Public Transportation I

Being a city by the sea, you'd expect that sea transportation is used widely in the city. Sadly, it's not. The only service plying commuters in the city is the small sampans or boats going to and from Pulau Gaya. There is a plan to introduce a hovercraft service from KK to the airport and the from KK to a mall (currently under construction) but that would only happen in 2008 and only for the benefit of mall goers not the general public. I've been to Sydney many times and enjoyed using the ferry services there. Maybe one day, the city planners will come to their senses and introduce something similar.

The main form of commuter transportation used in KK is buses, which come in two usual varieties:- buses and vans converted into what is called mini buses. The former are larger with around 30-40 passengers, while the latter are smaller with 7-9 passengers. You can an example of a minibus in the photo. Yes, they are color-coded by destinations. Anyway, there are more and more vehicles coming on the KK roads these days, so its wise that the authorities start to think of something.

Signal Hill Observatory Platform

The other day I posted a photo of the view of downtown KK. It was taken from the above, which looks like a platform in the middle of the jungle. Its not really, those are really thick vegetation in the hill behing downtown KK. Its another must-see or must-stop for guests coming to KK.

Rain is Coming

We've had a dry spell in KK for some time until a couple of days ago. Thanks to Typhoon Sepat, a Category 5 super typhoon, we've had a lot of rain for the past few days. Although Sabah is spared from the strong winds from those tropical typhoons hitting the west of the Pacific Ocean (hence the name Land Below the Wind), the strong rain and choppy seas are common. Anyway, those choppy seas can be dangerous to small boats and ships like the small white dot seen in the photo. A calmer version of the same island above is posted here. And if you curious how the typhoons are named, read this.

Arch II

The Arch is Tugu Peringatan Malaysia or Malaysian Memorial Monument. It dates back to 1963 when Malaysia was formed. The white building behind is the City Hall of Kota Kinabalu headquarters.

Arch I

This is one the more elaborate arches in KK. It is situated in front of the City Hall of Kota Kinabalu building.

Old Shops II

The photo above is a photo that comes with the previous post. Usually the shopkeepers would sell their merchandise outside of their shops. This one sells clothes for women mostly, some ready made and some to be made at the tailors. The merchandise are hung up high, which would attract the attention of passersby (see lady in white shirt in the photo).

Old shops I

Just a photo of the buildings in Segama area in the KK city centre. Many many years ago before the larger shopping complexes and malls opened, these were the shops that served the KK populace. These days the shops still serve the same, but perhaps those who can't afford to shop in the Centre Points, Karamunsing Complexes, Wismas Merdeka, Wawasan Plazas and Warisan Squares. But, you'll never know.

Way to Work II

Many posts back, I posted a photo of the road going to my workplace. This is another photo. Those are palm trees on the left. Yes, I stopped by the roadside to talk this photo. The road is called Coastal Highway and the area is known as Tanjung Lipat.

Gaya Street

This is another view of the building posted earlier. The building is located along Gaya Street, named after on the islands off KK. On the same street, you can go for the weekly Gaya Street Fair, a must for visitors to KK. Gaya Street Fair is on Sundays and runs from early morning until midday. Check out this site and this site for more information.

Old Building

This is the one of the oldest building in KK, built in 1916. It now houses the Sabah Tourism Board, but it used to be a government printing office and a post office. The earliest memory of the building for me was that of a post office.

Ice Cream

There's a chain of ice-cream selling outlets called Vedablu in KK. The locally made ice-cream is billed as premium italian ice-cream and has a lot of varieties, including the one pictured above - Durian, yes Durian. It's usually the one I ask for when I go to anyone of the outlets. Anyway, the price of a cup with one scoop as in the photo is a little below 5 Malaysian Ringgit, which is the price of a plate of rice with 3-4 kinds of dishes. So its a bit pricey but about half the price of a Haagen-Dasz or Baskin Robbins of the same size.

Grace Point Food Court

This the Grace Point food court, well just a portion of it. These are three of the food outlets there. The foodcourt has a large variety of food from Western to local Sabah cuisine, and a lot in between. I had lunch the other day with a friend. I had thai fried rice from the thai outlet but it was so so, so pass that one. I am definitely going to try the other ones later. Anyway, the foodcourt is managed by Sutera Harbour but the outlets are run by independent vendors. Did I mention that Grace Point is part of the park where the Double Six Memorial is located. You can read about the development of the area here and here.

