31 December 2011

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS

I don't know if I am going to watch this movie but I certainly watched the cartoon series when I was younger and I just love the way they talked. So, naturally I love the songs they sing too, but anyway I have attached below some video clips of some recent beautiful songs from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry below from the new movie.


29 December 2011

SARAWAK (KUCHING) PART 3

Traditionally, the men have the Tongkat Ali (scientific name: Eurycoma longifolia) to boost their libido whilst the women have the Kacip Fatimah (scientific name: Labisia pumila). Known as the childbirth medicine, it is often used to ease delivery, tighten the reproductive system after birth, regulate menstrual cycle and so on.


I am not sure of the identity of the palm but it certainly has lovely white and red fruits. It was a surprise to see the Congea tomentosa at this nursery area and the flowers looked like sprays of orchids from a certain view. There was also this rare Sanchezia with red bracts that I came across. Unfortunately, it is not available for sale.


Along the journey, we crossed a river and saw a few beautiful trees in the distance. One was a Ficus with spectacularly coloured figs. Too bad, I wasn't able to reach it too. We reached a nursery and I was astonished to find lots of bonsai-shaped topiaries for sale. The owner is from China and indeed I saw a number of plants that originate from China e.g. Loropetalum chinense, Nandina domestica. We left soon after when the approaching dark clouds beckoned us to leave.









































SARAWAK (KUCHING) PART 2

At another area, we saw stands of the uncommon Licuala mattanensis cv. Mapu. Its variegated leaves and slow growth makes it one of the more sought after and expensive palms.

The following day, we visited the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre. They have some of the most beautiful and unusual plants around, such as the Poikilospermum microstachys (Family: Cecropiaceae), Saurauia sp. (Family: Actinidiaceae), Piper porphyrophyllum (Family: Piperaceae), Phaius tankervilliae (Family: Orchidaceae), Cyrtandra vaginata (Family: Gesneriaceae), Musa borneensis (Family: Musaceae), Globba atrosanguinea (Family: Zingiberaceae), Cyrtandra splendens, Homalomena humilis (Family: Araceae), Commelina diffusa (Family: Commelinaceae) and so on. They are simply so amazing!


And it is not a surprise that we had the local kolo mee for lunch! What better place to taste this noodle than at its local origin.