This is call the “Square Tower”.  Did you notice that there is a cannon on top of the building.  It looks like a castle, but it was a detention camp long time ago.

Right across the river there is another castle called “Fort Margherita”.  Both castle / fort are the historical buildings which are more than 100 years old.  If you have read the history of Kuching or Sarawak, you will know that it was built at the time of British colony.  The name of this fort was named after Charles Brooke’s wife, Ranee Margaret.  It is now turned into a police museum.

In Malay palace is called “Istana”, but read carefully, this building is called “Astana”.  It was the bridal gift from Charles Brook to his wife.  How romantic.

This is another building across the Sarawak River, which I believe is the biggest one.  This is the new DUN (Dewan Undangan Negeri) Sarawak.  It is still under construction, but almost done.  There will be endless of debates inside this building after it is completed when the Sarawak State Assembly is held.

Let’s get back from the Sarawak River, and turn our direction to the buildings around Waterfront.  There are a lot of hotels around Waterfront, this is the Hilton Hotel. 

It looks like just next to the Waterfront, but it is actually a street away.

We were looking at the Riverbank Suites building from Waterfront.

Another tall building (on the right) – Crowne Plaza.

Buildings in the mouth of a dragon.

There is a viewing tower at the other end of Waterfront next to the wet market.

The dragons statues are just next to this building on a stair case.  There is no boundary to the river, just the stair case, if you continue walking down the stair case, you will reach the river.  Therefore, kids should be careful around this area.

This is the old wet market, where all the hawkers have just moved away recently.  It is now being demolished so that the Waterfront can be extended.

Tua Pek Kong Temple is also one of the main attractions in Kuching, it is just across a street from the WaterFront.  However it is under renovation since last year.  Hopefully it can be done as soon as possible so that tourists can take proper photos.  It really takes too long for the renovation.

Another colourful tall building opposite the Tua Pek Kong Temple.  Guess what is inside.  If you want to watch a movie, go to the top floor.

Some of the oldest shophouses in Kuching on the street by the name of Main Bazaar.  It was really a “main” bazaar in older days.

A four-legged structure.  What do you think about it?

James Brooke Bistro and Café is just next to the cats statues, you can have a cup of tea when you want to take a break while walking under the hot sun in the long long Waterfront esplanade.

This is the first time we visit Kuching Waterfront “as tourists”. I felt the place carefully with my senses. Sieweng and I acted like tourists taking photos everywhere and we tried to be curious on interesting things such as the cat statues, and all the historical building around.

Kuching Waterfront is located at Main Bazaar (the Kuching oldest street) by the side of the Sarawak River (Sungai Sarawak). It is the golden triangle area of Kuching where there are a lot of hotels and tourists around. The riverside of the Sarawak River had been developed into an explanade which is about 900 meters in length and being given a name called Waterfront.

Kuching is called the cat city because in Malay, “kucing” means cat, and “kuching” was the old spelling. Cats are very common pets here, and we can see a lot of cat statues around Kuching area. We also found cats statues in Waterfront. This is one of the good spot for photography session. I have taken quite a number of photos for SiewPeng here with the cat statues.

We also found a real cat beside the plants.

It looked at my camera and less than a second after I clicked the shutter release on my camera, it disappeared.

We kept on walking and taking photographs on this long explanade. It was hot and we sat down for a while, then we continued walking. At any different time, when I looked at the whole waterfront from a different angle, it looked a lot different. I can see the curve of the river changed and there are different buildings across the river.

There are at least 2 ferry landings within Waterfront area and many small boats on the river. There are many residents who live across the rivers (North Kuching) too. The boats are their main transport to get across the river to allow them to visit the market next to the Waterfront. Some of them even get across the river everyday to go to work / school. But now the wet market next to the Waterfront has moved. Therefore they have to look for a new place to buy vegetables.

Finally we have gotten our first step as a tourist in our own hometown. We have more to tell you about the Kuching Waterfront.

This morning I sent my sister to the airport because she has successfully entered a local university for a Bachelor program and she needs to take a flight to get to her uni.  I suddenly think of the moment when I left Kuching and flied to Australia in 2002.  I am sure she will feel homesick because this is the first time she leaves home for at least a few months.

When I think or talk about Australia, I will miss the place where I had stayed for 18 months, Toowoomba.  I keep on thinking about the reason and I discovered that this emotional attack is not necessary.

When I was in Toowoomba, I missed Kuching very much.
Now I am in Kuching, I miss Toowoomba too.

I came across a story about an old lady who has two daughters.  One of her daughter was selling ice-cream whereas the other was selling umbrella.  On sunny day, the old lady always worried about her daughter who sold umbrella, whereas on rainy day, she worried about the other daughter who sold ice-cream.  She was always worried about everything if her daughter cannot earn a living until she met a person who told her why not to think in the opposite way round.  On sunny day, she should feel happy because her daughter who sold ice-cream had a good business, whereas on rainy day, her daughter who sold umbrella could earn a living.  This story tells us that we should see what is happening now and appreciate it instead of worried about unnecessary things.

Now I should change my way of thinking too.  I am now in Kuching, here is a good place, I will become a tourist even here is my hometown.  Everywhere is a good place, it is useless to feel sorry about not be able to stay at another location at any time, except we do not like the place where we are currently staying at.  But I like Kuching, so I should feel happy.

I hope my sister like her uni, and can study hard.  She is luckier than me actually, because her air ticket is cheaper which means she can come back more frequently than I did last time.  I had break the longest record not returning home for 18 months throughout the whole course just to save on the air ticket.  SiewPeng also miss Ipoh very much now.  Just a few months to go, so do not have to worry.

We should do what we should be doing now.  My sister should study hard.  Siewpeng and I will continue to become a tourist in Kuching.