Open from the wee hours of the morning till late evening, Sibu Wet Market offers a variety of products to its visitors. In the morning, the market is filled with crowds of locals buying supplies for the week and even during the late hours in the evening, the market is still busy and full of activities. Locals know that this is the place to come to if one is in search of cheaply priced items and imitation goods sporting well-known brand names: handbags, clothing, watches, jewelry, sunglasses, home decorations and just about everything under the sun.

An interesting thing about this market is that there are no clearly identified trading areas for certain products to be sold. Indeed, some vendors seemed to sell whatever they wanted leading to some rather eclectic selection of wares on display. All this adds to the overall charm of the market.

The ground floor area is generally reserved for selling fresh meat, fish and jungle produce while upstairs is allocated for food stalls and retail shops. Most of the retail shops sell clothes and shoes. Some shops specialize in selling reasonably priced quality used clothing imported from overseas.

There is a section in the market which focuses on the cultural or traditional products and one of it is the Iban section. Some may not know most of the things is sold here, especially foreigners where the products range from strange-looking vegetables or jungle fruits, to traditional herbal remedies.

Some may be freaked out by the sight of the huge, live sago worms, some larger than an adult thumb but they are are a real eye-catcher. It tasted like juicy French fries when deep-fried, sago worms are extremely rich in protein and serves to boost the meager protein intake of jungle folks. Some fry them with preserved durian flesh (also known as ‘tempoyak’ in our local tongue) and is said to be a very popular recipe among the locals.

SEMATAN: The turtle adoption and conservation programme carried out by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) at the Talang Satang National Park was to conserve the population of the Green Turtle species (Chelonia mydas).

National Park caretaker Tonny Ganyer said the three turtle islands where the turtle conservation was being carried out – Pulau Talang Besar, Pulau Talang Kecil and Pulau Satang Besar – provide a perfect sanctuary for turtles to come ashore and lay eggs.

“The Green Turtles are fast becoming an endangered species due to predators in the sea and sea gulls as well as the danger posed by human, like fishing and beach activities,” he said after a briefing on turtle conservation and research in Pulau Talang Besar here.

He said last year about 3,000 turtles had landed on the shores of the three islands to lay about 200,000 eggs, between the months of March to September.

A major reason why marine turtles throughout the world are in danger is the continuing loss of nesting habitat and it is believed that marine turtles have an extremely high
affinity for their nesting beaches, and therefore the loss or reduction of even a single nesting beach can have serious effects.

Tonny Ganyer said the SFC welcomed nature and environment lovers to participate in the conservation programme by spreading information on the importance of the eco-system and conservation of marine life, especially turtles.

“Anyone interested can apply to SFC which has its headquarters in Kuching and they can be with us for a few days to know the details,” he said.

He added that the survival rate of turtles was critically low since from 1,000 hatched turtles, only one can survive until the adult stage.

All types of turtles are listed as protected species, he said. — Bernama

Located at Jalan Petanak, Kuching, the cafe is a hugely popular choice for those who wish to seek a different variety of delicious food at reasonable prices. Zest also has a fairly wide variety of wine from all over the world for wine lovers and as well as a large choice of coffee, with the cafe’s specialty such as the Obama Coffee which is mocha coffee and Kawai-I, which is Nescafe coffee mixed with chocolate.

Red is the theme at Zest, with modern decor settings yet informal. The cafe is set with dark wood furniture, wood floor, glass panel at one corner and lightly dim ambience; it is certainly cozy and alluring. The ambience of the place is filled with latin music, not too loud but just nice to set the mood. The cafe is not equipped with air-conditioning but with ceiling fan instead, but the area is quite airy so it would not be a problem for customers to enjoy their food here.

One of their popular dish here is Ebiko Fried Rice with prawns, a Japanese dish; deep-fried rice with prawn roe. A single glance at it is sure to rock your appetite with the orange-coloured prawn roe on top of the hot deep-fried rice. The delicate taste of the prawn roe is simply delicious, and the fried rice is quite fine. Exotic as it may sound, the dish will only cost you RM7.90 and you would not get any better deal than this or elsewhere in Kuching.

Other dishes served here are:

Chicken Soup with carrots, potatoes and green apples.

Mixed Vegetable Dish

Tomato Noodle

Japanese Fried Udon

Softshell Crab Burger

Prawn & Bacon salad

Zest strives to serve you with the best of what they have to offer. There is also a wide variety of dessert such as ice creams and cakes, refreshing beverages and soft drinks.

They are open from Monday to Saturday, from 11.00am until 11. 00pm. Other services available here are take outs for those on the go, home delivery, and catering.

Make sure you check out Zest! You can contact them by phone at 082-253 848 for more information.

