Showing posts with label Offwire Rambles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Offwire Rambles. Show all posts

Monday, August 21, 2017

Rainbows

Isn't this beautiful?
Happy Monday.

This one appeared after rain in our area last Saturday.
Rainbow across the road from WireBliss

This view greeted us on our way out for dinner later the same day.
Sunset in Kuching last Saturday

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Offwire - Potato Roses

Today's post is about food.
Ya, I rarely post about food.
However, I must post this because it is one of the easiest to prepare and the boys love them.
So, here is my potato roses.
Potato roses ready for baking in the oven
There are many recipes available online if you google for it.
This one here is from my Pinterest collection - Potato Roses at Pinterest
Potato roses out of the oven

Pretty potato roses ready for the stomach
This one here was back in December last year.
They love having them with creamed corn.
Potato Rose and cream corn on the plate

If potato roses isn't your thing, you can always check out my other roses' related thingy - wire jewelry tutorials:

Have a Rosy Sunday.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sarawak Craft Festival and Sarawak Regatta 2015

This took place last month, 18-27 Sept 2015 in conjunction with the Kuching Waterfront Festival.

This year, the handicraft booths was extra long. There were more than 300 booths selling all sorts of unique handicraft, mostly local Sarawak handicraft.
Sarawak Craft Festival @ WireBliss

▼ Entrance to the long stretch of handicraft booths.
At the entrance to Sarawak Craft Festival 2015 (SCF)

▼ Lots of handcrafted native beads - a feast for the eyes.
Various handmade Beads at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015 @ WireBliss

▼Woven dresses, skirts, purse, silverwork, vests, hats from the highland tribe.
Woven work of the Kelabits at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015 @ WireBliss

Various handmade Beads at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015 @ WireBliss

▼ I love the work of this artist. Its traditional and modern at the same time. The colors are very attractive.
Various handmade Items at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015 @ WireBliss

▼ The native of Sarawak are well known for their woven craft.
These items here are made from natural material such as wood bark, leaves, bamboo and rattan.
Woven handicraft from natural material

▼These are handicraft by the Iban ethnic group.
The Ibans are well known for their woven blanket known as 'pua kumbu’ as well as baskets, backpack, mats and silver accessories.
Various woven textile at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015

▼Woodwork - bird cage and drum making.
Bird cage and drums at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015

▼This lady is not from northern Thailand or Myanmar. She is from the Bidayuh tribe and you can only find ladies like her in one village in the whole of Sarawak. Semban is a village in the Borneo Highland but villagers were recently relocated/resettled to a new area to give way for development.
She wears her copper rings around her forearms and calves (Luyang and Lasong), but none around the neck. Rare and unique tradition indeed. However, this tradition is dying as the younger generation no longer wear these rings.

A Bidayuh woman wears her copper rings around her forearms and calves (Luyang and Lasong)

▼I was very tempted to get one of this carved wooden lamps. Very cute and fine craftmanship.
Carved wooden table lamps at Sarawak Craft Festival 2015

▼Batik painting - the three of us took turns to finish this piece of Batik painting. Nice?
Henry holding his batik painting at SCF 2015

▼The Sarawak Regatta at Kuching Waterfront.
The DUN (Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building) is at the background.
Sarawak Regatta at Kuching Waterfront with the DUN (Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building) in the background


Monday, January 26, 2015

Embroidery by the Miao People - Video by Fiona

I have been following this blog, Life on Nanchang Lu by Fiona for a while.
Love her travel photography on life in China especially on food, glorious food :), people, places and culture.
Today she has a video on Embroidery by the Miao People of Guizhou.
As you know, I love embroidery - though I have not done any for a long long time.
Anyway, I enjoyed the video very much and I hope you too.

Monday, September 08, 2014

Mid Autumn Festival - Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival

Don't know what happened to the earlier pics, so I am reupload them again - 16 Nov 14

Ah...so many names for a festival.
As in previous years, we lighted several lanterns as part of the Mid Autumn Festival celebration.
For those of you who would like to know more about this festival, here is an article on the 3,500 year old tradition - click on this link 3,500 year tradition of the Mid Autumn Festival.

Here's the paper lantern we lighted and released this evening.

Lighting the Mid Autumn Lantern 2014

Lighting the Mid Autumn Lantern 2014

Releasing the Mid Autum Lantern

Lantern floating further up

Lantern floating up further and further

Lantern floating higher up

▼ Henry with his traditional paper lantern...recycled from last year.
Henry with is Mid Autum Lantern

Wishing all my readers and visitors a very Happy Mooncake Festival ♡シ

Monday, August 25, 2014

When Night Falls at Siniawan Bazaar

Remember my posting about Siniawan Bazaar back in June? - click the link.
At that time, we were there during the day and most shops were closed and hardly anyone was around.

We went back one July evening and look what this sleepy bazaar transform into at night.

