Mubarak Nowrooz 1390 for Iranian and Afghan fellow

Dear Friends, Greetings and Mubarak NOWROOZ 1390 for my Iranian and Afghani friends.

Today is the first day of Iranian and Afghani new year. There following are some information about the NOWROOZ - New Day for all who interested to know.. Tasyakur Ayoub.. to share!

Nowrooz Customs

In harmony with the rebirth of nature, the Iranian New Year Celebration, or NOROOZ, always begins on the first day of spring.

Nowrooz ceremonies are symbolic representations of two ancient concepts - the End and the Rebirth; or Good and Evil.

More information

A few weeks before the New Year, Iranians

clean and rearrange their homes,

They make new clothes,

and germinate seeds as sign of renewal.

Haft Seen (7 s)

Is a spread with seven items which each symbolizes a wish or theme. All seven items in this ceremonial table starts with the Persian letter Seen or S in English. The Haft Seen spread is usually put out a week before the New Year, which sets the mood for celebration. The seven items are:

Sabzeh (grown wheat or lentil) for rebirth,

Samanu (flour and sugar) for sweetness of life,

Sekeh (coin ) for prosperity and wealth,

Senjed ( dried fruit of Lotus tree) for love,

Seer (garlic) for health,

Somaq ( sumac berries) for warmth

and Serkeh ( vinegar) for patience.

Also there other items on the Norooz spread such as Holy Quran , Hafez (Persian lyric poet) poems book, painted eggs, which represent fertility, a mirror that represents image and reflection of life, goldfish in a bowl that represents life, Sonbol - Hyacinth (plant) and lit candles that represent enlightenment and happiness.

At the time of changing the year, Reading the specific prayer of Norooz which is as follow:

« يا مقلب القلوب و الابصار، يا مدبر اليل و النهار، يا محول الحول و الاحوال، حول حالنا الي احسن الحال

Some of the activities during Norooz are:

Family reunion

Giving presents

Visiting neighbors and friends

And, celebrating by having a picnic on the 13th day of Spring.

Tomyam and Alia teh Mantap on Nowruz 1390

Finally, I can make my own Tomyam Goong for my lunch and dinner today on Nowruz 1390 :)

Seems.. it's not so much sweats to make it, just follow the instruction that I took from mbah google, and download some demo video regarding cooking tomyam. The ingredients ready, only some that I couldn't find here such as "lemon grass" and the "lemon" itself run of stock. So, yeah I decided to put a bit "orange juice" as replacement.. :)

To accompany the TOMYAM like usual, my favorite omelet. So, I fried the omelet without the york as I have problem with my high cholosterol. Everything ready to cook, and I start my Tomyam cook, and the same times listening the Pashto songs.. Though today is really my day :) I am all alone in the kitchen.. and can put on hard musics while doing my cook.

In a short time my food ready.. so I move it in the bowl and mixed together with the fish oily and orange juice and green chilly. I just put a little of chilly on it, as I'm afraight my stomach will get shock if it's so spicy. Well things look fine.. fine.. and good good.. GOOD.. so, I put all the food on the table and ready for me to eat. I made my hot tea alia, put some ginger, tea and milk in the cup.. mixed them together.. Here they are.. my big own make lunch.. :) bonapetite.. selamat makan.. and I'm all alone.. eating those all food.. anyone to joint me ?? :)

Then.. how is the taste ??? hehhee.. Don't Ask. I'm not going to tell.. hahahha.. the taste just okay.. though.. this is first time for me to make the tomyam.. just fine FINE FINE taste I guess.. as you see from the display.. not bad.. huh ;) and still I can felt the hot and spicy and sour and mostly salty at the end of my tounge.. hmmm... so the taste.. to conclude.. just okay.. not bad... hahaha.. I just wonder how come the salty flovour dominant on it.. eventhough I don't put any salt on it.. hmmm.. hmmm.... bcause of the chicken stake cube I think... or maybe I put more oily fish.. maybe... will try again.. next time I guess... but but BUT.. the taste just.. okay Fine and not bad.. boleh tahan.. the malay said.

For the next holiday.. get ready.. to make SOTO Padang.. hmm.. SOTO Padang.. cool.. heheheh I'm waiting for my Friday holiday.. to make it.. It's always fun to learn new skill .. They said.. and yeah It's.. always Fun.. if only I can go to Helmand river..for swim.. it will be awesome..! Awesome baby.. :)

First day of Nowruz 1390

Nowruz de Mubarak Afghan..
Happy New Year Afghan .,
Met Tahun Baru yee AFGHAN 1390 :)

Today is a big holiday, the first days of Nowruz in Afghan of the new year 1390, but still seems like I can't go to celebrate the party.

There is one event in the stadium at the city, a kind of concert to celebrate the nowruz party. Some famous singers will come to Las to entertain the bystanders.. huhhhhhhh capek dehh :)

Some friends have gathering function in KBRI.. I wish them enjoy the Nowruz there.. makan makan.. enak.. di KBRI..wow.. ngilerrrrr and ngencess juga.. ngebayangin sambal gorengnya !!! hehehe. Anyway cancel cancel forget it.. yup.. I start my day by making my own simple breakfast today, and trying to get busy myself.

