Kuching, Sarawak

In November, I went to Kuching to give a workshop. Kuching is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Sarawak.  It is on the island of Borneo.  Here are some of the things I did:


1.  Kuching means 'cat' in Malay.  Naturally, I had to visit one of the many cat sculptures in Cat City.

2.  I walked along the riverwalk and sampled some of the local delights.  These cakes smelled and tasted amazing.

 Here is a glimpse of the river that winds through the middle of the city.  

These sculptures are on the river walk.  They look like giant prawns to me.

5.  I went to see orangutans at the Semenggoh Wildlife Center.  We got to see a mama and her baby come for a feeding.  I was lucky because in some seasons when there is abundant food in the wild, no orangutans come.

6.  I got to visit a traditional village of the Dyak Iban, one of the ethnic Malay groups of Sarawak.  They have their own indigenous language and living style.  For example, these connected homes are called longhouses. The Dyak Iban used to be headhunters.

 Here are some traditional tools and instruments used by the Dyak Iban.  The blow dart is one of them.

8.  These lovely ladies from Sidma College generously hosted me and took excellent care of me.  They showed me around Sidma College and we ate awesome food.  We took a boat ride across the river.

The other side of the river gave us this lovely view of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly Building.  

9.  This is a view from the Cultural Village.  The Cultural Village teaches about the traditions of the many ethnic Malaysians.

For example, the different types of housing,

artistry, tools, and clothing.

Sarawak is a beautiful, special place.