Ferry trip to start our day
We took a RM 1 each (30 cents) ferry boat across the river and walked up the hill to the Fort Margherita Museum. The fort was constructed by Charles Brooke the Rajah (ruler) of Sarawak. Also know as the White Raja. Charles was born the UK. He was the beginning of a dynasty that ruled Sarawak. The museum was interesting and from the top of the fort we had some good views across the river.
From there we walked back to the ferry boat and went back across the river. Our admission from the Fort also included admission to the Ranee Museum. The Ranee Museum is located in the Old Court House. It was a short walk from the ferry and our hotel. The museum centres on the life, legend and legacy of Margaret de Windt, wife of the second Rajah Brooke, who became the queen of Sarawak at the age of 19. It wasn’t a huge museum but was well laid out and was very interesting to learn about the Brooke family and their legacy. There was a restaurant in another wing of the Old Courthouse.
Sarawak became one of the states of Malaysia in 1963, marking the beginning of a new chapter of development and progress. Over the past 60 years, the state has made significant strides in various sectors, especially in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and tourism. The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) initiative has attracted investments and contributed to the development of industries such as agriculture, aquaculture, and renewable energy. Sarawak’s cultural diversity has also been embraced, and the state has become a popular tourist destination with its natural wonders, indigenous cultures, and festivals. Moving forward, Sarawak has set its sights on becoming a high-income state by 2030 through its Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy and the continuation of infrastructure development. The state’s rich biodiversity and cultural heritage will also continue to be preserved and promoted for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.
After touring the Ranee Museum we stopped at the adjoining building’s restaurant. We sat outdoors and had a cold orange and dragonfruit soda and shared a slice of olive oil chocolate cake. The cake was tasty although a bit rich, the soda was delicious. From there we hiked farther up the hill to the Borneo Cultural Museum. It is a huge and impressive building. However, while some of the displays and artifacts were interesting the lighting was so low that you could barely read the information! By the time we were done we both felt like we had headaches from straining to see and slightly dizzy from peering down trying to read. The information plaques were too low and poorly lit. Maybe more suitable for school children, which we saw an abundance of. Some wearing masks, some not. While there was some really interesting items we both felt we got more out of the other museums.
We stopped along a market street and checked things out. We made our way back to the hotel and picked up a couple of T-shirts for Gary. We also saw a display for school uniforms.
On the walk back to our hotel we found a small convenience store that had canned beer so we picked up a couple of those. Supper was back at The Top Spot. Gary had butter grilled prawns 30 RM, Linda had black pepper chicken 20 RM, we shared a small rice and mixed vegetable again. The meal was excellent. RM 71 was $20.60 CAD for supper. We did share a large Tiger beer for RM19 $5.50 CAD. The large bottle is about 640 m
One interesting fact. When Linda worked at SaskEnergy (a long long time ago) a couple of the service technicians made a business trip (also a long long time ago) to Kuching and Miri, Sarawak. They were representing SaskEnergy International. Nobody but those two guys knew what a great place they got to visit! Kuching is a beautiful and clean city. You won’t find litter anywhere!
On our last day in Kuching we went for a walk in the morning and checked out the business area back of the hotel. During our hot sweaty walk we did find a massage place. We spent some time cooling off in the hotel and then hiked back to the massage place about 3:30. Our massages were unbelievable. The women were so strong and they attacked all the knots! We staggered back to the hotel and then headed down the waterfront to the James Brookes Bistro. We both ended up having the Green Curry with Chicken – it was amazing. We both love green curry and this certainly didn’t disappoint. While at the restaurant we met a young couple who are just launching their YouTube channel. Think we are subscriber #6. He is from Malaysia and she is from the UK but they live in Australia.
Saturday, Oct. 28, we had our breakfast, packed up and checked out. We caught a Grab to the airport. The Air Asia flight to Miri was pleasantly on-time and in fact, we landed 20 minutes ahead of schedule. A nice change from our delayed flight earlier in the week.