18-Aug-2024
It's been a truly terrible week for several of our friends here. An attack, and two bereavements. That's a low, low week.
So all the tedious things in our diary slide into perspective. Dental appointments: Chickenfeed. A repeat of last week's manic schedule: Insignificant. Another hospital appointment: So very doable.
Turning to the rest of the week's Kuching news:
The Spring, a nearby mall that we visit fairly often, has opened up its top floor. Good idea. There's currently an art exhibition on up there
My favourites were by Marzuki Jamilah
I also liked this, by Emmanuel Osakue
The Ghost Month offerings continue. Today was the Ghost Festival, marking the day when the gates of the underworld are widest open. After this, they'll start to close again
It's this temple where we watched the Chinese Opera last week. There were a few more performances after the one we saw -- interestingly, these had no chairs laid out for the ghosts, and used live musicians such as we saw last year. So the session we saw was somehow special. But we don't know why...
OK, moan alert... We do NOT understand what they're doing with the waterfront... Loads of lights have appeared, and that's nice enough...
...and a ton of cats have materialized, and you can't argue with cats...
But all the fun elements that used to really make the waterfront unique are still missing... It all seems a bit misguided to us...
And food news:
No mushrooms, but otherwise very similar to pan mee. Really nice hand-cut noodles
Nam Joo continues to be ultra-photogenic. Whichever booth you choose, you spot new things of interest
And this week brought free cake! They must have known comfort food was in order, and there's nothing more comforting than strawberry shortcake...
Idlis and vadai! You have to get to the Curry House at exactly the right time (definitely not too early), but if you do, you're in for a treat. Wonderful comfort food, highly recommended by one of my doctors, and very easy on the blood sugar. A rare package...
Yesterday, Saturday, we repeated a route we'd enjoyed the other week, but improved on it by avoiding the doggy bit. First, home-made mackerel fish balls from Thian Fock. Big tick...
Then, through the Traffic Park
And then to Vivacity, via Earthlings, a noted coffee place. If it's not quite open, you can have a chat with the cat while you're waiting
This morning was not promising on the walking front...
... but we rounded the week off very nicely with Sunday lunch at Sharing Planet in the company of Kuching Fans of Fine Film. It's a nice space, and I can recommend the chicken salad...
So, the week has ticked by, despite the deep shadows in the background.
And, of course, the news about "mpox" is a little concerning... I have this sense of deja vu... We're about to embark on a journey of several months; there's a virus that people are a bit worried about, but it still seems manageable... Yes, we all remember. Before you know it, you're in lockdown, and your life's on hold, and you can't get home.
Please God not... Not again. Not so soon. Jeez...
Anyway, let's close with a gallery of colours, just to lift everyone's spirits: