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| Thursday, 16-Jul-2009 01:46 |
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In Between Our Main Itinery...
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In between our main itinery, we went to Kg Gerisik,across the river, by boat tambang . It was a different kind of experience as we had never gone on a small boat and it was quite scary when the boat swayed left and right as we stepped in. I regarded the experience as precious as I realised how fortunate we all were/are. To many people in the interior, that's their only means of transportation apart from walking many kilometers to reach their destination,each day.
We managed to find time to enjoy Waterfront in the evening and at night. Of course we explored the main bazaar where there were so many nice souvenir items to buy. The handicrafts were so neat and intricate. If we had our choice,there were so many things that we wanted to bring home but we had to be practical.
On the way to the airport, we passed by modern housing area in Pelita. We stopped by a nearby mosque for prayers before Uncle Alfred took us to Spring Mall. This was like a regular mall that we are used to go to back home so, we did not find it special. Still, a photo or two at the compound wouldn't hurt,right?
Before I went to Sarawak, I was told that there was nothing much there and rather boring. For me, every place has it's uniqueness. A lot depands on whether you are willing to explore the places and see them from different perspective. We really made full use of our 3 days there. I purposely arranged a late evening flight back so that we had ample time. Next time on an airplane, I will make sure I take pictures of the beautiful and amazing clouds. I just can't help thinking of the greatness of God's creation and how lucky we are to be able to see and enjoy the beauty. After 3 days of fresh air, we came back choked with haze which seemed to be worse than before we went....Looks like we have to keep our masks nearby to beat it...beat it....
  
| Quote: | Zairin-As usual,balik rumah baru menyesal tak beli lebih. Bought only one for Wani. Tak terfikir nak berniaga....fikir tak nak bawak too many things je. Berat.
Layman-Dah balik. Mana leh jalan lama2 sangat.
Yang-Rasanya, tak de gi mana dah for this year...except may be nak buat sisters get-together in PD or Melaka later in the year. Read negative comments on PD in yesterday's Malay Mail. Very disappointing,actually.Why can't PD have clean,beautiful waterfront?Oh well.. my friends and me are going on the Hop On Hop Off bus next Friday.Just to see how good it is. |
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| Wednesday, 15-Jul-2009 23:04 |
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Last but Not Least Day In Bumi Kenyalang
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Our last day in Kuching started before 8.00am. We checked-out early so that we did not have to rush back from our outing. Our first stop was Pasar Satok,home to salted terubuk fish. Of all the people, I was the one who stood rooted,admiring the freshness of the fish. So much so that I forgot to take a snapshot of it. It was very cheap too.Used to seeing exhorbitant prices in Subang Jaya, I found their price hard to believe. Actually, my family never included terubuk in our menu,thus I grew up not used to eating it.My late dad couldn't even eat the catfish. I only learned to enjoy it after years of working. We had breakfast at a restaurant near the market. The nasi lemak was not bad.
Then off we went to Serikin,the border town between Sarawak and Kalimantan. The journey was smooth and I enjoyed the lush greenery and scanty development which reminded me of the small town my dad used to work in, in the 60's. There were a lot of people shopping at the border. Hundreds of cars and tourist buses were parked at the open space. Things were cheap too,depending on your bargaining expertise,which I unfortunately, do not have. An embroidered kebaya material set was RM38. Often seen kebaya top at Subang Parade costing RM299, I didn't have it in my heart to bargain. The quality of the material is good. Even if the price was actually lower, I just regarded the extra as "sedekah". Afterall, the traders were from underpriviledged background and I only bought one miserable piece. Actually, there were many designs and colors to choose from. Wani always prefers it simple and not-too-busy.
  
