Jessica Wandering

Photos and thoughts on my travels

  • Melbourne part 2 – Phillip Island, Melbourne Museum, Werribee Park

    Phillip Island is a beautiful drive and they are doing a good job preserving it in the last couple decades (more in this later). The wildlife park is mostly free roaming animals.
    Koalas are in an open air area with some choices of where to be but not able to climb out. They don’t seem very inclined to go anywhere during the day anyway.
    This guy actually was on the move a bit, which is weird with them being nocturnal, and sleeping 20 hours per day, and pretty inactive overall.
    But then he settled in to rest again. Eucalyptus leaves are toxic to most and they have evolved to eat them exclusively, which is cool, but it doesn’t give them any spare energy for cavorting or anything.
    I did not like how many birds they had caged. This was not on the advertising materials. But this guy comes up later in our travels, so here he is: the tawny frogmouth.
    Lace monitors
    The kangaroos had a truly huge area to be.
    And do kangaroo things like roll or dig themselves cooling holes.
    They even had an auxiliary field to be in through a few trees from the main one. We checked it out and found a Joey in a pouch, but it was pretty clear these guys wanted to be alone so we didn’t stay long.
    There are also emus in the same field.
    Ok I didn’t realize that you feed the kangaroos here. Mixed feelings on ethics of this, but they do certainly have a lovely large area to be.
    And you do get this view of a roo that is at least 5 feet tall when standing up. Also, I hadn’t really noticed how their eyebrows stick out and shade their eyes until now.
    Red rock beach.
    And then around sunset, you go to….
    The Penguin Parade!!!! They gather in groups out in the breakers to come ashore together to have less risk from sea eagles and gulls or other predators.
    I swear, the main thing I remember (besides it being really neat) from twenty years ago was how cold I was. I literally had to buy a penguin parade jacket for way too much money because it was cold and windy and summer and I was unprepared. This time I brought a big blanket!
    I had forgotten, that because they have had trouble with flashes, all camera use is banned. But now they at least give you access to their amazing quality photos. So none of these are mine, but at least they aren’t gauging me like I thought they were then. The ranger actually talked about allowing ourselves to put down the phones and really be in the moment experiencing the penguins rather than capturing the best photo. So refreshing to be reminded of this.
    It is so amazing to see and see these little guys waddling around and climbing the steep sandy hills. And they make such cute noises to find each other. The boardwalks let you get so close to them and it is magic to watch.
    The top feathers are dark blue so aerial predators can’t see them at sea. And the onesie is white so predators below can’t see them against the light of the sky.
    In the 1980’s they assessed that they had lost 9 out of 10 colonies on the island and they were about to lose the last to development. And the government actually bought back houses off the owners all along this part of coastline to save this colony! The Nature Park now manages 20% of Philip island’s area; removing foxes, revegetation, and removing roads and houses. And the numbers of penguins have gone from 12,000 in the mid 1980’s to 40,000 now.
    They have built a new building and it is so well done. I’m more than happy to support such an amazing organization.
    More Widget time. Zarah really has a way with the animals.
    On our way to the Melbourne Museum for the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Center.
    Yep…”sometimes we choose wrong.”
    Super well done big museum confronting a very difficult past and current relationship between colonizers and colonized. Clearly many voices are represented and colonizers taking a backseat.
    It is fascinating the similar and different paths our countries have taken with the original people on the land. Systematically killing and denying of access to lands/country important to them for time immemorial they have in common.
    Australia has had a reconciliation study with documentation of abuses and effects of child removal policies, a public apology read by the prime minister for the lost generations, and an annual national sorry day to reflect on the ills done. However, they STILL have never given any sovereignty or self governance to Aboriginal people. There is no treaty or recognized entity, like any one of the Native American Nations or any group of them, that is able to negotiate with the Australian government.
    And there are staggering numbers incarcerated. Aboriginal Australians are fully 33% of the prison population in Australia while they are 3.8% of the population as a whole. Even the US, where 37% of prisoners are African American, they are 13% of the population as a whole. Australia is actually worse. All of the above is from my rabbit hole of basic Google research so take it or leave it. But I find the parallels intriguing and if you want more I’ll send you my notes.
    They had a great exhibit on Aboriginal Australian fashion design and this was my favorite even though it was inspired by the 2020 bushfires.
    They had a garden with a long path with native Australian plants and their original uses as well. And a pond with eels as they were important food for people in the future Australian state of Victoria.

