This past weekend, my mom and brother made a casual visit to Kuala Lumpur. Nothing too fancy, just a simple trip with one main mission, Hari Raya shopping! And of course, what better place to shop for Raya essentials than Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR), the ultimate shopping paradise for moms everywhere?
They arrived on Saturday, full of excitement and determination to get a head start on their Raya shopping next day. First stop? Jakel, the go-to store for quality fabrics. Mom was on a mission to pick out the perfect material for our Raya outfits, and let me tell you, choosing fabrics is no quick process! After browsing through an endless sea of vibrant colors and textures, she finally made her selection. But the shopping adventure wasn’t over yet.
Just as we were about to explore more, the sky decided to pour. And not just a drizzle but heavy rain, full-on storm mode. Walking around Jalan TAR in that weather was impossible, so we had to cut the trip short and reschedule for the next day.
Monday: Round Two!
Since Sunday’s trip was interrupted, I brought them back to Jalan TAR again on Monday. This time, the sun was on our side, and the focus was on tudung shopping. If you’ve ever been to Jalan TAR, you’d know the options are endless, every style, every color, every design you can imagine. Mom, being the meticulous shopper that she is, took her time picking out the best ones. After a few rounds of browsing (and some serious decision-making), she happily left with a few tudungs.
But what touched me the most was her generosity. Apart from getting things for herself, she also bought a few telekungs to gift to our neighbors back home in Kedah. With Ramadan just around the corner, she wanted to make sure they had something nice to use during their prayers. That’s just the kind of person she is, always thinking of others.
A Little Food Adventure
Shopping can be exhausting, and of course, we needed a good meal for refuel. So, I took them to a vegetarian restaurant for lunch. We ordered a vegetarian set meal with mushroom fried paneer, which was absolutely delicious. Mom, always one for comparing flavors, took a bite and immediately said, “As if eating paru goreng!”. We had a good laugh over that. Who knew vegetarian food could taste so familiar?
After a busy but fulfilling two days, today, they headed back to Kedah. The house feels a little quieter now, but I’m glad we got to spend time together. Seeing them happy, shopping for Raya, and enjoying good food made the weekend feel special.
Now, all that’s left is to wait for Raya to arrive and see everyone dressed in their new outfits. Until then, I’ll be holding onto the memories of this little shopping trip with my favorite people.