<b>Kuching</b> is the Chiang Mai of Borneo - - Traveling Ted |
| <b>Kuching</b> is the Chiang Mai of Borneo - - Traveling Ted Posted: 12 Jan 2014 03:38 PM PST  One of the many cat statues in Kuching The biggest surprise of my recent trip to Southeast Asia was how beautiful and pleasant Kuching in Sarawak, Borneo is. I came to Borneo for the jungles and the wildlife; I did not think I would find a city that I connected to in such a positive way. In fact, Kuching reminded me of the Thai travel Mecca of Chiang Mai without the hordes of foreign tourists. I had not even heard of this town before I started researching for Borneo. Now, I can't wait to return and explore Sarawak even more.  The beautiful Kuching waterfront along the Sarawak River For those unfamiliar with Borneo, the island consists of two Malaysian states: Sarawak and Sabah, the Kingdom of Brunei, which is its own country, and the rest of the island is Indonesia. Kuching is the capital and largest city in Sarawak. The population of Kuching is roughly 600,000 people. Chiang Mai is possibly the capital of backpacking adventure travelers in Southeast Asia. The reason for its appeal is its pleasant vibe, friendly people, and gateway to many interesting trekking and tours. Chiang Mai is famous for its hilltribe tours where you can ride elephants, hike, ride bamboo rafts, see waterfalls, and then stay in remote hilltribe villages at night.  The obligatory elephant ride tour in Chiang Mai The characteristics that make Chiang Mai so awesome can also be found in Kuching. In fact, I think Kuching has more to offer in this realm. Kuching is also a smaller city like Chiang Mai with an equally laid back ambiance and just as safe as Chiang Mai. In my limited time in Kuching, I found the people just as friendly and welcoming as Chiang Mai.  Friendly Kuching residents want a picture with the tourist The trekking opportunities in Chiang Mai are a little overblown in my opinion. They are fun, and I would do them again, but they do not compare to other world class outdoor adventure locations. The scenery outside Chiang Mai is hilly and more like Missouri or Arkansas in the U.S. Doi Inthanon, located a little farther outside Chiang Mai is a different story as it is more forested with the highest mountain in Thailand.  Typical scenery outside Chiang Mai – Pretty but not overwhelming Kuching is also a gateway to incredible trekking opportunities. You can see semi-wild orangutans in Semiggoh Wildlife Reserve, you can see the giant rafflesia flower in Gunung Gading National Park, and you can see wild proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park. For those that like the hilltribe experience, you can have a similar tour by visiting a Borneo longhouse.  You will not see anything like the proboscis monkey in Chiang Mai The temples in Chiang Mai might be a little prettier than anything you will find in Kuching, but other than that, the city of Kuching is just as scenic as Chiang Mai itself. Kuching means cat, so if you are a cat lover you will love the plethora of cat statues found in the city. Kuching has more natural beauty with huge trees right in the middle of town in a couple of city parks. Kuching is also found along the Sarawak River and another highlight of the city is a picturesque stretch found along the river front.  Beautiful trees in downtown Kuching park On the food front I have to give Chiang Mai the nod, but not by much. Thai food with its amazing flavors edges out a lot of international cuisines, but Kuching and Sarawak stands up well. Since Kuching is not far from the jungles, fresh tropical fruit was everywhere. I loved having laksa, a spicy tasty soup, and since the city and state is surrounded by water, fresh seafood is another specialty.  Delicious spicy laksa soup with prawns shows Sarawak is not too shabby on the cuisine front The intention of this post is not a battle of two cities to see which one is better. It is only to state that Kuching has many of the positive aspects that make Chiang Mai such an international backpacking destination without the number of tourists. I recommend you put Kuching on your agenda for your next Southeast Asia trip. Over the next couple of weeks I will be featuring the adventure travel activities found in and around Kuching, so be sure to check them out. Disclaimer: I was a guest of Planet Borneo Tours during my stay in Kuching. The comparison to Chiang Mai was my own observation and my opinion of the city was not swayed by their hospitality. I highly recommend them for tours and for a great place to stay while in Kuching. TT The goal of Traveling Ted is to inspire people to outdoor adventure travel and then provide tips on where and how to go. If you liked this post then enter your email in the box to get email notifications for each new entry. Daily travel photos are excluded from your email in order to not flood you with posts. There is no spam and email information will not be shared. Other e-follow options include Facebook (click on the like box to the right) or twitter (click on the pretty bird on the rainbow above). On the right sidebar is a donate button. If you would like to donate in order to support the site, it would be appreciated. All donations would cover travel expenses and improvements to make the site better. About Ted NelsonTed Nelson has been adventure traveling since he was 10 years old on camping trips with his Dad to places like the Great Smoky Mountains, The Everglades, and Big Bend National Park. In 2005 he added international travel to his repertoire with a three month trip to Southeast Asia. |