    More later on Melbourne.

  • Balitrees, the best Yoga retreat!

    I am finding myself getting farther and farther behind with my blog and it is making it harder because I don’t remember as well and I’m less motivated as I am less connected to those times. I and going to publish nearly empty posts for the places I am behind on. Then I’m going to pick up in the more recent times and continue. I am hopeful I will get back to the missing ones sooner with less pressure on myself.

    This is Balitrees, nestled in the rice paddies in a farming village that was finding it hard to keep the farms going and keep the kids with something to stay home for.
    So a few years ago go the community came together and talked about how to gently open up to tourists to bring money without destroying what they loved about their area.
    And they decided a yoga retreat was the way to do that.
    View from my mat waiting for my first class. They employ only Balinese teachers, both yoga and meditation.
    And they have a pool and a massage studio to the right. Also local massage practitioners.
    An evening walk to learn about growing rice. This man is also the van driver for our other excursions.
    To waterfalls
    The van or “jungle bus”
    Antics on the bus as everyone takes pictures or different things. Women from Britain, France, Spain and Australia/Ukraine.
    Meals provided. The cook is a young guy from this town.
    In fact we got a cooking lesson too.
    And Zarah learned how to make the twice daily offerings. These things are everywhere in Bali, you try not to step on them or otherwise mess them up, at least until the incense has finished burning.
    And take scary steep walks to…
    Other gorgeous waterfalls
    With a swing!
    And we did yoga twice a day
    And we did “dirty yoga” on the beach.
    And had coconut water after
    And had a sound healing from one of our yoga teachers.
    And got dressed up special .
    To meet and ask a question and be blessed by the local shaman.
    I highly recommend this retreat. I want to go again. So peaceful, yet joyful.
    And the people

  • Bali -Canggu and surfing

    We arrived on a beautiful moonlit night to our first lodging in Bali. It was magical.
    And in the morning found our breakfast spot for the next three days.
    They are not joking when they say Bali has some of the best food. Just so many details and little things to make it taste more flavorful.
    And then we tried to learn to surf. They give you a softer and bigger board to learn on. But it is still hard, especially if it rains.
    But my wife is impressive! She just has this innate balance ability that is so developed.
    I did get up for a few seconds a few times this day, but it wasn’t caught on film. I had a funny conversation with my instructor as it was thundering … he kept asking if I had been hurt in the past and if the hurt was still in me. I finally figured out he was asking if I had any metal in my body from an ORIF. He was concerned that being hit by lightning with that would be the only real danger of surfing in a thunderstorm.
    But Zarah just kept excelling.
    Zarah and her teacher. And the kites flying overhead the colors representing Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and both a hobby and a traditional prayer for good harvest.
    I can’t believe my neck made it through 3 days of this in a row. Despite my impression of Michael Jackson here, I was working very hard for little reward.
    But it was fun and three days was a max. My low ribs were bruised (feeling) from pushing into the board with my head and shoulders up trying to paddle out. And my neck was totally done with holding that position too. Zarah, meanwhile started looking up all the beaches where you can surf in Washington State….

  • Australia! First stop Melbourne

    I promised myself I’d be back soon when I was here 20 years ago. I finally made it! I certainly hope I never let so much time pass again. This is such a magical place!

    Our very first day out at a little park called Mullum Mullum Creek we ran into a small mob (like herd, but cuter) of kangaroos just hanging out.
    They tend to spend their days pretty casually.
    Our first kookaburra, this does not capture how big they are.
    Australia is much more expensive to travel than SE Asia. So I am quite pleased with myself and the modern world! I was looking at a blog on budget travel and found the “Trusted Housesitters” App where you can volunteer to watch someone’s animal in exchange for free lodging. This is Widget.
    She lives in what is arguably the best neighborhood in all of Melbourne. Very near several thrift shops for us to buy some warmer clothes.
    Day two was the small Organ Pipes National Park
    With our first sighting of the “superb fairy wren”. They are really cute and not very shy of strangers. And they are kind everywhere with their blue little heads and tails.
    Eucalyptus trees are not only beautiful, but have a variety of smells. These were quite like black pepper.
    And rainbow lorikeets just happen to be one of the most common birds.
    And like Singapore, and so unlike the US, they care about families, mental health and caregivers. This is entering a grocery store.
    And foods… this is a mint chocolate chip meringue… 1/2 the size of my head! I always like mint chocolate chip, but somehow I’ve just been a bit obsessed since our trip started. It was probably that amazing gelato place in Japan…
    Next day a more “real hike” in Cathedral Ranges State Park. Have I mentioned that no national or state parks have entry fees here? And people hate taxes in the US, so misguided.
    Unexpectedly, we had a Lyre bird sing for us! I remember being a bit obsessed with finding one when I was here before, and I didn’t.
    And our first wallaby.
    Their rainforests have tree ferns. yes they have rainforests, Washington is not alone as we have been led to believe. They exist in Chile,Australia and New Zealand as well as California and Alaska.
    My friend who lives in Brisbane is a geologist and called Australia “geologically challenged” when referring to “mountains” here.
    But we got a nice hike with a view and some craggy bits, so we were happy.
    And trees

