DAY 74 - KOTO KINABALU, MALAYSIA - APRIL 11, 2010

EARLIER TO RISE AND EAT. JIM MUNDELL PASTORED THE CHURCH SERVICE AGAIN THIS MORNING. THE SERMON CENTERED AROUND THE PERSON OF THE CHRIST. IT WAS A GOOD MESSAGE FOR ANYONE ON THE FENCE. JIM AND HIS WIFE BETTY LEAVE IN SINGAPORE. WE WILL SURELY MISS HIM AND HIS ABILITY TO PREACH.

ON THE ISLAND OF BORNEO, IN THE COUNTRY OF MALAYSIA, IN THE STATE OF SABAH YOU FIND THE CITY OF KOTO KINABALU ( KIN A BAL LU). THIS IS OUR PORT OF CALL. IT IS A SMALL PLACE, POOR, WITH BASICALLY NO INDUSTRY BUT TOURISM. THE COUNTRY IS PRIMARILY MUSLIM

OUR TOUR, KOTO KINABALU CITY TOUR, STARTED BY SHOWING US THE FIFTEEN STORY CIRCULAR GLASS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING TO THE LEFT OF THE PORT. IN AS MUCH AS IT WAS SUNDAY THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RESTAURANT ON THE TOP, WE ONLY SPENT TEN MINUTES AT THE SITE.

AS WE HEADED FOR OUR NEXT STOP WE PASSED THE CITY MOSQUE, AN IMPRESSIVE BUILDING, BUT WE DIDN’T STOP FOR PICTURES OR ENTRY. WE WENT BY SO QUICKLY IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SNAP A PICTURE THROUGH THE BUS WINDOW. WE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, THE WATER VILLAGE, HOMES BUILT ON STICKS, AS WE APPROACHED OUR SECOND STOP, THE STATE MOSQUE.

THE MOSQUE IS AN EYE-CATCHER WITH THE BLUE AND GOLD CERAMIC TILE DOME. FIVE MINI GOLD DOMES SIT BELOW THE MAIN DOME. TO THE RIGHT OF THE MOSQUE IS A TALL MINARET, WITH A GOLD TOP IN THE SHAPE OF A DUNCE CAP. AT THE TOP OF THE DUNCE CAP WAS A GOLD MOON SHAPED OBJECT WITH A STAR IN THE CENTER.

WE WERE NOT PERMITTED TO ENTER THE MOSQUE FRO SEVERAL REASONS, ONE WE WERE NOT DRESS PROPERLY AND SECOND IT WAS SUNDAY. (THE REASONS MADE LESS SENSE AFTER OUR BRUNEI PORT CALL). THIS STOP LASTED ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES AS WE ALL ROAMED AROUND TAKING PICTURES FROM THE OUTSIDE.

THE SABAH MUSEUM WAS OUR NEXT ADVENTURE AND PROVED TO BE A BETTER EXPERIENCE. THE MUSEUM HAS AN INTERIOR SECTION WITH ARTIFACTS OF BORNEO’S HISTORY. IN ORDER TO ENTER THE MUSEUM ONE MUST REMOVE HIS/HER SHOES. WE DIDN’T DO THE INTERIOR. WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME IN THE VILLAGE AND LIMITED THE REMAINDING TIME AVAILABLE FOR VISITING THE INTERIOR SECTION.

THE OUTOOR VILLAGE CONSISTING OF SEVERAL HUTS PORTRAYING LIFE, AS IT WAS, IN THE PRIMITIVE DAYS OF BORNEO. THERE WERE HUTS FOR THE BOYS, SEPARATE HUTS FOR THE GIRLS, MEETINGS, COOKING, STORAGE AND THE MOST INTERESTING, THE SCULL HUT.

IN CASE YOU DO NOT KNOW, OR DON’T REMEMBER TAILS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE COUNTRY, BORNEO WAS FAMOUS FOR BEING THE COUNTRY OF HEADHUNTERS.

THE FINAL STOP WAS A SORT OF CULTURAL EVENT, THE OUTDOOR MARKET. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SHOPS AND STANDS THAT SELL TANGIBLE ITEMS, WE SAW MOSTLY FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND FISH. THE AROMAS VARIED FROM DELICIOUS, TO DOWN RIGHT OVERCOMING AND GROSS. IF FOR NO OTHER REASON IT WAS AN EXTREMELY INTERRESTING PHOTO-OPT.

WE WERE TOLD THAT OVER 450 PASSENGERS WENT ON TOURS. AS THEY ARRIVED BACK AT THE SHIP MOST WENT TO THE BUFFET FOR DINNER AND AVOIDED THE DINING ROOM. I CAN’T EVER REMEMBER TRYING TO GET TO THE MAIN DINING ROOM AFTER SPENDING THE DAY TOURING. TODAY WAS NO EXCEPTION.