Menara PMINT

Moored at Kedai Payang Market

27 July 202228 July 2022travelingpersecond

“I’m not from India, I’m from Iran”, the bunk bed neighbor’s traveler answered my question.

“Do you know where is a middle eastern salon near here?. I think I need a salon for relaxation”, he suddenly asked the receptionist and hotel owner.

I inwardly laughed at that “funny” scene that morning, a light conversation before I set out to explore Kuala Terengganu for the first time since arriving.

I rushed down the stairs to get out of The Space Inn, along Engku Pengiran Anom 2 Street, heading north, repeating the original way when heading to the inn. Of course, I went back to Air Jernih Street, met again at the intersection where Politectic Kuala Terengganu became a landmark besides PMINT Tower and retraced Masjid Abidin Street until I arrived back in east side of Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu.

The east side of Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu.

So here it was…. The tree just got “dressed up”……

It was just that, two hundred meters before arriving at bus terminal, I was fascinated by the art of yarn bombing which pinned colorful knitted threads to a row of trees in a side of Masjid Abidin Street’ sidewalk, right on the west side of PB Square. Make the city atmosphere more lively.

Arriving at bus terminal, I immediately struggled to find an Interstate Bus ticket to go to Kuala Lumpur the day after tomorrow.

“There are even cheaper ones, Sir?”, I joked at an Arowana Bus ticket counter staff.

“Nothing…. It’s only 43 Ringgit, Sir…. this is the cheapest”.

“Okay, I’ll take one, Sir …. For the date of 31st”.

A few minutes ago, I had secured a ticket to Kuala Lumpur, now I was a little calmer to start exploring my first destination.

Yupsz, I was going to Kuala Terengganu’s market.

That market is only a kilometer from Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu, so I decided to just walk. I slowly enjoyed the crowds around Kampung Daik Street, under the shade of roofed corridor along sidewalk, what a comfortable way to walk. My steps also had to turn right in front of Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Jalan Kota’s Office, which were identical in color to the fire brigade offices in Jakarta (my hometown), bright red.

Now I felt reluctant to continue swinging steps due to the scorching heat of sun in the path in front of me that wasn’t longer covered. Finally, I decided to take a break at the end of covered corridor, sitting in a concrete bench, waiting for the cloud to cover the sun.

A few moments of waiting while enjoying the passing of local residents, the cloud was present, now the street didn’t sting anymore, I immediately took a quick step down Sultan Zainal Abidin Street. Finally, two hundred meters ahead, I arrived at Kedai Payang Market which was starting to get busy.

The Kedai Payang Market dis seem to show off its beauty, it was said that the two-year-old building functions to replace the old building that had retired.

Rows of tents with white cloth roofs stretched across market’s face, separating the parking area from commercial area. The large tents showed that market’s interior area wasn’t enough to facilitate the bustling commerce in downtown Kuala Terengganu.

Now I’ve entered market inside which was very crowded, the stalls with red brick motifs still looked new, the alleys seemed full of visitors passing by. Several clowns and pet equipment sellers were seen cramming into several corners of stalls selling songket, batik, handicrafts and traditional snacks from Terengganu. While in the back area, it appeared that a special area was provided for a row of culinary stalls with a mainstay menu of Nasi Dagang, Laksa, Nasi Lemak and several other specialties.

Come on, first enjoy the beauty of Terengganu River!

I just kept going until I reached its backyard. Apparently that market is right on the outskirts of very clean Terengganu River. Bot Penambang (Passenger Boats) could be seen moving back and forth to mobilize Terengganu residents from a bank to another. The Bot Penambang (Passenger Boat), which is relied upon as the city’s water taxi, seems to have originalized the atmosphere of Terengganu that morning.

The beauty of the expanse of Terengganu River finally started to make me fall in love with that city and managed to tame me to just linger for a while enjoying the gentle breeze in a concrete gazebo which is part of public facilities belonging to Pasar Kedai Payang.

“Don’t be in a hurry, Donny….Sit down and enjoy”.

