Around Kuching Day 1

A full day of walking allowed us to cover this relatively compact and walkable town. Just make sure you still stop and gawk. Pavement irregularities, holes, ditches, slippery tiles when wet are all hazards. A local looked at us and advised "today is very hot, be careful". This was after crossing the Sarawak river over the striking pedestrian bridge and up stairs to get to "Fort Margherita". The history of this city is quite unique in that a British adventurer, James Brooke set sail on a personal mission to experience an exotic land. He found himself being asked by the Sultan of Brunei to help quell an uprising. For this, he was given Sarawak to govern as the "White Rajah". Quite a task and story came from this adventure.... the Brookes family rule independent of Britain extended through four generations until the Japanese occupied it during WWII. In the aftermath of WWII, the last Brooke felt it in the best interest of the country/people to cede to Britain; but there was an anti cessation movement that ended up in the assassination of Britain's first governor. We wondered whether the Brookes family fund was painting an unusually favorable picture of these "colonialists". We were to find out tomorrow that in fact history has supported that this unique family governed with respect for indigenous ways while bringing about change towards a "civilized" society such as banning the head hunting. Britain ruled until the country of Malaya was proclaimed in 1963. Therefore there is this interesting British architecture and history that permeates the city. Similarly to the rest of Malaysia, the population is made up of the indigenous people along with Malay, South Asians and Chinese. Kuching, like KL and Penang, has a definite Islamic feel; hijabs, "no pork" signs, and no alcohol is served in most restaurants. The grocery store across from the hotel did have some beer and alcohol in a small fridge marked "Non Halal" tucked away in a corner.Read more