Kuching Waterfront Shophouses

I went to the Kuching Waterfront yesterday and took pictures of a few section of the shop houses that lined the waterfront area. These shop houses are filled with lots of souvenirs and handicraft works from Sarawak. It's a main tourist attraction area. Before I took shots of these colourful shophouses and can be seen here. Back from the city, I had the itch to try painting them in mixed media ( felt pen and water colour) . Well, feast your eyes!!

Kuching Waterfront Shop house, 18x14cm, mixed media.

China Street

This narrow lane is an off shot from the main Carpenter Street. Called 'Upper China Street' it is reminiscent of the early days of Kuching when streets were narrow and shop houses were the homes, business premise and playground all-in-one for the immigrant Chinese.

India Street

The Indian Muslim community does brisk business at India Street where they specialise in imported textiles, books and magazines especially Islamic religious books, currency exchange, restaurants and spices. Walking past their crowded shop that overflowed into the five-foot way I could smell the rich aroma of perfumes and freshly cooked curries. A must visit when in Kuching. The presence of a large variety of businesses carried out by the Indians here have made the venue popularly known as 'Little India'.

Shophouse in Off Beat Colours

It's interesting to see these days how shopowners in the city are willing to makeover their shop.  The use of off beat colours add much lustre and live to the street. The square columns are made of bricks when at the time of their construction today's  reinforced conrete technology were unheard of.  I find the detailing on the pillars characteristic of the time just as the typical one floor building structure, of which the first floor was used as living accomodation for the shopkeeper's family. This is the traditional way of 'working from home', I guess. 

Fresh Chicken meat at RM 8.50/kilo

I dropped by at the Satok market and bought one whole piece of fresh chicken meat. The sellers here will chop and slice the chicken into smaller parts according to the requirements of the buyers as part of the added service to customers. All inclusive the fresh chicken meat costs RM 8.50 per kilo. The whole chicken I bought costs me RM 16.00.

Shopping at Spring,Kuching.

Sunday shopping is a most welcomed experience.  Today we had a window shopping, food shopping and book browsing experience at the Spring, located some five kilometers from downtown Kuching city.

The car parking lot infront of the shopping mall is automatically managed.  The use of periwinkle flowers in planters I find very effective.

To make place for the 'starbucks generation', a starbucks coffee joint has customers enjoying their coffee and talk in pleasant and breezy environment by the sidewalk...a springlidelicious moment.

Inside the mega mall...

A remote car race show.

Transformers toys being displayed.

Paper cut flowers

These suspended paper cut flowers greeted visitors and customers to the Green Heights Mall during its opening recently. Newly opened and not yet fully occupied, it houses the Cold Storage Supermarket and future up trend shops.