Closing Night in Kuala Terengganu

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In the afternoon….It was a quarter to six….

I sat in the front seat on the left when Bas KITē slowly left the Tamadun Islam Park complex. Via the only connecting bridge, Bas KITē completed its wheel loop over Wan Man Island.

Only me….
The driver.

Now the Bas KITē would complete the remaining half of the journey to the Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu, when I got there, the bus would take a break to operate again tomorrow at half past ten in the next morning.

On the way back to the inn, I was more relaxed and free to talk with the driver. During the rest of the trip, he told about his daily activities with four other Bas KITē drivers in operating that special city bus. He also told about his son who was having a hard time finding work in Kuala Terengganu, many employment sectors chose to use foreign workers which made it difficult for residents to find a livelihood. I only listened to it as a form of empathy, even though I didn’t know the real facts.

On the way back to the inn, the bus driver only took a middle-aged female passenger who seemed to be very familiar with him. Maybe the woman was a subscriber to his Bas KITē, so as soon as she got on, the driver immediately familiarly asked about the woman’s activities throughout the day. The rest after the female passenger boarded, only the two of them had the dominant conversation until the trip was over. The conversation with Terengganu’s thick accent I tried to understand even though I could only absorb it a little.

At a quarter past six I arrived at the Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu….

Jumping off the bus and thanking the Bas KITē driver once again for giving me five precious minutes to enjoy the beauty of the Crystal Mosque, I tried to leave the terminal as quickly as possible. I didn’t want to be trapped in the dark in the terminal.

I swiftly walked through Masjid Abidin Street to arrive at the intersection where the PERMINT Tower stood. “What’s that sound?…”, I stopped when I heard a noise from a height. Due to that sound, I backed off from the inn. I was now walking along Sultan Ismail Street towards the source of the sound. “Wow….That’s a flock of sparrows”, I knew now. On the entire face of the Wisma PERMINT building, perched a lot of sparrows calling to each other, making the sound like a pleasant harmony to be heard at sunset.

For so long I was stunned, capturing and videoing the scene that two other tourists suddenly came next to me and did the same. After a while of enjoying the harmony of the sound of the sparrows, simultaneously the street lamps began to come on, and the building lights began to be turned on, making the path along Sultan Ismail Street show off the beauty of its colorful lights.

“Looks like I have to enjoy my closing night in Kuala Terengganu by being on the streets even if only for a moment”, I decided.

My night exploration step started from the KT Walk which was a spacious area that usually presents a night market view for residents. It was just that the night has just begun, and a row of new food stalls was getting ready to entertain their prospective guests who would arrive soon. Because there were no significant activities, I just enjoyed the KT Walk for a moment from a corner of the field.

Enjoying the choir of sparrows at Wisma PERMINT.
The front side of KT Walk.
SiThe quiet side of KT Walk.i.

The night was creeping up and the lights were starting to look more dazzling as the sky darkened. I continued to comb along Sultan Ismail Street and then was stunned at a bookstore that seemed to be the favorite bookstore in the city, SMO Bookstores. “There’s nothing wrong if I go in …”, I idly started.

I rushed into the bookstore. As soon as I entered the shop, I just looked around and visited several bookshelves which were visited by many visitors. “A collection of novels which have been adapted into Malay”, I slightly frowned as a sign that I wasn’t interested in it.

SMO Bookstores isn’t as big as a well-known bookstore brand in Indonesia, the collection isn’t much, but many people visit it. Maybe Malaysia’s good literacy rate makes it so.

I finally left SMO Bookstores and resumed my journey to enjoy the night atmosphere of Kuala Terengganu. Although not too crowded, that night was able to make me a little amazed because, during the two days in Kuala Terengganu, I was more dominant in enjoying the atmosphere of the day. Even though the sparkling lamp that night wasn’t as beautiful as in Kuala Lumpur, it still kept its charm. A city that wasn’t so crowded was showing its beauty at night.

I turned at the corner at the northern end of Air Jernih Street, which was still doing business. Walking along the street, I stopped again at a 7-Eleven, I purposely entered it to look for fast food on my dinner menu. I felt like I have been reluctant to go back a little further to visit “Kedai Kak Na” which I visited that afternoon. It was better to just look for perfunctory food at the mini market.

I came out of the 7-Eleven with a packet of fried rice that had been heated in the microwave for a while. I immediately left the minimarket to the inn while enjoying the remaining scenery. Continuing a little step on Kota Lama Street, I turned left on Engku Pangeran Anom 2 Street and then arrived at the inn, The Space Inn…

Engku Pangeran Anom, who is it?

