There is only one Kelantan...

Tanam jagung di atas batas

Selasih ku cari...padi ku galas

Balik kampung hatiku puas

Kasih kau beri...budi tak terbalas

"Abe....abe cari gappo? Keropok ko? Sambal daging ko?"

The voice soft...and melodic. The smile enticing. Her charm nearly made me purchased what I did not really need. And her smile broke into a little laughter when I replied....

"Abe dok cari keropok....abe cari kakok ilae nie...".

I was in Pasar Khadijah in Kota Baru Kelantan. There is only one such scene, one such charm, and one such enterprising group of women in this wide world. Found LiL later on amongst the stalls selling clothes....below!

That was during a brief stop over from the Pengakalan Cepa airport to our kampung.

A real joy awaited us when we arrived to the welcome of my sisters, and nieces and nephews. Aunties and uncles came the next day......for the Kenduri Tahlil. I felt the warmth of kampung style love and caring.....a tradition of old which thankfully, has not faded. Their conversation was genuine, their interest deep, and their care was not for your wealth but for your health. I drifted into my comfort zones......with my kain pelikat, walked along the batas of the padi fields......went deep into the rubber plantation....enjoying the fresh air and captivated with rustic village beauty.

A bunch of banana.....

Above is Duku...and below is rambutan....

From preparing the goat's meat above to the gulai kawah below.....Only in Kelantan do I feel this way...."Adequate with little, Blissful with nothingness, and love so real!"