Sunday, July 27, 2008

Trip to Kuching

Grand Continential Hotel











(Kuching Riverfront during dust)

I was so busy this couple of weeks and have no time to update my blog. Really out of idea to write and for this post, i better make
it short. I have spent my precious weekend in Kuching for the semi-official trip. It has been quite sometimes i have not traveled to Kuching. I arrived at Kuching International Airport at 8.45 p.m. and I decided to stay in Grand Continental Hotel as I'd have an even in that hotel the next morning.

Kuching is the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. Being the most populous city in the state of Sarawak, Kuching emerged as one of the most vibrant cities in the region and it is the largest city on the island of Borneo and the fourth largest city in Malaysia. Kuching was elevated to city status on 1 August 1988. Guess what, Kuching has changed drastically. I was so surprised to find that many shopping complexes have been opened and appeared everywhere. One of those is The Spring Shopping Mall. The Spring Shopping Mall is the biggest shopping mall in Sarawak opened to public on the 10th January 2008. The first large-scale lifestyle shopping centre in this city. With this gigantic shopping mall, tourists enjoy their time in Kuching, Sarawak in this 2-storey mall. With 150 retail outlets, a gourmet supermarket, an excellent food court here you find Parkson, Ta Khiong gourmet supermarket, MPH, HSL, Factory Outlet, Padini, Bonia, Bata, Hush Puppies, K2Factor, Mango, Esprit, Guess G2000 and other established brands. Here also you find Kenny Rogers Roasters and Sushi King, Starbucks Coffee, Secret Recipe, Manhattan Fish Market, Kluang Coffe Station and etc.


The Boulevard suddenly appeared there from its original home, Miri. Tun Jugah just like its old self. Parkson opposite the Crown Plaza doesn't change much. And the JALAN memang berubah giler. I will definitely get lost if I were to drive in Kuching. I used to live in Kuching back in 1995-1999 but things really changed now. Kuching is soon becoming HARIMAU.

The foods in Kuching are still the best in Sarawak. One of my favorite place is a stall somewhere in Jalan Bishopgate (Forgot the name of the stall). The Vogok soup and the mee kosong there are damned good. Kuching has a number of notable local dishes served at hawker stalls-Kuching '
Kolo mee' or 'koh-loh mein' (egg noodles, flash-boiled and then served with garlic, shallots, minced pork, white vinegar, pork oil or in some cases peanut oil and sliced barbecue pork also known as "char siew") this is a widely popular dish with the local population, Sarawak Laksa (a spicy coconut prawn paste-based broth served with rice vermicelli, egg, prawn, chicken, deep fried tofu and occasionally clams)

Tomato Sauce Mee (crispy noodles served with tomato sauce, vegetables, and meat) or TomatoSauce Kuay Teow (flat rice noodles) are the most well-known hawker dishes served, Bubor Cha-cha, a concentrated mixed syrup of sago, agar-agar and sweet potatoes, Kueh-Chap, Flat rice noodles served with pig entrails, tofu and egg. Custom ordered dishes (usually called the "special") are available on request. Most hawker stalls serve a variety of these three dishes, but locals often debate vigorously as to where to find the best variety. Visitors should be aware that portions are half of what is usually commonly found at Chinatowns in the West.

Spent a 3 day and 2 night stay in Kuching was a wonderful experience. I always love Kuching as a place to Lepak but not the place to stay and settle down, as I love a quiet, peaceful and smooth running town like Bintulu. Traffic jam in Kuching is too heavy to handle....Chiowwww...

2 comments:

~Marcell~ said...

halo hi, drop by here via Indu Kayan - iv bin in kch for almost 8 yrs! yet, ther's no other place than home town-btu! ;)

Dom said...

Hidney-ada mee kolok deng tp kurang myengat!..haha

Marcell - thanks for dropping by..u r rite..btu is stil d best..sorry, terdelete ur 2nd comment...aku alumni UiTM..ur senior masuk 1995-1999..come and join us for d dinner la..u r most welcome..

p/s..peminat bishopgate(lupa nama nuan)..sori wai, aku terdelete comment nuan...thanks for dropping by...