Happy Father's Day 2014

It is rather last minute.
Father's Day is just around the corner.
Was looking at the following and wondering if I should or should not.
I don't mind the camera for myself though - belated Mother's Day...hehe.
The father/fathers would be very happy with any of these :)

A movie would be good.
Everyone can enjoy together.

This one is good if we were two weeks earlier.
But there will more to come :)

So, there goes.
Whatever it is, Happy Father's Day to all the Dads in the whole wide world.

One of the Bazaars of Sarawak - Siniawan Bazaar

As usual, I am a bit behind in posting. We stopped by this place known as Siniawan Bazaar last March.

There are many similar Bazaars in Sarawak. Siniawan is an example of the early Sarawak towns where time seems to stand still.

I find it very interesting to explore these Bazaars. Interesting because sometimes, you'd find some very interesting items in the shops which you wouldn't find in the city or other places :).

Unfortunately, most shops were closed when we were there.

Anyway, do enjoy the pics.

Made up of two rows of two storeys wooden shophouses.

The main street decorated with red lanterns and flowers.

Siniawan Homestay, coffee shop on the groundfloor.

Only few shops were open that day, including this vegetable shop.

Well kept and decorated five foot way - pretty.

Just an interesting nostalgic little wooden shop.

Siniawan is located at the bank of Sarawak Kanan River.
On the opposite side is a village.
Pay the boatman to bring you across - there is no bridge.

Other than that, you can reach Siniawan by road.

Kuching - Bau Road

Every Friday and Saturday night, Siniawan Night Market would be on.
We were there during the day,
so I only managed to snap picture of the advertisement...hehe

Looking forward to explore more of these bazaars in future.

Yearly Event - Tomb Sweeping Day

Its the time of the year again. We celebrate this in early April every year.
This year's Ching Ming Festival or Chingming or Tomb Sweeping Day or Ancestors Day or Cheng Beng falls on the 5th of April. Wow! So many names to it ya.

Anyway, this is the day/time where we visit our ancestors grave sites, sweep, wash, clean, clear (grasses) and offer food, fruits, drinks (tea and wine) and paper money, paper clothing, paper bags, paper shoes, paper jewelries, paper handphone, etc. etc.

Like previous years, we always celebrate it a week earlier to avoid the traffic jam. As usual we came the day before to do the clearing and cleaning. The next day we brought the food and praying materials which will be burnt for the ancestors just before we leave. Here are some pics to give you some ideas of this celebration.

We left early morning around 7:00 am but still got caught in the jam.
Smoke in the background from burning of joss sticks and paper offerings.

Still caught in the jam.
Can't tell the difference between rows of cars and rows of tombs :)

This is our "outing" spot.

Food, fruits, rice, soup, wine, tea, kuih, noodles.
All the favorite of the dear departed. 

This year we decided to bring the boys along.
Their first time and its like a picnic.

Hot hot day!

While waiting for the dear departed to finished their meal.

Panoramic view - about half of the cemetery.
Click to enlarge.

This is at Nirvana Memorial Park, near Bau.
Looks like a park/garden.

Click here for more on Ching Ming.

Religious Parade - Shen Ong Kong (Diety) Birthday Celebration

We took the boys to the dieties' parade in celebration of the Shen Ong Kong's birthday last night.

It was held downtown Kuching, along Jalan Padungan.

This celebration is held every year.

Since there are not many parade in Kuching, this is an opportunity not to be missed especially for the boys.

The parade was a showcase of decorated colourful floats, dragon and lion dances, beautiful princesses/performers, figures of deities on lorries, on four wheel drives, sedan chairs, etc.

Here are some of the photos to show you a part of our culture :)

Excuse the picture quality - taken with handphone camera.

One of the decorated cars

One of the dragons

Lion dance, praying

Opps! Backsides only

This lion is performing on top of the truck

Close up

Happy lion :)

Cute tricycle

Diety on truck

Pretty performers and costumes

From the 'underworld'

From the 'underworld'
Some seems to be under trance and looked very fierce

Devotees and crowd following the parade while we the spectators lined the roadside

Have a great weekend!

Happy Chinese New Year, Year of the Horse 2014

Happy Chinese New Year 2014 to family, friends and loyal readers of this blog of mine.

Thank you for being around and hopefully you would stick around for many many Chinese New Years to come :)

This year, as in previous years, we celebrated moderately consisting mostly the same kind of stuff:

• On the eve, we had the reunion dinner where family members from near and far sit together for the dinner (basically food, food and more food). This year we have Annabel, Kwang and Abby over for the dinner as well (their first after moving back to Kuching). The reunion dinner is considered the biggest event of the Chinese New Year. As such children always make it a point to get "home" for this occasion no matter where they are. Not for me though, as I am considered married into dear hubby's family so I am with hubby and family (ah, complicated tradition ya? Never mind, leave this for some other time).

