Bakes & cakes 17

I have not uploaded my bakes and cakes for quite some time because i lost my food folder. One day i wanted to check the bakes photo in my phone and i realized i couldn't find the folder. Carik kat dropbox, back ups, duplicates tak de...GONE. ALL GONE... So , i have to start from scratch. Again, some bakes photos did not take thinking that i have done this before, without realizing i did not have the photos. These were the only ones in my phones.

Hari raya haji bakes...I made the blondies and steam fruit cake only. The other two were brought by other relatives.

I bought the tart shell and planned to make cheese tart, but tried it with belgian chocolate and butterscotch filling first. The shell is still inside my fridge.

The only photos i have of Alia's birthday cake - chocolate meringue cake with strawberries and cream.

Sugee cake with hazelnut instead of the usual almond. I baked it in two loaves pans instead of the usual 8x8 cake pan. Gave 1 loaf to DH's grandma.

Carrot cupcakes with walnut for hari raya do in my workplace.

Red pearl cookies for raya

Biskut mazola requested by DH.

Trip to Turkey- Cappadocia, Ankara, Bolu

In Cappadocia, when you wake up in the morning and look out your balcony you will see hot air balloon. If you want to take a ride it will set you back USD200 per person. We decided to forgo this activity and take aleisure breakfast instead.

another view from our hotel

after breakfast, ready to do a lot of walking

First stop Pigeon Valley

As usual, the kids will always love feeding the animals. 

Uchisar castle area

the evil eye tree - for good luck

 View from across the street

We made a stop a weaving centre/ handmade carpet factory - dengar briefing- some carpets like the one below took up to 2 years to finish. We were brought into a room given tea and they started to display all sorts of carpets there- beautiful but too expensive for me.

This is silk on silk carpet- my favourite type, but it's not use as a carpet- more of an artwork- to be framed and hung. 

Next stop- Kaymakli Underground City, another UNESCO heritage. quite a number did not join us here cause some place are quite small.This is where the  Christians were living in 6,7 centuries.  There were 8 levels underground, starting at the 8th level. We went down to the 4 th level.

 It's a heavy door to open/close

 Going down

air well- to keep cool in summer and warm in winter

A perfect spot to take photos

After Kaymakli, we went for our lunch somewhere very near to our hotel. Lunch was good- we were surprised to see some of the Malaysian food being served there- rupanya chef is from Malaysia. 

 After lunch we went to the potter making place - Vanessa ceramic tiles

 Demo - kejap je dah siap satu pasu

 some of the products that they sell - I love the blue and white plate

 Very tedious to make. After the tiles, we went to turquaz and zultanite factory, all within the same complex. I did not buy anything here.

Next stop- Goreme open air museum - looks like Flintstones 

 Bergambar dulu- while waiting for the rest of the group

Side view

there are many churches here- apple church, snake church- macam macam lagi lah- can't really remember the names. from here we walk and climb to the hill at the back. If you look closely you can see it's full of people.

Time to start climbing - just have to be careful because they are many people going against your way, in some places you have to take turns going up or down.

Done- going down

 some of the walls or ceilings

 in one of the church

Almost done- the view was beautiful

On the way back to the bus- Irfan wants ice-cream- kena sakat dengan pakcik tu- as usual

 In Turkey, pistachio is the most popular nut- you see pistachio in chocolates, turkish delight, baklava...yum yums

 The next day we made our way to Ankara, about 4 hours drive from Cappadocia. In Ankara we visited Mustafa Kamal Ataturk mausoleum.  Kat sini all handphones will not work. Even if they do, somebody is probably listening to your conversation - that's what our guide told us.

surrounding view

 Bergambar dengan askar dulu- in winter they will stand guard inside the glass cubicle.

 We were lucky we managed to arrived just in time for the change of guard ceremony. Just look how high their feet is.

 After the event baru masuk mausoleum.

Downstairs they are some small museum of Mustafa Kamal history and belongings. DH strayed off and lost track of time. I had to backtrack to find him  (can't use the phone, remember?).  Cepat2 pegi bas- don't want everybody to wait for us. we had lunch here and  then to Bolu, a three hour drive.

Our hotel in Bolu was somewhere within the housing area. Ptg2 jalan2 pergi market- their veges are fresh and cheap here! Patutlah banyak hidang sayur kat sini. Look at the house - roses  punya banyak- inside you can see roses of all colours. The guy upstairs just stare at me when I was admiring the roses.

 Found a cat- main- main kejap- kucing kat sini suma jinak2

the cat followed us for some time. We didn't have any food to give. We stop by a supermarket to look for cat food but not available. Beli ice-cream for the cat, tapi bila balik we can't find the cat- last-last irfan yang makan icre-cream tu. balik hotel, had our dinner and tomorrow to Istanbul!

Convent Klang 1992 Reunion: Vintage Vixen

Last weekend about 50 of us gathered in Lemon Garden Shangri La for our reunion. I remembered the last reunion  was held on 4 March 2006, which I did not join- I was in the hospital, just gave birth to my son 4 days earlier. I kept thinking what I missed then, so when Yuin Lu made an announcement of the reunion, I decided there and then that I will not miss this event. Some of my schoolmates here I have not met for the last 23 years! You can imagine the excitement, noise and laughter that we made that day. Photos below are taken from my own phones and schoolmates' facebook uploads.

A wefie with most of us

Our doorgift include a magnet version of this logo and a special limited edition bag.

We met Amy and Norliah before the rest

With Siti Suraiya and Anis. Anis and I are considered colleagues now, but in different campus

Close friend in school, Azida and Amy

A cake for those celebrating birthday in August

Classmates Drupa and Wai Leng, Drupa was also my coursemate in Uni

Those sitting in the same table with me

You know in school when you have to prepare an essay titled my best friend? It will always be Azida- we went through childhood, teenage years, getting married, had kids and we still see each other on a regular basis. I'm so lucky that we are neighbours now.

Siti Suraiya, i remembered she sat in front of me in Std 1

I sat beside Cherwyn in class, but I can't remember which Form 

My classmates

Almost all of us- some went back early, some came later.

I had a great time here, credit to the organizers, Yuin Lu and Priscilla. From facebook updates, I have seen some of them meet up later in small groups to catch up on each other. Those in Shah Alam and nearby, may be we should do the same.