Kota Bharu - Day 1

We finally arrived at noon after a bumpy but enjoyable flight. Hub's friend, Hj Akmal fetched us from the airport and took us straight to Kampung Kraftangan at Jalan Hilir Kota for lunch at the famous Nasi Ulam Cikgu Restaurant. 

This restaurant serves a spread of ulam (raw/blanched vegetables) which you can eat with your rice and various side dishes such as ikan keli goreng berempah, asam pedas ikan patin, ikan patin masak lemak, the ikan singgang, just to name a few.  It was packed with people on their lunch breaks, so we took that to be a good endorsement and we weren’t disappointed. This is basically a help yourself kind of theme and you only get your bill after you've seated down. For those who like budu (fermented fish sauce) and fresh ulam, this is the place to have your lunch. 

   

When we got our bill we were surprised to see the amount which was RM41.90 for the 5 of us because what we ordered was quite a lot.

After lunch, we walked through the Kampung Kraftangan complex which showcased local crafts in a beautiful traditional building and saw this small stall selling homemade coconut ice cream mixed with nuts, chocolate syrup, glutinous rice, bread and sprinkles for RM3 a cup. The ice cream has a slightly salty taste. My children and I struggled to communicate with the vendors, so a lady who was also buying some ice cream helped us ... 

After lunch we went to the hotel to drop our bags and later went to Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah. This market is one of the most photographed places in Kelantan, filled with the overpowering smells of fresh fish, butchered carcasses, vegetables and fruit.  We went upstairs to the 3^rd floor but couldn’t stay long as the old building was not air-conditioned and the afternoon heat was becoming unbearable. Hundreds of Malay women were selling clothing in a myriad of cramped stalls that took up the entire 3rd floor and they didn’t seem to be bothered by the heat at all. My son bought a few souvenirs for his friends and Hub bought me a fridge magnet at the 2^nd floor. Nothing was really standing out, so we went back downstairs where the market smell wasn’t as stringent. 

We left the central market and made our way to Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium which is located in the heart of Kota Bharu town center, on Jalan Mahmood. The newly painted pink and white stadium was built in 1967.  The use of both colours is part of the deal made by Kelantan Football Association and their new sponsor and Honorary Advisor, Datuk Seri Dr. Hasmiza (Dr. Vida) of Qu Puteh. 

It was almost 6pm when we finally arrived at Wakaf Che Yeh, to visit the famous night market located about 7 kilometers out of Kota Bharu to see what it was all about. The night market is open seven days a week and comes alive at night. Here you will find an assortment of local products ranging from fabrics to food. Ladies apparel especially for the Muslim women are seen sold all over the area.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped off at Restoran Orange for refreshments. We ordered Pulut Mangga (Sweet sticky rice with mango). Hub and I had teh tarik(pulled sweet milky tea) while the children had iced milo. 

On the way back to the hotel, we wandered into the KB Mall and stocked up on water and food.

We then headed back to our hotel room to relax before our trip to Rantau Panjang Duty Free Zone tomorrow. We eventually crashed at 11pm.