Kota Kinabalu: food

Before the trip, I told myself that I will try, as many as possible, food that is uniquely KK, Sabah and/or East Malaysia.. and I would not eat in any restaurants or fast food outlets.. :)

Did some research over the Net on the food that are recommended.. there are many recommendations to try out Italian, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and American restaurants in KK, which I've decided not to take.. To me, it is like going to Tokyo to eat fish-n-chips, or going to Rusia to eat ramen! Why travel over the way to East Malaysia to try out food that are not native there?? Why go all the way to KK just to eat in an Italian restaurant, for example? It makes no sense to me..
 
Anyway, here are some of the food that I had... :)

ngau-chap (includes beef balls, beef slices, tripe and noodle) from Yee Fung Kopitiam with herbal tea..
cost: MYR$ 4.50 + $ 2.50
Very "herby".. it tasted more like bak-kut teh than beef soup..
Tastiness: :) :)  (out of 5)
Value for money: :) :) :) (out of 5)

bubble tea (local brand)..  with pearl from Centre Point.
cost: MYR$ 3.80
so-so, nothing special.. and frankly, the price is rather expensive..
Tastiness: :) 1/2  (out of 5)
Value for money: :) :) (out of 5)

mi jian kueh (chinese peanut pancake), the thin crispy type that I can't find in Taiping, from Centre Point.
cost: MYR$ 1.00 per piece
Tastiness: :) :) :) 1/2 (out of 5)
Value for money: :) :) :) :) (out of 5)

ham jim peng (salty fried bun), fried yam and ais kacang (shaved ice with syrup)
cost: MYR$ 1.00 per piece, MYR$ 4.00 for ais kacang
The size of these kueh are bigger than those found in Taiping, but no less tasty.. while the ais kacang had lychee instead of attap seeds.
Tastiness: :) :) :) (out of 5)
Value for money: :) :) :) :) (out of 5)

rojak campur from Kedai Kopi Sofa
cost: MYR$ 4.50
Noodles, cucumber, bean sprout and beef with tasty peanut sauce..
Tastiness: :) :) 1/2 (out of 5)
Value for money: :) :) :) 1/2 (out of 5)

fried hokkien mee from Ang's Hotel
cost: MYR$ 4.50
traditional, dark-sauced type..
Tastiness: :) :) :) 1/2 (out of 5)
Value for money: :) :) :) :) (out of 5)

Here are some drinks that I bought:

Orange juice, made in Australia.. MYR$ 7.90
trusted remedy to prevent myself from getting sick while traveling... :)

Oranjeboom (beer) from Holland.. MYR$ 4.60
not too sure if it is cheaper or more expensive than in Peninsular Malaysia..

Happoshu (beer) from Asahi Breweries, Japan.. MYR$ 6.99
 oh, how I miss the taste of Japan.. :(

Thomas Kemper's Black Cherry Soda.. from the US.. MYR$ 5.50
p/s: managed to open it without a bottle opener.. :p

Some of the local products that I bought and brought home.. :)

Teh Sabah.. for my dad, a tea-drinker/lover..

Tenom Coffee..

Keropok Amplang (prawn/fish crackers)

Kueh Cincin (ring biscuit)

Next will be my last entry on KK.. Just some misc photos and a quick wrap-up....

transiently fragile

Steadily, the devastation and suffering caused by the monster quake and the resultant killer tsunami more than 2 weeks ago in northeastern Japan is slowly fading from the collective memories of the world.. Other than those who are directly affected or invested, emotionally and/or financially, it seems like the world has shifted its focus onto the situation in the Middle East.. Only the seemingly ever-evolving nuclear crisis at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains an unrelenting daily news flash that continues to spook humanity with the possibility of an uncontainable radiation.

Frankly, there is very little that we - those not in Japan - can do except to donate and pray. In my opinion, we should let the authorities and the experts do their job. The last thing they need is to be second-guessed by armchair critics, for it is easy to say things irresponsibly... and we accomplish nothing by spreading unsubstantiated fears/rumors while putting additional unwanted pressure on our loved ones who are still in Japan. Whether they continue to stay or leave, it is their choice to make and their risk to take. We should stand by their decisions and support them, whenever and however we can.