| Quote: | Yang-Must be nice to see the untouched beauty of the countryside.
Brian-Not only handbag stalls.Women shouldn't pass any shops at all. Temptation to buy is too great. |
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| Wednesday, 15-Jul-2009 14:22 |
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Meow...Meow
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The hill where the Cat Museum is situated was breezy and provided us a clear view of the city's skylines. There were many statues,pictures and paintings of the furry animals in the museum. There was even a grave of one. We chanced upon a cat wearing a mask in memory of Michael Jackson...Due to various plastic surgeries, the face looked rather odd. Just like MJ. Michael Jackson was a classic case of a child who missed his childhood pursuing the dream of his dad. Fortunately for him, he loved his music but he could never regain the lost childhood. I choose not to believe the many negative stories about him and to see only the goodness that he had done to the world of music and the fact that he was such a doting dad to his 3 children as confirmed by his tearful daughter on the Memorial night.
 
| Quote: | Zairin-Ingat tak kereta kita rosak and we waited in the Chicago Museum on a snowy night for the car to be repaired and the staff was kind enough to have brought us around,including to the mummy area?
Mark Twain? Mestilah ingat...He..he...tingkap hotel tu pun tak de latch.Tu yg kita tak lelap tido.Takut...Chicago tu. Nasib kita ramai gak. 6 org. Apa nak buat,kita students...kena lah dok budget hotel |
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| Tuesday, 14-Jul-2009 00:40 |
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Damai Beach Resort, Santubung
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Our next destination was the Damai Beach Resort. The resort is of course as nice as Karambunai or any of the five star resorts but the beach scenery was, definitely, better in Karambunai. The sea seemed bluer and more breathtaking there. Although we could see Mt Santubung clearly, the feeling of seeing it was lesser intense than what I experienced when I first set my eyes on Mt Kinabalu. Has its reputation anything to do with it? I guess not. It doesn't mean that I did not find beauty in Mt Santubung. The greenery and the thick forest surrounding it was soothing to my tired eyes.
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| Monday, 13-Jul-2009 08:09 |
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Cultural Village...Here We Come
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Uncle Alfred,the cab driver,came at 9.00am the next morning to fetch us to Damai Beach Resort and the Cultural Village in Santubung. We had breakfast at the Coffee Korner which was featured in Jalan2, Cari Makan. The food was good. We were among the earliest visitors at the Cultural Village for the day. The bigger shocker was when we had to pay RM100 per pax to enter the village minus the cultural performances. All because of the Rainforest Music Festival. Even the normal fees of RM80 per pax is too expensive for local tourists. A family of 5 (children above 12) will have to fork out RM400? Not a problem for the rich and famous and not so famous but how about the average Malaysians? Anyway, we really enjoyed exploring the different houses. Climbing up some of the stairs was quite a challenge to our aching bones,except for Lin.
 
  
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| Monday, 13-Jul-2009 05:34 |
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Rainbow over Sarawak River
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Our afternoon flight to Bumi Kenyalang was right on time. We took a cab to Harbour View Hotel where I was lucky to get 2 rooms in. The whole of Kuching hotels were full due to the Rainforest Music Festival. Made the mistake of booking the flight before checking accommodation availability. After checking in and freshing up, we walked the short distance to the Waterfront.While having late lunch there, it started to rain. I have never seen a rainbow over a river and needless to say, I was amazed at the beautiful sight. The food at the stall was not bad,the tea tarik was rather "unique"
In the midst of the rain, we went on the Sunset Cruise. There were many foreign tourists on board. We were served orange juice,slices of Sarawak Kek Lapis and other local delicacies. The boat meandered one hour and a half along the murky Sarawak river,passing through various land marks and villages on the river bank. It ended with a traditional Iban cultural dance which was interesting to watch. We came down from the boat happy though we had to part with RM60 per pax for the cruise, which I feel was a bit expensive for local tourists.
  