Next Story—->

Impressed in The Space Inn

25 July 202227 July 2022travelingpersecond

<—-Previous Story

Adventure to neighboring country is easy and fun. In addition to culinary which is familiar with Indonesian tongue, their tourism also provides a lot of super cheap lodging which gives possibility for anyone to explore the country.

That morning, I had just jumped off myBAS which had brought me from Sultan Mahmud Airport, now I had just turned around when I had just moved north leaving Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu. For a moment, I stared at it from a distance, enjoying the simplicity of that mainstay bus terminal of “Keropok Lekor” Country.

A moment later I headed to WIN DOTCOM Telecommunications Equipment Store, the busiest shop in Syed Hussein Street to hunt for local SIM cards and internet services which I would use for my four-day adventure in Malaysia.

Inside the shop, I was offered various types of SIM cards by shop owner who was of Chinese descent. Meanwhile, a young girl wearing a black headscarf with an authentic Malay face patiently explained my ignorance from shop owner’s quick explanation. At the end of that transaction, I got a SIM Card with a 2 GB quota for 25 Ringgit. The price was very affordable, at least I had been guaranteed by Hotlink for 10 days to have access to internet surfing.

Now I was starting to head south, entering a road inside the block, crossing Twin Towers of PB (Paya Bunga) Square, owned by Perbadanan Memajukan Iktisad Negeri Terengganu (PMINT) which became Pusat Transformasi Bandar Terengganu or public better known as UTC (The Urban Transformation Centre) . The atmosphere began to get excited that morning, the routine activities of Terengganu residents had just begun.

The intersection at Abidin Mosque Street.

Seeing the architecture of Twin Towers of PB Square, I began to understand that Kuala Terengganu carvings were always embodied in every city building. Nice and elegant.

Leaving Twin Towers of PB Square, I now head south through Masjid Abidin Street until I arrived at a large intersection decorated with a slogan Sign Board “Visit Beautiful Terengganu”. The PMINT tower which functions as Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu looked solid, occupying a corner of intersection and exhibiting city’s main slogan “Bandaraya Warisan Pesisir Air”.

Finished waiting for the turn of green traffic light, I crossed intersection, continued heading south. Entering Air Jernih Street, a hundred meters ahead, I turned right at a fork. Location of The Space Inn wasn’t far from T-junction. The inn I chose was a dormitory which utilized a shophouse complex along Engku Pengiran Anom 2 Street.

My steps finally arrived at the door of inn, but I was enveloped in confusion because the door was tightly locked. For a while I just silently stood in front of inn’s door without any idea. Even the sidewalks around seemed deserted, it was impossible for me to ask anyone. Luckily, ten minutes later, an inn guest came down the stairs and was about to leave the inn. It was this moment that I then used to sneak in.

I climbed the stairs and finally arrived at 2nd floor reception desk which was guarded by inn’s owner, a middle-aged man of Chinese descent. He friendly greeted me and of course asked how I could get in because I didn’t have an access card. I told him my “cheating technique” and he burst out laughing.

As a result he gave me an access card to go in and out of inn after handing over my passport to be scanned and the staying cost was 41 Ringgit per night. Finishing all administration, I went up to 3rd floor to look for a bunk bed according to a number listed in back of access card.

Taking off my shoes in front outside, I started to enter a quiet room with cool air conditioning. Not all bunk beds were filled so that it was possible for me to move to other mattress I liked, next to bulkhead with travelers from Iran and Japan.

Mr Okamoto

The traveler from “the Land of Rising Sun” worked as an English teacher in the capital city, his name was Okamoto. I met him when he was busy fiddling with the small padlock which was attached to a locker handle of inn.

“There’s no key in my locker, did you get that padlock from the reception desk?”, I ventured to ask.

“Oh, of course not. I bought it by myself”, he answered with a smile.

“Oh, okay. I’ll better put my backpack in bunk bed”, I replied with a frown.

From that conversation, the two of us became acquainted and became best friends at inn.

Eventually it became a habit, when morning and evening, before and after adventures, Mr. Okamoto was always the first to greet me at shared-khitchen table. It made me powerless to refuse his invitation to just talk about anything while sipping coffee together. Mr. Okamoto’s brewed coffee mix always had a special taste. I didn’t know what kind of coffee he brought from Tokyo.

