Borneo: Sibu and Kuching

The Foochows (also known as Fuzhou) are well known for being loud and astute businesspeople. Oh, did I mention, loud? Growing up in Sibu (my mother's hometown), my maternal grandmother and an aunt would hold conversations with their neighbors from their balcony. This banter may continue for half an hour. Often another neighbor perching on their front door would join in. I recalled a time when I was in an uncle's house 3 doors down from my aunt's and I heard Auntie Doris's conversation on her cellphone word for word.

It was a rare occasion that my mother and her 4 sisters got together in the SAME country at the SAME time. They're dispersed in 3 different countries. I was determined to have them all at a photo shoot knowing that this opportunity would never present itself again. After much coaxing, my oldest aunt finally turned up. Believe it or not, they still look exactly the same after 10 years. Not a single wrinkle in sight.


Lined up according to their age.

Soon after, I set for Kuching to catch up with the rest of my relatives and former classmates. I dragged a couple of friends to explore a Bidayuh (also known as the Land Dayaks) longhouse in Anna Rais about an hour and a half from Kuching.


Longhouse at Anna Rais



Woven straw basket



She was 90 years old at the time and still went out to the fields. Unfortunately, I lost her contact details and never managed to post the photos to her.






Lanterns outside a temple in Kuching



And 10 years on..... in Kuching


Kuih or nyonya (chinese-malay) cakes/pastries. I missed these so much!



Mangosteens



You tiao or oil sticks. And yes, they're oily!



Kolo mee



Tua Pek Kong temple



Tua Pek Kong temple


Food peddler






On the way to India St. Bumped into an old classmate I haven't seen in 20 years. She didn't recognize me and thought that I was a Japanese tourist ??!!



Sleeping on the job



Traditional medicine shop


My parents with L. Mom who's turning 60 soon hasn't aged one bit!