    And Roos in the sunset.

    More Melbourne to come.

  • East Java – Banyuwangi and Mt Ijen

    I am finding myself getting farther and farther behind with my blog and it is making it harder because I don’t remember as well and I’m less motivated as I am less connected to those times. I and going to publish nearly empty posts for the places I am behind on. Then I’m going to pick up in the more recent times and continue. I am hopeful I will get back to the missing ones sooner with less pressure on myself.

    Sunset yoga
    Sunset
    Mt Ijen
    Blue fire

  • Kota Belud and Kota Kinabalu- last stops in Borneo

    BigFin Beach resort walkway down to the ocean from dining area
    From the porch in our cabin. No air conditioning here. But it is so beautiful it’s worth not sleeping well.
    Snorkel first then remember how to SCUBA.

    I was so excited to dive again. Looking forward to it. Reviewing the basics and got in the water. And…actually had a panic attack when put my head in the water! So weird. A purely lizard brain response, and a logical one. But quite inconvenient. I’m bummed I can’t remember the name of the woman instructor who stayed and breathed with me and went up early with me because I ran out of air. I’m proud of myself for getting past it and diving. I even had self compassion during! I think if I’d allowed myself to mostly be frustrated with myself it wouldn’t have worked and I’d have had to abort. And not see all the neat fish!
    Downsides of this place were no air conditioning so hard to sleep and …
    sand flies. You barely feel them biting as you lie in your hammock on the beach.

    Finally a bug I don’t over react to!
    But Zarah did. 83 bites swollen painful and itchy for days. I’m so impressed she didn’t scratch and just breathed through it.
    This place had so much heart. The staff was so kind and like a family. They had kareoke and let us all join in. So much fun.
    Staff playing volleyball.
    2nd-4th dives no panic, just a little concern but manageable. We dove in a current and were able to just watch the world go by with less effort. And the guys gave me an overfilled tank so I could stay down longer.
    Hard to leave such a sweet place, but looking forward to being cooler.
    And catching up on some sleep.
    Zarah rocking the snake swim suit going snorkeling in Kota Kinabalu. We are so pale, we just have to cover to avoid burning.
    If you zoom in you can see the floating village.
    We had a good feeling in Kota Kinabalu. This was a great Korean restaurant with a camping theme just a block from our hotel.
    People just seemed lighter there than Kuching and Sandankan.

    There was a great coffee/lunch place with a Kiwi expat server that chatted a while every time we went in. There was pretty good snorkeling you can take a boat to for cheap. But ask about the tides, they took us to an island that we basically couldn’t snorkel in the afternoon with the tide low. But they don’t tell you that buying the tickets. But knowing that I’d love to go back.

