LOL: Kuching, Malaysia

THE FIRST 3 DAYS

Thursday, February 3rd - Saturday, February 5th

Welcome to Sarawak (the Malaysian state on Borneo island where Kuching is located)!!

Now, I cannot even begin to explain the surreal feeling of driving around Kuching for the first time. I had spent an entire year researching this place - reading the customs, studying pictures, imagining and planning our lives as expatriates in this city. You might get a slight sense of this feeling when you go on a vacation you've been planning for a while. But this was bigger - did I mention that I'd been waiting ONE WHOLE YEAR for this move?!? :)

So, we finally arrived. My first impression as our plane was landing was similar to that in Singapore or even when we visited Costa Rica - a lush, green, tropical jungle! My impression as we began the taxi drive to our hotel was somewhat different...

There were a lot of small, old, rundown shacks. Buildings that looked like they may have been started being built years ago and then nobody bothered to come back and finish them. Basically, what you would expect to see in a third world country. Strip shopping centers were built up on top of one another, usually three stories high. For the most part, the majority of the writing was in English, which made it easy to tell what everything was.

When we got closer to the center of town, my impression changed yet again! There were newly built, medium sized sky scrapers, ornate buildings, colorful Chinese temples. At the same time, you could turn down a street and still see some of the older, "tired" structures that have been there for years. The best way to describe it would be a city in transition...an old city on it's way to modernization.

Johnnie and I (and all of the other MEMC temporary visitors) stayed in the beautiful Pullman Hotel. I was very impressed!

Here is the Pullman Lobby, decorated for Chinese New Year...

Gong Xi Fa Chai = Happy New Year!

Breakfast at the Pullman Friday morning was AMAZING! I have never been more overwhelmed with choices on a buffet in my life! But when I saw that the day's special was Sarawak Laksa (the local noodle specialty), I ordered one for myself and for Johnnie! Noodles for breakfast is the best idea ever!

Loving my laksa on the Pullman patio...

Friday night, we walked to dinner at James Brooke Cafe with Heather and Eddie (the other MEMC couple living in Kuching - and who are actually going to be living there for the full three years).

Johnnie and me standing at the riverfront (which you can't see) in front of the really cool Parliament building on the other side of the river (that you can't see). :)