Siniawan, a lively weekend night market about 25 km from Kuching, is where we watched the Chap Goh Meh celebrations last year.

Last week, on the trusty bus to Bau, we went through Siniawan again, and spotted some people having breakfast. Why, we thought, don't we do that?


Then, in the Sarawak Tribune last week, I read about Liu Shan Bang, the leader of the Bau-based rebel gold miners, who, back in 1857, got as far as burning down the Kuching Astana and town, and temporarily putting to flight "White Rajah" James Brooke.

According to the local historian quoted by the Tribune, Liu "was not the cruel man that Brooke portrayed, but in fact a gentleman who had the welfare of his followers at heart".

Whatever his motivations, he was discountenanced to find Brooke still alive, and he and his men were attacked by Brooke partisans near Siniawan while on their way back to Bau. He was shot dead on 24 February 1857, and a hundred of his followers perished with him.

Subsequently, local Chinese erected a temple (called Shan Teck) in honour of Liu, "who was elevated by the community to a deity named 'Shin'".

So, our proposed breakfast in Siniawan gained a temple-hunting component.

Breakfast was red kolo mee at Jia Huat (the first time we've had the "red" version of this dish). Excellent.


The walk to the Shan Teck temple (at Jugan, 1 km from Siniawan), was full of flowers and butterflies and birdsong.







And the little red construction stands as a now peaceful memorial to the deaths of so many.





Back in town, there's time to wander down to the river, stroll the picturesque main street, drink a teh C peng special, and stock up on traditional biscuits before flagging down the bus back to Kuching (which rolled up at about 12.45).







Good trip. I look forward to more breakfast-and-history in the coming months.