KUCHING AND SINGAPORE

Kuching, the cat city, one of the many statues about town.

Kuching means ‘cat’ in Malay and the city is dedicated to them with statues all over, cats imprinted on the manhole covers, even a cat museum. Located along the bank of the Sungai Sarawak river,  the state capital Kuching is quite charming. It's a nice city and easy to get around. Although Kuching is a large city, the centre is pretty compact and isolated from the suburbs by the river so it feels small townish. Pretty parks and gardens along the river promenade have lots of walkways for strolling and good views of the mountains looming in the distance. Food stalls are everywhere, snacks everywhere, great restaurants and plenty of seafood...could become obese here.

Chinatown Arch

I spent 2 days in Kuching. I was planning on doing a day trip to Bako National Park on day 2 but was so exhausted from all the activity lately I took a day off my vacation and slept in instead, bummed around town, caught up on all things Internet in a cafe with free wifi and ate my body weight in seafood.

They have the most amazing food in Malaysia! There is this "food court" here on the roof of a parking garage...I know that sounds weird but it was spectacular. 10-12 different food stalls piled high with every kind of seafood you can imagine, live crabs swimming in buckets, huge fish with teeth larger than mine, tanks of barracuda's, shrimp the size of lobsters, even lobsters! It's kind of a mongolis grill type set-up. You get a plate from the stall you choose and pile it up with your seafood of choice, fill another plate with veggies and tell them how you want it cooked. I had a huge plate of massive shrimp butterflied and grilled with butter and garlic, mixed veggies and fried rice. Possible the best meal of my trip so far for about $8.00.

Food Court on the parking garage roof!

Tons of yummy veggies to go with the cornucopia of seafood.

Kuching waterfront.

Then I was off to Singapore... I only spent a day there as I've never been and it was cheaper to fly through Singapore on the low-cost airlines then go direct to Bali. Not too much to do in Singapore except shop and eat. I ate well here too. Very good street markets everywhere...also delicious food on the cheap everywhere you turn. Actually had really great Vietnamese foo for lunch today, really authentic tasting. Then headed to the airport and flew to Bali!

Singapore waterfront restaurants.

How cool is that building? Th marina bay sands: it has an infinity pool on top that looks down 55 stories! Wish I had the kind of money to experience that!!!

Chinatown....millions of people.

Cool Hindu temple.