  • Kinabetangan River

    So you take a van and then boat for over an hour to get to the resort on the river.
    Then they take you on an evening cruise to see monitors
    And see an orangutan in the wild !
    And pigtail macaques, the guide said long tails are tricksters, but pigtails are gangsters. They are way strong and more aggressive.
    Still cute from afar
    And can be pretty funny.
    And proboscis again. I didn’t get a photo, but it was cool to see them in groups. Either one male and his “harem” or a bunch of bachelors.
    The forest is just pretty too
    Pretty nice for our first night. There are multiple World Wildlife Fund projects in this area. Planting more fruiting trees, and making bridges for the animals to be able to cross the river to expand their available territory be so much has been lost to palm plantations.
    Night walk, western tarsier
    Our guide found one but it moved away too fast to call us over. He was persistent and it paid off.
    The other ones we’d seen were just still and maybe moving their heads, but this guy was doing his ninja thing.
    And tarsier out…
    This is a real bird. It is not fake.
    Sleeping birds
    This was at the end of the walk back by camp.
    Morning cruise
    Storm stork there were also purple herons, but I didn’t get a great picture.
    Tiny crocodile.
    Medium crocodile
    Big crocodile!
    A pretty morning on the river
    This bird is also not fake. I wish my camera was better.
    And this one
    Or this one.
    Or this one!
    The guide said they did a survey and they estimate there are three crocodiles on every kilometer of the river.
    View of the dining area from the boat. After the morning cruise our guide offered have us buy and plant a tree. So we did three. They are wild figs and should grow pretty fast. They are to the right and back a bit from here. Money to the village family for growing the seedlings.
    Another orangutan! I can’t believe we saw another the next day. And I’m so pleased with Zarah’s camera, and sad about mine.
    More probosci
    I love this even though my phone can’t focus far away. A very young long tail macaque in mid jump.
    I’m trying painting out. Here is Zarah’s birthday card. Don’t laugh…
    Zarah’s birthday “cake”. The staff was so sweet. I explained she didn’t want a cake she just liked fruit. They got so creative! And everyone sang.
    It was an amazing experience here. Sukau Bilit Resort took good care of us and it was a lovely resort considering we were deep in the wilds. Nothing too fancy, but you get everything you need to go see the animals.

    Borneo is well worth a trip to see the animals up close and in the wild.

  • Sabah – Sandakan and Sepilok

    Sandakan was kind of a trip. We arrived as Hari Raya (end of Ramadan celebration that lasts for another month -Eid) began.
    We were staying in a place a bit out of downtown and we were tired, but we needed food… and then we found this.
    It’s not a big city but this is definitely the business district downtown. I was raised in a desert and this would never happen. I hope all the children kept all their fingers.
    Hostel definitely has a Star Wars theme, it just struck me since the jellyfish looked like this guy. Notice the banner and hanging green and yellow diamond.
    We finally found out what those symbolize. It is a woven palm leaves stuffed with rice called ketupat.
    Seems like you can buy the leaves or the already made ketupat from these vendors.
    There was also a street with more than twenty people with sewing machines on the sidewalk in a row. Maybe you can get things fixed or made to order for the holiday on the spot? And a bunch of other food or fireworks on other streets.
    It was an adventure. Lots of younger folks would say hello and ask either where we were from or our names, and about half disappeared in the crowd before we could answer. This kept happening in various places. I think they are practicing the English they know, but don’t really know more to have a conversation. But it had the effect of feeling both welcoming and a bit eerie. I’m glad we went out to explore the one night we were there.
    Then a van to our Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort.
    We decided to splurge a bit for our birthdays. I can’t think of anywhere I’ve ever stayed that was this fancy feeling.
    I loved this walkways from the pool/restaurant to our bungalow.
    They even had little pineapples growing.
    Didn’t love the lack of queen bed, but it’s too warm to cuddle much anyway.
    There are three reasons to go to Sepilok. 1: Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center. Probably the least famous. But so well done and such amazing access to the world’s smallest bear.
    They are highly endangered and there was a good video about taking young ones and rehabilitating in the forest with a primary 24 hour per day caregiver. Then letting them wander alone until they stop coming back to camp.
    2- Semenggoh Wildlife Center. When they have babies, sometimes they come back for feedings even if it’s been a long time that they’ve been independent.
    She was amazingly adept traversing the 150+ foot rope from tree to platform. And baby held on strong.
    And she provided her kid with his/her own jungle gym to hang from.
    Zarah’s camera is so much better! Look at those eyes! Orang is the the Malay word for person and Hutan is forest. They are the people of the forest.
    And silliness.
    3- The Rainforest Discovery Center and its night walk. Western Tarsiers are so cute with those huge eyes!
    Flying squirrel!
    Ok and a sense of humor about their skywalk (raised walkways through the forest)
    From an observation tower, looking at a bit more walkway in the distance.

