April 26, 27, 2015, Sunday, Monday, 2015, Borneo

April 26, Sunday, was a sea day, crossing in the South China Sea.  We did our usual things, exercise and stretching in the morning, bridge lessons at 9:00am, today we had the mandatory safety drill.  We learned that there are 3 liters of water per person on the life boats and you are not supposed to drink any for 24 hours.

April 27, Monday

Majestic Kinabalu Park scene

We were greeted with drummers and dancers and given beaded necklaces at the gangway in Sabah.

David went on the Majestic Kinabalu Park excursion while I went on the Tribal Cultures and city highlights.  He brought me back a small, almost orange colored inside, banana that was delicious.

A pitcher plant David saw.

Our drive went by the beaches and bike trails along the beautiful bay lined with flowering trees.  The dark line in the water was a school of fish.

We stopped to photograph this hanging building.

We stopped to take photos of this "floating" mosque.

Up in the forested area a former tour guide built a cultural village so tourists can see the different tribal cultures without going all over the island and to remote areas.  There are still some tribal people who live the traditional way apparently.

These women are making dinner.  They are putting chopped meat, potatoes, onions and bay leaf into a piece of bamboo lined with banana leaf and cooking them over an open fire like a hot dog.  She split one open and out comes a complete dinner for a hunter.

This is a Dusun tribal home.  Other tribes featured are Rungus, Bajou, Kasaz.  Almost all the homes are made out of bamboo, are very spacious, sturdy, and look comfortable.  Bamboo fish traps, baskets, big iron bowls and pottery urns are displayed as well as the orchids planted in coconut planters.  Coconut shells are used for bowls, pitchers, cooking utensils, etc.  You can do just about anything with coconut and bamboo.

These young men are making fire with bamboo tools.

Ben demonstrated the blow pipe weapon.  It can take a year to make one out of iron wood.  the little arrows are tipped with poison.  I got to shoot one and almost hit the coconut.

Lots of different tropical foods, many of which I recognize from Hawaii.

We saw demonstrations of beekeeping which was simply to put honey on the outside of a big bamboo with a hole at the bottom side, and wait a couple months and open it up and take the honey and honeycomb which was used for glue.

We saw a demonstration of how to make rice liquor which was distilled, and rice wine.  Apparently the natives liked to drink alcohol a lot.  We were offered a taste.

The demonstration I liked the best was the birds nest cookies.  They put thin rice flour dough, much like crepe batter, into a coconut shell ladel with tiny holes in the bottom.  Then drained it in circles into a pot of boiling coconut or palm oil.  It quickly cooks and looks lacy.  They use tongs to shape it into a triangle.  

Delicious!  I bought two packages.  They are called kueh jala. They could also be called Bahan Bahan.  Then we had our tea, made from pandan leaves and ginger.  Also delicious.

This crocodile mound has spikes on it that the hunters placed their trophy heads on to display a successful hunt.  A hunter must give a head to marry a wife to show he can protect her.

They are making bark cloth for the vest he is wearing.  The fabric is stretchable.  She has on a traditional costume.

They also make rope from this fiber by rolling it.

She is the priestess blessing us with palm fronds in her right hand as we enter the long house for the dance performances.

This is a family home in a longhouse.  Many families can live here, each with a nice big room.

Drummers

Dancers

Later they did a dance with long bamboo poles you had to jump in between as they were moved.  They invited us to try it out.  It wasn't too hard.  I also tried the trampoline device used as a game to reach prizes up high given out for a celebration.  This is still done today but with iPhones and such as prizes.

We were served a traditional lunch.  I especially liked the baby kailan vegetable.  It is a green vegetable that has the shape of baby bok choy but tastes like mild brussel sprouts.

Before returning to the ship we stopped at a market place.  All the little shops seemed to have the same things.  I bought a cotton dress.  I hope it stays together when it is washed.  I also bought a stuffed proboscus monkey for Aurora.  They are found only on this island.  Dan said he saw one for real on their private tour.  The long nose is for making a different sound when mating.  It doesn't particularly smell any more efficiently.

When we got back to the ship I was exhausted.  It was about 95 degrees and humid.  I drank lots of water, but was probably still dehydrated.

Sunset as we left port.