Engku Pangeran Anom was a Terengganu noble with the full name Pengiran Anum Engku Abdul Kadir bin Engku Besar. He was a man who really understood the history of Terengganu and was often a reference to the sultanate which at that time was led by Sultan Ahmad.

I arrived at the inn at exactly half past eight….

It was time for me to wash up, have dinner, fold the clothes and tidy up my backpack because tomorrow I would leave Kuala Terengganu at half past ten in the morning.

Wisma Maidam was towering on Sultan Ismail Street which was used for the Kuala Terengganu Islamic Bank office.
The intersection that I often pass every day while in Kuala Terengganu.
Umobile Center (Telecommunication Equipment Store) on Engku Sar Street. Engku Sar refers to the name of the father of Engku Pengiran Anom whose full name is Syed Abdullah Al-Idrus. “Sar” is another name for “Sir”.
Aneka KAMDAR Building on Kota Lama Street is used as an ASC (Arena Sports Center) which is a Sports Venue business in Kuala Terengganu.
Let’s sleep!…. It was 11 p.m.….Tomorrow I would walk again.

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Malam Penutup di Kuala Terengganu

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Sore hari….Jam enam kurang seperempat….

Aku duduk di kursi paling depan sisi kiri ketika Bas KITē perlahan meninggalkan kompleks Taman Tamadun Islam. Melalui jembatan penghubung satu-satunya, Bas KITē menyudahi putaran roda di atas Pulau Wan Man.

Only me….
Bapak pengemudi yang budiman.

Kini Bas KITē akan menuntaskan setengah perjalanan tersisa menuju Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu, sesampainya di sana nanti, bus akan beristirahat untuk beroperasi kembali esok hari pada pukul setengah sepuluh pagi.

Dalam perjalanan pulang itu, aku lebih santai dan leluasa untuk berbincang-bincang dengan si pengemudi. Dalam perjalanan sisa itulah dia bercerita tentang aktivitas hariannya bersama empat pengemudi Bas KITē lain dalam mengoperasikan bus kota istimewa tersebut.  Dia juga bercerita mengenai anaknya yang begitu susah mencari pekerjaan di Kuala Terengganu, banyak sektor pekerjaan memilih menggunakan tenaga kerja asing yang menyebabkan susahnya warga lokal mencari mata pencaharian. Aku hanya mendengarkannya sebagai bentuk empati, walau aku sebenarnya tak tahu fakta aslinya.

Dalam perjalanan pulang itu, pengemudi bus hanya menaikkan satu penumpang perempuan setengah baya yang tampaknya sudah sangat dikenal akrab olehnya. Mungkin perempuan itu adalah langganan Bas KITēnya, sehingga begitu dia naik, si pengemudi langsung bertanya akrab tentang aktivitas si perempuan sepanjang hari. Selebihnya setelah naiknya penumpang perempuan tersebut, hanya percakapan mereka berdua saja yang mendominasi hingga perjalanan usai. Percakapan berlogat kental Terengganu itu mencoba kufahami walau aku hanya bisa meyerapnya sedikit saja.

Jam enam lebih seperempat aku tiba di Hentian Bas Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu….

Melompat turun dari bus dan mengucapkan sekali lagi rasa terimakasih kepada sang pengemudi Bas KITē yang telah memberikan lima menit berharganya untukku supaya bisa menikmati keindahan Masjid Kristal, aku berusaha secepat mungkin meninggalkan terminal. Aku tak mau terjebak gelap di dalam terminal.

Aku melangkah gesit melalui Jalan Masjid Abidin untuk tiba di perempatan dimana Menara PERMINT berdiri. “Itu suara apa ya?…”, langkahku terhenti ketika mendengar suara berisik dari sebuah ketinggian. Akibat suara itu, aku mengurungkan langkah menuju penginapan. Aku kini melangkah menyusuri Jalan Sultan Ismail menuju sumber suara. “Oalah….Itu sekumpulan burung gereja”, aku kini mengetahuinya. Di seluruh luasan muka gedung Wisma PERMINT, bertengger buanyakkk sekali burung gereja yang bersahutan suara satu sama lain, menjadikan suara itu bak sebuah harmoni yang enak terdengar di saat menjelang maghrib.

Begitu lama aku tertegun, mengabadikan dan memvideokan pemandangan itu hingga dua orang turis lain tiba-tiba datang di sebelahku dan melakukan hal yang sama. Setelah beberapa saat menikmati harmoni suara burung gereja, serentak pelita-pelita jalanan mulai hidup, lampu-lampu gedung mulai dinyalakan, menjadikan jalur di sepanjang Jalan Sultan Ismail memamerkan keindahan lampu warna-warninya.

Sepertinya aku harus menikmati malam penutup di Kuala Terengganu dengan berada di jalanan walau hanya sesaat”, aku memutuskan.

