How the other half live!

Just half an hour took us to Kuala Kangar, the town where the Sultan and his family live in several palaces. Unfortunately, as the Sultan had just lost his favourite son a couple of weeks ago and was in mourning, we were unable to go into the palace, having to make do with a drive by which only gave us brief glimpses of it’s sumptuousness through the trees that surrounded it.

We did, however, get to see the mosque that the Sultan worships at, and the grave of his son, still under guard after the funeral. The outside of the mosque is really beautiful, while the inside is comparatively simple, consisting of a carpeted floor and not much else. We were obliged to remove our shoes and wear gowns to enter as we were in shorts, yet Julia was in a sleeveless top and not asked to add anything., which I found peculiar as I had always understood that female arms and shoulders had to be covered. Apparently not.

Onwards to what was for me the highlight of the day, the past president of the local Rotary club is the CEO of a firm that makes medals and any other presentation item that the state or the Sultan may wish to present to his guests, or to honour his subjects.

Most items are unique, one-off, and are designed in house and made by craftsmen on the premises, and we saw all the stages from the designing to the manufacture of many items.

 

 One in particular was a plate to honour the Girl Guide movement in Malaysia, which is 80 years old this year, and of course had the Guides insignia on it.

We saw the making of many medals, including the Malaysian equivalent of Knighthood medallions, many items of great value and beauty were shown to us and explained how they were made.

They also source from all over the world anything that the Sultan or his family may wish to have, and in the showroom we saw many of these items, including arms and body armour, uniforms, jewelry, and decorations.

We were unexpectedly treated to a lovely meal in the boardroom, given some small gifts to remember the visit by, which really are superfluous as I shall never forget the craftsmanship and hospitality that had been shown to us at the Mariwasa Kraftangan.

In the evening we were taken to Rashpal’s mother-in-law’s house for “pot luck”- quite common in Malaysia, where

everyone brings along a dish and perhaps some drink to a party. There would have been 50 or so of us there, a very pleasant evening of fellowship.