The Cat City of Kuching

Before leaving the states everyone asked me if I needed to obtain shots against infectious diseases like Dengue Fever, Hepatitis A or B, Malaria, Encephalitis, Typhoid and Diphtheria while visiting the juggles of Malaysia. I didn't think much about it because I was already vaccinated against all these during my maritime ship trip around the world in 2005. Unlike countries like Burma and Vietnam, which do require an International Certificate of Vaccination (otherwise known as a yellow book), the security at the passport inspection in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching only asked for my passport. Still, there are signs at the airport that warn visitors coming from Africa and South America to show proof of vaccination against yellow fever.

But I'm not canoeing a murky river, visiting a tribal community or trekking the green trails of Sarawak (the region of Borneo I'm visiting) just yet. Hopefully there will be time for that next week. Today I'm in a region called Sarawak, in a modern Cat Capital called Kuching. It's population is 500,000 and it sprawls lazily along the banks of a river called Sungai Sarawak. The official language is Malay and the currency is called the ringgit but everyone speaks English because the British occupied this area until 1957.

I'm staying on the top floor of a luxury hotel called the Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites. I have 2 complete bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room and 3 bathrooms all to myself, not to mention the most magnificent view of the Kuching skyline. The hotel is located in the bustling business district surrounded by new construction retail shops, river warehouses, temples, mosques and vibrant night markets. There's an age old cotton tree growing in park across from the street that I'm staying at. It strikes me as a good omen. It's about 80 degrees, drizzling rain and I'm too tired to venture beyond my pillow so I drop off as soon as I enjoy a brief lunch of obscure juggle fruit with a calamari salad.

In the morning, after a long needed hot shower, I enjoy a traditional breakfast spread of congee (silky Chinese rice porridge), warm bread and laksa (noodles in a coconut soup with bean sprouts, prawns, bean curd and quail eggs. Variety is the spice of life and my motto is never ever refuse local cuisine when offered. Fortunately I do not drink coffee but Max (writer/owner of GoNomad.com) does and was visibly displeased when he discovered his cappochino had a touch of margarine in it to thicken it.

The bus is loading up so much more on my tour of Kuching, the cat museum and the Istana palace when I return.