The Azure Sky and Blue Sea
Off Sutera Harbour Hotel 18.08.2012: Canon PowerShot SX200 IS
HEL Snorkeling.
Off Kota Kinabalu: Mamutik Island: Canon EOS 450
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Sun, Sea and Sand: Sabah Borneo
Enjoying nature in Sabah
Our beautiful
State, Sabah-Land below the Wind is bountiful in natural resources
and beauty. The people live
off the resources, of course, but invite guests to witness and enjoy the beauty
of nature in its various manifestations.
I have been told many times that I am lucky because I live in a tropical paradise. I know I am and I simply love the sea, sun and sand. I always wish to languish on a deserted beach with the sun
and breeze for company. Including my tablet and its assortment of downloaded e-books I must add. Not that I have too many opportunities to do that at the moment. But its there for the doing.
Well, when in Sabah, our esteemed visitors and friends should do just that. Tablet or no tablet. We have
many and various beaches that are just ready to play host to visitors.
One of my all
time favourite beach is the one at Simpang Mengayau Kudat. The beach is
pristine white and is visited only by a handful of villagers who go there for
the cockles. There are a couple of longhouses nearby actually and chalets that offer good accommodation for visitors.
Just enjoy the white beach
stretches as far as the eyes can see and the blue sea actually goes on to the
far horizon to meet the equally blue sky. The breeze that keep on blowing is
very soothing; so much so that you have to be careful or you may doze off and
leave with too much tan on one side and nothing on the other!
How do one get to this site you may ask. Getting to
Simpang Mengayau is easy. You just drive right up to Kudat and turn off to the tip of Borneo . It is four hours of scenic drive from
Kota Kinabalu.
But there are other sites near Kota Kinabalu actually.
One other beach
that should not be passed up is the one at Dinawan Island
This island has
the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. The front of the island where you
land is already a promising site for a mat but wait until you get to the other
side. The blue water, the pristine sand and the beautiful scenery are
mesmerising-ly amazing. To get to the island, hitch a ride with the boats owned
by the Dinawan Island Resort. Great Fun!!
If you like bathing in fresh water, though...there are beautiful bubbling rivers around. The nearest to Kota Kinabalu is the Babagon River
Another picnic area that should really be
considered is the Kionsom Waterfall, in Inanam. This waterfall is well known
for its cool ambiance and popular with picnickers. However, some prefer the
areas below the main waterfall as it is more secluded and shady. This waterfall
is about 20 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu.
The river just before the Sabah Tea
Plantation in Kg Nalapak, Ranau is also a beautiful place to visit. The river
flows over a bed that is strewn with smooth rocks and pebbles, its waters
sparkling as it gush downstream. The water is a bit chilly especially when the
sky is overcast, but this adds to its attraction.
Kota Belud also has its share of beautiful
picnic spots along rivers. One such place is the river that flows through Kg
Tombulion. The river banks on some areas are gently sloped and strewn with
smooth stones and pebbles. These areas are conducive for picnics. Some
picnickers actually light a fire and cook their meals nearby the river.
Upstream is Kg Tombotuon. This village is
sited almost at the foot of Mt Kinabalu. The river in this village is
beautiful. It is so clear that you can see fishes swimming around. I visited
this site so fleetingly that I don’t know whether visitors are allowed to enjoy
the river but one can always ask the headman. Anyway, the river there is
beautiful if a bit cold. I enjoyed splashing there but not too long.
Anyway, not everybody is interested in
beaches and rivers banks. Some overseas visitors may even comment that their
waterfalls are prettier than ours; however, I believe that each sight of the
same thing may be unique in its settings.
For others who wish to see another aspect
of nature in Sabah can go jungle trekking and
look out for the giant visit Rafflesia flower.
This is a parasitic plant with foul-smelling
flowers found in the jungles of Sabah . The
species R. arnoldii has the largest flowers among all flowering plants, often
measuring up to one meter.
To view this plant in its natural habitat,
visit the Rafflesia Information Centre in Tambunan. It is located at the roadside of the edge of
a forest reserve is the Rafflesia Information Centre and it has been set aside
for the conservation purposes of the rafflesia flower.
About an hour drive away from Kota
Kinabalu, the centre is open to visitors daily from 8am to 3pm.
Information on Rafflesia can be acquired
here. However it may be wise to acquire more information on whether they are
flowering during your visit.
You can also view the stark beauty of
nature by visiting wetlands. A wetland is an area of land whose soil is
saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally, such as swamps,
marshes, and bogs, among others.
Wetlands support the most biologically
diverse of all ecosystems so they may be host to many types of plants and trees
as well as animal life which include frogs and turtles, snakes and crocodiles
as well as various types of birds and of course monkeys.
Weston Wetland is one such place to view
all these inhabitants of the wild.
A river cruise can enable you to view the
Proboscis Monkey, macaques and various types of birds. As night falls, you may
be able to see fireflies in abundance. These fascinating little creatures never
fails to delight guests especially city dwellers.
Nearer to the city is the The Lok Kawi
Wildlife Park located along the Penampang-Papar old road. It consists of two sections, mainly zoological and botanical.
One of the main attraction in the zoo is Borneo
Pygmy elephants. They are not easily seen outside of their habitat, the Jungle,
so seeing them up close is a treat.
There are also a few Orang Utan, some Proboscis
monkeys and a few deer. They are of the wild, so their proximity is a treat to
anybody.
There is a trail here that allows people to
see the botanical side of the park. It is quite a trail so you will have to
sweat it a bit if you wish to go all the way. It is a nice walk though.
These are only a little of what you can see
in Sabah . There are many and various sights
worth seeing in this beautiful state of ours, you just have to go to the right places.