| <b>KUCHING</b>, Malaysia: Jais raid is treason, Najib - VirtueOnline - News Posted: 10 Jan 2014 02:20 PM PST KUCHING, Malaysia: Jais raid is treason, Najib By William Mangor
The latest raid on the Bible Society Malaysia (BSM) and seizure of Al-Kitabs meant for Borneo has raised questions over Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's actual powers and authority. Holding to the 10-point solution promise by Najib to Borneo Christians back in April 2011 and reiterated following the contentious Court of Appeal ruling on the Allah term, Southeast Asia's Anglican Archbishop Bolly Lapok said Thursday's raid by the Selangor Religious Department (Jais) was "treason". He said Jais had shown no respect for Najib's 10-point solution assurance to Christians in Borneo and the federal constitution. "If an action assumes such arrogance that violates the Federal Constitution and pays total disregard to the Prime Minister, is it not treason? "The word 'Allah' is poisoning our fledging inter-religious harmony and fracturing the fabric of our plural society," he said. In April 2011 the Federal Cabinet issued a 10-point solution to address the Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia Bible and other related issues. The document was signed by Najib and was accepted by Borneo Christians as the stamp of authority. Najib further reiterated assurances that the contentious Oct 14 Court of Appeal ruling on the Herald 's use of the Allah term in its Malay publications had no bearing on Christians in Borneo. The Court of Appeal decision over-ruled a December 2009 verdict favouring The Herald. The decision saw raging anti-Christian sentiments including arson against churches in the early days of January 2010. Najib's reassurances post Oct 14 ruling came against widely held views that the "flawed" ruling would not only apply to the contents of the Herald but that Muslim religious authorities "would use the Herald judgment to extend their insidious and strangling tentacles over other aspects of Christian and non- Muslim practices." The Jan 2 raid by Jais appears to have confirmed these fears. Said Lapok: "How Jais had the audacity to do what it did to Bible Society Malaysia which resulted in the arrest of its two officials, seizure of 320 copies of Al-Kitab and 10 copies of 'Bup Kudus' is baffling?" "Islamic authorities do not have the authority in law to enter the premises of non- Muslim religious establishments for inspection, search, or raid. "Respect, honour and abide by the religious freedom that are guaranteed under Federal Constitution and which was agreed to when Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaya to form Malaysia Federation in 1963." Reprimand Jais Meanwhile Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian, who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman has called for action against Jais. "If Jais is allowed to escape any consequence for this illegal and brutal action, it will embolden other Islamic authorities to embark similar fanatical orgies of Christian harassment and persecution. "This raid and seizure was a clear breach of the 10-point solution that the PM promised." "What excuse are they going to offer us this time? The Bibles seized, including the Iban Bibles, confirmed to the requirements set out in the point signed by Najib himself. "What justification was there for the raid?" he asked. Baru also expessed his concern about the planned demonstrations tomorrow by Umno Selangor and Muslim groups in the peninsular. "The demo are potentially dangerous and explosive. As Prime Minister, Najib must not allow groups of extremists to harass people who will be performing their religious obligations, as they are entitled under Federal Constitution," he said. END |
"If Jais is allowed to escape any consequence for this illegal action, it will embolden other Islamic authorities to embark similar fanatical orgies of Christian harassment and persecution," said assemblyman Baru Bian| You are subscribed to email updates from kuching - Google Blog Search To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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