In days following the disaster, I saw some really nasty posts on FB and a couple of inconsiderate online "jokes" that add insult to injury. Our reaction toward these calamity is what defines us. We pride ourselves to be the wisest or "greatest" of all creation in this planet. Yet are we compassionate and magnanimous to those who had suffered misfortune? Or do we hold onto old grudges and spew spiteful words? In my mind, these people simply exposed their misplaced self-righteousness (payback for Pearl Harbor?? what about Nagasaki and Hiroshima??), sheer ungratefulness (think about the amount of financial and technological aid Japan has been providing the past 50+ years) and cold-blooded apathy (not a shred of sympathy for the massive loss of lives and families torn apart ??) for the world to see.

Maybe these people do not realize that we all live on this planet TOGETHER. We are all in the same "boat". By helping others, we are helping ourselves, indirectly. How sure are we that we'll never have to depend on others for assistance of any sort? Natural disasters cause misery and difficulty to those immediately affected, but its effects will eventually touch EVERYONE, taking into consideration the cyclical nature of Life (water, atmosphere, earth and life).

The suddenness of this catastrophe makes me realized how fragile life is. We are at the mercy of Mother Earth and truth be told, we haven't been very nice to Her all this while. We plunder all the natural resources she bestowed us ruthlessly, we pollute the pristine natural environment relentlessly, we destroy valuable wildlife recklessly and we continue being nasty/cruel/apathetic to one and other.. We wishfully thought we could control everything, including Mother Nature. We foolishly imagine ourselves to be the "Master" of the Planet. The recent natural disasters (like the drought in northern China, the Australian flash floods, earthquakes in Christchurch, Japan and China) showed us how absurd that notion is.

Within a few hours after the quake hit, many lives have lost and changed, while many more continues to be affected to this date. More than twenty-five thousand lives were lost, close to a quarter million remain homeless and almost everyone in Japan, both locals and foreigners, has been transformed one way or another. Comparatively, it is easier to rebuild the cracked roads and collapsed buildings than to heal the emotional and psychological trauma suffered. These unobservable wound might not be visible even after many years (like many survivors of the 2 atomic bombs who refuse to talk about their experience at all), yet this event will no doubt shape the future of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Somehow these natural disasters re-enforced my take that life is impermanent. Thus, I can't helped but ponder: How many dreams have been left unrealized? hopes shattered? aspiration crushed? How many shall live with regrets for things (un)done? words (un)said? What do I have to show for the life that I've lived so far? Did I make the world a better place or leave it worse off than before?? Will I be missed?? by my family? by my friends? Am I a blessing or a curse to the people around me? Will I be eulogized or criticized?

These are definitely food for thought..

Kota Kinabalu: attractions

As mentioned in my previous entries, I didn't visit any "must-go" tourist attractions while in KK.. maybe because I refuse to pay a high premium for the cultural experiences that I've been exposed to (aka taught in school and was made to memorize as a part of exams syllables).. just like I don't have the interest (nor curiosity) to visit those China-towns in foreign countries..

Anyway, I did go to 2 different aquariums in KK on Mar 9.. and here some of the photos and comments..

Aquarium & Marine Museum
This supposedly "state-of-the-art" marine museum in University Malaysia Sabah campus is anything but. Don't believe me? Just look at the photos that I took...

The main entrance... which looks innocence enough.. giving you false hope as to what to expect..

Ticket booth on your right.. which was not manned when I was there..

Entry fee is MYR$5 for Malaysians and an additional MYR$5 if you were to bring in your camera..







This is what you will see on the right.. miserable displays that lack proper tagging and explanation.

The way these bones were arranged was not inviting at all.. Even for someone who loves to read exhibit labels, I can't bring myself to read more than a handful...



And straight ahead, at a glance that is all there is... a couple of tanks are empty, many of them have algae growing and you can't see what's inside.. the fishes in the center tank seemed bereft of life..

Then there was a room lined with about 6 tanks.. each has either a crab or a prawn in it.. it looked more like a (minimalist) lab than a museum..

There's no proper signage.. so can't find the mangrove swamp.. most information kiosks are either missing or not working..

Verdict: NEVER EVER GO THERE!!
Don't get conned by the write-ups in the Sabah Tourism website. It was a complete and utter waste of time and transport cost!! All in all, I spent less than 10 minutes in this "museum".. and I didn't see a single staff in the vicinity, not even the ticket seller... luckily, I didn't pay the required MYR$5 entry fee, else I would have demanded a refund..


