Tan Sri Vincent Tan receives honorary doctorate from UoC

 

I photographed Tan Sri Vincent a while back. But I was fortunate enough to see him in person last week when he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Cyberjaya.

All pics are unedited JPEGs from the D4s.

My Alma Mater

With the exception of the newly renovated Mill Hill Block, everything looks, feels and smells the same, as though my school never changed although I left almost 2 decades ago.

The new St Joseph's Private school.

I dreaded Pendidikan Jasmani (Physical Education) classes. Getting all hot and sweaty and changed back into school clothes to continue the rest of the day stinking in our own odor. I guess I was too young to mind it.

 

Kuching 2022

Well, today is 21 Oct 2022. Nearly 6 years since my last post. 

In these long lost years, I've still been around, still taking photos. 

I've decided to at least post something at this time at this ungodly hour of 2am, lest I forget and become too disinterested to continue.

Mostly pics.. few words 'cos I'm tired. Anyway pictures do say a thousand words, right?

After I landed I went to town immediately in search of Kuching's local delicacy - kampua noodles at Fu Hua Cafe, only to discover that the shop was closing at 12 noon. Gosh do people eat so early nowadays compared to KL!

So I had to settle for one of the worst laksas I had in a while at Da' Apple Kopitiam next door.

Mum used to say that Kuching is cheaper than KL. Not anymore. Nowadays, Sarawak laksa in PJ costs almost the same as Kuching! Oh how prices have risen.

Maybe it's my fault for not coming home often. This was my first trip home in 3 years and I feel like a tourist in the place I grew up in.

Civic Center has been in a state of disrepair. The rooftop restaurant is now closed and the lifts don't even function anymore.

It is indeed a sad ending for a splendid building that used to be ever present in my childhood.

Kopi peng now costs RM3. Almost half the cost of your average meal in Kuching.

In my younger days when grandpa was still alive, he used to bring us to eat Foochow food to remind us of our roots. Although I do not speak the language, I guess my stomach is still authentic to my roots.

This is the quintessential Foochow burger - the kompia - at Choon Thian Cafe, Jln Ang Cheng Ho. I have not eaten this for ages.

Stirfried rice cake.

Mee sua with red wine. We had this family tradition to eat it during birthdays or Chinese New Year.

We ordered a lot of food. But we managed to finish it all.

In hokkien, it's called fried soup noodles. Very direct translation.

As I took a walk around waterfront, I was flabbergasted with the sight of the new DUN building and the Darul Hana bridge.

Truthfully, I'm not a big fan of these structures. Kinda breaks the harmony of the romantic low key view of the waterfront for me. 

Maybe at night when it's lit up, it takes on a whole new life. But in the daytime, I just wonder why do we need such large structures?

Walked thru little india street and found these knockoff perfumes on sale.

Friendship Park still looks good after all these years.

The new Borneo Cultures Museum. Located across the road from the old Sarawak Museum which is currently under renovation.

On google maps people were raving about this place.

Honestly I hate it. The exhibition halls are so dark I could barely see anything, and the text on the captions were too tiny to appreciate. I lost my patience and just breezed through the exhibits.Sadly a missed opportunity for a project that could have been brilliant.

Currently all or most museums in Kuching charge a RM10 entrance fee. If I were given a choice to pay RM10 for a museum ticket or RM10 for 2 packets of kolok mee, I'd take the noodles anytime.

The common space was alright. Lots of natural light and shiny paint.

In a distance, the DBKL cat museum on the left and Gunung Santubong on the right.

Final day, purposely woke up early to have breakfast at Fu Hua Cafe. The tomato noodles were alright.

Beef noodles here - excellent. Thick, robust flavours with tender cuts of beef.

Dumplings and kampua noodles are a must.

Final day, visited Fort Margherita. Spent another RM10 for the ticket.

I would say, compared to the Borneo Cultures Museum, I felt much more inclined to slow down and have a look at the exhibits. It is bright and everything is perfectly viewable.

It's a pity the last descendant didn't have a proper photo. Just a drawing.

Kuching has changed,, but at least I can still remember most of it. Maybe I've been away too long and feel like an alien in my own home.