THE BASKETS OF MANY COLOURS

 

Back in June this year, I visited the plentiful market of Serian town, about one hour drive from Kuching . Serian is a regular stop-over for tourists on their way to visiting the longhouses of Skran, Lemanak or Batang Ai.                                                                                                                                      While I was there to shoot the Durian monument with my camera (check out my previous post: Green Monuments), I spotted a little old lady, seated on a woven mat, timidly laid out on the ground, yet standing out quite obviously with her baskets of many color,  in a corner of the otherwise mostly green vegetable section of the market. As I looked closer, I noticed that the baskets were entirely made of interwoven plastic strips and although I am usually no fan of plastic ware, except for cold storage purposes, I couldn’t help feeling excited and I felt rather frustrated that I just did not have enough time to spend to select a couple, at least, of those beautiful baskets.                                 

Back in Kuching, I mentioned the basket lady to a few of my friends, making a promise to myself to go back there and purchase one of two as soon as I would return from a trip to Perth WA. While I was enjoying browsing in a quaint little shop in Cottlesloe, near Perth, I found myself looking at the same type of colorful baskets! Yet of course with an Australian price, which helped convince me even further that I should indeed go back to the little old lady, back in Serian, Borneo; and so I did, last Sunday morning. I did not find any trace of my little old lady. Instead and to my great surprise, I found the whole center of the vegetable market occupied with rows of baskets, from small to very large, square and round, all with beautifully sharp colors.                              

 

  
While scouting for two different sizes and colors, I started chatting with the women who were busy weaving; they told me that they were self taught and worked at the market every day of the week and Sundays; they got their supply of plastic straps from the hardware shop. 

  

A pinkish basket for my lap-top

Shopping was good; I went back home with a shocking pink and white basket to carry my lap-top and another large one and more purple to store magazines, unaware that my friend Alicia had transformed one of her own into a still life, right inside her living-room, bringing me to think that there seems to be no limit to uses of those beautiful baskets of many colors.

Alicia's basket: what a splendid idea!

                                                             
            

SHOPPING IN KUALA LUMPUR (KL)

Living in East Malaysia (Borneo) certainly has its perks; for instance there are no foreign embassies here, so that when you happen to be an expat like me, you have no choice but to go to KL when you need to renew your passport. This is how, a few days ago, I paid a visit to l’Ambassade de France on Jalan Ampang.  So where’s the perk in that, you may wonder? No less than a perfect excuse to spend a couple of days in the capital and indulge in window shopping in some of the trendiest malls in South East Asia, and if you have never come to Asia, trust me, shopping here is absolutely AWESOME!                                          
With such a good shopping “opportunity” I invited my best friend Helen to come along and from where our hotel was, on Bintang Walk, we couldn’t ask for a better situation: Pavillion, Star Hill, KL Plazza, Lot 10, and of course Sungai Wang and Bukit Bintang Plazzas and even Time Square were all within walking distance. I was even able to check out on a new lens for my camera at Low Yat Plazza which specialises in computers, cameras and various gadgets.

I love the Pavilion, the most affordable part of course and unashamedly the top designers section too. Who wouldn’t feel grand walking through gigantic doors, passing COACH on the right side and being welcome by MARC JACOBS. I must confess that I always walk out of there happy, with perhaps something out of Tangs, a pair of shoes from Nine West (I even found a pair of elegant Zang Toi sandals at Parkson) and a little something chic from Bimba and Lola on the ground floor (I love this boutique! See my latest bag?); and what to say about one of my favorite boutiques, Ralph Lauren which conveniently faces The Loaf that serves pastries which I find impossible to resist? What a nice way to ponder over a cuppa and decide on whether or not to go crazy over that chiffon skirt which happens to be in my size?

Right on the opposite side of the Walk, we were happily surprised to find KL Plaza had undergone a full make-over; so and off course, we had to explore it, which was a good idea as we found out that every boutique in there seemed to make a point to offer something different while we were beginning to think that the only difference from one shop to another was the price tag on the same blouse or tees. Chapter 8 in particular felt special both in decor and goods and the fact that everyone was fussing around a lovely model pausing on a cosy chair (I was allowed to take my own picture) definitely added a touch of glamor to our visit.

Again it was great going to KL, although rather overwhelming after a while. Ask most East Malaysians and they’ll tell you that three days is the maximum they can take of the fast and furious pace of life in the capital city; this is why, flying homeward bound back to Kuching is never a sad moment. Life’s good in Borneo, until that is, the next excuse to visit KL.