Opposites: Oman and Sabah - not so opposite!

This is the second blog about our trip out of Sabah last year to other countries and other climes!  At the end of our holiday we visited friends in Oman, many of whom have already come to stay with us here in Sabah.  Although we are familiar with the scenery in Oman, our friends there made sure that we went to places we hadn't been before and this meant spending a night in the desert.

The desert in Oman

What could be more different from the green of Sabah?  And yet, in terms of beauty - the desert was lovely.  We sat on a dune and watched the sun go down and the tiny arc of the moon come up - and then in the morning, we sat on another dune and watched the sun come up.  Peaceful experiences made more special by being with good friends.

(Clockwise from top) Images of Oman - a door, goats,
pigeons, a camel, a fishing boat, and two kids

Camels and goats are animals I associate with the Middle East and we saw plenty of them in Oman.  There is no doubt that camels' eyelashes are the lushest in the world!  One of our friends had goats and pigeons where we stayed and his children were so familiar with them that they could just grab them up as if they were picking up a ball!  A little bit of chasing, a lot of giggling and suddenly the kid was secure in the boy's arms. 
Another dramatic aspect of the scenery in Oman is the mountains.  They are like the bones of the earth, showing their folds and wrinkles and presenting themselves in purples, browns, oranges, greens.  They rise up from the land without any introduction or excuse - mystical from the distance and awe-inspiring up close.

There are villages hidden in these mountains where the people have orchards of pomegranate trees and fields of vegetables.  It all seems so amazingly difficult and relies on the sometimes centuries-old irrigation channels to water everything.
In Sabah, we have almost daily rain and the rivers are always flowing.  My eyes never tire of the greenery.  And yet both Oman and Sabah have their own beauty and their own solutions to life's problems.  And they both have wonderfully hospitable people - who will bring joy to any experience you have with them!
It has been a unique pleasure for us to share Oman with Sabahan friends and to share Sabah with Omani friends!  Like bringing opposites together and finding that they enjoy each other so much.


(Clockwise from top) In Oman, in Sabah, the flowers,
the desert,examining a sheet of rubber, in Oman

If you have any comments or questions, I'd love to hear from you.  Please write to me:  jude@astsabah.com

Linangkit Cultural Village - by Cherry and Mac

One of the highlights of our visit to Sabah was the afternoon we spent at Linangkit Cultural Village. This collection of traditional buildings has been set up by a small group of individuals keen to preserve their cultural heritage in a rapidly modernising society.

The visit starts with the removal of shoes and ceremonial washing of feet before entering the small museum by our guide and curator, an erstwhile engineering student, now full-time front man of the enterprise.

Cherry in the museum

The museum's most memorable exhibits were some shrunken heads, some huge Chinese storage jars, adopted as ritual objects by the tribespeople and a full tribal costume, complete with embroidered jacket and hooped belt which the tourist can try on.

Julita working on 'linangkit'

The distinctive tribal textile tradition is kept alive by Julita  who keeps her brightly coloured threads in a clear plastic tool box for easy identification.  

Young & old play drums & gongs

Our visit culminated in a traditional meal served in the large and airy function room, built over the river, to provide a natural cooling system. Some younger members of the group appeared in costume and played the traditional gongs, whilst we ate ‘hinata’ (raw fish) and drank the local brew or freshly prepared tea. The village also boasts a small fish farm and is planning some small-scale purpose-built tourist accommodation with additional restaurant facilities. 



View of Linangkit Cultural Village

This was written by Cherry Taylor and the photos were taken by Mac Campeanu.  You can see more of his photos on:  http://gallery.me.com/campeanu#100099&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=59

If you have any comments or questions, please just write to me at:  jude@astsabah.com.  I'd love to hear from you.