Tea Break in Kuching Part 2

Kuching is known worldwide for its rare varieties of fauna and flora.  We were unfortunate not to see the biggest flower in the world, the Rafflesia, as it was not in bloom that week.  My family visited a pitcher plant and wild orchid garden in Kuching and we were awed by the various pitcher plants on display.  Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as pitfall trap.  Insects are attracted to these plants either for nectar or water found in the pitches.  Once in the pitches, the insects are trapped as the walls are slippery, and the insects die and dissolve in the pitcher.  There were many types of pitcher plants there; on the ground, different colors and sizes.  The pix shows a beautiful 8 inch (height) pitcher plant.

Sarawak in also known for its pottery.  This industry is very established and the pottery is exported worldwide.  I managed to hand-carry a huge pot/vase (2 feet high) home as well.  It costs me US$20.

Eating is one of the highlights of visiting Kuching.  The various and inexpensive varieties of food will definitely put any visitor on a weight diet program when he gets back home.  The seafood dinner we had at the famous open air seafood centre (top spot seafood) costs my family of 6 about us$50.  We also had numerous bowls of the local favorite sarawak kolo mee (chinese noodles) and laksa (curried noodles), which are found in the chinese coffee shops and shopping malls in Kuching.  For drinks, we had the famous teh-c peng  (see pix for a poster ad I took at a coffee shop).  Teh-c peng is a combination of brown sugar syrup, milk and tea.  This give rise to 3 different densities so you get 3 colors in your drink.  Ice is added to complete the drink.  When you are served with this drink, stir the drink with a straw and enjoy the delicious sweetened iced milk tea beverage.  Cost about us$0.5 a glass.

Lastly, I bought 2 more pieces of pu erh in Kuching.  The langhe ripe was found in a chinese grocery shop (Kwang Yan Trading) along main bazaar. The yellow mark ripe CNNP , my most expensive tea purchase in Kuching was bought from a chinese tea shop; Zhen Chi health food trading co.  Located in pandugan street, this co. has a couple of outlets in Kuching selling traditional chinese herbs and medicine.