From the past

This is the Double Six Memorial in Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu. I stayed nearby when I was much younger. The memorial used to be surrounded by seawater but the whole area, a very large area actually is now reclaimed. Now the memorial is on land and the area surrounding it is made up of a park called Grace Park, including an outdoor food court.

Local Daily Read

The above is the masthead of our very own local paper, Daily Express. Usually I read this for local news and a national paper for national news. The paper started in 1963, the year Malaysia was born as a result of the Federation of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore coming together to create a new nation. Anyway, the paper's claim to fame is probably the capture of Nick Leeson, who single-handedly brought Barings Bank down.

Pulau Sulug I

In the distance is Pulau Sulug, another island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park. I’ve never been on this particular island, so I can’t say much. Those who’ve been there said that it is the quietest of all islands in the Park. Maybe, one day I’ll go there when I need some solitude.

Pulau Mamutik I

It's been a little over a month since I started this website. It's not an easy thing to do, really. Anyway, I am trying to do my best to keep up the daily posts. It's going to be another busy weekend this weekend and I don't know if I get new photos then. Anyway, we'll see how it goes.

Oh ya, the above is another filler photo. It's one of Pulau Mamutik, another island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park. I haven't been there for some time. Anyway, for those wanting privacy, its a nice island to spend time in as there are fewer people. The downside is that the facilities are a little limited.

Scorching Hot

The photo doesn't do justice to the sun but it was scorching hot when I took it. It hasn't rained for some time in KK and at times like this, the sun gets to you. Some overseas friends say we are lucky to be in Malaysia for its eternal summer but sometimes too much sun is not good for you. My office is by the sea, maybe I should consider using some sunscreen now and then.

Typical suburban homes

A few posts back, I mentioned where I live. Well, the photo above shows one of the long blocks of terrace houses in the "housing garden" (yes, we call it that), where I live. No worries, my house is not in the picture. It is in one of the other blocks. Anyway, this is typical of homes in Malaysian suburbia.

Design Flaw

I was at this latest opened mall in KK over the weekend and one thing that struck me was another design flaw in the building. I just don't get it. KK is a seaside city and as such it is naturally hot, as in high temperatures during the day. When designing public spaces or buildings like a mall, one thing that should be considered is air conditioning. People come to malls to patronise the shops and not to enjoy the scorching sun. Ideally, the malls should be in an enclosed area with air-conditioning. There are a few other commercial development which do not take this into consideration. Like this one and this one. At least, the mall I went to is a bit further inland. The others are in the city centre and by the sea. What were the architects thinking?

Sabah Foundation Building

I have written about this building earlier. This is a bigger photo of the building. It was an overcast day, so the effect of the sun the glass of the building exterior cannot be seen.

Painted Houses

These are our very own painted houses in KK. Not quite the painted ladies of San Francisco, but they are colorful. The houses are located in Inanam, an area more known for light industries and motor vehicle spare parts. I live in one of the many housing estates in the same area. Yes, in those boring terrace houses.

Actually, it is quite common to see the kind of house shown in the photo around Sabah and the country. They are usually built on stilts to avoid the water when its flooding and in the older days, wandering wild animals. The stilts also allows good ventilation for the houses.

Manukan Island III

Photo of the blue waters off Manukan Island. Hidden behind the casuarina tree is Mamutik Island, another island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park.

Tanjung Aru Beach I

Photo of Tanjung Aru Beach in Kota Kinabalu.

Sunset II

This is just another filler photo of the sunset in KK. I've been busy past for the past 9 days. I've been working practically non-stop from Monday last week. Three more days to go and then, I will have a good long weekend.

From the Air

I got back late last night from a town in the East Coast of Sabah. On the flight there, I got a seat by the window. I managed to take some photos of KK from the air but I was on the side of the plane that faces Mount Kinabalu. Next time, I’ll try to get photos from the Sea side. The photo above is an aerial view of the city from where I sat. Yes, my seat was near the engine.

Mangrove Trees

This is a photo of the mangrove tree fronting the place where my friends and I had lunch the other day.

