So we're now in the middle of Ghost Month, when the Chinese community honours the memory of those no longer with us. The gates of the netherworld (which are big and heavy, and therefore move slowly) have been opening for the last two weeks, allowing all spirits to roam freely for a while. Today -- the 15th night of the seventh month -- is the Ghost Festival, which marks the point at which the gates are fully open. After this, they'll start to swing shut again until next year...



This morning we spotted this memorial down by the waterfront:


Now, this is curious, as I'd been alerted to its presence back in July, and though we'd deliberately looked for it, we'd failed to spot it... But this morning we did, so I'm a little perplexed...

I'm told the characters make up the Buddhist mantra Namo Amitabha (na mo a mi tuo fu).

While we're on the subject of ghosts, it seems the Impiana Hotel has been sold. The new owner says: "The story of it being haunted is all over Facebook. Because of that, I could not get any bank loan and had to pay hard cash. The banks have certain guidelines where properties are concerned. They cannot finance any property located beside the graveyard and so on, so this is something similar." They're planning to include Kuching's first sky bar in the renovations. I'd definitely be up for checking that out, ghosts or not.

Anyway, aside from ghosts and mysteries, let's turn to the rest of what has been quite a busy week.

We have pretty much shaken off the tired, draggy feeling that followed our covid encounter. Really pleased about that.

We made a return visit to the always-beautiful Orchid Garden.

And it's been a food-filled few days.

I've been on the lookout for Heng Hua noodles ever since my researches into Jalan Blackmith made me aware that there was such a group (they originate from the Putien, Shangtien, and Hsiangcheng districts of China). Below is the Heng Hua Pa Mee from Meng Kui. Really good (you can see from the photo the range of stuff that goes into this dish):


Another must-have-this was Lek Tau Suan, which I first heard of in Pontianak, right at the beginning of our ill-fated OE, when we didn't have time to try it. I realized, last year when I was watching all the Kuching Old Bazaar videos, that there's a local version, which comes from a historic old shop on Upper China Street. And this week we finally got to sample it.

It's made of mung beans, sweet potato starch, pandan, and sugar. But it's actually not that sweet. It's served with you tiao (Chinese bread sticks), which really nicely balances the sweet and the salty. Will definitely be repeating the experience...


The Kuching (Food) Festival is happening at the moment, as ably advertised by our favourite Cat:



I think our feline might have been a bit too successful, though. We went along yesterday evening, and just after 6 pm, it was already PACKED. All tables occupied, and big queues forming at some of the more popular stalls. We're still a bit crowd-phobic, so we had a quick look round, and got tea somewhere else...


We also collected my computer from the mender's this week. Two excuses, therefore, to profit from Green Heights (where you can walk in the little park, drink coffee at Bing, and go to the supermarket to buy BACON).


And finally, the rest of the week's gallery:








Anyway, tonight we'll raise a toast to "the ones that we lost on the way".

And look forward to mooncake season...