Emila Yusof

I really thought that last Monday was a public holiday, so we stayed for the night (Sunday) in Penang. Truth, Monday was school day! Kantoi! Tapi dah buat surat explain to the teacher….

My son was really excited about going to an Island, so he took my mini notebook and wrote/drew things he saw.

No smoking. Not sure where he saw this.

Breakfast time. His dad and me seated together and him alone. Actually his cousin sister was seated besides him, but somehow he intentionally left her out.

List of food we ate during breakfast, complete with the table number

A list of places that he passed by and how many times.
(It’s a good idea to take note on how many longkang you passed by.)

Pulau Rimau ferry.

Marine life in Penang.

Oh! Penang got orca!

Our car.

Eh?

Hmm…

Ok, you may ignore the latter two; they were so not Penang! Hehehehe

Yassin wanted to go to the beach, so we went to Penang. Stopped by Lunas, Kulim to visit my aunt and uncle and later went to UKL, Kulim to visit our niece. Ada. Ada accompanied us to Penang.

Yassin and his dad on the ferry

Yassin and his cousin sister, Ada

Yassin trying to build sandcastle

He was too lazy, he drew instead!

Main korek-korek pasir

Yassin running and jumping his heart out

Me

This pictures were taken yesterday. Am blogging now from a hotel in Penang city centre and while waiting for hubby to take a quick nap before checking-out at 12pm.

Here’s a snapshot of Yassin today:

He took notes of what we did today and I have to refer to his notes before I could put up another entry. Till then, tata!

Went to visit dear mother in Pendang, Kedah. Took the chance to visit my cousin in Kubang Jawi, 40 minutes drive from Pendang. Yassin had a blast, befriended my cousin’s daughter Jiha and her cousin Nana, their ducks and cows.

Breath-taking view, you can see Gunung Keriang far back.

My cousin leading the way to his house.

Yay! Coconut juice for us!

My cousin preparing our drinks. His daughter and my son were looking in full enthusiasm.

Yassin peeking inside the ducks den.

A duckling!

Yassin holding a duckling.

Mama duck and her babies resting on the paddy field divider.

A cow!

What a bliss!

Linda extended our stay for one more day. The initial plan was to visit Firenze Santa Maria Novella but as both of us are very tired, we settled for Bologna town. Went to Piazza Maggiore, Book Libri and the market. Got myself another luggage as I took a lot of catalogues and books during the bookfair.

sunrise in Bologna, just in front of the hotel where we stayed

Statue of Neptune, Piazza Maggiore

Linda and me went inside teh Book Libri (a bookstore) situated in a castle!

A lady performer; she sings, plays music and puppets all at the same time; amazing!

Bologna’s Trees

Sunset from my room

Some pictures from Bologna’s Book Fair:

Slovenia’s booth, love the cute birds hanging in front of their booth

The logo says it all – Penguin’s

Eric Carle Agency’s booth

Mo’s Nose’s booth

illustrators wall where illustrators can leave/stick prints

Some of the BolognaRagazzi’s illustrations

Posters

SCBWI’s booth, Linda Tan in kebaya

BolognaRagazzi Award: Winners of Fiction and New Horizon

Better known as Venice, Venezia Santa Lucia is dubbed as one of the most romantic cities in the world. Being about two hours ride by train from Bologna, I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. Linda gave me a day off from the bookfair. Thank you Linda for being so supportive! I took the 8.30am morning ride from Bologna and reached Ferrovia Train Station, Venice at about 11.30am. I walked from the station to Piazza Santa Marco. I lost track of the time but I think I walked more than two hours! Venice is a car-free city and the only way to get around is by foot or boat/ferry. This is why I walk

A view just outside Ferrovia Train Station. Magnificent isn’t it! The sky adds a dramatic feeling to it.

Gondolas with red seats; how strikingly romantic!

A table for two…

I think this is peony. But please tell me if you know the real species, thanks!

Blossoms everywhere!

Came across a group of kids holding flowers, I think they were all going somewhere but not sure where…

albatrosses

Street performers; somewhere between Ferrovia to Piazza San Marco

a black cat on a balcony somewhere after Rialto

Rialto

Piazza San Marco

I just love their windows!

