Kuching is for Cats

Cats, cats and more cats... I was told I'd see em eveywhere... erm, but the only kind I've come across so far are the inanimate ones... and one was even dressed up for the Chinese New Year.

:-) Kuchingians obviously take pride in their city... small though it is.
The riverside is a beautiful area... serene, peaceful and beautiful... with the moonlight sparkling off the inky black waters of the river, making one wonder... i wonder what gunk is at the bottom of that?

Kuchingians are fond this place too it seems, which is strange as more often than not... it is the locals who usually take the beauty of their surroundings for granted. Many of them coming out at night to just sit by the steps of the river for a friendly chat... some even taking a 'night' jog.

Within the town, it appears that almost everything is within walking distance to everything else save the airport. And on beautiful clear nights when it's not raining, and after a pleasant, heady and filling meal at 'The Junk'... a walk is just the thing to help you escape from worldly troubles, thoughts of the future... blessing one with the magical ability to just... "be".

More about 'The Junk'... a beautiful place, but small... reservations are a must as I found out after being turned away the first night. The ambience and character are... "oldeeee worldeeee" as I like to say, with lumps of burnt down candle wax lining the stairs, old chinese style lanterns and even a window frame seemingly hanging randomly in the middle of the room somewhere.

The phone call to make a reservation was weird... the staff who answered the phone were abrupt to the point of rudeness... both times. BUT... it was worth it, the food selection was fair and the meals themselves were not too ginormous, and simply simply stomach quiveringly delicious. The menu comes with a good selection of drinks, and among the cocktail selection was something I'd not heard of before... Longan Vodka. If you're ever there, try it. I will say no more for words simply cannot describe.

The stay at the Holiday Inn Kuching was fair enough. Not much in terms of facilities... just a gorgeous view overlooking the river and a convenient location next to some shopping malls and of course, walking distance within fairly everything one could need. Don't expect too much of the rooms... apart from a choice of pillows and bolsters with just a call to housekeeping, the pepper sweets at night and a fairly good selection of tv channels, and usually very generous and friendly staff... everything else was fair. (Although after noticing the water in the flask left behind by the previous guests and the horribly scribbled on in-room menu, one is inclined to think it shoddy... after a few nights on the town though, the shoddiness pales in sparkle of the moon on the river).

Another amazing thing... I've travelled so far away from Penang and yet here I am where every Chinese speaks Hokkien. Back on West Malaysia, it seemed that everywhere else I travelled to it was either Cantonese or Mandarin, but not here.

More amazing still, in a land where one would expect the natives to be drowning in Kampung Style Malay... my Bahasa Malaysia was actually rated to be "very good" by a passing taxi driver. It's the first time that I've ever taken joy in just speaking the langue (back home, I'd be laughed for the simplest thing... like the way I ask for Sugar... "boleh dapat gula?") Awesome! Or perhaps, the "very good" rating was a different scale for tourists and on a local scale, I'd probably be somewhere below Poor heading towards Don't Bother. But hey, why think about it when it feels awesome to be honoured... nay worshipped by the land and its people. hahaha... an exaggeration, but who cares. That's what this holiday's about isn't it??? Dropping every care for the beauty of just experiencing the now.

Anyway, nuf said... where next? On to BAKO National Park for 3 Days. over-eee and out-eee.

The G