Jane Chan shares her views on the river cruise that marked the start of the Museum Volunteers’ visit to Kuala Terengganu (19 Apr 2016)
It was hot and sunny when we started the cruise in two fishermen taxis from near Duyong Island (Pulau Duyong). We separated ourselves into two groups, each occupying a taxi boat with a distance of 50m between us so that we will have a calmer sail. As we travelled inland towards the Terengganu State Museum and Islamic Civilization Miniature Centre, we could feel the soft breeze kissing our cheeks giving a cooling effect.
Our local guide was in the same taxi as Elizabeth, Cze Yan, Julie, Mariea, Wai Mun, Yeow, myself, together with few others that left the jetty ahead of the President, Jega, and the rest. Without noticing that we were actually by the open museum marine exposition site, we who sat at the engine corner just concentrated ahead of us towards the Islamic Civilization Centre and Crystal Floating Mosque. It was only on the following day that we realized that we were at the riverbank adjacent to the museum. We also learned that the reason the Crystal Mosque was constructed as such was because the architect wanted to reflect the people of Terengganu living on tilted houses along the river bank.
The view of the riverbank is magnificent under the bright sun beam; despite the intense heat with two dry months, the river is not muddy. The money spent to reclaim and beautify the once fishermens’ shoreline is worth more than my words.
Museum Volunteers, JMM 