Revisitations (3)

The Local Cruise

When in Muar, friends and tourists are bound to be brought to Tanjung Emas, a promontory jutting out into the Straits Of Melaka. It is a favourite getaway and evenings are filled with the sounds of laughter and excitement seen in the faces of her visitors. Parents will bring their children to play on the swings and relax under the hundred year old trees. Walks are constantly accompanied by the cool breeze created by the Muar river... a perfect getaway.

Though the place is familiar to me in many ways, I have never taken the plunge to cruise along the Muar river ; always thinking that there will be a next time. I have been along the City Cruise in Brisbane, Sydney and even the Straits of Melaka on the Gemini but not yet along the Muar river ; so near and yet so far.

So, this time I thought there was no more excuse ...



Fong Min, back from London squealed in excitement when I suggested the cruise and without hesitation nodded her head. She is a dear friend who left for the UK when she was 17 and started her career as a nurse. Leaving for the UK in the 70s among girls was a common exodus as nursing was popular and highly demanded in the field of medicine. She excelled in the field and even obtained a PHD in nursing last year. She is a perfect life-long learning example and is fearless of the challenges. She works hard till this day and never gives up on the idea of working...her stand is to work as long as she can. Now you know why she still can stay so slim though she is more than half a century old... must emulate.




The cruise is for both the young and old and really ; it was slow but therapeutic.

As one cruises along the Muar River, this landmark - the Sultan Ismail Bridge - built in the 60s; stands tall and steadfast. It has been a connector between Tanjung Agas and Muar town and helped build the success story of the town. I still can recall vividly when as a child, I used to get across to Tanjung Agas by a ferry. It was time consuming but yet an important mode of transport. With the advent of the bridge, time was saved until lately when frustrations were eminent as travellers had to wait for their turns to cross the bridge either way. Traffic became heavy and it was a chore when jams were created. It could take between half an hour to one to cross it and soon the dread was real.



There has to be a solution. Like the second crossing to Singapore, another bridge was built. This time the bridge connects Parit Bunga to Pagoh and bypasses the town for those who wish to go to other parts of the Southern region; thereby easing the traffic.





The newly-built bridge is modern and built on a different system ; I believe. This one seems to be suspended unlike the former one which was heavily dependent on piling? I don't know if my interpretation is accurate but I suspect both bridges are constructed differently but serving the same purposes ; that is connecting the two sides of the river.

I was grateful to have the chance to see both bridges at different angles along the cruise.

My siblings and I used to speculate the activities inside this building. We were told that this was the Johor Sultan's getaway wheneven he is in town. If my memory stays good, a helicopter used to land on the grounds surrounding it whenever the Sultan and his consort graced the town. The 'palace' still stands grand as you view it along the river.

Also, on both sides of the river, one can see stately mosques of good architecture tastes.

This one is near Tanjung Emas and has been there ever since ; ever since. It has been here for the last 50 or 60 years? Maybe even longer and is still so well-maintained.

The newer one on the Tanjung Agas side is as stately. Of Moroccan architecture, it is a sight to behold.

Sampans along the river suggest fishing activities and oyster and cockle catching has always been a favourite activity among the locals. Fong Min wanted so much to taste the Muar oyster cuisine and we bought some for her later in the evening.

I could not help but notice this building along Tanjung Agas ; Giant. Placed on the other side of town , the inconvenience has deterred Muarians on the other side to frequent. So, it does not seem as popular as it should be otherwise. Location is vital for any good prospect to flourish.

I snapped this photo as I spotted Por's condo from afar. Standing tall behind the building in front, the condo is an absolute perfect place of rest as the sea breeze that engulfs her unit cools it. It's cooling throughout the day and surely it is difficult to find a unit fronting the sea and having the privilege of a constant breeze to make it a comfortable abode.

Soon, I noticed a change in the landscape. Mangrove swamps dotting the river.

Muar, being a low lying area, has always been reknown for her swampy topography and coastal features. It is a perfect place for geographical studies and ventures. This again brought back memories way back to the early 70s when as undergraduates, the Geography Department of the then University of Malaya , made it compulsory for them to complete a field study on swamps.

And you have guessed it right ... we ploughed the Muar Swamps in Tanjung Emas. If there was anything that I could remember best ; it was the agony we had to go through when we were attacked by leeches. They were well fed...but it was even greater thrill when they were removed from our legs and squeezed ... our blood oozing out from their fat bodies.

See. The undergraduates in their maiden trip to the swamps of Muar. We had a fulfilling time enjoying one another's company and learning from the trip of swampy features and other secondary landscapes. But that was so long ago. Can you spot me?

So ends my story of the Muar River Cruise. Sara says I have to stop talking about Muar and that I have become a bore. I told her it is alright. My blog is also to help me keep a register of my memories and they are really for keeps. So it doesn't matter, does it?