Mr. Okamoto whose English was good….But he still had a Japanese accent.

His friendship made me know more about Japanese culture and some interesting locations in Japan which he suggested to I visited, Okinawa being one of them. He was also honored because I had visited his country three years before our meeting. Likewise, I felt honored because he had traveled to Aceh just to enjoy original coffee from that area at the western tip of Indonesia.

Washing

The advantage of this tiny inn iss the availability of a space which connects share-bathroom and bedroom. In that small room, the inn manager provides a hanger and a fan. During my stay, I noticed that none of visitors used the connecting room.

Except for me, who casually used that room to dry t-shirts which I washed every afternoon in shared-bathroom. Washing wasn’t a complicated thing for me when I get acquainted, just rub t-shirt, trousers and socks using bath soap, then rinse it under faucet, wring it hard and then hang it in hanger in connecting room, just wait until tomorrow morning until it dried.. OK? That was why five t-shirts were enough for my long journey which could even last three weeks.

Faucet Water

It was output of a light conversation with The Space Inn staff on duty that afternoon, I finally got information that the tap water in Kuala Terengganu is very safe for direct consumption. He even demonstrated in front of me how he put the glass under kitchen faucet, streamed the tap water and then drank it casually. “Of course it’s safe…. You’ll see, every day I drink this water,” he lightly joked with a faint smile.

Three days in Kuala Terengganu, I didn’t even spend a single bite money to buy drinking water. The price of 1.5 litre drinking water in Kuala Terengganu is around 3 Ringgit, if you are only three days in the city, it means you have to budget 18 Ringgit just to buy for drinking water.

How?….Is Kuala Terengganu tap water useful?

So, if you go to Kuala Terengganu, where do you want to stay???….

Next Story—->

Tertambat di Pasar Kedai Payang

21 July 202110 August 2021travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

“I’m not from India, I’m from Iran”, begitulah ucapan gemulai pejalan pria tetangga bunk bed menjawab pertanyaanku.

“Do you know where is a middle eastern salon near here?. I think I need a salon for relaxation”, dia tetiba memberikan pertanyaan kepada resepsionis sekaligus si empunya hotel.

Aku tertawa dalam hati menemukan adegan “lucu”pagi itu, percakapan ringan sebelum aku beranjak melakukan eksplorasi Kuala Terengganu untuk pertama kali semenjak tiba.

Aku bergegas menuruni tangga untuk keluar dari The Space Inn, menyusuri Jalan Engku Pengiran Anom 2, menuju utara, mengulang kembali jalur awal ketika menuju penginapan. Tentu aku kembali merunut Jalan Air Jernih, berjumpa lagi perempatan dimana Politektik Kuala Terengganu menjadi tengara selain Menara PMINT serta menapaki ulang Jalan Masjid Abidin hingga tiba kembali di sisi timur Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu.

Sisi timur Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu.

Deretan konter tiket penjualan Bus Antar Negara Bagian.

Nah ini dia….Pohon aja “dibajuin”……(gambar akhirnya menyusul tampil karena permintaan teh Uchi…..Hahahaha).

Hanya saja, dua ratus meter sebelum tiba di terminal bus itu, aku terpesona dengan seni yarn bomb-ing yang menyematkan rajutan warna-warni benang pada deretan pohon di salah satu sisi trotoar Jalan Masjid Abidin, tepat di sisi barat PB Square. Membuat suasana kota menjadi lebih hidup.

Setiba di terminal bus, aku langsung berjibaku mencari tiket Bus Antar Negara Bagian untuk pergi menuju Kuala Lumpur esok lusa.

“Yang lebih murah lagi ada lagi, Pak Cik?”, selorohku pada seorang penjaga konter tiket Bus Arwana.

“Manè adè ….Cukup 43 Ringgit sahajè lah….ini paling murah”.

“Okelah, saya ambil satu, Pak Cik….Buat tanggal 31”.

