Note: I'm writing this piece from an Internet Cafe in Lumut, Perak. The title seems to be kind of apt as one could definitely smell the sea from the town of Mersing due to the fact that it is located at the East Coast facing the South China Sea... I was there about a month ago. And today, I'm writing from a town on the West Coast facing the Straits of Melaka where the smell of the sea is definitely rife in air.
Anyway, the picture above is taken facing north from the bus station upon arrival from Kota Tinggi. The river is the Mersing river and there's plenty of fishing boats moored around...
Another view across the river slightly to right...
More to the right and you can see this bridge across the river with the road leading to the state of Pahang...
I walked towards the town centre. The last time I was in Mersing then was about 10 years ago. The main hill there still beckons...
The hill with the huge letters spelling "Mersing" is an easy to find landmark here. It looks almost the same as the hill in Kuala Terengganu some 400 km further up north along the East Coast albeit smaller... And the hill in Terengganu also has more giants letters, spelling "Allah selamatkan Terengganu" (God save Terengganu)...
Almost immediately, I managed to find a cheap hotel to my liking. Here is a view from the hotel...
The day was a Friday and I arrived in Mersing just before the Friday prayers. I managed to hitchike a car and went up the mosque on top a hill near the beach.
Oh... For information, this particular article don't have any picture of the sea although the title is "Smelling the sea in Mersing"... Then again, I didn't say "The view of the sea in Mersing" did I? Still you could have a look at the sea through an article regarding the mosque at the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) . Or just click Pemandangan di Masjid Jamek Mersing (views at the main mosque of Mersing)...
It is only after the prayers that I realised how interesting is the view of the mosque on top of the hill. I'm sure I've been to Mersing at least 5 times before but I've never step foot on the mosque. Not until that day...
The walk back towards the town centre...
A look behind and then only I realised the mosque could clearly be seen from the town. God Lord, I've never noticed it before...
Whatever, I spent a night in Mersing and the next day I was back at the bus station ready to continue the trip, this time heading for Kluang...
Too bad, I missed the last bus at 5pm or something. So unlike the previous nights where a night was spent each in Batu Pahat, Pontian, Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi (I spent more nights in Muar but that doesn't count as it is my home district), I actually spent 2 in Mersing. It was later that I realised, the altered number of nights stayed was a prelude to staying 3 nights in Kluang but that is another story. Ends... :]
very grateful to have someone writing on Mersing - my hometown :D
ReplyDeletealso like your blog Seni Lama Melayu (remind me of my architecture class)
keep up the good work, congrats!