    We had a magical minute as we walked when two gibbons came brachiating by… not in a hurry, just going about their business at 3-4 mph. They can go up to 35mph when they feel like it. But no pictures, just memory. 🙂
    Hornbill!
    Little blue bird in flight from one of the towers.
    Semenggoh again the orangutan is a bit small but it gives a sense of their open freedom to come and go. This gal is pregnant and coming for food for that reason.
    We went again because we somehow missed the nursery area feeding where the young ones are fed and learn their motor skills.
    It makes you think as you watch them really use their feet and hands about the same.
    The pig tailed macaques are waiting. There is a man standing in the field as a warning until the orangutans are mostly done.
    Then all hell broke loose as the man walked away – I swear it was like a horror movie the way they swarmed out of the forest by the dozen. Zarah had the presence of mind to video about 30-45 seconds in. I was just staring. These are not the mischievous long tails. These guys are more aggressive and brave. The poor young orangutans don’t know how to fight them off so they let them in. it is part of what they need to learn to be ready to release.
    Another night walk and another flying squirrel. Next up will be the Kinebetangan River, deeper in the wilds.

  • Bako National Park – so many animals

    You have to take a boat out to the only lodging in the park.
    It is on a peninsula facing a beautiful island. And my wife is beautiful.
    More of the boat ride
    And Silver leaf monkeys hanging out while we walk to our building
    Bearded pig by the path. I love their high heeled hooves!
    They are actually quite fast when they are trying to catch up to mom.
    We took a little hike the day we arrived.
    I don’t get tired of the huge trees
    A very green path.
    With all the important signage.
    With more mudskippers!
    They make me laugh every time. 🙂
    This guy is 12+ in above the water, I don’t know how he jumped that high.
    Sunset was so spectacular
    Every direction
    This is east
    Then it got even better
    The rock formations on the beach were also really cool. I always love me a red rock.
    Especially if it is making faces
    Crabs make the most elaborate patterns digging their holes. It is so artistic
    View from dinner.
    We took another night walk. This one had fireflies that cling to the mangrove and show the outline of the tree rather than flying around.
    The crab is 200 yards from the ocean and 3 feet up a spiked stalk, what it is thinking, I will never know.
    Stick bug
    Very large stick bug!
    Gecko
    Frog
    Catfish, no mammals tonight. Off to bed.
    Morning proboscis monkey! this must be Zarah’s camera because mine doesn’t do as well with close ups.
    Climbing straight up like it’s nothing.
    Sleeping flying lemur. There was this guy who I swear it was his job to find cool animals on the grounds and show them to guests, it was awesome.
    This red one you can see how it has its neck totally extended back while it sleeps.
    Pit viper…
    Another walk with folks from our hostel- hard to see but these are fiddler crabs
    I love how it looks like she might disappear into an alternate universe
    The trail wasn’t long, but it wasn’t easy
    Another lovely beach
    Weird kind of tide-pool life I haven’t seen.
    Back to camp and another proboscis
    Silver leaf up close right by our lodging.
    And this guy just out for an afternoon stroll
    They are just so human like
    I love how he looks like he’s smiling.
    The building behind is similar to our hostel. We had our own room and shared a bathroom.
    Another beautiful sunset
    With a strangely foreboding jellyfish washed up. I can’t decide if it’s a skull or a storm trooper helmet.
    Breakfast is macaque o’clock at Bako. They are too used to where the cafeteria is. The first day they had us move inside off the balcony and shut to doors. The second day they didn’t lock it and the stinker opened the door and hesitated approximately 1/2 second as I stood and clapped at it. Then jumped up on the table and took Zarah’s two hash-browns in its two little fists and ran away. This is the next day after one stole someone’s apple. They try to stop them, and they don’t seem to come for lunch or dinner. But they are bold and love their carbs just like we do.
    Last day, one more hike.
    They are not fucking around with the steepness here, I’m glad there’s a rope.
    At least for part of it.
    But the view from the top is worth it.
    And a friend joined us for a while.
    And back on the boat to mainland. The houses of the village are so simple and small but the mosque is still quite nice.

    It was a beautiful time.

