Monday 18 August

The Crystal Mosque - more a showcase than a place of worship

Nice breakfast at the hotel with friendly service. We enjoyed our short stay at the Renaissance Hotel, Kota Bharu. The fire evacuation routine didn't take place after all.

Set off with William in his bus southwards to Kuala Terengganu, another long drive. The scenery was varied and interesting, but he drove too fast for us to appreciate it. On arrival we stopped to visit the Crystal Mosque, built only recently in 2008. We took off shoes and donned chic brown robes to enter the mosque.

We had to wear long robes to enter the mosque

By then it was very sunny and hot again. We drove along the waterfront and through Chinatown, before visiting the National Museum featuring local crafts. Then we were dropped off at the Primula Beach Resort. We didn't feel like eating any lunch.


In the afternoon we rested, read our books, I wrote postcards and we decided to have dinner at the hotel bistro. We had two different versions of nasi goreng. The atmosphere was rather gloomy. Then we had coffee in the coffee lounge before going up to the lobby where a band was playing to an empty house.

Boatbuilding was also featured at the museum