If you are looking for a place by the beach, Damai Beach Resort would be your ideal place. Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort is located at the best beach Sarawak has to offer and it’s a 4-star hotel resort. Damai Beach Resort is an award winning resort complemented by lush tropical forest and the majestic Mount Santubong, which overlooks the South China Sea.

A mere 40-minute drive from Kuching the capital city of Sarawak and 50-minute drive from Kuching International Airport will take you there but the distance is worth the travel as the location is beautiful, close to nature, peaceful and quiet. Located on Teluk Bandung’s sandy beach facing the South China Sea and comprising 90 acres of sea frontage, Damai Beach Resort is majestically nestled within the world’s oldest tropical rainforest,

Damai Beach Resort is also close to the world famous Sarawak Cultural Village which showcases various attributes of major ethnic population in the whole state of Sarawak, namely the Malay, Chinese, Iban, Orang Ulu, Bidayuh, Melanau and Penan all in one village.

Damai Beach Resort is modeled after a traditional fishing village, days are often too short to experience all the activities the Resort has to offer. The Resort is a very popular holiday destination for locals during weekends and public holidays.

Damai Beach Resort has 256 comfortably furnished rooms with magnificent views of the sea or the lush greenery of Mount Santubong. You can have choices of rooms in the main buildings and in chalets on hillsides. All rooms are complete with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, telephone, personal safe, hair dryer, TV with in-house movies and satellites, and in-room mini-bar complimentary coffee/tea making facilities.

The Resort is a window to many experiences – a hilltop retreat, beach paradise and the ultimate rainforest living experience with value for money offerings. You will indeed be spoilt for choices. You can swim in the large swimming pool or spend relaxing time by the beach and the sea.

They promise you a gratifying and unforgettable experience. Be it doing nothing or everything, your time at Damai Beach Resort will be an enriching one, a true celebration of life.

Damai Beach Resort is the place to be in Borneo. It only happens here. Go here to make your booking: bestkuchinghotels@gmail.com

All we need is your check in/check out dates and no of pax staying & of course type of room required.

All we need is your check in/check out dates and no of pax staying & of course type of room required.If you are looking for a 3 days 2 nights kuching tour, come check out Cuti-cuti Kuching Tour with us. Just

Email us: bestkuchinghotels@gmail.com

Pitcher Plant As Food Kuching

You can bargain with them till the cows come home. They are friendly folks but the weather there is really hot. You need to go early to see more things, shop, bargain and look around. It is an exciting place. Sort of like Little Bandung market.

What is Pitcher Plant? Well, it is a Meat Eater Plant , carnivorous plant. It is also called Monkey Cup. Its scientific name is Nepenthes.

Nephantes Pitcher Plant in Bako National Park

Insects that fly or crawl are attracted to the cavity formed by its cupped leaf. The sides of the pitcher plant are slippery and insects that fell in usually cannot comb out. There are some liquid inside the pitcher plants that traps and drowns the insect. The body will gradually dissolve. The body dissolves tue to enzyme secreted by the plant or by bacteria action washed into the pitcher. Some pitcher plants contain mutualistic insect larvae, that feed on the trapped prey whose excreta the plant absorbs. The prey items sre then converted into a solution of amino acids, ammonium, urea, phosphates and peptides. The plant relies on the mineral nutrition for survival. Pitcher plants grow in places where the soil is lacking in minerals or too acidic for the plants to survive.

Coming back to our Pitcher Plant, it can be easily found in jungles of Borneo. The photo is taken from Bako National Park as my friend David went hiking on the Bako Trail.

If you are interested to go to Serikin, you can book the tour with us here:  4D3N Kuching & Serikin Shopping Tour

FOR THE ALBUM: (Standing front row, from right) Walser, Dr Jerip, Masing and Hughes with some of the Logos Hope crew members. — Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING: Volunteers of Logos Hope who come from different nations and cultures are “ordinary people with willing hands and hearts”, said Logos Hope director Gian Walser at the launch of the world’s largest floating book fair at Sim Kheng Hong Port in Pending here yesterday.

Lenaic Viaud

Walser said they wanted to show God’s love by helping and reaching out to the various communities across the globe.

“Acquiring knowledge is the foundation to success, stability and a better life. We want to enhance people’s education, growth and learning by helping them in many ways,” he said.

Walser added that volunteers of 50 different nationalities on board sought to understand and respect one another and to work closely to bring knowledge, help and hope to others.

Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Dr James Masing, who officiated at the launch, commended the crew and staff for bringing hope and education to the underprivileged.

He believed that Kuchingites and Sarawakians at large would appreciate the rich selection of over 5,000 reading materials available on the ship.

“Definitely I’m bringing my kids around as I know Logos Hope will be here for two weeks or so. We do have libraries here but not as big and floating as this,” said the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president.

Image from file

Masing also appealed to the ship volunteers that hail from over 40 countries to visit some of the tourist attractions in the city.

