Eid Festival 2014 in London

Assalamualaikum...

5th Syawal 2014 (2nd August 2014), the Mayor of London held an Eid Festival at Trafalgar Square...I came across this event at FB under the Education Malaysia United Kingdom & Ireland group page...what intrigue me to go is that because this is the first time that I will join event held at Trafalgar Square...last year around October, Malaysia Tourism held an event there but I couldn't manage to join as I wasn't in UK yet...huhu...

see...how am I not intrigue to join this...haha ^_^

me & my bestie reached there around 1.30pm...there were crazily soooo many stalls! pfftt~~~

there were even Malaysia Demo Cooking stalls but by the time we arrived at the stall, they just finish one demonstration, which is Bihun Goreng...we stand there with the hope we can get a chance to taste it, but it took so long so we left...huhu...

our aim to buy some Malaysian foods were also stunted when the queue is sooo long...haish~~ -_-'

this photo were taken beside one of the Malaysia food stall...see, who say that only Malaysian knows how to grilled satay :p ahaks!

this stall was the first stall that we went to once we arrived...we were wondering why there is suddenly quite a queue infront of the stall...when we knew that there is free calligraphy distributed at this stall, we queue as well...hehehe...I'm so excited!

this was the calligraphy ^_^v

my name ZAHIRRAH written in Arabic alphabet >_< 

first I wanted to try the henna on my hand, but then since its the pattern type henna, my bestie prohibited me of doing so =_="

dare to sign up your name? hahaha...

this is the match-making Muslim stall...nice right? eh! :p

 

this was inside the Photography Exhibition stall...the exhibition portray all the pictures of RAMADHAN PEAK VIEW in some countries...I am standing infront of the poster in India & my bestie standing infront of the poster in Palestine :)

finish touring to all the stalls, me & my bestie had a coconut water fresh from Crosta Rica...nice~ :D

wana know how crowded Trafalgar Square was because of this Ed Festival?

Alhamdulillah the weather that day was not so hot...just nice eventhough we did sweat a bit! haha ^_^v

Malaysian flag at the top of the building...can you see it? ^_^'

thats the Malaysia Tourism building :D

as long as we are at the Chinatown area, it is like a must for us to go and eat at my bestie's aunt restaurant...hehe...this time I had Nasi Lemak with Sambal Ikan & Air Bandung...nyummss~ Alhamdulillah

overall, I love this Eid Festival! I bought some Malaysia products since there was Malaysia Product stalls at the festival...insanely its way cheaper than at Oriental shop...for example at the festival the Maggi Chilli Sauce is only £1 but in Oriental it costs me £1.69! what!! fuhh~~ haha...but there was only 1 product that catch our eyes immediately! Hup Seng biscuits! have tried to search for it but couldn't it in any shop here in London...we only bought one & by the time we reached home, we make hot tea, in just a split of minutes, Hup Seng biscuits already finish...  -_-" need more~~

now its time to focus on my thesis writing ^_^v

Bye~ ^_^v

p/s: will be a long day for me tomorrow............

Jalan-Jalan Raya London ^_^v

Assalamualaikum...

Alhamdulillah...praise to Allah that I manage to fast for 20 hours this Ramadhan which marked my first Ramadhan abroad without my family and with the longest hours of fasting in my life...pfftt =_='

the night before 1st Syawal, I didn't sleep because busy skyping with my family due to 7 hours time difference...ngegege~~ so I waited them to skype with me as if I was there celebrating Syawal with la familia~ ^_^v

since I didn't sleep, I woke up quite early & headed to Malaysian High Commission at Belgrave Square by underground tube and then took a bus to Hyde Park corner and from there we walk to the Malaysian High Commission building...we were a bit late that day since when we arrived, they already started with the Sembahyang Raya (Eid Prayer)...I knew before hand that the prayer will start at 9am, but we didn't expect to get lost of finding the bus station to go to Hyde Park Corner...lolz!...but we manage to catch the prayer before its end...pfftt~ =_='