I have two pieces of toaster bread, one small bowl of flakes cereal with milk and also a cup of apple juice.. hmmmm mamamiyah.. not bad.. enough for my small stomach.. and today I'm going to expriment to make my favorite food "TOMYAM" hmmm.. COOL.. about 3months already not eating any single TOMYAM. Then come in my mind if I'm so crazy of about that food, why not trying to produce by myself, since today is holiday.. I have plenty of time.

For that reason, I'm starting to investigate the ingredients, recipes and how to make it. Everything ready now.. and I will start to do that soon.. very soon.. I'm going to make my own first Tomyam Goong.. hehhehe.. just the clear tomyam first.. and see.. hope it's good.. and not make any problem in my abdomen... well have fun cooking mannn.. and enjoy it..

Oh yeah.. for the drinks, I'm planning to have hot bandrek susu (ginger milk) hmmm.. nikmatnya.. makan ama tomyam.. panas.. panas.. hot hot.. sour and spicy dikit aja deh.. takut mencret.. and also.. hot bandrek milk.... and apple, oranges, melon all available.. have a good meal on Nowruz 1390 my friend... :)

Busquett Busquett Butetttttttt

Busyet Busyet.. Butet AGHHHHHHHH..cam mana kau Butet... !! Udah tanggal segini masih belom gajian juga..!! Capekkk kaliiiiiiiii.. Busquetttttttt dehhhhhh!

Ohpsss my high cholosterol really made bad attitude on me! I'm becoming so much bad tempered, less of patient.. etc.. etc.. Hmmm I closed my eyes! I recitated "Astagfirullah and Alhamdulillah".. trying to cooling down myself.. then I said.. if only I can bike to the town and swim at Helmand river.. it will be awesome.. baby.. Awesome.

Take a long breat man........if you want to shout.. just shouting.. go to the back yard.. and make long screaming until you get sick on yr throat :) hehehe.. No need.. not again I'll do that, that ..... is bad relief, in addition it's difficult to get medicine and treatment here.. !

Luckily, I have a punch bag here.. .. yeah though it's a better way.. do the punch.. to get some sweats as well.. okay.. okay.. eventhough I'm not in the mood.. but I think it's better.. I'll do it now for one hour....

Thank you Allah.. I'm plong....... plong .. and still I think that if I can swim at Helmand river...it will be Awesome!

Blooming Plum Trees.. HORASSSSSSSS :)

Eurekaaaaaaaaaaaa.. yahoooooo...Horeeeeeeee.. HORASSSSSSSSSSSSSS :)

The plum trees starting blooming surrounding the backyard! the plum flowers growing on the twigs of the tree. First time I saw this tree in live! In the beginning I though these trees are dying, so dry, so brittle, so brown, black and grey, leaveless and not single green dots at those trees, but I was wrong.. wrong.. WRONG!.. salah SALAH.. SALAH..:)

I observed more on this trees, as I think I never see this type of trees in Indonesia and I'm not sure if we have it. So, the pistils of the flowers start blooming. The color also very nice with dominant white, it's sticking strongly at the branches of the trees.. hmmm that's nice!

Does all means that the SPRING seasons will coming soon here!.. European.. Yahooo.. horeeeeeeeeee.. Horasssssssss.. :) the spring coming soon.. would be many colours later in this yard.. inspite of just brown, grey and dry and high humidity.. there will be more colours around... more blooming and colourfull.

Hmmm I am looking forward to see the SPRING here.. as today March 10, can't imagine the backyard would be full of colours with the flowers, fruits and green green leaves around and fresh air of Afghan.. Welcome to the Afghan's natural awesome SPRING season.. Hope to see more smiling local people around.. Insya Allah..

IF Only I can Swim @ Helmand River

If only I can bike around the town, the river, and the road freely in Laskar Gah that will be
"A W E S O M E"!

Most local people don't advise me to get out of my living. It's too dangerous out there for you They said. You may be get kidnapped, get hurt, bom exploded etc etc etc and all the negative and scary movie may happened on you if you go out there. The people here are different, They hate foreigners They said. Should I believe on it ???

I have been breathing with Afghan's air for 39 days up to now, staying under the Afghan's skies, eating and drinking the local foods and drinks! Alhamdulillah, so far still I'm survive.. but feeling dull .. flat.. tasteless.. my passion started down down DOWN.. and I'm counting the days for my leave.. another 35days more.. extra 35 days..more... hmmm.. so LONG huh.. lambatnya....

Why do I felt so dull.. ??? Hmm Though this negative feeling not good for my health.. it will increase my cholosterol level :) hehehe..................................................................... welcome to the jungle... mate........ Though I need to swim at Helmand river now....... cooling down my head my mind and all my body.........If only I can go swimming at Helmand river now.. it would be AWESOME.. baby.. AWESOME..

Buddy's

34 Days breath with Afghan's air! Alhamdulillah, I'm survive!

Hmmm.. about one month more already here in lovely Afghanistan.. Time passing.. but not so past I guess.. The dully and boring feel starting engulve my mind.. I need to be able to manage this feelings... forget.. forget FORGET it.. cancel cancel.. CANCEL it.. lupa lupa LUPAkan.. hehehe.

Well today a lovely raining days on Friday.. for one reason I love Friday as it's holiday here, trying to do things out of routines on this off day. I took my camera and have some photos of Afghan buddy's sourrounding. Hmmmmm My GOD...I'm stuck to write! stuck stuck stuck....ok I'll continue later.. guessss.. Was!