Beberapa menit lalu, aku telah mengamankan satu tiket menuju Kuala Lumpur, kini aku sedikit lebih tenang untuk mulai menjelajah destinasi pertama.

Yupsz, aku mau ke pasar rakyatnya Kuala Terengganu.

Pasar rakyat ini jauhnya hanya satu kilometer dari Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu, jadi kuputuskan untuk berjalan kaki saja. Aku perlahan menikmati keramaian di sekitar Jalan Kampung Daik, di bawah naungan koridor beratap di sepanjang trotoarnya, sungguh jalur yang nyaman untuk berjalan kaki. Langkahku pun harus berbelok tepat di depan kantor Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Jalan Kota yang warnanya identik dengan kantor-kantor pemadam kebakaran di Jakarta, merah menyala.

Kini aku merasa enggan untuk terus mengayunkah langkah gegara panas menyengatnya surya pada jalur di depanku yang sudah tak berpelindung. Akhirnya, aku memutuskan rehat sejenak di ujung koridor beratap, duduk di bangku beton, menunggu naungan awan melintas menutupi sengatan surya.

Kantor pemadam kebakaran Kuala Terengganu.

Beberapa saat menunggu sambil menikmati lalu lalang warga lokal, awan itu pun hadir, kini jalanan tak menyengat lagi, aku segera mengayunkan langkah cepat menyusuri ruas Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin. Akhirnya, dua ratus meter di depan, aku tiba di Pasar Kedai Payang yang mulai ramai.

Pasar Kedai Payang memang tampak memamerkan keciamikan, konon bangunan berusia dua tahun itu berfungsi menggantikan bangunan lama yang sudah purna tugas.

Deretan tenda beratapkan kain putih tampak memanjang menyejajari muka pasar, memisahkan area parkir dengan area perniagaan. Tenda-tenda besar itu menunjukkan bahwa luasnya bagian dalam pasar tak cukup untuk memfasilitasi ramainya perniagaan di pusat kota Kuala Terengganu itu.

Kini aku sudah memasuki bagian dalam pasar yang sangat ramai, sekat-sekat kios bermotifkan bata merah masih tampak baru, gang-gang tampak penuh dengan lalu lalang para pengunjung. Beberapa badut dan penjual perlengkapan hewan peliharaan tampak menjejal di beberapa pojok kios penjualan songket, batik, kerajinan tangan dan jajanan khas Terengganu. Sementara di area belakang, nampak disediakan area khusus untuk deretan kios kuliner dengan menu andalan Nasi Dagang, Laksa, Nasi Minyak dan beberapa makanan khas lainnya.

Yuk, nikmati dulu keindahan Sungai Terengganu!.

Aku terus saja meneruskan langkah hingga sampai di halaman belakang. Rupanya pasar ini tepat terletak di pinggiran Sungai Terengganu yang sangat bersih. Tampak Bot Penambang berhilir mudik memobilisasi warga Terengganu dari satu titik tepian ke tepian lain. Bot Penambang yang diandalkan sebagai taksi air kota tampak mengoriginalkan suasana Terengganu pagi itu.

Keindahan hamparan Sungai Terengganu akhirnya mulai membuatku jatuh cinta pada kota ini dan berhasil menjinakkanku untuk sekedar berlama-lama menikmati tiupan sepoi-sepoi angin semilir di sebuah gazebo beton yang merupakan bagian dari fasilitas umum milik Pasar Kedai Payang.

“Ga usah buru-buru, Donny….Duduk dan nikmatilah”.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->

Terkesan pada The Space Inn

19 July 202110 August 2021travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Berpetualang ke Negeri Jiran adalah hal mudah nan menyenangkan. Selain kuliner yang familiar dengan lidah Indonesia, wisata mereka juga jamak menyediakan penginapan super murah yang memberikan kemungkinan bagi siapapun untuk menjelajah negeri itu.

Pagi itu, baru saja aku melompat turun dari myBAS yang telah membawaku dari Bandar Udara Sultan Mahmud, kini aku sudah saja membalikkan badan kembali ketika baru saja menjauh ke utara meninggalkan Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu. Sejenak kusempatkan menatap dari kejauhan, menikmati lagi kesederhanaan terminal bus andalan “Negeri Keropok Lekor” itu.

