Ho Ann Kiong Temple

<—-Previous Story

I was satisfied enough to experience the beauty of Pulau Warisan Kuala Terengganu even though I was only pulled over to one side. Observing the bustle of the merchants who slowly began to arrive to prepare for night’s culinary session, the traffic of fishing boats that were about to go to sea leaving the estuary also started to become apparent, then the tourist boats kept on bringing the excitement of tourists to several islands which I myself didn’t know how much. far away, and oil and gas operational vessels keep going back and forth along the estuary.

“It’s time to get out of here”, I started to tidy up the camera and throw the sit mat into the trash after tearing it into small pieces, I didn’t want to leave even a name imprint on every sheet I threw away in another country.

I crossed right in the middle of island to the mainland where Kampung Cina stood. On the side of one-way sreet, Roadside gazebos were full of local residents. They began to down to the streets waiting for the sun to fall in west. Across the street, the playground came to life with the presence of several children of Chinese descent playing on swings and slides. Meanwhile, Turtle Alley, which became a famous art alley along the road, began to fill with tourists.

“Ah, never mind”, I seemed to give up. “Just looking for food, tonight I don’t have to leave the inn”, I decided.

I stepped west against the one-way street. One or two beggars approached while clenching their hand several times to their mouths. A sign they need food like me. I looked around, looking for CCTV or anything which could record the surroundings. Realizing there was nothing there, I handed two Ringgits to the two approaching beggars then I hurriedly left them.

My step arrived at a narrow bend and was only able to flow one vehicle at a time to pass it. Now I have arrived at the end of the road, as a marker I would be faced with the face of Kampung Cina.

In fact I was at the southern end of Kampung Cina Street. If previously I had combed the road from the north side when I visited Payang Memory Lane, now I have completed it by combing the remaining sections from the south.

“Oh, this is Kampung Cina after all,” I reflexively thought after seeing the iconic Terengganu Kampung Cina Gate. Of course it was a dragon. Yes, it had always been a symbol of good luck in Chinese society. Two perfectly green dragons faced off at the top of the gate.

One of the sections of Kampung Cina Street on the south side.

Alliance Islamic Bank in a side of Kampung Tiong Street.

The identity of Kampung Cina, so lanterns were also a distinctive decoration of their existence in any country, even in Kuala Terengganu. Red lanterns were scattered on every side of the street.

While at the T-junction there appeared a dominant yellow temple, i.e Ho Ann Kiong Temple. This was a Chinese temple dating back a century, the oldest Taoist temple in the state of Terengganu dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of Sea.

After observing the beauty of temple, I started exploring a new streets. It was Kampung Tiong Street which would be my shortcut to Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu. I knew there was a terminal canteen there. “It’s better to have dinner there”, I didn’t think long and decided.

At first glance, the Terengganu government seemed to offer the beauty of Lang Tengah Island as a mainstay tourist destination along the road. Meanwhile, signs prohibiting selling street vendors without a permit decorated several alleys. “It is forbidden to peddle without a license”, that’s what Datuk Bandar Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terngganu’s direction. Passing one or two towering buildings in Kampung Tiong Street finally led me to the end of the road.

“Hmmh, where’s the shortcut way?”. I looked around and was reluctant to walk around to get to the bus terminal. The top of terminal’s roof was visible from where I was standing. “Maybe that”, I saw a small alley straight towards the terminal, I followed it until I arrived at a large parking lot whose its existence was successfully hidden by the thick trees. It turned out that that was the Paya Bunga Square parking lot. Indeed, shopping complex, hotel and office complex were clearly visible in the south corner. “Yiaaiy, the canteen was still open”, I inwardly cheered seeing the crowd in the terminal’s canteen. I didn’t hesitate to enter it until some merchants in the canteen kept offering me their menus. Finally, I decided to enjoy a portion of fried rice for only five Ringgit.

I voraciously ate the simple fried rice because of the hunger I had been holding back all that time. The fried rice tasted a little curry, either because my smell detected the presence of a curry stall to the left of where I was sitting or indeed this fried rice merchant was too bold to spice up his fried rice. But no matter what, I was actually a fan of Indian curry.

Half an hour of dining with local travelers at the bus terminal, made me feel like I was just a resident of Terengganu.

Now it was time for me to go back to the inn…..

