Eid Al-Fitr in Edinburgh 2012

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

This is the first year I actually celebrated Eid Al-Fitr with the Edinburgh Muslim community since I've lived here.  Definitely, it is very different from celebrating Eid back home.

On Eid, a beautiful Sunday with the sun beating down on us, I finished prayers at Central Mosque and went for an outdoor brunch with friends.  It was great to reconnect with some of the sisters - a group of us descended upon the newly opened Olive Tree Cafe on Nicholson Square.  Lovely atmosphere and the food wasn't too bad - except for the hash brown; but then again, hash brown is a U.S. thing, not a Scottish thing.

Anyway, was invited to the Malaysian open house later on but since I had invited my non-Muslim friends to join me for an Eid dinner, I declined and went home to have a rest.  The Eid dinner at Thaisanuk, a halal Thai restaurant near the Royal Commonwealth Pool, was fabulous - the company was lovely and the food was excellent...I recommend the duck green curry.  One of the things I miss about back home is that your non-Muslim neighbours and friends celebrate Eid with us - so the dinner was my way to ensure something of that nature happened here.  It was also a good way to introduce Islam to my friends as they asked questions about Ramadhan and Eid.

Monday, it was back to work but I managed to get the afternoon off from my boss.  Again it was another lovely day and with the Fringe Festival still on, I decided to go be a tourist for the afternoon.  Strolling along the Royal Mile, I caught a couple of the street acts.  I basically ended up in Princes Gardens.  Before I entered, I listened to this busker playing his guitar.  Wow, the guy had talent!  After enjoying my lunch while listening to a Scottish lad singing on the wee stage in the middle of the gardens, I took the bus to Ocean Terminal to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia.  I can't believe in all the years I've been here, that was my first time at the Ocean Terminal.

Britannia was classy - I really wished I had brought my camera with me. As it was, I only had my phone camera and my battery was very low.  So I only managed to take a few:

This one is of the Officers' Mess.  Can you find the hidden monkey in this picture?  The monkey was supposed to be a gift from someone important and no one was supposed to touch it but mysteriously, everyday it finds its way to a different spot in the Mess.

This is the posh gang-plank that the Queen or any Royalty on board would use on their official visits.

There are times when a yacht is just too big - so for the Royals to be ferried across, the yacht is equipt with this barge and others like it.  I regretted not managing to photograph the Rolls Royce that the yacht have stored away for the Queen's use in the old days when there might not be a suitable car for her in the country she was visiting.

The day was made even better when I spoke to my brother since I was unable to talk to him the previous day when I facetimed my family.

The Eid celebration didn't end with just those two days however.  For the following Sunday, we were to have a lovely Eid in Lord Ancrum's Wood.  In fact, it was mentioned in the newspaper.  Alhamdulillah, the day turned out beautifully sunny and dry which is a rare commodity right now in Scotland.  We had a talk on Islam and nature, guided tours in the woods, a treasure hunt for the kids, Dhur prayers in the lovely sunshine, and brilliant food for lunch.  Best of all, I met some lovely new people and enjoyed the company of my friends.

Below are some of the pictures I took of the woods and the event.  Respecting that some people are not comfortable being photographed, I will only put up some of the kids photos here.  I've enjoyed the day and hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

This kid was so cute.  I shot this photo of him playing while the others were listening to the talk.

Some of the yummy food.

And the desserts.

With the kids following her, she reminds me of the pipe piper.

The yew tree is able to change the pH of the soil, making it slightly acidic and so discourage undergrowth.  How marvelous is Allah to create such a thing.

And that's Jenny, our ranger who pointed out the difference between wych elm and hazelnut.  Both have fuzzy leaves but the wych elm leaves are not symmetrical and do not join the stem at the same spot.  The first photo is of the wych elm and the second for hazelnut.

Winter Wonderland

It has been snowing on and off for the past week but only last night that Edinburgh really turned into a winter wonderland. The snow storm last night painted the ground, roofs, and cars white.

Subhanallah, it is a breathtaking sight and down my street, I see the kids (and adults) finally coming out to make snowmen. But I'm glad I am inside, away from the cold. I'll venture out later to take some photos of my street and Arthur's seat. Meanwhile I am grateful to Allah for this chance to experience a white Christmas, even if I don't celebrate Christmas.

Second Ramadhan in Edinburgh

Today is the middle of Ramadhan and this is my second Ramadhan here. The difference between this Ramadhan and last year's is stark. Perhaps, last Ramadhan, the excitement of starting a new course and making new friends made it seemed less lonely. On the other hand, because of the course and adjustment period, I couldn't really concentrate on the worship aspects of Ramadhan.