Sebentar kemudian aku menuju Kedai Alat Telekomunikasi WIN DOTCOM, kedai teramai di ruas Jalan Syed Hussein demi berburu SIM Card lokal dan layanan internet yang akan kugunakan selama empat hari berpetualang di Malaysia.

Di dalam kedai, aku ditawarkan berbagai jenis SIM Card oleh si empunya toko yang berketurunan Tionghoa. Sedangkan seorang gadis muda berjilbab hitam berwajah otentik Melayu dengan sabar menjelaskan ketidakfahamanku atas penjelasan cepat si empunya toko. Di akhir perniagaan itu, aku mendapatkan SIM Card dengan kuota 2 GB seharga 25 Ringgit. Harga yang sangat terjangkau, paling tidak aku telah dijamin oleh Hotlink selama 10 hari untuk memiliki akses berselencar di dunia maya.

Kini aku mulai menuju selatan, memasuki jalanan di dalam blok, melintasi Menara Kembar PB (Paya Bunga) Square, milik Perbadanan Memajukan Iktisad Negeri Terengganu (PMINT) yang menjadi Pusat Transformasi Bandar Terengganu atau khalayak lebih mengenalnya dengan nama UTC (The Urban Transformation Centre). Suasana mulai bergairah pagi itu, aktivitas rutin warga Terengganu baru saja dimulai.

Melihat arsitektur Menara Kembar PB Square, aku mulai faham bahwa ukiran khas Kuala Terengganu selalu diejawantahkan ke setiap bangunan kota. Apik dan elegan.

Meninggalkan Menara Kembar PB Square, aku kini mengarah ke selatan melalui Jalan Masjid Abidin hingga tiba di sebuah perempatan besar berhiaskan Slogan Sign Board “Visit Beautiful Terengganu”. Menara PMINT yang difungsikan sebagai Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu tampak kokoh menempati salah satu pojok perempatan dan memamerkan slogan utama kota “Bandaraya Warisan Pesisir Air”.

Selesai menunggu pergiliran warna hijau traffic light, aku menyeberangi perempatan, melanjutkan menuju ke selatan. Memasuki Jalan Air Jernih, seratus meter di depan, aku berbelok ke kanan pada sebuah pertigaan. Letak The Space Inn tak jauh dari pertigaan itu. Penginapan yang kupilih itu adalah sebuah dormitory yang memanfaatkan kompleks ruko di sepanjang Jalan Engku Pengiran Anom 2.

Langkahku akhirnya sampai di depan pintu penginapan, tetapi aku diselimuti kebingungan karena pintu bertralisnya terkunci rapat. Untuk beberapa saat aku hanya terdiam berdiri di depan pintu penginapan tanpa satu ide apapun. Bahkan trotoar di sekitar tampak sepi, tak memungkinkan bagiku untuk bertanya kepada siapapun. Beruntung, selang sepuluh menit kemudian, ada seorang tamu penginapan menuruni tangga dan hendak keluar dari penginapan. Momen inilah yang kemudian kumanfaatkan untuk menyelinap masuk.

Aku menaiki tangga dan akhirnya tiba di meja resepsionis lantai 2 yang dijaga oleh si empunya penginapan, laki-laki setengah baya keturunan Tionghoa. Dia menyapaku ramah dan tentu menanyakan bagaimana aku bisa masuk karena tak memiliki access card. Aku menceritakan “teknik curang”ku dan dia terbahak mendengarnya.

Walhasil dia memberikanku access card untuk keluar masuk hotel setelah menyerahkan paspor untuk discan dan biaya menginap senilai 41 Ringgit per malam. Ihwal administrasi telah rampung, aku pun naik ke lantai 3 demi mencari bunk bed sesuai dengan nomornya yang tertera pada bagian belakang access card.

Melepas sepatu di bagian depan luar, aku mulai memasuki kamar sepi dengan sejuk pendingin ruangan. Tidak semua bunk bed terisi sehingga memungkinkan bagiku untuk berpindah menempati kasur yang kusuka, bersebelahan sekat dengan pejalan asal Iran dan Jepang.