I got off again at Masjid Abidin Street. If before I always walked on left side, now I tried to cross the road and comb from the right side to the south. A few meters ahead, my steps were stopped by the presence of a large parking lot and shops. It seemed that that was a flea shop which became the idol of citizens. Towards dark, young people could be seen carrying their skateboards and sitting enjoying the afternoon under shady trees in the east side of the stretch of land. That was PB Station which was quite famous in downtown because it always presented a festive bazaar on weekends. But sadly I was here on a monday night. Of course I wouldn’t find a crowd even if I waited until the night was over.

Canteen @ Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu.

I unsteadily continued walking towards The Space Inn. Passing a large intersection where a six-story building belonging to RHB Investment Bank firmly stood, I finally arrived at Air Jernih Street. Continuing through a few inches of Kota Lama Street which connected the main road with the location of my inn.

I arrived….

It was time to take a shower, washed up and went to bed early……..Hufftt, my eyes were already really heavy.

Next Story—->

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Aku sudah cukup puas meresapi keelokan Pulau Warisan Kuala Terengganu walau hanya menepi di salah satu sisinya. Mengamati kesibukan para pedagang yang perlahan mulai berdatangan demi mempersiapkan sesi kuliner malam nanti, lalu lintas kapal nelayan yang hendak melaut meninggalkan muara juga mulai kentara, lalu tak henti-hentinya kapal pelancong membawa kegembiraan para turis menuju pulau-pulau wisata yang aku sendiri tak tahu seberapa jauhnya serta kapal-kapal operasional minyak dan gas konsisten berhilir mudik di sepanjang muara.

“Saatnya pergi dari sini”, aku mulai merapikan kamera dan membuang alas duduk ke tempat sampah usai menyobeknya menjadi serpihan-serpihan kecil, aku tak mau meninggalkan jejak nama sekalipun dalam setiap lembaran yang kubuang di negeri seberang.

Aku melintas tepat di tengah pulau menuju daratan dimana Kampung Cina berdiri. Di tepian jalan sehala^*1) itu, gazebo-gazebo sisi jalan penuh oleh warga lokal. Mereka mulai turun ke jalanan menunggu surya jatuh di peraduan. Di seberang jalan sana, taman bermain mulai bernyawa dengan kehadiran beberapa anak keturunan Tionghoa yang memaikan ayunan dan prosotan. Sementara itu, Turtle Alley yang menjadi lorong seni terkenal di sepanjang jalan itu mulai dijejali wisatawan.

Selamat tinggal Pulau Warisan Kuala Terengganu.

“Ah, sudahlah”, aku tampak menyerah. “Cari makan saja, malam ini ga usah keluar penginapan”, aku memutuskan.

Aku melangkah menuju barat melawan arus sehala kendaraan. Satu dua peminta mendekat sembari mengepalkan tangannya beberapa kali ke arah mulut. Pertanda mereka membutuhkan makanan sepertiku. Aku melihat sekitar, mencari keberadaa CCTV atau apapun yang bisa merekam sekitar. Menyadari nihil keberadaannya, aku menyerahkan dua Ringgit pada dua peminta yang mendekat lalu aku bergegas cepat meninggalkannya.

Langkahku tiba pada tikungan menyempit dan hanya mampu mengalirkan kendaraan satu per satu untuk melintasnya. Kini aku tiba di ujung jalan, sebagai penanda aku akan dihadapkan pada muka Kampung Cina Kuala Terengganu.

Sesungguhnya aku berada di ujung selatan Jalan Kampung Cina. Jika sebelumnya aku menyisir jalan itu dari sisi utara ketika berkunjung ke Lorong Kenangan Payang, maka kini aku menggenapkannya dengan menyisir sisa ruasnya dari selatan.

“Oh, ini toh Kampung Cina”, batinku reflek berkata usai melihat ikoniknya Pintu Gerbang Jalan Kampung Cina Terengganu. Tentunya adalah naga. Ya, dia selalu menjadi simbol tuah dalam masyarakat Tionghoa. Dua naga hijau sempurna berhadapan di puncak gerbang.

Salah satu ruas Jalan Kampung Cina sisi selatan.

Alliance Islamic Bank di salah satu sisi Jalan Kampung Tiong.

Jamaknya perkampungan Tionghoa, maka lampion juga menjadi dekorasi khas pada keberadaannya di setiap negara manapun, pun di Kuala Terengganu. Lampion merah betebaran di setiap sisi jalanan.

