Mandi Sungai

Jam 4 petang was the time I agreed with Franklin, one of the many nephews, to go mandi sungai.

The river is about a 7min walk from my sumandak's home. All 9 of us squeezed into the red kanchil and drove over to the river. They have a rule when using the river. No fishing and removing of rocks etc are just a couple of the rules governing the use of the river. All villagers adhere to the rule as i hear there is a price to pay if one flouts it.

The cool mountain water is a welcome relief from the simmering heat of the day. The kids couldn't wait to jump in. As they got to the banks of the river most of them rip their pants off baring their siput and already jumped into the river before i could even reach it. And i was supposed to look after them. Scary.

The river is as wide as our federal highway. Nothing more enjoyable than a dip in the crystal clear waters. I am beginning to like this kampung. The kids take to the river like fish. Keeping an eye on them is bloody murder cos it is very wide and full of pebbles.

Apart from that it is Heaven on Earth.

The Family

My Sumandak is the 7th child in a family of 8 children. These are but a few of the nephew and nieces which is said to number about 15 if i recall correctly. Names are not easy to remember, even she forgets them sometimes.

Being the school holidays and all the house is a cacophony of noise with nary a moment of quiet unless the children are all out at the padang. They would ocassionally zoom in for a glass of water and then zoom out back to whence they came. Brings back memories of when i was their age running about with my brothers and cousins and the neighbours.

One thing i notice is that the adults in the house rarely shouts and screams at them. Discipline seemed to be a stern talk to and that would do it. Impressive. They have free will to roam the village. they will return for lunch and the it's back to their activities again.

Fantastic Four of the kampung. They never seem to tire, running all day long.

This is papa and his sumandaks and mama with her musical instrument which keeps her occupied. She rules the roost. Once she starts playing her bamboo instrument, all shall kneel before her. She too is the one that offers Grace before meals...she will insist.

Warm, loving & down to earth...that's The Family.

Sumandak's Home

My sumandak's home is a little village a top a hill consisting mainly of Dusun folk. Pretty much a one eye see all village with a school, padang, sundry shop and a church and of course there are many houses around. As i have been told there are about 80 odd families that live here.

I arrived at her home on the eve of Christmas for lunch. Her parent's and the nephews and nieces were all out at the church. Apparently there was an activity there leading to Christmas day. Her mom is a very pious Christian.

A side view of her home and in the backyard is a rambutan tree and next to it a limau tree which explains her addiction to the little fruit.

This is a view of her school a top the hill. Her house is just beyond the school.

I have been to my other girlfriends' house so this is not something new for me but somehow or other i feel very nervous about this visit. Mama is very friendly but papa is the quiet one so i didn't really talk to him, of course the sight of his favored parangs hanging by the staircase didn't help to quell my anxiety.

But i survived...

The Long Road to Sumandak's Home

The long road to sumandak's home did not start at KB town. It began somewhere in June this year. We have been together for about a year plus now and this year i had thought of making the trip...but thinking does not make the mountain move right?

It was not a mega difficult decision. It was more of a mental masturbation...to go or not to go thingy. Making this trip would be making a big statement for me and for her and her family. A huge commitment to undertake for the likes of me. I told myself i would go if she invited me because it is a big thing for her too. It would be her making a statement too. They are a pretty conservative christian family and their children do not normally bring a date home unless they have intention to marry them or else they WOULD HAVE to marry them. Now that's scary is it not? Especially a commitmentphobic such as i.

In October my sumandak pops me the question..."Would you like to spend Christmas in my hometown?" I had it! I had to decide. I HAD to make a choice! This is rather uncomfortable for me. Since 1998 i have been asking people to Make A Choice, Make A Stand! It was a common mantra amongst LP seniors. Now i stand between me, myself and I...Make A Choice!

Choose i did and here i am sitting in a red kanchil heading to the humble home of Bangali. The road here has been long and colorful and not without mixed feelings and anxieties but I have Chosen and nervous as i am, i am enjoying & experiencing my experience.

I choose this stretch!

Faces of the Tamu

Apart for the many unique & interesting things on sale at the Tamu nothing can be more interesting than the people one meets be they sellers or buyers. It is always fascinating to see the local people for they are the fabric that brings color to the society.

Taking pictures of people in a foreign place or any place for that matter may sometimes be a wee bit touchy. Some people do not like it, others who couldn't care less and there are those who love it too. All said...be sensitive and be very careful.

