Whenever she's back in Malaysia, my Mama would travel extensively for work. Like last weekend, she had to attend an event in a place called Pagoh (recently inundated by flood) where survivors of the flood were handed out more essential items and other stuffs.
Thinking that the area is quite far and would take several hours of driving, Mama and Dad left home at 5am. OK, so no cats were taken on this trip. We were unsure if people at that event would let us join or blend in. So it was just Mama and Dad.
Late afternoon saw them heading back home but there was a last minute detour. Mama said our home in Malaysia needs new curtains as we haven't changed any since we moved here eight years ago. Fair enough, said Dad.
Thus, with glee in her heart, Mama helped Dad navigate the way to Tangkak, a town famous for its rows of textile shops. We're told Tangkak has a new rival, a town called Nilai which is nearer to KL and only about half an hour from the airport. Mama and Dad would pass by Nilai too on their way back to KL but Mama insisted that they should support the original textile haven. And also that as they were just in the neighbourhood, no harm in dropping by.
"Oh, if we're lucky, we maybe able to pick up some nice josapine pineapples too. I don't think we can get those in Nilai," she convinced Dad. As usual, she ended up with more that just the josapine, there were mangoes, bananas and salak in her shopping bags!
The old curtains we have were also bought in Tangkak eight years ago. As Mama sews her own curtains, she usually buys better quality (read: more expensive) materials that can last a long time. She was also planning on making some new pet cushions....hmmm....I'd like to see that happen.
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| It was a Saturday and yet the main road wasn't busy....could be the results of rivalry posed by Nilai. |
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| Aaahh....the colours....the shops usually display materials for clothes in front. |
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| If you can't sew, there's also the option of ready-to-wears. |
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| More shops along the main road. Mama didn't know which one to go to at first. |
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| Some scarves to match the clothes too.... |
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| Be prepared for the glorious colours of lace and satin..... |
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| .....of silk and polyester..... |
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| .....of rayon and georgette and voile... |
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| Mama loves the cottons the best she said...there's a choice of Japanese, Italian or Swiss. |
Angelina's note: Dad said Mama was singing as she was choosing the curtain materials upstairs while Dad browsed through some men stuffs downstairs. We're not showing the curtains and cushions materials we bought yet. Wait till Mama finish sewing them, OK?
About the rivalry posed by Nilai, no sweat said the Tangkak textile community. Most of them have opened branches in Nilai. Whatever you get in Nilai, it's also still available in Tangkak. Same quality, same price. Smart move, people! purrrr....meow!
p.s. did we mention that Tangkak is also the gateway to the fabled Mt Ophir?