Sementara di pertigaan sana tampak sebuah kuil dominan kuning, berjuluk Ho Ann Kiong Temple. Inilah kuil Cina yang telah ada sejak seabad lalu, kuil Tao tertua di negara bagian Terengganu yang didedikasikan untuk Mazu, sang Dewi Laut.

Usai mengamati keindahan kuil, aku mulai mengekplore jalanan baru. Adalah Jalan Kampung Tiong yang akan menjadi jalan pintasku menuju Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu. Aku tahu ada kantin terminal di sana. “Lebih baik bersantap malam di sana saja”, aku tak berfikir panjang memutuskan.

Sekilas melintas, pemerintah Terengganu tampak menawarkan keindahan Pulau Lang Tengah sebagai destinasi pelancongan andalan di sepanjang jalan itu. Sementara papan-papan larangan berjualan kaki lima tanpa izin menghias beberapa gang. “Dilarang menjaja tanpa lesen”, begitulah sekiranya bunyi arahan Datuk Bandar Majlis Bandaraya KualaTerngganu. Melewati satu dua bangunan menjulang di Jalan Kampung Tiong akhirnya mengantarkanku pada ujung jalan.

“Hmmh, mana ya jalan pintas?”. aku mengamati sekitar dan merasa enggan berjalan memutar untuk sampai di terminal bus. Ujung atap terminal sudah tampak dari tempatku berdiri. “Mungkin itu”, aku melihat gang kecil lurus menuju terminal, aku menyusurnya hingga tiba pada sebuah lahan parkir nan luas yang keberadaannya berhasil disembunyikan oleh rimbunnya pepohonan. Ternyata inilah lahan parkir Paya Bunga Square. Memang kompleks perbelanjaan, hotel dan perkantoran itu tampak jelas di pojok selatan. “Yiaaiy, kantinnya masih buka”, aku bersorak dalam hati melihat keramaian kantin terminal. Tak ragu aku memasukinya hingga para pedagang di kantin itu tak henti-hentinya menawariku menu. Akhirnya, aku memutuskan menikmati seporsi nasi goreng seharga lima ringgit saja.

Aku menyantap nasi goreng sederhana itu dengan lahapnya karena lapar yang kutahan sedari tadi. Nasi goreng itu sedikit berasa kari, entah karena penciumanku yang mendeteksi keberadaan kedai kari di sebelah kiri tempatku duduk atau memang pedagang nasi goreng ini terlalu berani membumbui dagangannya. Tapi peduli apalah, aku toh sejatinya penggemar kari India.

Setengah jam bersantap bersama para pelancong lokal di terminal bus itu, menjadikanku serasa warga Terengganu saja.

Kini saatnya aku pulang menuju penginapan…..

Aku turun lagi di Jalan Masjid Abidin. Jika sebelumnya aku selalu melintas di sisi kirinya, kini aku berusaha menyeberang jalan dan menyisir dari sisi kanan menuju selatan. Beberapa meter di depan, langkahku terhenti dengan keberadaan lahan parkir dan pertokoan yang luas. Tampaknya ini adalah pertokoan loak yang menjadi idola warga. Menjelang gelap, tampak anak-anak muda menenteng skateboardnya dan duduk menikmati sore di bawah pokok-pokok rindang di sisi timur bentangan lahan. Inilah PB Station yang cukup terkenal di pusat kota karena selalu menghadirkan bazaar meriah di akhir pekan. Tapi sayangnya aku berada di sini pada malam senin. Tentu tak akan kutemukan keramaian walaupun menunggu hingga malam usai.

Kantin @ Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu.

Tempat diselenggarakan bazaar akhir pekan.

Aku gontai melanjutkan langkah menuju The Space Inn. Melewati perempatan besar dimana gedung enam tingkat milik RHB Investment Bank berdiri kokoh, alhasil aku tiba di Jalan Air Jernih. Berlanjut melintas beberapa jengkal Jalan Kota Lama yang menghubungkan jalan utama itu dengan lokasi penginapanku.

Aku sampai…….

Saatnya mandi, mencuci dan terlelap lebih awal……..Hufftt, mataku sudah teramat berat.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->

Keterangan kata:

Jalan sehala^*1) : jalan satu arah

Tag: Ho Ann Kiong Temple

Kampung China at the End of First Day

Kampung Cina di Akhir Hari Perdana