Eid prayer...so crowded...luckily we manage to get a sit...spot my bestie! (red arrow) :D

after the Eid prayer, we headed to the lower ground where they serve foods...that's what I'm waiting for! eh! :p

people are queuing for the food! sooo many people! pfftt...actually there were quite many people were waiting at the upper level because they don't know that they can take the food already...we were quite lucky because by the time I finish eating, the queue becomes longeeerrrr~~   -_-"

selfie while queuing...I don't usually selfie, but when I do, people photobomb my photo~ =_=' lolz

ranges of food...nyummss...

while waiting for my other friends finish eating, me & my bestie hang up at the upper level...

then we saw TV3, Malaysia local broadcasting channel interviewing people...hehe :D

now then I know that there are many Malaysian here in London ^_^

usually I can't distinct them, but today, with the colorful Baju Melayu & Baju Kurung, I obviously can...hahaha

Imperial College London group

these were the friends I was waiting for to go for Jalan-Jalan Raya around London >_<

the first destination for our photoshoot was at Hyde Park Corner! sadly I only have one pix at Hyde Park Corner...the rest were with my friend coz they have DSLR~ huhu

the best part was that, when we were walking around London, the locals here will stare at us! ahaks...the feeling, no one can tell ^_^v

the very first time in my life, celebrate Eid using public transport! both buses & tubes...ahaks! that feeling~~

I attend quite a few open house that day...the first one was in Mile End, my friend's friend house called Elsa Cottages...only in London...hahahaha >_<'

since I am not feeling good, stomach ache, so I ate lil bit although they served Nasi Kerabu which you can't find it here! aghh stress...haha...but nvw~

second house was the people in the above pix house...actually they were housemates, so I only attend 1 house but consist all of the above...hahahaha...easier right? their house situated at Bayswater...I love the surrounding & the house...thought of living there for my PhD later ^_^v

they served a lot of food as well...by the time I reached there, my stomach feels good...

I ate rendang, ketupat, pulut kuning, chocolate cake, variety of kuih....

AND the best part was that they served satay! my favvy food! ihiks! tq guys!

by the time I leave their house, its already 5.30pm+, so me & my bestie headed to Chinatown to go to my bestie's aunt restaurant called Kuala Lumpur Cafe...

here her aunt served us lontong (the best!), ketupat, rendang, kuih and lots more...Alhamdulillah...before we leave, she "tapau" us more! tq aunty! ^_^v

my bestie aunt...I really do feel like I am with a "Datin"...haha

the last destination was to my house area at Du Cane...I did told you guys at my very previous post that my housing area consist a lot of Malaysian staying with their families...so one of the residents there invited us for their open house held by all the Malaysian families there...they actually held it every year...we were supposed to bring Kuah Kacang as we were assigned to bring that dish...but we sincerely couldn't manage to prepare that...so we served the "tapau" food that we got from my bestie aunt restaurant...pfftt~ haha

to conclude, we finish our Raya tour around 8.30pm & headed back to my house which is just 5 minutes from the last house...upon reaching my house, we prepare to catch a train to go to Sheffield...yes u heard me! on the same day to Sheffield...y?? to visit our friends & my cousin who is staying there with his family

we arrived Sheffield around 1.30am...straight to my friends house & have a good night sleep...hehehe...

the next day, they were all toooo busy writing up their dissertation as its due soon in August...so we celebrate Eid at their house...some of them, Damia & Ain were actually in the lab by the time we woke up...but so nice of them to come back for a while to visit us before we headed back to my cousin's house at Darnall...tq Damia & Ain!

from their house, my cousin pick us up & headed to his house aka my last house for my Jalan-Jalan Eid before I will be cage again in the lab...hahaha...

tq Abang Ajis & Kak Asnor for the nice dish and "tapau" wajid for us...hehe...till we meet again in London ya! ^_^v

then he sends us back to Sheffield station...our train ticket that day was at 8.45pm...it can be considered as one day trip right? haha...even my cousin thought that I'm gonna stay at his house for 1 day...huhu

that's how I spent my Eid 2014 in UK...the most precious memorable moments where I can't get it anywhere else ^_^v

how did you guys spend your Raya?

p/s: such a long entry right? hahaha...will be my reference to my grand-children, great-grand-children, great-great-grand-children, and the list goes on...kih3! ^_^v

Bye~ ^_^v