Kuching Day 2

Fireworks continued into the early hours of today, Sunday, in the daylight the streets are littered with procession debris uncannily reminiscent of Lewes on November 6th!
As far as we can work out this annual event is in honour of the dedication of the Hiang Thian Siang Temple; where a plaque detailing the anniversary states ‘crowds will be rewarded with a skilful display of talents by lion and dragon dance troups amidst the thunderous beatings of gongs and drums whilst pretty maidens, singers and dancers in colourful costumes perform on beautifully decorated floats’. Exactly!

one of many floats in the colourful procession

Luckily for them and us last night was dry and clear as today was overcast/stormy…rain to me is still a delightful treat but as it came down in buckets whilst we were exploring the Sunday market this morning everyone else retreated hastily undercover. Being British, Paul and I continued to walk undeterred along the deserted city streets. Alas the distance from the market site to the hotel was considerably further than we had realised….after an hour with the post rain sun beating down on us I decided enough was enough, only then to discover this is not a city where you can ‘hail’ a taxi. Um…problem.

Coming upon a hall where local children were attending a martial arts club and parents sitting outside chatting, we ventured to ask for a solution to our dilemma, only to be offered a lift immediately by a kind ‘dad’-these people are so wonderfully friendly!! We offered to pay but he insisted it was no trouble-apparently the lack of public/private transport is a well known problem for tourists as everyone here drives.

Recovering by the pool in the spasmodic rain was a pleasure-sunbathing in the clouds bizarrely fun-and by the late afternoon the sky cleared and we walked-slowly-down to the waterfront to join the Sunday promenades….tomorrow we leave for Bako national park, taking only the basics and storing our bags/possessions with this hotel for safekeeping; report will follow in due course assuming we and the bags are safely reunited in a few days time!!