This Ramadhan, it feels different. First, I have the time to sit and read the Qur'an as well as do my night prayers without worrying what time I have to get up the next day. However, it is a sad time too. I miss my family and friends, including those who had just gone home. This Ramadhan is turning out to be a lonely one. I guess that makes it easier to concentrate on the spiritual aspect of Ramadhan.

Whatever it is, I pray that this Ramadhan brings blessings to all Muslims.

Duddingston Loch

This is the loch near my flat - went there on a cloudy day and got this shot of the water's reflection.

As summer progresses, one notices the wild flowers taking turns to bloom every month. Here's one for the month of July.

And then there is the fireweed or rosebay willowherb - they grow in such quantities that the fields are awash with this soft purple flower.

Of course, this is Scotland and the sight of her national flower, the thistle, is a reminder of the wild beauty and prickly nature of the land.

Wintery Sunrise

It's just 10 minutes past sunrise and while there are a couple of souls and birds out and about in the campus, it is still quiet. The inhabitants (students) have yet to stir from their bed this wintery morning. Outside, the trees and ground are covered in snow, once again painting the "world" in white.

I sit here gazing out of my window, enjoying the quiet and the winter wonderland outside. Soon, the day will begin and I will be swept up by my busy schedule once again with little time for reflection. But for now, I give thanks to God for His blessings and opportunity to experience this.

Winter Wonderland

It snowed heavily early this morning - the first of many this week as the cold front brought London to a standstill and much snow to Edinburgh. The snow continued to fall heavily till about 5 pm, allowing all of us to have a lot of fun in the snow. Of course, I took advantage of the fact to snap some photos.

My friends in a snowfight! This is revenge!

Ah, the loch is really calm this morning with the ice forming on the surface.

I love this shot...seems like my friend Amy was climbing a Ben (mountain) when actually it was just a tiny mount.

There are still berries on the trees. :)

And this is my favourite shot. My camera was misted enough to create the soft focus on the side with the hint of blue sky and snow in the middle.

Happy Chinese New Year

Wishing all my Chinese friends a happy and prosperous New Year ahead. May the economy gets better sooner rather than later.

This year, I celebrated the Chinese New Year with a "reunion" dinner made up of some of my classmates and some other friends, including Wilbur (the other Singaporean I know of in Heriot Watt). It was definitely a "reunion" in the sense that most of my friends and classmates went home for the Christmas break and this was the first time we could gather together again after so many weeks of not seeing each other.

However, I truly missed my family and the Chinese New Year goodies...luckily, Wilbur "smuggled" me some pineapple tarts and my mom is sending those plus Lapis cake and her fruit cake to me soon. :) I also managed to talk to my parents, brother, and Auntie Helen as well as Uncle Allan and his wife this week. So I'm quite satisfied overall, in the midst of drowning in work/tutorials. Yet, the sense of sadness lingers.. I can't seem to rid myself of it nor speak about it.

Balmy Night (for Edinburgh)

It's Friday, the weather is almost balmy (for Edinburgh) with a soft breeze and clear sky. I can see the quarter moon through my bedroom window. For a Friday night, it is quiet. Probably because the exams are around the corner and everyone is starting to feel the pressure.

I've just decided I needed a break from an intensive and exhausting week. I thank God for helping me cope and keeping me sane. Emerging with at least one assignment almost done, another assignment's direction is becoming clear and yet a third half completed, I think I deserve to take this Friday night easy before plunging back to work tomorrow. My friends must be wondering what has happened to me since I've not responded to emails for the past week and a half. I'm resolved to replying to them tonight.

Anyway, this entry is just to express myself a bit and let out some thoughts and feelings that have been mulling in my head. As stressed as I was this week with so much work piled up, I enjoyed the challenge and the bond it helped built with the girls (Amy, Alexia, Bahar, Nicole, and Yiota). I've always worked better with guys but I have to say that I enjoyed my time with the girls. Well, we were crazy enough to take an hour's break this past Tuesday night when it started snowing heavily to play in the snow. The break helped us relieve our stress a bit.

On another note, my father left for Hajj on Monday night/Tuesday morning. He, along with my godmother and some other family friends, will be moving on to Mina tomorrow. I pray that God keep them safe and healthy...that He give them strength to complete this Hajj. I'm not sure when I will be called but I do hope I will be called. I long to see His House again and be granted peace and tranquility of the heart.

Eid will be here in another few days. Another Eid away from my family - a friend asked if I wished to go back to Singapore last week. I denied it, which is true to a certain extent. I wouldn't have chosen to come here if I weren't sure I would be homesick. However, I do wish I could be with my family especially on special occasions. This is true particularly for this Eid when I know my father is away and my mom and brother are alone. I'm not sure if my sister and brother will go visit them on that day since for us, Eid-ul-Adha is usually low key unlike Eid-ul-Fitr where we usually get together late morning before going visiting.

