Kuching tour

Kuching tour

Day 3, 5/5/2011

9.15 a.m. After breakfast we had a van and driver ready to take us to Semenggoh Wildlife Sanctuary to see orangutans. Yu – N did not come along because he attended the Imagine cup competition at Pullman hotel. By the time we reached there at about 10.00 a.m. there was already a crowd, mostly whites, busy taking pictures of Richie and his family ( 4 or 5 ), some feeding and some swinging from tree to tree. Next we visited the Jong’s Crocodile farm cum mini zoo nearby. Besides crocodiles there were many species of animals like sun bear, otter, civet cat, cassowary ( a flightless bird), arapaima ( a giant fish species from the Amazon ). At 11.00 am. it was “show time” where many hungry crocodiles in a pond were made to jump for a chicken hung above on a cable. To some this show was amusement but to me, this was real cruelty to animals. We left the crocodile farm at 12.00 noon to Bau for lunch. We visited two caves, the Wind caves and the Fairy caves. Since it would be difficult to explore with the two little boys, we satisfied ourselves by just taking a look at the entrances. On the way back to Kuching we visited a pottery, a factory making mainly ornamental vases, a bird nest processing factory and the Sarawak museum. We arrived at hotel at 4.00 pm. completely tired out and enough of touring for the day. After rested we treated ourselves with a nice dinner at “Top Spot” restaurant.

Richie enjoying his feed.

They must be Richie’s kids, still young and playful.

Handsome cassowary – a flightless bird

Poor crocodile : “How to jump so high ?”

Entrance to the Wind caves

Kuching Tour

Kuching Tour

Day 2 4 / 5/ 2011

This was the first breakfast we had in hotel. There was a good spread of food and varieties of Western, Oriental and local delights. After breakfast we had a package tour to the Cultural Village at Santubong from 10.00am. – 1.00 pm. The Sarawak Cultural Village Tour featured different models of Longhouses of Sarawak natives – Bidayuh, Penan, Iban, Orang ulu, Melanau besides traditional Malay house and Chinese farm house. The best attraction of the tour was the cultural dance performance telling stories of happenings in their daily living with nice music accompaniment. We had lunch in the village cafe savouring some local delights like kolo mee and laksa. Our tour guide cum driver took us to Damai Beach Resort for a brief view of this beautiful resort hotel before sending us back to town. After resting awhile we took Justin by taxi to see a doctor for body rashes. We had a bus ride back to town and had dinner in a Chinese hawker store while waiting for the rain to stop. We took a short walk back to hotel shielding ourselves from the drizzle with an umbrella and 2 raincoats. What an adventurous evening !

Justin watching Grandma pounding rice.

An Iban lady demonstrates the weaving of a traditional dress.

An orang ulu playing the sape

Angie climbing up a multi-storey Melanau house with Justin.


Connie demonstrates how to grind wet rice powder using a set of “mor”

Connie demonstrates how to carry a pair of “lor ”

“Justin, would you like to sleep on this cradle ?”

Cultural dance performance

A Simple and Happy Anniversary

1st April 2011

Connie and I were ‘foolish’ enough to get married on 1st April 1973. This 1st April 2011 was our 38th Wedding Anniversary. Since everyone was home, it was a good opportunity to take a family photo for remembrance. After singing and cake cutting ceremony, we all enjoyed ourselves over a tiramisu.

Everyone was struggling to maintain a smile for an auto ‘timed’ shot except Rosalie. She ‘seemed’ to be busy reminding grandpa to look in front while Gabriel gor gor trying hard to attract her attention to look in front.

Kuching Tour

Kuching Tour, 5D4N (3rd – 7th May 2011)
Tour group consisted of Yu – N, Angie, Julian, Justin, Connie and yours truly, Christopher.

Day 1 – 3 / 5 / 2011
Took off by AirAsia from Penang International Airport at 10.00 a.m. and touched down at Kuching International Airport at 12.00 noon. We took taxi to town and checked in our Hotel, Grand Margherita.
After lunch we rested in the room from 3.00-5.00 pm because we were quite reluctant to walk around town under the hot sun, while Yu – N , Angie and their 2 kids went for a boat ride.
We all went for a river cruise from 5.30 – 7.00 pm. to admire the nature and culture view on both sides of the river. The leisurely cruise gave us a good view of this Cat City with many high rise buildings and famous landmarks like the Dewan Undangan Negeri, Astana, Chief Minister’s residence, Fort Margherita, etc. There was also a solo cultural dance performance by the orang ulu tribe depicting a hunting trip with a blowpipe. Cordial drink and layer cake were served on board. The cruise ended just as the sun bid us farewell for the day with a splendid display of its beautiful rays perfectly blended with the cloud. We called it a day after dinner at Ipoh Town Kopitiam (in Kuching not in Ipoh.)

The Cruise Boat - EQUATORIAL

Blowpipe dance

Beautiful sunset scene

A panorama of the Sarawak river view
Sarawak State Assembly on the left bank, Kuching City on the right bank.

Connie's collection - 'Simply simple recipes'

HOME BREW RAISIN WINE

You need one 3000 ml glass bottle with cover.