“There is a longhouse not far from here and I believe you all can get an experience of what it is like to stay here.”

He informed the crew that there were 26 different languages used in the state while calling on volunteers to pick up at least one during their stay here.

“It is nice to learn at least one language here. Maybe English, Bahasa or even Bidayuh, which comes with three to four dialects,” he added.

Captain of Logos Hope Chris Hughes, who has been at sea for over four decades, said he looked forward to visiting places here.

“This is the first time I’m in Kuching and I learn that the food here is very different from that in West Malaysia,” he said, adding that he would try out some local delicacies.

Eileen Chua

Logos Hope has been to Penang and Port Klang and will head to Kota Kinabalu after Kuching.

The ship opens from 10am to 10pm Monday-Saturday, and from 1pm to 10pm on Sundays until Nov 13. It will be closed on Oct 31 and Nov 8 to enable the crew to go on excursion trips around the city.

Logos Hope is operated by GBA Ship e.V, an international charitable organisation registered in Germany.

The organisation, in almost 40 years of service, has welcomed 40 million visitors up the gangways in over 160 countries and territories around the world.

Among those present was Assistant Minister of Public Health Dr Jerip Susil.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/29/helping-people-acquire-knowledge-logos%e2%80%99-hope/#ixzz1c8iyIGnR

THERAPEUTIC: Dip in hot (pool) and cold water (river) in turn.

KUCHING: A hot spring kept secret for 250 years by early settlers in Annah Rais longhouse is open to the public.

The early settlers regarded it as a holy place to seek blessings and cures for sickness.

Annah Rais Hot Spring is a natural feature caused by underground water being heated by geothermal forces and brought to the surface, where it empties its hot water into Sungai Semadang, more commonly known as Sungai Sarawak Kiri.

Both hot spring and cool river can be enjoyed at an entrance fee of RM5 per head.

I turned up at this site one bright Sunday afternoon around 3pm.

While I was descending the steps, a scenic river with lush bamboo groves growing on both banks came into view.

Small fishes swam in the pristine clear water, and tiny bubbles of gas were intermittently released from the pebbly riverbed.

Two pools – one bigger than the other – are located on the other side of the river. The poolside is fashioned from cement made to look like granite slabs.

The pools collecting hot water diffusing from underground were constructed on Jan 12 this year, according to the inscription on one of them.

Visitors were seen sitting around the bigger pool, dangling their legs in Nature’s hot tub.

They were mostly locals though a few foreign tourists from Kampung Annah Rais homestay had found their way here.

The proximity of the hot spring to the river allows visitors to gravitate between soaking in hot and cold water.

Alternate dunking in hot and cold water is believed to dilate and constrict blood vessels in turn, stimulating an otherwise sluggish circulation.

For instance, a swollen injured ankle alternately dipped in bearably hot and icy cold water, as per doctor’s recommendation, has been known to be efficacious in reducing the swelling if all else has failed.

Since ancient times, soaking in a hot mineral spring has been a form of hydrotherapy to treat disease, injuries and improve health.

Doctors acknowledge the therapeutic benefits of moist heat. Soaking in hot water can speed up healing and relieve pain caused by some types of arthritis and short-term injuries.

A warm soak relaxes muscles, soothing the body and reduces stress. It’s good for arthritis, psoriasis and insomnia.

A regular visitor at Annah Rais hot spring said the hot water had softened the hardened fat located below the back of his neck.

A woman claimed it was effective in relieving her muscle spasms and a young man said it helped him de-stress.

According to health experts, pregnant women and people with diabetes, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease should not soak in hot water in case it provokes health problems for them. And to avoid infection by protozoa that inhabit some hot springs, avoid being submerged so the water does not go up the nose.

Temperatures can be as high as 70C in hot springs and some may reach boiling point. Immersion in extremely hot water can prove fatal very quickly. Therefore, a little dilution with cooler surface water may be needed.

The water in the Annah Rais hot tub felt too hot that day so the channels were cleared of debris by one of the visitors while another poured cold water from the river into the bigger pool to bring down its temperature. This enabled all of us to soak in the still steaming water.

To cool off, we sat on the pebbly riverbed, and felt the warm sand heated by the hot spring below. We could feel tiny jets of hot water moving upwards  before having their heat dispersed by cold currents in the river.

A few outdoor showers and changing rooms complete the basic facilities at the site.

To get there, drive from the 10th Mile Old Penrissen Road – also known as Jalan Puncak Borneo – to Annah Rais longhouse where you cross a Bailey bridge, then a one-km stretch of gravel road before coming to another Bailey bridge.

Cross it and look out on the right for a wooden building with a signboard saying, ‘Welcome to Annah Rais Hot Spring’.

By YU JI
yuji@thestar.com.my