Asia Music Festival 2014 - "Rock and Roll" All Night Long

This is the second year Asia Music Festival held. Had so much fun this year covering it under media. Drop by last year but just as a spectator. I had only went for a day and couldn't do much comparison on it. Definitely with a different status, there's much "behind the scene" that I get to explore compare to the crowd that is just a spectator. An experienced that you can never buy!

Sarawak Tourism Board had always aware of CSR and Tree Planting is something that will never be sorted out of the list of an event. For every event that they had organised they will do the least to contribute back to the society and definitely to the mother nature. Therefore, the starting of any event will always begin with the Tree Planting ceremony.

Everyone were contributing their little efforts to the mother nature. Us, the Sarawak Bloggers were doing our part too! How can we be missed out for such meaningful ceremony!

Before the real show starts, we have a chance to gets closer with the performers in accordance to know anything about them, of course something related to their music and performance. Either from their background, history, their genre of musics to their line of story who made them who they are today.

You will be surprise to find there's so many talented bands that is yet to be explored across Asia. Bringing them here to the Asia Music Festival sharing their hard work and music across the globe, the least we, Mirian, fellow Malaysian, get to know who they are. I am glad STB had found this hidden gem!

DRUMCALL, MALAYSIA

Just the perfect selection to kick start on the first day! They say you have to start your day with a good breakfast in order to be energetic and fresh, DrumCall is definitely the most awesome "breakfast"! The massively loud drum definitely not gona makes you feel uncomfortable. Combination of the drum blending well just like a cup of coffee that are mixed with their best partner, sugar and creamer! That's how smooth their performance were!~

PISCO, TAIWAN

Energetic band from Taiwan, music genre with combination of Piano and disco music and that's also the combination of their name, PISCO! Their hyper performance especially the lead singer and the bassist heat up the crowd. Their music definitely keep your heart beating but their lyrics is totally the opposite of it. Just like how they described, "fierce look but with a soft heart"! That's the proverb which I think is the closest to described them. When both comes together, it work just like ying & yang which is inseparable!

RAS MUHAMMAD, INDONESIA

Legendary icon in his home country and also ambassador of Reggae music, none other than Ras Muhamad! Inspired and influenced by Bob Marley since he was a kid had lead him to who he is today. His music were more genuine reggae with Indonesia element specially inserted his own home country culture. Strong and influencing performance. Reggae never failed to make everyone have their body move along with its music!

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Sabah Beads, a tourist’s love Sabahans may take for granted

Beads, once worn by men and women to show their status in society, have evolved to become a global fashion trend. In Sabah, it only comes second in popularity as a heritage, after the traditional tribal attire. Perhaps changing of the times has altered the cultural regard for the importance of beads as a symbol of wealth and social status.

“In the old days, these beads were used as adornment, endowed with spiritual power and used as collateral or currency and even as a healing implement. Beads were worn as a display of beauty and indicator of wealth and prominence in society as a currency and as methods of counting and reckoning,” said Sabah Museum Director, Joanna Kitingan.

According to her, back then, beads were made from precious material, such as fossil, coral, pearl, amber, iron, gold, silver, copper and even animal teeth. In contrast with today, beads are mostly made from plastic and rubber. From being highly valued accessories, beads are now commonly seen as tourist trinkets given to visitors as souvenirs and as trendy accessories for the “hip” youth.

“It’s a good thing if you look at it from a different perspective. Seeing many people wearing our local beads means more than just living the Sabahan culture,” said Joanna. Many local women earn their livelihood by selling the beads as accessories, she added.

Recently, Joanna gave a talk on Sabahan beads entitled, “Importance of beads in our society” at the Sabah Society secretariat in Damai. The talk was attended by locals as well as foreigners. She said beads are treated as heirlooms and played a major part in the cultural history of Sabah having existed through many civilisations.

Knowing that beads played a very significant role in Sabah’s history, the Sabah Museum has been collecting original beads since 1965 while tracing the sources of these beads.

“We have collected more than 100 beads so far and we are still locating and tracing some other beads,” she said adding that it is the role of the museum to preserve the historical objects and to create a safe and trusted haven for objects that have cultural and spiritual potency.

It is also our duty to make sure the public will gain the utmost access to these historical treasures,” said Joanna.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sabah Beads, a tourist’s love Sabahans may take for granted

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Santubong Nature Festival to be held from Nov 8 to 9

KUCHING: Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) in collaboration with Malaysian Nature Society, Kuching will be holding Santubong Nature Festival from Nov 8 to 9.

The event at Permai Rainforest Resort aims to improve the level of understanding and create awareness among members of the public on the nature and history of Santubong.

With its focus set to include both the local and international crowd, the festival will look into the aspect of landscape management, biodiversity, assets and potential tourism attraction and recreational activities around Santubong.

Continue reading at: Santubong Nature Festival to be held from Nov 8 to 9

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Borneo Dream: Conquering Mount Kinabalu Part 2 [ Way Up To The Summit ]

We woke up at 1.30am to prepare ourselves for the final stretch of the climb to the peak.

Had an early breakfast to gain some strength for our way up the notorious trail going to the summit.

We met our guide, Francis outside the Laban Rata and we started our climb to the peak at 2.30am.

Coupled with our headlights, thermal wear, jackets and windbreakers, we headed off in the dark and cold night into the dark, always mysterious forest.

The blinking headlamps of the climbers served as a kind morse code for others to keep going.

The journey up was dark, windy and lots of hikers at the beginning of the trail.

The terrain gradually changes from dirt tracks to steep boulder-like tracks.

It became difficult as boulders gets slippery. Due to the absence of trees and easily accessible branches, there were strategically placed ropes at certain spots.

The strong wind became our companion throughout the climb. Sometimes I was on all four just to get myself up another step.

And then I saw the stretch of the trail with rope and steep stone granite path.

I remembered staring at the trail for a while thinking “How am I going to get up there with that rope?”

At one point we sat to rest and could hear the loud sound of the winds, which sounded like the waves in the ocean.

The strong the winds were blowing at that elevation. For us Filipinos who have never experienced winter or extreme cold weather were felt foreign in this kind of weather.

It is this same air, silently thinning as we go up, that threatened the breaths of several climbers.

As we go along, some people had thrown up due to nausea from altitude sickness.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Borneo Dream: Conquering Mount Kinabalu Part 2 [ Way Up To The Summit ]

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Baby Orangutans in Borneo

As part of our upcoming trip, we just got tickets to an “orangutan experience” this weekend at Rasa Ria Resort in Borneo, AND I AM SO EXCITED!

I have this weird thing where I really love observing animals but am seriously terrified of getting up close and personal with them.

I’m not too proud to admit that during first grade I sobbed from fear when someone brought in their bunny rabbit for show-and-tell…. and I remember seven-year-old me frantically bicycling away from a barking chihuahua…

And I am currently, and probably always will be, terrified of anything that slithers (I’m looking at you, Thai lizards).

But put me behind the safety of binoculars or behind a car door, and I am all about animals. I eat that shiz up.

So checking out these semi-wild orangutans from the safety of a viewing platform? Right up my alley.

We tried to go whale watching while we were in Iceland last year, but stupidly, we booked the boat tour for our last day in Reykjavik and the weather ended up being too bad for us to go out on the water safely that day.

So no whales for me :( Even after living in Hawaii for a while, I have still never seen a whale in the wild *sigh* Someday…

This time, we made sure to book the orangutan visit for the first day of our trip. Lesson learned.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Baby Orangutans in Borneo

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