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A recent posting on a Malaysian History group , jolted my memory of a visit to a family owned business back in 2008. I am so very happy to see that this traditional craft is still in existence albeit only one is left in an area that was once the main supplier of …. Singghora tiles in Malaysia. Bachok, August 2011. Meeting with pak jusoh hussin and family at their factory nestled somewhere in the tranquil surroundings of Kampung Pengkalan Baru, Taman Syafiqah, Bachok, Kelantan. Not to worry if you can’t find the place on your GPS, just get yourself to Kampung Pengkalan Baru and ask the locals for directions. After all, there’s only one such factory left in Kelantan.  Pak Jusoh’s father started the business in 1945. His business steadily grew with demand coming from villages rebuilding their homes after the war. At the peak of production, they had 40 ovens fired to bake thousands of tiles. In 1965, Pak Jusoh took over the business from his father. As new materials start...

The wooden fishing boats moored at Pengkalan Anak Gajah are brightly painted with an assortment of motifs , mainly of flora as encouraged by the Islamic movement to steer away from using human and animal motifs. However, there are still a number of examples that bring back the tradition to the civilised era of Langkasuka. (A Sanskrit word meaning “Land of Resplendence”). And truly it may have been from remnants of resplendent art and traditions which remain strong in the hearts of a few who resist in order to forge ahead their knowledge despite growing frictions from others due to ignorance and blind faith. The perahu kolek as it is known in Malay have been around as long as villages have been established along the east coast of the peninsular. The more intricate perahu kolek as we see at this estuary just round the corner from Pantai Sabak, are now built and imported from Thailand, from the Patani area.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed_TZn1BRlw The boatmakers there incl...

Srivijaya governed the Southeast Asian sea route from the 7 th century - lured merchants from the east and the west to trade under well-organised and protected conditions. Vague evidence seems to suggest that Srivijaya's rule began to crumble in the 13 th century, this gave other trading ports the opportunity to divert merchant ships with promises of trade opportunities. One such port was Melaka, which swiftly took charge of the trading route down the Straits of Melaka. Traders exchanged goods at the port, shipping basic necessities such as rice, sugar, pottery and luxury items such as silk yarns, gold and silver for ivory, tortoiseshell, resin, waxes, sandalwood, spices and other jungle products abound in the region's rainforest. Textiles were brought in to trade or as gifts for the Sultan and his entourage. It is noted that the royal court clothed in textiles were very much influenced by Indian weaving and design methods. The courts' controlled the textile trade and by ...

Just to the side of these large Palace gates sits a white stone bunker, not more than 10 feet high. An unobtrusive structure, this used to be  Kelantan's State Treasury Bank . Somehow, this bank looks a lot less intimidating than the ones that we have now! - sort of a no nonsense 'put your money in, take your money out' deal. This bank was in use well into the 1900s! Just a stone's throw from the craft museum gates is this tiny strong room which was the State Treasury Bank (1889 - 1890), built by Sultan Muhammad III Through the arch and across the road sits  Padang Merdeka  or  Merdeka Square . Nearby is  Masjid Negri  or the  State Mosque . Also known as Serambi Mekah or Veranda of Mecca, this is Mosque was instrumental in spreading Islam throughout the state. The older parts of Kota Bharu town retains some of its charms and kampung lifestyle, as the rest rushes on towards 2020. This below would likely be how it was in the old days when the ...

After going on a few trips to Kota Bharu and posting quite a number of food photos on  Instagram  and  Facebook , I decided to compile a list of ultimate food hunt in Kelantan.  The best and only way to hunt for these authentic meals is with a local. They know all the hidden and everyday spots with the best food. These are also places that I have personally tried and tested, to share with all of you who plans on visiting this charming state. It is quite easy to see why  Kelantan  has such good taste in their food as the cooking is still as authentic as how their mothers or grandmothers used to cook them. Most of these places have been around for quite some time while there are one or two new restaurants that is included in the list. Hope you enjoy it and do try out the street food and local delights if you’re ever in Kota Bharu. Page Contents Kedai Kopi Pok Loh Milo Tonggeng Kedai Kopi White House Kopitiam Kita Ayang Cafe Nasi Sup Perut Air A...