Walk Past the Sunset

Someone walking past the sunset at Tanjung Aru Beach, one of KK beaches. Tanjung Aru means Cape of the Casuarinas. I used to go to a primary school nearby the beach. On days when we had a school activity in the afternoon, my friends and I would spend time at the beach after class and before coming back to school for our activity. I wonder where are you guys now?

A View to Kill

I'll be away for the weekend, sadly for work. Maybe I can post something in between. The photo is the view from my office window. The photo without the frame is here.

From a Distance

Just a simple photo today. Its one of KK from a distance. Yup, the mountain you see in the background is Mount Kinabalu.

Downtown KK

The main road that crosses KK city centre is the road shown on the photo. Accidentally, the sea was up to this point many years ago. But then some sea reclamation works were done. So, everything to the left of the road on the photo used to be the sea. The white building to the rights used to be KK's wet market. When I was a little boy (yeah, I am that old), I remember getting lost in the market. Thankfully, there were no worries about child abduction or killings you hear today. Otherwise, I am not so sure where I’d end up then. The white building has since been turned into a supermarket and then a departmental store. It’s now known as Milimewa, the name of the supermarket-departmental store in it.

On another note, I am off to a town on the East Coast of Sabah on this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. It's a last minute thing. I hope I can post something between now and Monday. Otherwise, I'd have to go beyond my limit of triple post day. Hopefully not.

Words

The photo above is that of an arch, which has been in KK for as long as I remember. In the background of the photo are the Golden Screen Cinemas movie theatres. The are three movie halls, one small movie hall and two main movie halls, both of which have two-tier sittings, probably one of the few still remaining in Malaysia in this era of multiplex cinemas or cineplexes. I prefer the big old screen compared to the smaller ones. Anyway, coming back to the arch, I am puzzled actually what the slogan on it reads. The slogans are in three local languages, Kadazan, Malay and Mandarin. The Malay version, which is the only one I understand, says “Is Our Vision Together”. What Is? I don’t know.

In the foreground, you will notice the road sign. This is another one with a strange choice of words. The road is named “Jalan KK Bypass” or “KK Bypass Road”. Whoever thought of the name probably had unproductive day or was plainly uncreative. Anyway, that’s not the only one around KK. There are a few more that I have seen. And strangely, the authorities actually put up the road signs for these roads.

and Night

Read to the previous post.

Day

The photo above and the next one were taken roughly from the same location. It's the Kampung Air Night Market or Pasar Malam Kampung Air, in the middle of the KK city centre. Like most night markets around the region, you can get a lot of things there and with good negotiation techniques, you might even get them cheap. The area is one of the older areas in the city. A bit rundown but lively at night. Some things sold at the market such as handicrafts and jewellery (not gold or silver) are cheaper compared to elsewhere in the city. Kampung Air area is also famous for another kind of market - meat market. The place often makes this kind of news. I'll stop at that.

Around Me III

Third Photo and last in a series: Here's the photo of Mount Kinabalu again from my office. Yes, I've posted on Mount Kinabalu earlier. It is here because all the photos in this post were taken on the same day, around the same time. Don't envy me for the location of office ya.

Around Me II

Second Photo: This a day time photo of Sepangar Island from an earlier post. It has just finished raining when I took the photo, so there was a lot of cloud above. The sun was hiding somewhere in the clouds, I think you can see where it is in the photo. The photo was again taken from the building where I work. There are offices facing the sea in the building but mine faces Mount Kinabalu. I prefer it this was because it can get quite hot in the afternoon and evening sun especially when the airconditioning breaks down, which does from time to time.

Around Me I

This a series of three posts of photos around me:
First Photo: This is a palatial mansion located in the middle of the jungle in KK, which owned by a famous and rich king from a neighbouring country. Just, kidding! It's actually the new Federal Goverment Administrative Complex in KK. Basically most of the federal government and agencies are housed in the buildings within it. The photo was taken from my office room. Sometimes, people call this place the mini putrajaya. Mini as in really small, little. You can read more about it here and here.

Sunset I

This is a photo of sunset from the office. The office finishes at 5.00pm but I am usually around past that time, partly because of work and partly because I don't like spending time sitting in the car in the traffic jam. The jam in KK is not as bad as that in Kuala Lumpur, but being someone who doesn't enjoy traffic jams, it's still bad for me. I prefer public transportation but the one in KK is not so friendly for me to get to work. So, the answer for me is a motorcar.

