Call me ' Nenas Manis'

At a roadside stall in Kampung Buntal these 'nenas' ( Malay word for pineapple) caught my attention. Three of those were sold at RM 2 and you can mix you choice. The top variety is called Nenas Johore and below it is Nenas Sarawak. Both of which I would like to describe as 'manis', another Malay word for sweet.

Hanging handkerchiefs

These white to light purple young leaves hang like long handkerchiefs from the the tip of the yellow saraca ( Saraca thaipingensis ) tree branches. I saw two stretches of roads at the BDC housing estate this morning which have these mature trees in their initial blooming stage.
In India a close relative of this tree is the Ashoka tree ( Saraca asoca ) underwhich it was believed Buddha was born and as such the tree is considered sacred among adherents of the Buddhist faith.
The variety we have here has bright yellow flowers which are fragrant, especially at night. This is an evergreen tree and is considered small as they very rarely reach more than 20 m. Over the years I have observed one specimen at the Sarawak Museum gardens and to my knowledge have been there for more than 15 years now and still retain a height of not more than 6m. I think this tree is a rarity even though it is native to this part of the world. As such I think it is good if other places in Sarawak emulate the planting of this species mainly for its unique look and blooms.

Close up of the bright yellow blooms of the saraca.


The flowers are attactive to bees and birds.
A characteristic of the saraca is its peculiar habit of having blooms emerging on the sides of older branches as seen here.

Red Japanese Bridge

The Kuching Reservoir Park is a popular jogging, walking, exercise and picnic venue for many Kuching residents and visitors. Its lush greenery and many ponds provides much tropicalness to the area. I find the red Japanese bridge a pretty focal point and provides a strong element of interest to the park. The reservoir was built more than 100 years ago to store and filter water for the consumption of Kuching's town population then. Now it functions wholly as a public park.

Spinning Tops

Yesterday I came across a show and performance of spinning tops at the Kuching Waterfront's amphitheatre area. Most of the spinning tops were from the various ethnic groups of Malaysia. At the centre of the picture is one that is still spinning on a chair. A Kelantanese spinning top called a 'gasing' can spin for as long as two and a half hours.

A Star is Born

At the Kuching Waterfront's amphitheatre was a cultural performance by the school kids of SRK Buyong, free for all to see. The young singer does her vibes with the aid of karaoke and an excellent sound system while friends danced to the contemporary pop music.

While a star can be born with a golden voice another can just rise from a tapping feet. The young school children put on their best costumes, smiles and talent to the accompaniment of a traditional Malay 'zapin' dance.