Day 132 Kota Bharu Thurs 3 Nov

Kota Bharu is one of the largest towns on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia with a 70% Muslim population and home to many mosques, immediately noticeably different from anywhere else we have visited not least because almost every lady is covered. Also of interest are various museums and the unique architecture of the old royal palace (still occupied by the Sultan and Sultanah - off-limits to visitors but viewable from outside) and former royal buildings (which can be visited) in the centre of town.  As David is feeling a bit brighter and to stop the "caged animal" effect between the girls, we travel into the centre to explore, starting with the Royal Ceremonies Museum.

Also known as Istana Jahar (named after a jahar tree growing in the palace grounds) it was built in 1887 and used as a royal residence for Raja Bandahara among others. In the grounds is a gazebo known as the Royal Platform where princes were circumcised and princesses bathed before marriage. Inside there are several rooms set up for the various stages of Royal Wedding Preparation as well as deaths and births.
The Royal Maternity Rules are quite interesting. If you want to know how to get rid of flab from the stomach after childbirth, the method revealed here is to rub the stomach with a heated stone wrapped in cloth for about two hours several times daily for several days.
This museum also has some old carriages and war canoes on display.

Most of Kota Bharu's museums and notable sights seem to be located in this area, but none seem to be open. We pass a small brick lock-up with a sign outside explaining that this is the Bank Pitis which was used as a storeroom for money and documents during the rule of Sultan Muhammed III from 1890-1899.

The name Pitis is derived from a tin coin with a hole in the middle (worth one fifth of a sen) which was in circulation in Kelantan for a while until 1909. Bank Pitis ceased to function as the state treasury when Mercantile Bank of India became the first bank to open a branch in the city in 1912.

 

The New Central Market is nearby where Malay ladies sell an impressive array of fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, meat and dry goods and so we decide to pay them a visit. Again the parallels between here and the Fijian markets are uncanny - as are the stomach churning aromas of fish and meat. Too much for David who is beginning to feel peaky again!

We get our best look at the produce on offer from the first floor looking down into the octagonal market space at the ladies and their wares.

   

 David is now feeling very unwell again so we return to the hotel and the comfort of a "western" toilet!