By the way, sunsets will be the filler when I am too busy to post to this website. Don't complain, ya. The photos should make great wallpaper and presentation background.

Manukan Island II

One of the perks living in KK is being able to take a day’s off from the office and then spending it at a place like this. Sadly, I won’t be doing that anytime soon. It’s another busy week for me at the office.

Manukan Island I

The photos above were taken at Manukan Island , one of the islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park. Most visitors to the marine park go to this island because there are more facilities on it. So, the island can be quite crowded on weekends especially when there is a public holiday or the school holidays are on. On weekdays though, you can have the island all to yourself. Well, not really, but there are normally not that many visitors on a weekday compared on a weekend.

Way to Work

This is the view from the road to where I work. Don't worry, I stopped by the roadside to take the photo. Not while driving.

The building in the background is Menara Tun Mustapha or Tun Mustapha Tower. Named after a very important politician in Sabah, the late Tun Mustapha, the building houses Yayasan Sabah or Sabah Foundation. The building actually is a hanging structure, one of the few in the world. Basically, there is one big column in the middle and the floors hang from there. There are thirty storeys all together and there is a revolving restaurant on , @tmosphere. My friends say the atmosphere is good but the food so so. Haven't been there, so I can't say much.

Anyway, the reason I choose the photo is not to show that the drive to work is beautiful. It is, really. Imagine driving everyday with the sea on your left and a good view of Mount Kinabalu on your right. You get the picture, right.

The reason is because Yayasan Sabah (YS) a very important organisation in my life. Many years ago, YS sent me over to West Malaysia to study at one of the best boarding schools there. I grew a lot from the experience there. Sadly, I didn't get anymore 'help' from YS after I finished school although I did ok in my examination. Deep down, I still think there was another reason but it's a long story for another day. Anyway, I got 'help' in the form of a scholarship from the federal government, then studied for my first degree in the US. Then I worked for two Fortune 500 companies in Malaysia and overseas.

A few years back, I quit and went back to university, one of the best in the world and got my masters there. Now, I am trying to give back what I got from YS and the federal government by working in a public institution of higher learning. Its just my little contribution to the society.

Lunch Bill

The cost of yesterday's lunch: RM202.51. (Yes, you better believe it). The cost of friendship: priceless.

Seafood Heaven

KK is by the sea, so seafood, fresh seafood is easily available and is probably much cheaper than places like Kuala Lumpur and so on. I just came back from lunch with six close friends and the photo above was what we had - steamed prawn, assam fish, chilli crabs, mushroom in oyster sauce and chilli chicken. The photo was taken halfway through lunch, so half was gone. Then, throw in four fresh coconuts, two blended mochas, one lime juice (kicai peng) and one shaved ice dessert (ABC). We also had some jelly thing for dessert. Yes, I can vouch the seafood was fresh. The fish was probably swimming around in the on-site fish tank before it was selected to you know what.

By the way, the place where we had lunch is called Gayang Seafood Restaurant. (Incidentally the photo in this linked blog showed the same table we had lunch today - Table 15). The place is a little bit far out, but the prices are cheaper than those restaurants in downtown. There's another one nearby called Salut Seafood Restaurant. Both are set among the mangrove trees of Karambunai Lagoon.

Cloudy days

If you are in KK now, this is what you most likely will see - clouds in the sky. We've been at the tail of Typhoon Man-Yi. We're used to it, though. Every time there's a typhoon somewhere in the Far East, KK will most likely experience some effects like heavy rains and strong winds.

The worst, at least in my memory, that we had was Tropical Storm Greg, which took KK by surprise over Christmas in 1996. Sadly, lost lives were also the aftermath of the tropical storm. Close to 200 people lost their lives, excluding an estimated 200 to 300 unregistered illegal immigrants. I can still remember the strong whizzing sound of the wind that night. Driving to downtown the next day, there were fallen trees and sands strewn on the coastal road. There were also some ships which ran aground. Hopefully nothing even close to the Tropical Storm Greg will happen in my lifetime.