Langkah eksplorasi malamku dimulai dari KT Walk yang merupakan area lapang yang biasanya menyajikan pemandangan pasar malam untuk warga lokal. Hanya saja malam baru saja memulai masanya, deretan kedai makanan baru bersiap diri untuk menjamu calon tamu-tamunya yang akan tiba sebentar lagi. Karena belum ada aktivitas yang berarti, aku pun hanya menikmati sejenak suasana KT Walk dari sebuah pojok tanah lapang itu.

Menikmati paduan suara burung gereja di Wisma PERMINT.
Sisi depan KT Walk.
Sisi dalam KT Walk yang masih sepi.

Malam semakin merayap naik dan lampu-lampu mulai tampak lebih mempesona seiring dengan menggelapnya langit. Aku terus menyisir sepanjang Jalan Sultan Ismail untuk kemudian tertegun pada sebuah toko buku yang tampaknya menjadi toko buku favorit di kota itu, SMO Bookstores namanya. “Tak ada salahnya jika aku masuk…”, aku mulai iseng.

Aku bergegas memasuki toko buku itu. Begitu memasuki toko, aku hanya memperhatikan sekitar serta menyambangi beberapa rak buku yang banyak didatangi pengunjung. “Sekumpulan novel yang telah disadur dalam Bahasa Melayu”, aku sedikit mengernyitkan dahi sebagai penanda aku tak meminatinya.

SMO Bookstores itu tak sebesar brand toko buku kenamaan di Indonesia, koleksinya tak seberapa, tetapi banyak warga yang berkunjung di dalamnya. Mungkin tingkat literasi warga Malaysia yang baik membuatnya demikian.

Aku akhirnya keluar dari SMO Bookstores dan kembali melanjutkan perjalan menikmati suasana malam Kuala Terengganu. Walaupun tak terlalu ramai, malam itu mampu membuatku sedikit takjub karena selama dua hari di Kuala Terengganu, aku lebih dominan menikmati suasana siangnya saja. Walau saja gemerlap pelita malam itu tak seindah di Kuala Lumpur, tetap saja menyimpan pesona tersendiri. Sebuah kota yang tak begitu padat sedang menampilkan keelokan malamnya.

Aku menikung di pangkal utara Jalan Air Jernih yang masih saja bergeliat perniagaan. Berjalan di sepanjang jalan itu, langkahku kembali terhenti pada sebuah 7-Eleven, aku sengaja memasukinya untuk mencari makanan cepat saji sebagai menu makan malamku. Rasanya aku telah enggan kembali melangkah sedikit jauh untuk mengunjungi Kedai Kak Na yang siang tadi kusambangi. Lebih baik mencari makanan ala kadarnya saja di minimarket itu.

Aku keluar dari 7-Eleven dengan menenteng nasi goreng kemasan yang sudah dipanaskan dalam microwave untuk beberapa saat. Aku segera meninggalkan minimarket itu menuju penginapan sembari menikmati pemandangan tersisa. Menyambung langkah sedikit di Jalan Kota Lama aku berbelok ke kiri di Jalan Engku Pangeran Anom 2 untuk kemudian tiba di penginapan, The Space Inn. .

Engku Pangeran Anom, siapakah gerangan?

Engku Pangeran Anom adalah seorang bangsawan Terengganu dengan nama lengkap Pengiran Anum Engku Abdul Kadir bin Engku Besar. Beliau adalah seorang yang sangat memahami sejarah Terengganu dan sering menjadi rujukan kesultanan yang pada waktu itu dipimpin oleh Sultan Ahmad.

Aku tiba di penginapan tepat pukul setengah delapan….

Saatnya aku berbasuh, makan malam, melipat jemuran dan merapikan backpack karena esok hari aku akan meninggalkan Kuala Terengganu tepat pukul setengah sepuluh pagi.

Wisma Maidam yang tinggi menjulang di Jalan Sultan Ismail yang digunakan untuk kantor Bank Islam Kuala Terengganu.
Perempatan yang sering kulalui tiap hari selama di Kuala Terengganu.
Umobile Centre (Kedai Peralatan Telekomunikasi) di Jalan Engku Sar. Engku Sar mengacu pada nama ayahanda dari Engku Pengiran Anom yang bernama lengkap Syed Abdullah Al-Idrus. “Sar”adalah sebutan lain dari “Sir”.
Gedung Aneka KAMDAR di Jalan Kota Lama yang digunakan sebagai ASC (Arena Sports Centre) yang merupaka bisnis Sport Venue di Kuala Terengganu.
Tidur wooeey….Sudah jam 11 malam….Besok jalan lageee.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->