Beringgis Beach Resort: Papar: 07.10.2012
Birthday Tribute to HEL
By AV Latinggam
To wake in joy everyday
for the duration within a day
to cram life for a thousand fold
to look with hunger, to hold
what may not linger or stay
words unsaid, secrets
untold
 |
A Beautiful Sunset to Mark the Day:
A Tribute by AVL to HEL
There is exultation
To be found if you care to listen
To cries of new-born babies
To the screams of seagulls by the sea
To the calls of children from afar
To the soughing wind on the treetops
To the crash of waves upon the shore
They, the sound of joyousness
Of being here and so alive
Faces of Mt Kinabalu Sabah Borneo
Photographs by HEL- 15.09.2012 Kundasang Sabah Borneo
Mount Kinabalu: Kundasang- EOS Canon 600D
Mount Kinabalu: Kundasang- EOS Canon 600D
Mount Kinabalu: Kundasang-EOS Canon 600D
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Sabah Land below the Wind III
Local cuisines
By AV Latinggam
By AV Latinggam
Most of the time we recommend restaurants and eateries to our guests and hope they like the food served there.
However for those who are promoting Homestay, they have to concoct local food that are acceptable to overseas visitors.
It is well and fine to promote the local Bambangan pickle and pickled fish, but these are not instantly edible and ‘butod’ the delicious sago grub is not easy to find and they are expensive as well.
So it may be commendable to look at the backyard vegetable patch and be innovative.
One such vegetable that are usually grown there is the Amaranth or Bayam.
This is one way to cook Amaranth. Wash and prepare the amaranth. Wash flowering chives trim off tough lower ends of stalks.
Cut into bite-sized lengths and combine with amaranth leaves and then put it into sieve, dip into hot water until cooked, mix with a bit of oyster sauce and arrange on plate. They can be used as a bed for fried fish or prawns.
Other vegetables that can be served are tapioca leaves. Only young leaves should be picked off the tree. They are then placed in a basin, salt is added and then they are crushed thoroughly with the hands. The juice from the crushed leaves is drained off and they are fried with onions, garlic and anchovies.
The tapioca tuber is also delicious when cooked and eaten with piping hot local coffee. One way to cook it is by putting short lengths of peeled tapioca into a pan of boiling water with salt and a teaspoon of turmeric. Let it cook and then serve with grated coconut and brown sugar. This can also serve as dessert.
We are very proud of our Tenom Coffee and most of the time we will serve this drinks to our guests.
However we should also be proud of our Tambunan ginger and Sabah tea. So we should concoct ginger tea. The ginger should be cleaned thoroughly and bring to boil in a kettle. When it boils, the water should be poured on a teapot with tea in it. Leave it for five minutes and strain into a serving pot. Add a bit of sugar and there you have ginger tea ala Sabah. Deliciously natural, so they say.
A full set of food derived from nature...that's local for you.
People of Sabah
HEL (Middle) with Natives of Sabah (Dusun) Kohadie Watiman, Homestay Coordinater of Walai Tokou Homestay in Kg Sinisian Kundasang Ranau (Left) and (Rungus) Cobra Jeffery Chairman of Misompuru Homestay of Kudat.
Bajau Ubian Girls of Kudat
Rungus Girls at Simpang Mengayau or Tip of Borneo
Sabah, Land Below the Wind II
Dealing with local culture
By AV Latinggam
We are always
welcoming tourists into the State and some of us, into our homes. However,
being the warm, welcoming and considerate people we are, we sometimes do not
tell our guests the little things that make up our traditional tapestry. This
is especially true about our habits, most of which have been practised since
time immemorial.
To go into a
Kadazandusun house, taking off the shoes or slippers before entering is a must.
I believe most South East Asians practises this. This is a sign of respect to
the hosts. But where practicability is concerned, this ensures that the hosts
do not have to sweep and scour the floor after the guests have left. You never
know what a person has stepped on before entering the house.
When visiting,
guests should not shout, but should cough once or twice. This is to warn the
hosts that someone is outside. After that you may knock on the door, but you
may have a bit of a problem if the house is on stilts as all traditional homes
are. And then this is when you call out, “Anyone home?”
You should never
sit by the stairs or doors when you are a guest. You should sit inside, with
your back against the wall facing into the house. This is your place as a
visitor. The hosts sit in front of you, facing the entrance. If the living room
is small they should be sitting against the wall too. In a modern home, where
there is furniture, you sit in the same position, albeit on the chair.
While visiting
and you see a cute fat baby, do not say the baby is cute and fat. The baby
should be referred to as well turn out or ‘odongoo’ in the local dialect, never
cute or fat.
Calling the baby fat and cute is believed to be tempting fate and the adverse could happen if evil
spirits are around and heard the ‘cute and fat’ comment.
When eating,
especially when you are seated on the floor, never hold up the plate to your
face. This is considered bad manners. You should always lay the plate down on
the floor and bring the food up to your mouth. This may be uncomfortable for
some, but it is the norm in a local traditional home. Nowadays most homes have
dining tables and chairs so this should not be too much of a problem.
When served
dishes that you don’t really recognise, don’t ask your host what it is. If you
don’t wish to partake of it, just don’t.
When offered
rice wine or any sort of drinks and you want to decline, never push away the
drinks. Politely brush your fingertips on the rim of the glass or drinking
vessel and say you don’t drink. The hosts may insist, but
declining twice should send the message across.
It must be
remembered here that there are about 40 ethnic groups in Sabah .
Although there are many similarities among the people, there are variants in
their local norms. So it may be good to look up the home taboos and traditions
before visiting them. Otherwise Sabahans are naturally friendly and an easy going lot.
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