ANOTHER FEW DAYS IN TERENGGANU

I must apologize to the few regular visitors of this blog for being a little bit tardy in updating. I was busy teaching (Internet to fellow pensioners and BM to a non-Malaysian), correcting printed English in factories and preparing presentations for a couple of companies in Johore. My veteran association got a shot in the arm and consequently there were a lot of activities that I could not be absent from. Some of the aforementioned activities involved catching a plane before the sun rises and it made me very very tired.

Recently I made two trips to Kuala Terengganu. One in the middle of February to celebrate the 70th birthday of a relative (and a very dear friend too). The celebration was very grand and I was part of the show. So there were rehearsals upon rehearsals and by the time I got back to the hotel, I was too tired to even take photographs. I came back last Friday and managed to take some pictures. Here is the scene from the hotel balcony:


I also managed to get to Merang and a river cruise. As you can see from the picture below, the kuala (river mouth) is being dredged. Good to know that Merang is not sidelined.

For the two nights I was in Kuala Terengganu, I had free dinners. The first night I bumped into a classmate who was with his rombongan from Taman Ehsan, Kepong. He invited me and my friend Razak to a barbecue on the beach. We enjoyed the barbecue very much. We were also entertained by the karaoke and the games organized by the city folks.
The second night, my 70 year old relative (and a dear friend) took Razak and me to Ri-Yaz Hotel and Resort for dinner. The food was good and the entertainment was even better. A group from Aseni ( I guess it is short for Akademi Seni Terengganu) performed for the diners and they were unique. They added a violin, a flute and what looked like a big kompang drum to the electric guitars. The lone singer, Aizat was good. I was told that he competed in Akademi Fantasia but did not win. With groups like this, we do not need to import musicians from abroad to play at our hotels.

The only complaint that I have about Ri-Yaz Hotel and Resort is when I visited their washrooms next to the restaurant (The Verandah). There is a sign on the washroom for the handicapped that says "DISABLE TOILET". I would be much happier if it says "DISABLED TOILET" or "TOILET FOR THE DISABLED". I am sure we do not want foreigners visiting the place for every Monsoon Cup to laugh at our standard of English and going home telling their friends that Terengganu people do not know English. If you are not sure, just use the handicapped logo alone.

Below is the resort viewed from Pasar Kedai Payang. While on the road in Kuala Terengganu I saw roadsigns with both Pasar Kedai Payang and the annoying Pasar Payang. I wonder what they will call the market once the renovation is completed.

Labels: Kedai Payang, Kuala Terengganu, Ri_Yaz

FLYING VISIT TO KUALA TERENGGANU

Last Friday, I took an early Firefly flight to Kuala Terengganu. Although the flood situation has improved, I saw many houses still surrounded by water.
After breakfast at the wrong nasi dagang joint, Ramli took me to Cendering Beach where our Scout troop used to camp. There were no picnickers there at all.
Everything was I remembered i even down to the this trio of coconut trees.
They still do not know the proper name of the popular market. The jury is still out on the name of the market. The name on road signs is different from the name on the market itself.
There were some changes though. The whole road running through Kampung China is now paved. Prasad told me that there is a plan to turn the street into a pedestrian mall.
Some things do not change. For many years now, Kuala Terengganu does not have a cinema hall. This is the old Rex Cinema. It has no movies, but shops. At least you are guaranteed a future. What kind of future, this billboard doesnt say.
The other cinema in town, Cathay, is also converted into a shopping place. I did not go there to look for condensed milk. After failing to get any at a hypermarket, Daud, who, over the phone, assured me that condensed milk are everywhere, took me to Astaka at Tanjung. Awang Goneng's house sat forlornly deserted beside this supermarket. Security at the Astaka was seemingly tight. The guard stopped me from entering because I was wearing a windbreaker (it was raining cats and dogs at the time). I was about to turn back and forget about my condensed milk but Daud removed my jacket and deposited it at the authorized place. I did not find condensed milk at the Astaka either.

I wish security was just as good at my condo. Last Wednesday my phone went dead. With the phone, my internet also vanished. Telecoms was duly informed. On Saturday Mimi phoned me in Terengganu that Telecoms checked and found that the cables in Block 8 and Block 2 were stolen. With the red-tape over at DBKL, I will be lucky if I get my internet at the end of the week. Thus, 3 of my grandchildren will be without internet for a while because I have hijacked their mummy's broadband modem so that I can surf and not go crazy with withdrawal symptoms.

Have a meaningful holiday, friends.

Labels: Condensed Milk, Kuala Terengganu, security