Tea at the Padang Mahkota, IAS, Klang

Majlis Jamuan Teh Diraja Bersama-sama Pesara Kerajaan Sempena Sambutan Ulang Tahun Hari Keputeraan Yang Ke 67 Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Selangor 
Sunday, 9 December 2012, 3.00 pm

1. Storm clouds loom over the venue, the Padang Mahkota at Istana Alam Shah, as guests arrive. It did rain when we were under the tents. It is December after all.

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2. The 'Birthday Boy', the Sultan of Selangor, mingling with the guests. He must have shook at least a thousand hands that afternoon.

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3. One of three tents under which the 1,500 guests are seated. The waiters, both male and female, were very efficient. I think they were from the UiTM Hotel Catering and Management School.

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4. With some of my table mates; new acquaintances. The food was okay; traditional kuehs, fusion snacks, buffalo chicken wings, lasagna, tuna croissant sandwiches, meatballs, mee goreng, meat & mushroom pie, etc., etc.

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5. The Entertainment was fabulous: The Traditional Ensemble;

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6. The Brass Band (I cannot remember which school in Klang, or was it the Police Band?);

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7. ... and the Jazz Band from UiTM (?) which played beautiful golden oldies; most appropriate for pensioner guests. Some of the music they played just made you want to get up and dance!

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Happy 67th birthday, Tuanku. And many more to come.

Note: Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's actual birth date is the 24th December, but it is officially celebrated on the 11th December, a public holiday for the state of Selangor.