  • Kuching- Cat City

    First day out for lunch and we walk into a parade!
    Kuching is known for cats and for the Lion dance – two people one head on tail.
    I asked and found out is was the birthday of a Chinese temple. Because it is the year of the fire dragon they made a huge dragon that they were going to burn at the end of the parade.
    But also you get incense and stick it into the dragon so it is smoldering the whole time.
    I asked the waitress where we ate how often these happen and she couldn’t say but when I said more than 12 per year she said oh yeah like it might be twice that. But this was a particularly large temple so more impressive.
    There is a lot of pride in the diverse cultural heritage in Borneo.
    Better view of lion dancers.
    This got really impressive with the lions on four pedestals. The back person helps the front place his feet to stay stable. I wish I’d taken video. The way their heads move is really cool.
    Entrance gate to Chinatown near where we stayed. With cat and dragon.
    It went on into the night with fireworks (from our balcony). It was a few different areas setting them off fairly intermittently. Less about watching. More like repeated happy surprises 🙂
    The storefronts with covered sidewalks make a lovely place for art and decoration.
    This was an illustrated story all the way around the public bathroom…
    On my birthday I tried to go for a hike but they don’t let people go if you don’t come in the morning. And in my usual fashion I didn’t get out until the early afternoon. So I went to a wildlife sanctuary called Matang that was nearby. It was not as open and free as I had hoped. But the baby orangutan was very cute.
    And I had never seen a binturong before and they are so beautiful. Though I can’t fathom why they could possibly want that much fur in this heat!
    And they had a nice river walk nearby
    With a cool suspension bridge.
    Another cat statute in Kuching
    And another
    We took a sunset cruise the next day when Zarah was feeling better. I love all the fishing boats.
    They had performance of different traditional Sarawakian dances
    And a traditional instrument, made electric for better sound on the water.
    In Malaysian Borneo, I think people identify more as from their state than their country in a way. The Sarawak flag is everywhere. Especially at the state capitol building. It does seem a different feel of the culture. More diverse, even more accepting of multiple backgrounds.
    Mosques are still dominant, and from this boat ride we could hear three different calls to prayer happening as the sun went down.
    The Darul Hana Bridge is an S shape for Sarawak and has hornbills at the top of the masts as the emblem of the state.
    I really love this bridge
    Sunset was just spectacular. Here you can also see the masts of the bridge facing opposite directions as a symbol of the diverse cultures here. And the spiral walkway at the entrances.
    So much cuteness with the Cat city
    Hornbills also get a fountain.
    But also right next to another cat statue.
    Next day we went to a different rehabilitation center. Semenggoh is much more wild and open. I learned later that Matang is where those that can’t really be rehabbed back to an ability to be independent stay. They are mostly seized from people who caught or bought them as infants and kept them as pets. The young ones can learn but some are not found until it is too late.
    Well you just have to eat there, don’t you?
    Borneo Cultures Museum is huge!
    Yes, skulls over the fire…
    I’ll let them explain that…
    They had great movies as well as artifacts and explanations
    For near the long house
    A little herbology
    A little cosmology…burial urns.
    Masks
    They talked about the differences between lowland, forest and highland cultures and how the highlands remained isolated the longest because there is so much difficulty traveling there.
    Cool, but creepy design
    Another amazing sunset
    Even from the parking lot of the bank…
    Just had to try to capture it, beautiful in every direction changing over several minutes.
    There is also the Sarawak Cultural Village which has a show twice a day of traditional dance.
    Including a blow dart demo with balloons on the opposite wall, 25-30 feet away.
    And poles
    It was very well! I didn’t expect the quality of dance or stage tech to be so good at a museum.
    They would never allow this traditional bridge in the states. A bit too pointy and rickety for us soft Americans.
    This place is such a cool concept. They have a pond in a national park and they have a house or longhouse for 10 or so different cultures you can visit.
    And most are staffed with a person raised in that culture and happy to answer questions about their house and their culture. This guy is Iban, and I’m sad to say I forgot his name. But we talked to him for at least 45 minutes.
    The first photo is the common area, this is a family living space with kitchen.
    Some longhouses are very high off the ground and it really does help the heat, the higher ones were cooler on the same hot day
    Another family area of the Orang Ulu
    Chinese farmhouse
    This woman has worked in this house for 35 years! She has planted many of the trees and bushes around it. We also talked a long time. It is so lovely to be in a place that people really enjoy and are proud of their work.
    They had a great musical building and they have an annual international festival of traditional music in June. That sounds amazing.
    The setting of the village is also just stunning, reason enough to go visit.
    Malay house
    This woman was chatting with friends and making “love letter” cookies. They taste like fortune cookies but are folded more flat and you put little love messages in instead.
    The stairways take some getting used to I went down facing in like a ladder most of the time.
    Bebiyah healing ceremony area
    Cafeteria
    I love the clouds and how they look like the wings of the hornbill just beat and made them be that shape.
    Beautiful Vietnamese restaurant we found for a nice dinner in our last night: Le Saigon.
    Herbs growing on the wall.

    It was a lovely stay. We were sick for some of the week we were here. But we enjoyed seeing a very different part of Malaysia. :). Next: Sabah.