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| Thursday, 9-Jul-2009 01:34 |
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A Short Break
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I'll be in the Land of the Hornbills (Bumi Kenyalang) for a couple of days. Hope to capture some nice moments. Till then....have fun!
| Quote: | Layman-Believe it or not, I've never been a fan of terubuk
Yang-Baru balik ni. Had loads n loads of fun exploring.No issues of food cos we found a nice,clean and
cosy restaurant right behind the hotel. The food was good. |
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| Monday, 6-Jul-2009 08:35 |
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Missing The Moments....
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Abc durian in Jaya Jusco,Setiawangsa was hm...delicious. Heard many said that the place was boring in comparison to the one in Wangsa Maju,but I found it a peaceful place to walk around and have a quiet meal. As I said before, crowded places do not interest me any more. On Sunday, attended a wedding of my friend's son in Section 9, Shah Alam. Met a number of friends I had not seen since WMU days. I missed taking photos, though I had the camera with me...I now wonder why...
That evening, Wani and me decided to explore Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman before it gets over crowded in the fasting month. There was a crowd but at bearable level. Interesting to watch the traders' antics in attracting customers. On the way back, I saw bus loads of tourists taking photos at Dataran Merdeka. I love those buildings around Dataran. Again, I missed taking photos...This time, the camera was not with me....I missed capturing the moments..... Every moment is different...every phase in life is different....thus we should let the kids be kids and enjoy their childhood. Many kids today are over burdened, some are made to live the dreams their parents missed. It can be disastrous if it's not want the kids aspire to be. I enjoyed watching the kids playing in an area allocated at one corner of the food court in Jusco. A young dad was happily giggling with his son....I couldn't help smiling as I recalled myself in such a situation many years ago. .
Anyway, I took some photos of the decorative flowers at my sister's house in Taman Keramat, where I,sometimes spend my weekends She enjoys flower arrangement,even at her age, 71. Captured some moments when Suya and me decided to relive our childhood by trying the slide and swings. Simple,unexpected things like that could bring fun and joy in life.......
  
| Quote: | Layman-For me, everything in done in childhood seems like loads of fun. Spent it in a small town where my dad used to work.
Brian-I guess so. I love capturing and remembering beautiful and happy moments.
Yang-It's true.I feel safer in Bandung when I went there 2 years ago. Really don't know when Chow Kit will have facelift . Mr New Mayor, please do something!
Adlyna-Thanx for visiting and your comments
Unnamed-I used to cycle around Tanjung to eat rojak too. My friend Zairina used to stay in Muar. Yes...so much must have changed. That's why I just love what I saw in Sarawak. Plenty of greenery and fresh air. |
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| Wednesday, 1-Jul-2009 08:49 |
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Birds of Different Feathers....Will They Fly Together?
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I was reading when I heard the birds chirping outside. I've been unable to capture them on my camera as they always fly away so fast. Then I remembered the birds on the table calendar I received some years ago. The bank comes out with desk calender of different theme,each year and they're all so beautiful. I love the meaningful quotes on each of them too.
One of the pictures below is out of my topic for the entry. It was taken inside Tun Mahathir's Gallery in Langkawi. The marbles are interestingly designed. Simple,yet attractive. Just like the feathers.....
  
| Quote: | Brian-My apologies.They are marbles,not carpet,as I mentioned earlier
Yang-Indeed, we really need patience, tolerance and understanding in all aspects of life since we are of different feathers and yet need to flock together. Just sad if we allow small differences to drift us apart. I love the birds as they appear to be ever happy creatures and they inspire you to feel the same |
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| Sunday, 28-Jun-2009 11:42 |
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Riots of Colors...
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This morning,attended my nephew's 'doa selamat' function at Kelab Shah Alam. In the evening, Suya and me,out of the blues,thought of the nurseries in Sg Buloh. The brand new highway caught us by surprise. What a relief that the years of chaotic stretch is finally over. It's spring time in my heart and I couldn't have enough of the beautiful blooms. Bought some and I wonder how long they will last....It's okay,at least they add colors to my garden for a while.
     
| Quote: | Layman-Okid tu kat kedai di SACC Mall,Shah Alam. Real,cantik and rare.Tak sempat nak zoom lagi,dah kena tegur tak leh snap gambar..he..he. Nasib tak disuruh delete. Kat Sg Buloh,kami pegi kat area opposite Lembaga Getah tu je sebab terdekat dari Subang Jaya. I beli yg last foto tu (enlarged)
Feruz-Thanx for visiting
PI- Eh..ye lah. Ntah2 Layman selalu jumpa bunga hitam sbb dia suka masuk hutan |
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N did you buy a lot of kebaya boleh bawa balik n bernyaga. I'm happy that you enjoy the trip. So where is next? 