As usual, my favorite is the one right in the middle - fish maw soup :)
The rest....well I can ignore them.

• Final cleaning of the whole house after the reunion dinner (to sweep away ill old luck and welcome the new good luck). I thought we can rest after the fulfilling dinner but NO, we have to work some more....right till before the clock strike 12:00 am. Can't bring the dirt into the new year.
• Setting off fireworks (to scare off the bad spirit) at the strike of 12:00 am (although others started way earlier, like after dinner).

I am not good at taking fireworks pic.
This is the best pic I took.

• Next day, on the first day of CNY, first thing first, we distributed red packets or Angpows (with $$$) to the parents and the boys and the unmarried family members.

When we were young and single, this is what we looked forward
to every Chinese New Year because we were at the receiving end.
Once we got married (without kid yet), we don't look forward
to this because we will be distributing but not receiving :(
Once we have kids of our own, we don't really mind because
we will be both, giving and receiving...hehe.
Of course they go into the boys' account.
In this case, it is better to have more kids. You will receive more...LOL

• Then we dressed up a bit, preferably in red (pinkish for me this year), ready to receive visiting family and friends and vice-versa.

With Henry.
Looky, my tourmaline necklace.
Very matching my dress ya..<3 love

Ahhhhhhhhhmmmm.......Henry feeding Abby cupcake.
Cute!

• We visited the temples, praying for a prosperous, successful, happy, joyful, healthy, abundance, bountiful, smooth, good luck, peaceful, etc. etc. new year of the horse.

Tua Pek Khong Temple

At the temple with the boys.
How fast they grow.
William is almost as tall as I am.
It was only like yesterday when I held
this little tiny baby in my arms (10 years ago!)

William and Henry excited over the Kois.

Koi Fish symbolizes success and wealth.

• Lion dance performance. They are usually invited to perform privately or at special functions, at different days of the Chinese New Year celebration.

....look at the happy boy on the right hand corner....

That's about it - the happenings around our 2014 Chinese New Year celebration.

The way you celebrate yours might be slightly different from ours.

Feel free to share and comment.

Goodbye 2013, Welcome 2014

A brand new year is just 3 hours away.
Lets welcome it with our best smile.

Wishing you all, readers of this blog a very HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014.
May all your dreams and wishes come true and all resolutions fulfilled and accomplished.
Thank you for visiting over the years, and please continue to do so :).
Your support is very much appreciated.

I am looking forward to a smooth new year filled with more wire jewelry projects.

Beading Community - Borneo International Beads Conference 2013

Well, this is also an overdue post.
The Borneo International Bead Conference took place more than a month ago, from 11-13 October 2013.
I did not take part in the conference but had the chance to visit the bead bazaar set up by both local and overseas beads artisan. There were also hands-on workshop and demonstration organised but I missed that out too due to timing. Maybe next round.
Not many visitors were around when I was there - less than 10 person. Yeah, very quite.
Maybe not many people were aware of it or not maybe people are not interested in beads? Dunno!
Anyway, here are some photos of the interesting beads I managed to capture with my hp camera.

The venue - 1st Floor, Four Points by Sheraton Kuching

Beaded Shoes from Melaka. Very intricate and detail work.

 

Beaded Corsages

Paiwanese Beads from Taiwan, bold and colorful - beautiful.

The Paiwanese is an indigenous group from Taiwan.
Each patterns on the glass beads has different meaning and motifs.
Refer to the handwritten explanation below.

 

One of the local artisan, Ramsay Ong and his beadwork/jewelry.

Ramsay's Creation with local motifs

Ramsay's Creation - Pua Kumbu Beads.
Pua Kumbu is a traditional woven multicolored ceremonial cotton cloth used by the Iban tribe of Sarawak.

Ramsay's Creation.

They are from the Rungus tribe of Sabah.
Love their headgears and traditional clothing.

They are popular and got interviewed by the reporter here :)

This Bakelalan lady brought along some very rare items from the highland of Sarawak - Hill Salt and Beras Bijan (sesame rice, literally translated).

The rice is really tiny. I have never tried this rice before.
Very expensive!

These rings are by a Sri Lankan Jeweler.
I like his work of combining the two different metals - copper and silver.

These necklaces are made from recyclable material including bottle caps.

And here are other beads from our local Sarawak beaders. 

Paper Beads

Close up

Orang Ulu's Beadwork and design

 

Ah! I forgot to put watermark on the pictures.....nevermind.

Have a great week.