Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Langkawi - Makam Mahsuri

The next day, which was our last day on the island, we woke up rather early in the morning to try to cram as many activities as possible into the schedule. After breakfast, we straight away checked out and then went to the Pantai Cenang to just lie there and enjoy the morning sun and breeze. It was about 8.30am and we spent about an hour there, walking by the beach, sitting there and just relax. It's just a fulfilment of sort, to have at least spend an hour on the beach since we were on an island, after all.

Then, we quickly sped up to the Langkawi Cable Car station in hope to be able to go up to the mountain and have a look at the scenic view well-praised by many. But, little did we know, even though it was around 9.45am when we reached, the queue was already freaking long and that at least two hours needed before it's our turn for the ride. There was no way for us to be able to go up and then come down in time for the ferry ride back to the Peninsula. With greatest regret, we abandoned the plan.

Look at the crazy shit queue

Now that we had few hours to spend, we were on a lost on where to go. Eventually, we decided to visit the famous Makam Mahsuri (Mahsuri Mausoleum), the famous legend of Langkawi. Mahsuri was a legendary tale of a woman whose was beyond description and it was her beauty that set the destructive path for her. She was happily married and one day, when her husband was off for some governmental duty, she was framed for adultery and was sentenced to death. Before she died, she cursed the island of Langkawi of misfortunes until the seventh generation of hers was born. There are a lot of versions as to who was responsible for her death and all these versions you can actually learn it in Makam Mahsuri.

Mahsuri in portrait

In all honesty, there is nothing much to look at in the complex other than the tomb itself. There were quite a number of traditional Malay kampong (village) houses where traditional dances and musical performances were held but when we were there, such performances were unavailable. There is also the Mahsuri museum in which detailed story of the legend, from the birth of Mahsuri to the untimely demise of her, was laid out for the public to read. For the price of RM5 per person, it's OK. 

Traditional Malay kampong house

Mahsuri's tomb

Beautiful view of paddy field

Traditional kuih 

When the brief tour of Mahsuri was over, so too were our time on the island. We headed back to the jetty and waited for our 2.15pm ferry back to Kuala Kedah jetty. It may be nothing much of a trip but like every one of my trip, sadness hit upon me and before this vacation was officially over, I already long for another one.

Goodbye, eagle

*THE END*

5 comments:

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