Narrow streets with traditional industries giving some quaintness to Kuching. With elections in a few days time the streets are filled with electioneering propaganda...
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
City of Cats, Kuching, Borneo, April 25th 2013
Kuching Character and Cats Tail Soup...
Plenty of cats around here, all minus their tales. I can only think of some Chinese delicacy right now - yes, cats tail soup, could be. Immortalised in stone too, a statue of cats at the junction a few streets back from the river. These streets comprising of shop houses, giving todays little expedition a taste of character at last. A splash of colour here and there, moderately busy with lunchtime traffic negotiating the narrow streets. Another stone dedication to a bunch of cats, this one just outside Macdonald's by the Grand Margherita Hotel. Now these cats have my curiosity, why and what's the connection - they look kinda cute actually.
This city tour is beginning to take shape with plenty of character once beyond the skyscrapers, giant hotels and into Kuching of old. Quaint little streets, traditional Chinese industries housed in their shophouses. The occasional guesthouse and of course plenty of eating opportunities - not sure I fancy cat tail soup though. Modern day living means cars, plenty of them parked both sides of every street, making a nice photo rather tricky, but the occasional narrow street pops up around the next corner. So, if you will then, just close your eyes for a moment, forget about the cars and think of a China man pulling a cart or riding a rickshaw and the Chinese medicine counters next to the sweat-shop then you have a little piece of China in Kuching - translated means 'Cat City'. Actually, the sweat shop scenario is a little unfair, didn't look as if anyone there was working up a sweat at all.
Plenty of cats around here, all minus their tales. I can only think of some Chinese delicacy right now - yes, cats tail soup, could be. Immortalised in stone too, a statue of cats at the junction a few streets back from the river. These streets comprising of shop houses, giving todays little expedition a taste of character at last. A splash of colour here and there, moderately busy with lunchtime traffic negotiating the narrow streets. Another stone dedication to a bunch of cats, this one just outside Macdonald's by the Grand Margherita Hotel. Now these cats have my curiosity, why and what's the connection - they look kinda cute actually.
This city tour is beginning to take shape with plenty of character once beyond the skyscrapers, giant hotels and into Kuching of old. Quaint little streets, traditional Chinese industries housed in their shophouses. The occasional guesthouse and of course plenty of eating opportunities - not sure I fancy cat tail soup though. Modern day living means cars, plenty of them parked both sides of every street, making a nice photo rather tricky, but the occasional narrow street pops up around the next corner. So, if you will then, just close your eyes for a moment, forget about the cars and think of a China man pulling a cart or riding a rickshaw and the Chinese medicine counters next to the sweat-shop then you have a little piece of China in Kuching - translated means 'Cat City'. Actually, the sweat shop scenario is a little unfair, didn't look as if anyone there was working up a sweat at all.
Fishy, Kuching, Borneo, April 24th 2013
Kuching, The Fishing Fleet
First full day in Kuching, hot and humid at about 33 degrees and determined to find a decent place to eat. This looks rather good, stumbling upon the Maharajah Indian Cuisine cafe - cheap, cheerful and delicious, Indian flat bread and dal for breakfast. Two immediate choices to make now, follow the river to the right or take the left path. Right seems to be heading out of town while left looks to be heading into all the action - the hubbub of city life.
To the right then, beside a rather murky polluted Sarawak River. Grassy wastelands holding the odd ramshackle dwelling overshadowed by a housing block. Some strewn garbage, yes the Malays fly tip aswell! The aroma of rotting fish fills the air here, well, fish anyway and the smell isn't pleasant but bearable. A fishing fleet moored up here, unloading their catch directly into the small market - about a dozen stalls with about the same in fish variety, plenty of flies taking the opportunity of a free feed!. No frantic activity, no fish wives yelling or screeching, just a gentile relaxed pace of life if a little bit on the smelly side. A ramshackle jetty, looks about to collapse anytime, talk about walking the plank - as good as! An empty market place here, quite a modern structure on 2 levels. On investigation all the action starts around 2am and is over by 10am, just as most tourists are thinking about what to do this fine day! Better turn back since there doesn't appear anymore to see beyond the fishing fleet, just a rather plain and uninteresting part of suburbia with a few demolition projects lined up and no food courts or street cafes, yet!
First full day in Kuching, hot and humid at about 33 degrees and determined to find a decent place to eat. This looks rather good, stumbling upon the Maharajah Indian Cuisine cafe - cheap, cheerful and delicious, Indian flat bread and dal for breakfast. Two immediate choices to make now, follow the river to the right or take the left path. Right seems to be heading out of town while left looks to be heading into all the action - the hubbub of city life.
To the right then, beside a rather murky polluted Sarawak River. Grassy wastelands holding the odd ramshackle dwelling overshadowed by a housing block. Some strewn garbage, yes the Malays fly tip aswell! The aroma of rotting fish fills the air here, well, fish anyway and the smell isn't pleasant but bearable. A fishing fleet moored up here, unloading their catch directly into the small market - about a dozen stalls with about the same in fish variety, plenty of flies taking the opportunity of a free feed!. No frantic activity, no fish wives yelling or screeching, just a gentile relaxed pace of life if a little bit on the smelly side. A ramshackle jetty, looks about to collapse anytime, talk about walking the plank - as good as! An empty market place here, quite a modern structure on 2 levels. On investigation all the action starts around 2am and is over by 10am, just as most tourists are thinking about what to do this fine day! Better turn back since there doesn't appear anymore to see beyond the fishing fleet, just a rather plain and uninteresting part of suburbia with a few demolition projects lined up and no food courts or street cafes, yet!
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