Despite all these windy threats, Sabah is called The Land Below the Wind, supposedly for not being affected by the typhoons of the Pacific. Maybe, its an effect of global warming and environmental degradation. Anyway, these are the risks for living by the seaside. Oh yes, I am card-carrying supporter of the World Wildlife Fund. To my readers, please do something to save the earth.

The City from the Sea

This photo was taken on one of my trips to the Pulau Manukan, one of the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park. Its actually a "must" for any of my friends visiting the city or Sabah, unless they don't enjoy the sun and the sea. On the island you can just laze on the beach or partake in any of the activities available (at a price, of course). Snorkelling and kayaking are some of them. Anyway, more photos from the island will be coming soon.

A View from the Top

This a photo of downtown KK taken from Signal Hill Observatory Platform, which overlooks it, the islands and sea. You will notice that there are not too many tall buildings around. No, we are not in an earthquake prone area. It is more actually for the single reason that airplanes when landing at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, actually fly over the city. So, no tall buildings. The tall ones are probably only 14 to 15 stories high.

Another limitation for the downtown area is Signal Hill itself. Actual land between the hill itself and the sea was limited. Try finding old photos of the cities (pre-1970’s), you can see this. So, to expand the land area, the only way was to tear down the hill. No, just kidding. The town planners used the sea, instead. So, today half of downtown area is on reclaimed land. The blue bill board in the middle of photo is the mark where the seashore once was. Lastly, if you are visiting KK, Signal Hill is a must especially if you have access to a car as walking uphill can take a while.

The Sea

The sea is another physical feature of Kota Kinabalu. The city is flanked by the South China Sea to its west. There are a number of islands fronting the city centre. Five of the islands, namely Gaya, Sapi, Mamutik, Manukan and Sulug islands make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park. A visit to any one or all of the islands is a refreshing break from our hectic city life. Such a visit is also a must for visitors to the city. A trip to the islands takes about 15-20 minutes and less than RM30.

KK is also home to a port and a naval base, both of which are located near Teluk Sepangar or Sepangar Bay. The photo above is not of the aforementioned islands. It is actually of Pulau Sepangar. The photo was taken from the building where I work.

Namesake

In the centre of the photo, you'll see a mountain. That’s Mount Kinabalu, which Kota Kinabalu is named after. At over 4 thousand meters, Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Malaysia. To get there, one would have to travel to the Kinabalu National Park at the base of the mountain, about 2 hours driving from KK. Kinabalu National Park is also a World Heritage Site.

A trek up and down the mountain takes about a day and a half, including an overnight stay at one of the accommodation located at the height of 3,300 meters. Climbers would then proceed early in the morning up the peak in time to catch the morning sunset. The its the trip back down to the national park. And yes, you'll need a lot of rest afterwards.

Some people, however, take less than three hours to do this in the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon, the so-called world's toghest mountain race. This year's climbathon to be held on 25-26 August, 2007 will be the 21st version.

Those planning to climb the mountain should visit this website http://www.mount-kinabalu-borneo.com/ A word of caution is that plan your trip many months in advance as accommodation up the mountain is limited. Last minute trips are possible but be prepared to pay extra and worse, be disappointed.

For the curious, the photo was taken from my office window at a public institute higher learning in the city. Sorry for the quality of the photo. Don't worry Mount Kinabalu is an imposing feature over the KK skyline, I am sure better photos showing it can be seen later on in this website.

A footnote: Many years ago, I was born in a small town at the foot of the mountain. My family moved to KK when I was about a year old and we’ve been calling KK home eversince. I've studied, worked and lived in many places and countries, but believe me, KK is always "Home Sweet Home". You can take me out of KK but not KK out of me.

Selamat Datang to Kota Kinabalu Daily Photo

Selamat Datang, that's Welcome in Malay, to the Kota Kinabalu Daily Photo blog. In here, I will try to post photos from the city daily. For the uninitiated, Kota Kinabalu, or affectionately called by the locals as KK, is the capital of the state of Sabah on Malaysian Borneo.

The photo above is the small arch at the Jesselton Point, the departure/arrival point for boats to/from the nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (made up of Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik & Sulug islands) and ferries to/from Labuan island. Jesselton is an old name for KK, as Sabah was once a British colony with the name North Borneo. Jesselton Point is also home to a futsal centre and a number of food outlets (local and western).