Okay, that's it for now. Will write later after all the insanity has passed.

Crazy Edinburgh Weather part deux

Just five minutes ago, the sky is blue and the wind was blowing. Then the clouds roll in and now it is raining very heavily. I've always thought that Singapore's weather was fickle; it is nothing compared to Edinburgh's weather. Imagine being caught by the weather when you're up in the hills and mountains. Hmm...okay, tomorrow if the weather continues, I'm going to book the court and "try" playing squash instead.

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It's now 1816 hours. Went to have lunch with the girls - cooked Chicken Rice, Bahar cooked a barley soup, Yiota came up with a Greek salad and dzatziki (not sure if I got the spelling right), Amy and Shuyuan brought desert while Nicole made her superb ginger tea. We were teasing Yiota that I should create a" Yiota says" column on my blog. She's great fun and a good sport. Definitely loved lunch and overate I think.

From the right: Shuyuan, Yiota, Nicole, Bahar, and Amy. Cheers, girls.

Holyrood Park & the royal mile

Last Sunday was overcast and cold but it was still too beautiful a day to spend indoors. (Unlike this week where it's raining.) So, since I went up to Salisbury Craig below in Holyrood Park the past weekend for a read, I thought I'd go and do a little climbing and photography.

Picture taken from in front of the Scottish Parliement of the Salisbury Craig. The view from the Craig is lovely.

Then, there's the famous Arthur's Seat. Here's the route going up to the highest part of Holyrood Park.

Like most of Scotland, Holyrood has its ruins, from the various time periods - this one was an abbey, I think.

The view of Arthur's seat from the ruinned abbey.

As you go further up the hills, you can definitely see the city skyline and the sea beyond as seen above and below.

I took my tripod along and so managed to take a picture of myself (Arthur's seat is behind me) on this trip.

And on the way back, I took a stroll along the Royal Mile (the road linking Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle) because I wanted to buy a rug for my room. Below are some of the snapshots I took of the Royal Mile.

Model Risk - Illiquidity

Being Sunday and a brilliant day to boot, I decided to go to Holyrood Park. Climbed the first hill (well, midway) and because it was almost 1 pm, decided to have lunch and enjoy the sun there. With a view over the park, most of Edinburgh and the sea (well I think it is the sea), I finished lunch and started to enjoy my book on quantitative risk management. Amidst VaR and loss functions, the chapter I was reading discussed the importance of model risk in risk management. One of these is actually the ability (or inability) to capture the illiquidity of the situation. It gave the example of LTCM but I was thinking of the current situation of the bailout and the challenges the Fed face in pricing the bad assets when the market's liquidity is almost nil. The book gave a few references of works done to include this liquidity/illiquidity as a risk factor. Managed to get two of the papers and hopefully read them soon. Very interesting, indeed.

Crazy Edinburgh Weather

I love Edinburgh, really I do. It has a charm of its own, quite like Boston/Cambridge. A big city, yet, it has its own personality. But one thing I am not crazy about is the weather. Someone mentioned today that it's been said that you can get the four seasons all in one day, here. I totally agree. Just take today...When my classmates and I set out for Uni of Edinburgh this morning, it was sunny (a perfect summer's day). Then it started to rain (while the sun is shining) in the afternoon. Autumn's weather, perhaps? Now, it's night and it is about 5 or 6 degree out there, plus the rain and the wind...if it were Sydney, this would be considered winter. No wonder, several of us are falling ill, including yours truly.

I've been eating my cold medicine plus the home remedy of honey for the cough. Not appetite today so I'll put off the carrot-ginger soup to tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get better by the weekend and the weather will cooperate. Looking forward to meeting Jenni finally this Saturday.

First weekend in Edinburgh

Would that all the weekends are just as sunny. :D This morning, I woke up and found the blue sky I am so familiar with. What a rare treat since I've barely seen the sun in the week I've been here. Of course, Heriot Watt's campus is such a beautiful place (not so much of its architecture) with lakes, gardens, and magical forests. Couldn't resist going out and exploring the place through my viewfinder. I'm not that good of a photographer but hopefully it will give just some impressions of my week in Edinburgh. I'll post it after this.

I've had an interesting week. The accomodation office mistook me for a guy and assigned me to a guys' only flat. That took me about 4 days to sort out. By then, my course started and I've been busy ever since. My classmates are great; quite an international crowd with the Greeks being the dominant group. Of course, (though I don't know for sure) I'm the oldest in the class. But that's a good way of staying young. :D

Anyway, enjoyed the classes so far but it'll be a crazy year with almost 25 contact hours per week. Just hope I get to relax over the weekends as I am doing today.