• The Erawan Shrine, which houses the statue of the Phra Phrom 四面佛. I came here for the very first time when I was 5, during a large family trip (parents, aunts, aunts’ husbands, uncles etc.) That was nearly 30 years ago. My memory is hazy, but I remember the crowd, the smoke-filled air from joss sticks and candles etc. Returned again when I was 13. Mom wanted to come because I scored 6As for my UPSR exams (i have no idea how did it happen) and coming here for another pilgrimage would be appropriate. So we were here in 1997. I came back again, 21 years later. The entire area is different from what I remember. Buildings around the shrine, overhead bridges, modern architecture everywhere. The crowd is less imposing, maybe because I’m not a child anymore. The air too, is free from smoke, as we are now prohibited from lighting up the joss sticks or the candles.
    The Erawan Shrine, which houses the statue of the Phra Phrom 四面佛. I came here for the very first time when I was 5, during a large family trip (parents, aunts, aunts’ husbands, uncles etc.) That was nearly 30 years ago. My memory is hazy, but I remember the crowd, the smoke-filled air from joss sticks and candles etc. Returned again when I was 13. Mom wanted to come because I scored 6As for my UPSR exams (i have no idea how did it happen) and coming here for another pilgrimage would be appropriate. So we were here in 1997. I came back again, 21 years later. The entire area is different from what I remember. Buildings around the shrine, overhead bridges, modern architecture everywhere. The crowd is less imposing, maybe because I’m not a child anymore. The air too, is free from smoke, as we are now prohibited from lighting up the joss sticks or the candles.
  • Craving for Japanese food here, and also ice cream, so I decided to have tonkatsu ice-cream
    Craving for Japanese food here, and also ice cream, so I decided to have tonkatsu ice-cream
  • It’s just one of those photos that I took of the Twin Towers which ended up looking just like the million of other photos out there.
    It’s just one of those photos that I took of the Twin Towers which ended up looking just like the million of other photos out there.
  • Lady posing for a photo in Aku Cafe
    Lady posing for a photo in Aku Cafe
  • Aku Cafe, hidden behind reels of film
    Aku Cafe, hidden behind reels of film
  • Wasn’t expecting to find a Chinese translated Shuji Terayama book in my favorite cafe near my house. This book contained some of his most celebrated short stories like “Throw your book away, rally the streets”. A genius filmmaker, poet, playwright. Watching his last film, “Farewell to the Ark”, a loose adaptation of the first chapter of 100 Years of Solitude, was a wonderful experience.
    Wasn’t expecting to find a Chinese translated Shuji Terayama book in my favorite cafe near my house. This book contained some of his most celebrated short stories like “Throw your book away, rally the streets”. A genius filmmaker, poet, playwright. Watching his last film, “Farewell to the Ark”, a loose adaptation of the first chapter of 100 Years of Solitude, was a wonderful experience.
  • The sape player, Desmond Junek, was performing at the famed Lepau Restaurant that I went to yesterday evening. Some call sape, a traditional lute, the “Sound of Sarawak”. Desmond is diagnosed with brain cancer but he is bravely fighting on. In an article I read about him later, he said he didn’t want to burden himself thinking of the disease, but he would rather remember the people he love so he can fight against the pain.
    The sape player, Desmond Junek, was performing at the famed Lepau Restaurant that I went to yesterday evening. Some call sape, a traditional lute, the “Sound of Sarawak”. Desmond is diagnosed with brain cancer but he is bravely fighting on. In an article I read about him later, he said he didn’t want to burden himself thinking of the disease, but he would rather remember the people he love so he can fight against the pain.
  • Arrived at Kuching city when the sky has gone dark. It’s my first time here and I’ll be spending an entire day tomorrow talking at the University of Sarawak. But for now I shall take a walk through the Sarawak River waterfront enjoying the scent of food and the gentle night breeze.
    Arrived at Kuching city when the sky has gone dark. It’s my first time here and I’ll be spending an entire day tomorrow talking at the University of Sarawak. But for now I shall take a walk through the Sarawak River waterfront enjoying the scent of food and the gentle night breeze.
  • Where does this lead to?
    Where does this lead to?