Tuan Okamoto

Pejalan asal Negeri Matahari Terbit itu berprofesi sebagai guru Bahasa Inggris di ibu kota, Okamoto namanya. Aku berkenalan dengannya ketika dia sibuk mengotak-atik gembok kecil yang disangkutkan pada locker handle penginapan.

“There’s no key in my locker, did you get that padlock from the reception desk?”, aku memberanikan diri bertanya.

“Oh, of course not. I bought it by myself”, dia menjawab penuh senyum.

“Oh, Okay. I’ll better put my backpack on the bunk bed”, aku menimpali dengan mengernyitkan dahi.

Dari percakapan itulah, kami berdua berkenalan dan menjadi teman karib di penginapan.

Akhirnya sudah menjadi kebiasaan, saat pagi dan menjelang malam tiba, sebelum dan sesudah berpetualang, selalu saja Tuan Okamoto menjadi yang pertama menyapaku di meja shared-khitchen. Membuatku tak kuasa menolak ajakannya untuk sekedar berbincang ihwal apa saja sembari menyeruput kopi bersama. Racikan kopi tubruk buatan Tuan Okamoto selalu saja bercitarasa spesial. Entah kopi jenis apa yang dibawanya dari Tokyo.

Tuan Okamoto yang Bahasa Inggrisnya jago….Tetapi tetap saja English aksen Jepang.

Pertemanan dengannya membuatku lebih mengenal budaya Jepang dan beberapa lokasi menarik di Jepang yang disarankannya untuk kukunjungi, Okinawa salah satunya. Dia pun merasa terhormat karena aku pernah mengunjungi negerinya tiga tahun silam. Begitupun aku, merasa terhormat karena dia sudah berpetualang hingga Aceh hanya demi menikmati kopi asli dari daerah di ujung barat Indonesia itu.

Mencuci

Keunggulan penginapan mungil ini adalah tersedianya sebuah ruang yang menghubungkan share-bathroom dan ruang tidur. Di ruangan kecil itulah, pengelola penginapan menyediakan hanger dan kipas angin. Selama menginap, kuperhatikan tak ada satupun pengunjung yang memanfaatkan ruangan penghubung itu.

Kecuali aku yang dengan santainya menggunakan ruangan ini untuk menjemur t-shirt yang setiap sore kucuci di shared-bathroom. Mencuci bukanlah hal yang rumit bagiku ketika berkenala, cukup mengucek t-shirt, celana panjang dan kaos kaki menggunakan sabun mandi, kemudian membilasnya di bawah kran, memerasnya kuat-kuat kemudian menggantungnya dengan hanger di ruang penghubung, tunggu saja esok pagi sampai kering..Beres kan?. Itulah mengapa lima potong t-shirt cukup untuk menemani perjalanan panjangku yang bahkan bisa berlangsung selama tiga minggu.

Air Kran

Adalah buah dari percakapan ringan dengan staff The Space Inn yang bertugas siang itu, akhirnya aku mendapatkan informasi bahwa air kran di Kuala Terengganu sangat aman untuk dikonsumsi secara langsung. Bahkan dia memperagakan di depanku bagaimana dia menadahkan gelas di bawah kran dapur, mengalirkan air kran dan kemudian menenggaknya dengan santai. “Tentulah aman….Lihat sajè, tiap hari sayè minum air nih”, selorohnya ringan sambil tersenyum tipis.

Tiga hari di Kuala Terengganu, bahkan aku tak mengeluarkan seringgit pun untuk berbelanja air minum. Harga air minum ukuran 1,5 liter di Kuala Terengganu berkisar 3 Ringgit, jika kamu berada tiga hari saja di kota itu, berarti kamu harus menganggarkan 18 Ringgit hanya untuk berbelanja air minum.

Bagaimana?….Bermanfaat kan air kran Kuala Terengganu?

Jadi, kalau kamu pergi ke Kuala Terengganu, mau nginep dimana???….

Kisah Selanjutnya—->