The Green Connection

Although the place could really use a thorough clean-up (algae-laden waters, mold-filled tanks and worn-out facilities), the staff is very knowledgeable and their enthusiasm (towards conservation) is very admirable..

Here are some of the photos.. :)

What I saw entering the compound.. lots of greenery but not very well kept.. you can see the ticketing booth in the background..






After paying the ticket fee of MYR$25, I was pointed to the entrance..

It looked kinda shabby, and I was feeling somewhat apprehensive.. did I make the right decision to visit??

First, there are many local native animals on display, like fresh water fishes, amphibians and reptiles, that can be found uniquely in Sabah and/or Borneo, in general. However, many of the display tanks were clouded by algae and/or mold. So I had to squint to make out what and where the exhibited animals were..

Here is a photo of a terrapin..

I was not able to take photo of any of the native animals as the display glasses were cloudy.. :(





The highlight of The Green Connection should be this reef tank.. where you can see sharks, turtles, stingrays and various different kinds of fishes..

At 11.30am, there is a talk and a live feeding..

There were just a few of us there.. all of them Caucasians..

Can't really remember the name of this gentleman, who spoke with an Aussie accent. He was explaining about the animals/fishes that were found in the reef tank..





Some of the inhabitants of the reef tanks..
Gangsta, the green turtle.. marble ray.. blacktip reef sharks and some fishes..






Then the diver came in.. and the feeding begun.. :) while the commentary continues..










Some of the feeding photos..

The two rays.. marble ray (left) and whip-tail ray..











As always, Gangsta kept wanting more... :)

We were told that Gangsta got his name due his ability to steal fish and the behavior of nipping divers to get more food... :) :) :)





After the feeding in the reef tank, there is another feeding of baby otters! :)

These otters were given to TGC about 2 weeks ago by local fishermen.. and boy, were they noisy..

A persistent little fella who won't let go.. :)

They were fed small fishes.. while the keepers are trying to figure out how best to care for them..








There is also a snake corner.. where one gets to touch and hold snakes.. There were 2 snakes "on display".. both had their mouth kinda taped, but they are still able to stick out their forked tongues..

I took the bigger one and put it around me.. Actually, I was hoping for a bigger one.. :p



After that, I came to a room (the Touch Pool) that has 3 large open tanks.. here visitors are encouraged to touch and feel the exhibited animals.. under a guidance of a staff, of course.. and since I was the only visitor, I had the full attention of the staff.. :)

First tank was filled with horseshoe crabs..
Among many things that I was told:
- how to differentiate male and female crabs..
- the blood of these horseshoe crabs (which is blue in color) are valuable research ingredients.. a tiny vial can fetched up to a few hundred dollars (USD, that is).


The next tank housed some bamboo sharks.. which unfortunately I didn't manage to get any photos of.. I was told to stroke it gently.. it felt smooth when I stroke it from head to tail, but rough when do it the other way round.. thus I was informed that these sharks were close to extinction in the 70s when its skin was sought-after as sand-paper..

I was then asked to guess what the following lump of slimy looking "thingy" is..

looks like some slimy clams..

Then the staff, it was a lady by the way, informed me that those were the eggs of the bamboo sharks!! Wow, what a camouflage! seriously, they sure don't look like eggs.. more like clams.. don't you think??

doesn't look like an egg, does it?

The last tank held a variety of star fishes and hermit crabs.. and I was encouraged to hold and feel them..

Pillow cushion star..

top

underside.. sharp little mouth in the middle..

Horned starfishes...

also known as "chocolate chip" starfish.. :)

underside.. its mouth in the middle..

its feelers...

Also elsewhere in the compound, there are many tanks where corals are being grown, fishes and turtles are being bred .. TGC aims to incorporate conservation with education... hoping to teach people, especially school kids, about the importance of saving and maintaining these animals/fishes..

Verdict: Worth a visit!
Spent more than 3 hours here.. had the entire place to myself, thus I was able to slowly look through all the exhibits.. had a great time and definitely worth the $$ and time spent..

Next up, the food (that I had while) in KK... :) :)

Sunday Serenade: Heal the world

2011, the year of the gentle rabbit, has not been bringing much harmony to the world.. With chaos (and even wars) over in the Middle East and natural disasters in Japan and Australia (the recent flash flood in Sydney), the world is in turmoil, while economic dread still hangs over most countries like dark clouds that refuse to go away and might even threaten thunderstorms.. 