Here's the jagung lady selling all things jagung and the next is offering lip balm ala kampung to another sireh chewing kaki.

Kadazan handicraft seller and farm produce.

RJ Reynolds competitor...the tembakau lady and more farm produce with big melons.

Local old chap testing out and giving us a sampling of his sumputon blowing prowess and more farm produce sold by ciggie totting lady inviting one to come make her day.

My bargaining assistant looking thru some Bajau made handicrafts and the Bajau women with their tudung saji not hats.

Selling durians is a balancing act. No mean feat. Don't try this at home. May drop and puncture your dainty feet. More Bajau women and their colorful wares.













Finally after taking my fill of the Tamu i am ready to get on to my next destination.

Dead & Alive at the Tamu

Many are the choices at the Tamu. One can find dead fish as the above picture shows and very much alive ones too, and when i mean alive...it's still alive and kicking.

These kerang's are still very alive, if you pick one up it will still stick it's tongue or whatchamallit at you...i ain't not marine biologist okay. The ikan sembilang is stick flopping about under the watchful eyes of junior while mama's chatting with her buddies.

Farm produce and king crabs all up for grabs. Most everything is sold in longgok's so when one purchases one buys the whole longgok.

Kueh nicely packed & tied up Crabs. The tourist in me was just like...wow cool, to them i must be some buduh city boy who has not seen the kampung way of doing things.

Ubat kayu & akar to heal and repair or strengthen parts of the body or body parts and gambir and stuff for chewing betel leaves. The white cheesy looking stuff is actually lip balm to moisture the lips and mouth after chewing of betel leaves.

Tikars made by the Bajau and of course not to miss out the nicotine fix for the ciggie smokers the world over. Tembakau is sold in clumps and bagged for the smoker to roll their ciggies themselves.

The Tamu is an interesting experience.

Tamu Pekan Kota Belud

Mee Sup was still warm and looking for a place to settle down when my sumandak was already leading me towards the Tamu. Tamu is a weekend market where you can find almost anything and everything but mainly produce of the land. Very much like the pasar malam or pasar tani that we find in Semenanjung but different.

I, the tourist took many a potshots at the local sellers and their wares. I wasn't looking for something to buy but i couldn't help myself. Curiousity took the best of me and i ended up buying some local kueh amongst other things.

Kueh Jagung & Ginarung

This is within the council-built tamu enclosure which is paved and has some raised platforms built by the local council for rent to the farmers.

This is outside the council-built tamu enclosure and has a character of it's own. A more rustic and local feel to it. The people are generally very friendly and they will tell you and even willing to show you how certain things are eaten etc even though you don't buy from them. They are very relaxed unlike Semenajung's Pasar Malam sellers who pressure you to buy. At the tamu i experience a certain calmness among the sellers and there is no pressure for one to buy.

I experience an openess in their demeanor. Much like we are invited guest and they allow us to touch, feel, inquire and demonstrate their wares without the pressure to buy. I and the ang moh's around were not harrased to buy unlike at the Semenanjung markets where a tourist or even locals are treated as if lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

At the Tamu I felt like a guest.

Mee Sup Kota Belud

Every state has it's specialty. In Taiping it's our kai si meen, Penang charkuey tiaw, Ipoh hor fun & it's chun babes and Thailand Soi NaNa or so swears Stevo.

In Kota Belud, just right below this Hollywood-like sign, this side of it, is it's famous Mee Sup. As Taipingite's we never go home when we reach Taiping but head straight to the kai si meen shop and before we leave we hantam one more time, in James case he hantam many times hence the bulk above the belt. Kota Beludian's are no different. When my sumandak mentions about the mee sup her eyes light up and nothing you do or say will distract her...and i mean nothing. she has a voracious appetite much like James.

Tables in Kota Belud are set very differently from those in Semenanjung. They have a tupperware to place the chillis, kicap and vinegar in. Very proper and neat. This shop...they don't have names on the shop front so no identification, has a bottle of water and a kettle of more water for the patrons. They never ask you apa mau minum they just give you glass. Handle it!

The mee sup is very simple, it's just mee & sup & of cos chunks of chicken &...read the menu! the noodle is home made. Not like our mee. Very close to wantan mee but not either. Can't describe accurately...so get online with Air Asia and book your tix and go see for yourselves. It is delicious and i know now why my sumandak licks her lips when she mentions Mee Sup Kota Belud.

Now i feel like a bowl. I shall text her to tar pau.