▼We arrived around 5.50pm but parking at the back of this row of shophouses were already almost full. We walked along the stretch of road full of tables and chairs. Some were occupied with customers while some were still setting up.
Early evening at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼About half an hour later, the same spot (note the table cloth) were full of diners. So fast! We haven't even decided what to eat.
Siniawan Bazaar Night Market - full of people

▼This is the other end of the street. Full of people as well.
Siniawan Bazaar Night Market at the other end

▼From the look at it, this is a newly extended area, located further down the road, opposite the temple. However, most of the stalls here are similar to those found "up there"... should be the same owners as well. Business must be very good.
Siniawan Bazaar Night Market near the Temple

▼Still rather empty while the sun was setting.
Empty tables at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼There were lots of food to choose from....in fact too many to decide which one is for dinner.
BBQ Pork and Chicken Stall at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼Erm, how about sausages?
Sausage Stall at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼Chicken Rice! More sausages?
Chicken Rice Stall at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼Korean fried chicken that looked similar to our family fried chicken...hehe..just kidding. Must be the sauce.
Korean Fried Chicken Stall at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼The boys were salivating over this. Why do they like cotton candy so much? They skipped this as they were only given enough $ for dinner....mean parents! hehe
Cotton Candy Stall at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼Sticky rice in Pitcher Plant. Very tempted to get this but there were more to check out before deciding. Skipped.
Sticky Rice in Pitcher Plant at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼ Some kind of traditional "kueh" in very bright colors. Love the colors but I skipped them too.
Traditional Kuehs at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼More colorful "kueh" here.
More traditional kuehs at Siniawan Bazaar Night Market

▼The que for this stall was long and it's for some kind of fried chicken wings...again...lots of fried stuff...skipped this too as I don't want to que.
Siniawan Bazaar Night Market - queing for food!

In the end I decided on "pan mee" (handmade noodle soup) which was not so great.....too spicy....pepper spiciness which I am not so fond of but still finished the whole bowl.
On the way out, I grabbed a packet of "long bean rice" which only cost me RM2.
Much better than the noodle. Satisfied!

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Bako National Park, Kuching - Part 2

The highlight of the trip was the Jungle Trekking. We picked Jalan Lintang (Lintang Trail), a 5.8 km trail that took us about 4 hours to complete.

Basically it is a loop trail going up Bukit Tambi, located behind the Park HQ.
It is the best trail to see most of the vegetation types found at Bako NP.
Not forgetting the rare Proboscis Monkeys which is endemic to Borneo.

Lintang Trail
Start of Trekking Lintang Trail - WireBliss
▲The start of Lintang Trail, climbing all the way for about 1 hour plus.
Wooden walkway and steps along the way.
Lintang Trail @ Bako NP - WireBliss
▲We encountered lots of root steps like the above picture and several large rocks.
Lintang Trail @ Bako NP - WireBliss
▲Almost at the summit, the beginning of flatter climb.
The Park HQ is down there somewhere. 
Lintang Trail @ Bako NP - Almost at the summit, the beginning of flatter climb
▲No worry about getting lost.
Signboards, resting place and maps are strategically located along the way.
Lintang Trail Heath Forest @ Bako NP - WireBliss
▲The Heath Forest of Bako National Park. Dry and rocky area.
Lintang Trail Heath Forest @ Bako NP - Heath Forest section
▲Root steps of the Heath Forest.
Lintang Trail Heath Forest @ Bako NP - Heath Forest Section
▲Some sections are sandy and relatively flat. William can't wait to be back at the HQ.
Lintang Trail Mangrove Forest @ Bako NP - WireBliss
▲The mangrove forest. We spotted a group of Proboscis Monkey here.
Lintang Trail Mangrove Forest @ Bako NP - WireBliss
▲Ahhh... so tired!!
Lintang Trail Mangrove Forest @ Bako NP - WireBliss
▲Finally we reached the coast just as the sun was setting.
Bako National Park - Sunset - WireBliss
▲Beautiful view of sunset and dead mangrove trees (eerie ya).

Animals of Bako National Park
There are more but these are the animals and plants that we got to see during the trip.
Bako National Park - Proboscis Monkey - WireBliss
▲The Proboscis Monkeys are endemic to Borneo. 
Mangrove forest is their natural habitat and we were lucky to see some near the jetty.
Sorry no front view of the famous nose. Only the back side.
Bako National Park - Bornean Bearded Pigs - WireBliss
▲The Bornean Bearded Pig is a common sight around the Park HQ as well as Forest Lodges.
Looking for food all the time and not scared of human at all. I think they can be the mascot for Bako NP.
Bako National Park - Monkey
▲During the day, we were to keep all windows and doors closed to keep this monkey away.
In the morning while we were having breakfast, they were all around us, "asking for food".
Suggestion to the Park management - install grill on windows, so windows can be left open to let the fresh forest air in. Otherwise, its very stuffy with all windows closed.
Bako National Park - Beetle - WireBliss
▲The boys found this beetle early the next morning but lost it to a hungry monkey.
Bako National Park - Beetle - WireBliss

Bako National Park - insects - WireBliss
▲Some kind of caterpillar and dragon fly.
 Sea creature of Bako National Park
▲A little purple hermit crab.

Plants of Bako National Park

Bako National Park - Moss - WireBliss
 ▲Moss found at the lower and wetter part of the forest.
Bako National Park - Heath Forest - WireBliss
 ▲Heath forest on top of the hill.
Bako National Park -Mangrove Forest - WireBliss
Bako National Park - Mangrove - WireBliss
▲Mangrove forest...wet and dense...habitat for the Proboscis Monkeys.
Bako National Park - Pitcher Plant - WireBliss
▲Lots of pitcher plants, mostly at the Heath Forest. Some almost as big as the 1L mineral water bottle. Others are tiny and cute.
Bako National Park - Red Cherry - WireBliss
▲Some kind of berry.

Rock Formation
We encountered these rock formation at the top of the hill.
Mostly circular shaped.
Not sure if they are naturally formed or otherwise.
Bako National Park - Rock Formation - WireBliss

Bako National Park - rock formation william - WireBliss
Bye Bako NP.
See you again.....in the next few years.