ClASS TRIP: Malay Art and Culture

Hey everyone!!! Last week me and my fellow classmates went to East Coast Malaysia (Kelantan and Terrengganu) where we stayed there for 5 days. Yipee!!! I love trips but this one was totally new to us since we were doing quite well on our project, the lecturers wanted us to see a closer look of what the real craft making was like. Yada yada..hehe..that's what always buzz in our heads when it comes to academic trips. I mean we all expect it would be a boring trip listening to people talking about there stuff. Well, we did just that...and MORE!!!

The trip consists of visits to master craftsman's workshops to see their works. We also went to the massive Museum in Terrengganu to see historic artifacts and vernacular architecture of the malays.


DAY 1 (AUGUST 15TH)
It was a Friday and I barely wake up to the 6am call. We stayed up late last night doing some packing and chit chattering about how anxious we were about the trip. At the house there was Bob, Fadzli and Along. All were talking about what they're gonna do and planning for some craft shopping hehe. Well, back to the story of day one..
We woke up got ready with our baggage. Called my lil' sis the night before to come and send me to the Faculty's bus stop since i had to send my car home before the trip. The others just walked all the way up..wasn't that far from where we live. I even offered Bob and the rest a lift but they insisted on walking.

At the bus stop, i was the only one early. So last minute check, i went to the studio to get a couple of things to bring like measuring tape. Oh yeah, i forgot to tell that our site for the project will be in Kelantan.

Got down and saw others are already waiting for the bus. Its been an hour and the bus didn't show up. We got news that we didn't get the University bus (that sux). Instead, we got a school bus. We were all feeling a bit uncomfortable hearing that we're gonna ride in a school bus. Well, I don't mind as long there is air conditioning hahaha..
The bus came off schedule but we all got in the bus. Nobody seems to complain about the bus anymore coz it got to television set with dvd players. Nice..plus..a nice collection of movies!!! that's great coz its gonna be a very long ride to Kelantan like 10 hours on a bus.

Basically for Day1 was the bus trip. We watched movies, a couple of stops here and there like Pahang and we arrived at about 11pm. So which makes it a 12 hour trip. phew... We checked in at Dynasty Inn hotel in Kota Baru, Kelantan. Went out for late night supper hehehe..and off to sleep and prepare for Day 2!!!

DAY 2 (August 16th)
Saturday, the cold air conditioning of our hotel room seeps in our skin..owh what comfort..but then the wake up call spoils the mood. Along picked it up (rooming with Along) and we got ready and went upstairs where we have our buffet breakfast looking out the sky view of kota baru. Not what you see as a modern city. Differ by its non tall buildings and Islamic bill boards and few cars passing by in the morning.

Well, off to master Latif Long's place. He's a master carver in Malaysia and honed his skill from generation to generation from his forefathers and late father.

We arrived there and the master prepared us morning tea with traditional sweets. We ate by the massive workshop where tons of his work is in the making while watching his workers polishing up on details of door panel carvings.

After he introduces himself and his works, we wonder off the area and i saw this interesting looking boat where an ancient bird carving depicted on the head of the boat. He said that he made it when he was 23 years old and he would never sell it. The guy now is almost 70 years old and he was still looking steady.
The master told us his story on making the head of the keris (an ancient malay weapon still use today in royal ceremony), we had lunch there where we ate rice with some grilled chicken i think heheehe...after that we then moved to the area where we suppose to design a gallery for him from our project. After all the measurements taken, we sat and listen to more stories. He is quite a story teller and he's drawings are incredible..very very good and steady hands for an old fella.
I managed to get his signature and a little drawing of a keris.
The whole entire day we were at his place and we left to our hotels and rest.




More pics of DAY 2