Ingredients

(A)Water 2000 ml
and Brown sugar 500 gm
(B)Raisin 350 gm ( can use blackcurrant raisin)
(C)Yeast biscuits 3 (big)


NB: Observe sterility as follows:-
Scald the glass bottle and the cover with slightly cool down boiling water.
Cover the bottle and leave aside.

Method

Boil (A) over medium fire. When it is boiling, pour in (B), cover and bring to boil again.
Off the fire and let it cool down. Best to boil in the late evening, leave overnight, then brew the next morning.
Brewing: Scald a ladle and scoop the mixture into the prepared glass bottle. Smash (C) and sprinkle into the mixture. Cover it and tighten lightly. When fermentation takes place the raisins will float. Stir the top every 2-3 days with a scalded teaspoon. ( DON’T stir the bottom up – it will turn very milky.) Brew for 30 days. Put a tag on the bottle to remind you of the harvest date.
Harvest: Utensils - ladle, strainer, and jug to be scalded with boiling water.
Don’t disturb the mixture. Put strainer over the jug. Scoop the raisin out onto the strainer with the ladle. Don’t disturb the bottom. Gently pour out the liquid, stop immediately when reaches the milky part. Discard the milky part. Don’t press the raisin, let the liquid drip for a while and discard it.
You will get 2 litres of clear raisin wine.


DRUNK CHICKEN SOUP or RAISIN WINE CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients:

Sesame oil or cooking oil 2 tblsp
Ginger 100 gm (cut to 2 mm thickness slices )
Kampong chicken ½ bird ( 800 gm) chop to about 15 pieces
Light soya sauce 2 tsp
Mok Yi (Black fungi) a handful, soak for 1 hour and wash clean
Water 250 ml
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 2 tblsp
Ajinomoto a pinch
Raisin wine 250 ml

Method:

Heat oil or sesame oil in a clay pot. Stir fry ginger slices till fragrant. Add in chicken and stir fry for a while. Next add light soya sauce and mok yi and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Pour in water, add in salt, cover and cook for 15 – 20 minutes.
Then pour in raisin wine, sugar and ajinomoto to enhance the taste.
Reduce to slow fire, bring to boil. Off the fire and the soup is ready.
Serve it hot !

Connie's collection - 'Simply simple recipes'

QUEUE NYUK ( YAM STEAM WITH BELLY PORK)

Ingredients: (for 10 persons)

Yam ( taro ) 600 g
Belly pork 600 g

Marinate ingredients:

Shallot (onion) 6 ,thumb size ( minced )
Garlic 5 cloves (minced )
Lam Yee ( red fermented yam cubes) 2 cubes
Sugar 2 tblsp
Cooking wine 1 tblsp
Salt 1 ¼ tsp
Light soya sauce 10 ml
Oyster sauce 10 ml
Black (thick) soya sauce 10 ml
5 spice powder 1 tsp
Ajinomoto ,MSG, (optional) a pinch

Method:

Cut yam into slab-shape pieces ( 5 cm x 5 cm x 1 ½ cm)
Deep fry in oil to seal skin. ( do not over fried ) Remove some of the oil
but leave a portion for frying pork.
Bathe the chunk of meat with a little bit of light soya sauce. Dab dry and fry in the oil till
Skin is slightly dark brown. Leave to cool down, then cut to slabs (cross-section) approximately same size as the yam slabs.
Fry the minced shallot and garlic with 2 tblsp oil till fragrant and brown.
Smash the Lam Yee ( red fermented yam ) then add all other marinate ingredients, mix well to make a smooth paste.
Put in the pork piece, mix well and marinate for 2 – 3 hours.
Arrange yam and pork alternately in a bowl with the pork skin side facing down. Pour all remaining marinate over the pork and yam. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over surface.
Steam in pressure cooker for 35 minutes. ( Normal steaming in pot or frying pan may take 90 mins) Ready for steaming

To serve – put a plate over the queue nyuk bowl, then place your thumbs on top of the plate and other fingers at the bottom of the bowl, quickly but carefully, turn over. So, now it is bottom up – Beautiful !

After steaming

Over-turned and ready to serve

ST. PAUL THE HERMIT FEAST DAY AT PAPAN - 16TH JANUARY 2011

The shrine of St. Paul the Hermit is situated on top of a hillock at the end of Papan town. It was established more than 20 years ago by some shepherds who pray to St. Paul the Hermit for safety and protection of their livestock from harm. From a very simple start of a shed it has gradually developed to a decent concrete building with awning shed plus electricity and water supply. The shrine was built next to an abandoned water reservoir. The working committee deserves compliments for their untiring efforts to develop the shrine.
Annually, at the month-end of January, a feast is organised without fail. This year the feast was held on 16th January 2011. Few hundreds of faithful devotees from around gathered for mass and prayers. Fr. Robin Andrews, parish priest of Batu Gajah St. Joseph’s Church , celebrated mass. After mass, the devotees carried the statue of St. Paul the Hermit and went in procession around the reservoir. Finally, it was time for feast. All enjoyed themselves with a hot and spicy lunch of rice with curry chicken, curry mutton, vegetables, etc. The delicious lunch attracted also many devotees of another kind. They too had a good fill of free food. Hope to meet again next year.

Eucharistic celebration

Procession

It is feast time.

Really delicious !