Venice houses

It is best that you go with your other half or kids. Going alone is no fun. My head kept picturing myself exploring Venice with my husband and son!

Anyway, I tried walking back to Ferrovia from Piazza San Marco but the usual thing happened; I got lost. For almost two hours. Pusing-pusing kot tu, sampai balik ke Piazza San Marco. So to save time, I took a ferry back to Ferrovia from the ferry station near San Marco.

Here are some views from the ferry:

I was not feeling quite well on the sixth day (Wednesday, 24th March 2010). I vomited the night before and my head was so heavy. The weather and my nose-bleeding must’ve been the root to my health. I wish I had Minyak Cap Kapak with me! Linda told me to rest awhile and after feeling a bit better, I took a taxi to the book fair. I had to be there as Linda told me earlier that a small launch for “My Mother’s Garden” will be held.

My book being launched by ITNM’s Chairman Dato’ Dr. Shahruddin Salleh.

The launch was witnessed by Mr Yeoh from Future Ace, Mr SH Lee (Sasbadi’s Publishing Director), Linda T Lingard (my agent/publisher), Hj Sahari Jantan (MEP Educare), Puan Norhayati (MBKM), just me, Dato’ Dr. Shahruddin Salleh (ITNM’s Chairman), En Redza Khairudin, IBBY Vice President, Hj Shaari Abdullah (President, Persatuan Pengedar Buku Bumiputera Malaysia), two trade visitors from Malaysia and En Shadri Abdullah (YPJ Publications).

Although small, the launching marked the new beginning of my career as children’s book author and illustrator.

The book will be available in Kinokunoya, MPH as well as The Borders next month. Will keep you informed when it really reaches the bookshelves!

Here’s a look at my book again:

Tuesday, 23rd March 2010

Today is the start of Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Linda and me had an early and quick breakfast as we had to arrange the books on our shelf. We took a cab from the hotel to the Bologna Fair Centre and the fare was more or less about €12.

Entrance to the book fair

the aisle leading to main hall

Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency‘s bookshelf

My own “My Mother’s Garden” on the shelf, a novita

more books and my illustrations on the shelf

a potential rights buyer came early to our booth

Monday – 22nd March 2010

Linda went out early as she had to attend SCBWI Conference at the Bologna’s Children Book Fair, Bologna Fair Centre – Piazza Costituzione, Bologna and I took the time to find my own way to Firenze (Florence). Took the morning train and it took about two hours to reach Firenze Rifredi. When I reached there, I just walked out of the train station and headed to the town.

Firenze Rifredi Train Station

There wasn’t much to see and it was so not what people told me…and how do I get to Toscana? I was so helpless, I wanted to do my research before I left KL but I was too busy to finish my illustrations. I wanted to do the research also from Boscolo Hotel but internet connection was not available (still not available until today…as I wrote this…)

Signboards everywhere but I did not know where to go!

But of course I found few interesting objects to snap…

A bicycle

Oh Dandelions! Really made my day that day!

Firenze ducks are pretty!

So I bought a map and headed back to the train station. On the way back to the train station, I found an internet cafe and decided to go in and updated my facebook status, “Sesat di Firenze!” and got to talk to few friends online. After sending a message to my husband and son, I walked to the train station and sat there staring at the map. I later gave up and bought a ticket back to Bologna. I waited there but missed it as I thought it was a train to Napoli!! Lol! I was really a dumb! I took it as a sign and sat back and relaxed for a while until later I saw a board with available trains to all parts of Italy and saw Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN)! That was it!! That was the place I was supposed to go! I concluded to myself Firenze Rifredi is a transit station. So I bought a ticket to Firenze SMN!

That was more like it! But as the time has passed 3pm, I calculated my journey back to Firenze Rifredi and then back to Bologna, I decided not to wander far from the Firenze SMN’s train station. I went to the Information Center and ask for a map. The maps was so much better; it got interesting places to visit! I only managed to buy little gifts from the city and headed back to Bologna.

When I reached Bologna, it was about 6pm and I just walked around the town and took few photos.