February in Sabah

February
By AV Latinggam

February is almost over. It seems not so long ago that we were going all nostalgic about the year end. Singing Auld Lang Syne to the old year and saying 'Say hey Hello' to January.

Cakes for Valentine's Day at Sabah Oriental Hotel KK Sabah

February, lets see what happened then, besides Chinese New Year. Well there was Valentines Day. There are some interesting stories as who Valentine was, and it just does not seem to tally with the Day of Love so to say. In one story he was a canonised priest who died for his belief in a Leper Colony, and according to Wikipedia..."he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II, known as Claudius Gothicus. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner – until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor – whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stones; when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate." 

So there you go.
In Sabah however not everybody give that a thought, all they do was celebrate it together with their loved ones. Its like everybody got a Valentine wish or card from their children, parents, friends, boyfriends, spouse. They went out for family reunions. They reaffirmed their love and affection to one another. If Cupid was real, he would be one glum angel perched somewhere. On Feb 14, here in this little city North of Borneo Island, hotels. restaurants and eateries, homes and coffee shops were filled with well wishers, sms flew back and forth: hallmark wept and florists sighed.  
Hah, I suppose not really, but it was a far cry from old days when flowers and cards were sent to each other and one another by revelers.