On August 23, we arrived in Kuching, a bustling, diverse city of old colonial buildings and modern towers and the capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
With visions of cannibals and white hunters, being thrown into boiling cauldrons, swirling
around in our heads…isn’t that what we’ve all seen in the movies...there wasn't a cannibal in sight but, instead, weird cat
statues all over. Mind you, these were
not beautiful feline representations carved from stone or metal but, instead,
looked like the little crude figurines you see people making out of plaster of
paris at a craft table in the park
Apparently, there are many theories of why Kuching is known
as the “city of cats” and where this
obsession came from. In researching this
phenomenon I came across a very humorous and interesting article that you might
enjoy. Here is the link.
One of the theories that just cracked me up was the following.....Apparently, Borneo residents have long valued cats because they help control pests.. In the 1950's, authorities attempted to use chemicals to combat malaria-carrying mosquitos and rats. The chemicals negatively impacted the region's feline population so the British Royal Air Force decided to parachute 14,000 cats into rural Malaysian Borneo in a mission known as "Operation Cat Drop." Just trying to visualize that scene is hysterical.
Enough of the cats. We were really exhausted, after spending 24 hours getting here, but mustered up enough energy to walk down to the Sarawak River waterfront that was bustling with food vendors, locals selling their handicrafts and an esplanade with a fabulous view of the bridge that crosses over the river to the historic buildings on the other side. Everything was lit up with colorful lights and the reflections in the river were magical.
The new Parliament building, located across the river, was particularly impressive and, at night, all lit up with white lights, it looked like a spaceship that was ready to take off.
The next day, we spent a little time in the morning walking around the neighborhood but, since we were leaving for the Damai Beach Resort, where we would be spending the next week, we really didn't get to see much of the city. So, we decided that we would spend one of the days during the next week to come back and really see the city. Next stop...the beach!
Pam
2018-08-28
Where are the oranutangs?