A friend shared this song over FB, which stirred up mixed emotions in me.. MJ might not be with us now, but this song of his remains a classic that never fails to invoke a sense of brotherhood and kinship. We have the power to change many things in life, but we remain shackled to the whims and forces of Mother Earth..

It is time to heal the world.. :)


Heal the World
performed by Michael Jackson

There's A Place In Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...


[chorus]
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
[end of chorus]

If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And Start Living

Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World...

[chorus]

And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow

We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares

We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...

[chorus x3]

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

You And For Me (x 11)




Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and cheery!

Kota Kinabalu: city area

Took the chance to just relax and wander around the town area, experiencing the sights and sound of this city.. One thing that I can't help but noticed is that people in KK are more united, no visible segregation between races where everyone work and live closely together, be it in the markets, shops, restaurants or kopitiams (coffee shops)...

Here are some casual photos of the KK town area.. :)


Gaya Center Hotel which I stayed for 3 nights. A "rather" new hotel, which is quiet at night, even though it is situated opposite Suria Sabah, a shopping mall.

The view from my hotel room on the 8th floor, near the lift lobby.. nice sea view blocked by Suria Sabah..

Suria Sabah.. the newest shopping centre in KK.. right next to my hotel..

Less than 20% (my estimate) of the shop lots are occupied.. the only good thing is the cinema on its 8th floor..

View from the side of the hotel's restaurant (4th Floor).. looking out into the sea.. 

The view from Suria Sabah facing Jesselton Point.. You can get a glimpse of a luxury liner, the Queen Elizabeth, that came to dock at the wharf on Mar 9.

Another view of Jesselton Point.. taken while walking towards it.. Quite surprised at the cleanliness of the sea..

Speed boats at Jesselton Point that ferry tourists over to the islands..  to snorkel, dive or just to enjoy the islands..

Wisma Sabah.. situated behind Gaya Center Hotel.. where lots of tour and diving agencies have their offices on the ground floor..

Colorful graffiti.. a creative way to decorate these pillars..with Suria Sabah in the background (that blackish building)..

View from an overhead bridge.. across Jalan Tun Razak.. near KK Post Office.. not much traffic..

A nice waterfront esplanade just behind Hyatt Regency Hotel.. maybe the crowd will come out at night, because it is darn freaking hot in the day as those (tiny/short) trees are unable to provide sufficient shades..

Can't help but take a picture of this.. one of my favourite mammals.. the dolphin.. :)

Pasar Ikan Masin, which means Salted Fish Market.. where stalls sell dried seafood products..

You can find cheap and good dried fish, salted fish, dried prawns, dried anchovies, etc.. Bought a packet of dried prawns (500g) for MYR$13 for my mum...

Further down, a group of "seamstresses" start to get ready with their tools of trade (those old-fashioned sewing machines), ready to offer their services..

Take a closer look and you'll realized that these "seamstresses" are men!
So no more excuses saying men can't sew!! :p

Central Market... which lots of handicraft are sold.. good place to get souvenirs.. and pearls..

Rows and rows of tightly placed stalls.. all selling very similar handicrafts.. you will have to walk around and compare prices.. and the other thing is bargain..

always offer 50 - 60% of the displayed price.. go to a few stalls and ask.. if they all come back with the same price, then you will know that that price is their "standard/lowest" offer..

Then you will see rows of "stalls" selling local traditional tit-bits (keropok amplang, kueh cincin, etc).. all the stalls are selling the SAME products from the same supplier! so no difference in taste or quality.. :x

The Waterfront, Anjung Samudera.. where restaurants, pubs and cafe are aplenty.. the restaurants are on the left side, while this is the seating area..

Here customers can have their meals and drinks, while enjoying the nice sea breeze and unobstructed sea view.. some are covered, while some aren't..

Clear blue sea....

and (surprisingly) very clean too.. :) :)

Local pasar malam (night market).. started around 6pm.. selling beaded accessories, leather(?) belts/wallets, T-shirts, jeans,etc.. where foreigners might find it far more interesting than me...

Rows of shop houses.. notice the 4D betting shop?? :p These shop houses have that old-town feel, reminiscences of the 70s-80s.

An old-school barber shop which can no longer be seen in big cities.. notice the chair?? :)

And an "open "billiard shop.. :) where people can enjoy a game with just t-shirt, shorts and a pair of slippers!

Next, two aquariums that I've visited in KK..