ajak I slept in her room.The rest went to another 5 star hotel after Sallehuddin our guide called his hit man and his director pun turun.Kecoh! I heard at the other hotel pun they were told there were no rooms.But s/how Sallehuddin got them in and they had to check out by 8 am the following day back to the first stupid hotel.Mohan dah warned me..selalu kat sini..janji lain dapat lain.I was just too tired to think more but everyone in the group was so kind to me sbb my knees mmg tak larat dah.The guys would carry my suitcase bila ada tangga (no lift..no escalator in most places).Parveen and hubby siap bagi I anti-inflammation gel.So sweet.Parveen masa org Uzbek ckp she's pretty siap ckp dato moyang dia berasal dari Uzbek via Babur..keturunan raja india ke hapa.I told Sheila and Marliah the story.Kami semua kata cutenya cerita dia! :))

Bukhara