I took the opportunity to drive and walk around town yesterday to photograph the architecture which can be found in Sibu. F.Y.I for those who are "overseas" (including those who are in Semenanjung Malaysia) we Sarawakians DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT stay in caves or on trees. Sarawak is neighbors with Kalimantan(Indonesia) and also Sabah(Malaysia) and this island of ours is famously known as the Borneo Island. If you wanna know more bout the place, just *CLICK* here. For those from Sarawak, if your friends ask you those questions, just ask them to read this post. Sibu is a small town located in the heart of Sarawak.
The Sarawak flag flying high!
Who says there are no interesting buildings in Sibu? There might not be many but there are some interesting landmarks to look out for. We might not have many tall buildings but we have one of the tallest in Sarawak. The Wisma Sanyan, located at the town-square houses the Sibu Municipal Council and also a shopping centre.
Wisma Sanyan is the one with on the right. The skies are like this most of the afternoons.
The building next to it is the RH hotel, a newly built hotel just in time for the Miss Tourism Pageant this year.
And I have no idea why but there seems to be more and more Chinese like gates in Sibu. Like a one big China-town.
What I love about this building is that it is the shape of a tug-boat and is housing the Lembaga Pelabuhan Rajang.
The refurbished town sidewalks creates a modernized beautiful streets.
This building was built by Hock Hua Bank about 12 years ago however the bank merged with Public bank and was used by the bank till a year ago. Now it is rented out to the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri Malaysia.
Just beside it is the refurbished shophouses dating back to 1970s or 1980s. I am not sure. HAHA... But I don't know why but I feel that these buildings are unique.
This is the construction site of my former primary school SRB Methodist Sibu. Not bad, re-building the school with over 100 years worth of history.
Believe it or not, some of the most beautiful buildings found in Sibu are the churches and the temples. I don't see many of these in K.L.
Masland Methodist church, right next to SJK Methodist.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church where the first church started since 1899 and was reconstructed in 1987 to be the building it is today.
This pagoda is one of the most popular building in Sibu because it stands out. Older than I am, the structure is the example of the many Chinese influenced architecture found in my hometown.
Sibu have balls.
Seriously. Balls! HAHA..... Get it?
Guess what is this structure for?
A shopping center?
A market?
A government office??
An architecture Firm???
NAhhh... Its none of those..
This is the multi-story car park for the central market. That is why I say Sibu have Balls. You will seldom hear the Government of Sibu will create a beautiful structure just for a carpark. Because Sibu is a business town, the type of architecture here is function before form. So you will see that most of the buildings here including houses look the same.
However, ever since the SMC (Sibu Municipal Council) decides to make Sibu a "Swan City", more and more gardens are constructed like the Sibu town square and the Sibu gateway.
Located on one of the busiest road in Sibu, the gateway into Sibu town is usually used for festivals or events. Right opposite it is a small zodiac garden. And something caught my eye in the garden......
Monkey King Darren in stone!! ALL HAIL MONKEY KING DARREN!!
*Looks closely* Hmmmmm, it really looks abit like Darren... Right???
A SWAN??? WHY SWAN???? SIBU DON'T HAVE ANY FREAKING SWANS!! WHY ARE WE KNOWN AS SWAN CITY?? WHEN IT IS A TOWN!!
Some of the zodiac statues found in the garden.
Sibu Town (part of it that is)
Walking down to the riverside park known to the locals as Jiang Bing Gong Yuan
I saw this newly built Restaurant/cafe.
Not bad right?
Simple yet beautiful in its own ways.
Use of different materials can create something incredible.
Stalking mother and child on the swing. Influenced by Ng Wai Sie who loves stalking people too.
I Still wonder... WHY A SWAN??
Okay... Forget it...
Cloudy day = wonderful pictures
Especially at the river side....
The view at the mighty Rajang River
People fishing...
Boats on the still waters on a Sunday afternoon...
A lazy Sunday afternoon, everyone is resting at home...
The boats moving with the waves of the river.. No one going up or down river.
So peaceful and tranquil.
Nothing beats the sound of silence and of the river.
This is my home
This is Sibu.
The small town located in the Heart of Sarawak.
My home.
Children of the rainforest
intrinsically woven into the fabric of life
with one spirit, one voice, one people
that the song of the river is your own
~Barbara L. Sykes
I LOVE SIBU!
More to come soon~~~
15 comments:
WAO....not bad wo..
i admire the blue sky there...
typical from aaron. The amount of pictures is to the extent that I cant load them all.
HAHA... Is it? Well, camera+Aaron =many many pictures. Darren, it feels like early winter here everyday. Because we have alot of trees. The sky is like that almost everyday. Unless it rains
haha...just had to prove a point eh...the sky's always lyk that? hehe
Almost... HAHA..
Yo! Sibu rockz!!!!! Awesome post!
ya, the sky is like that most of the time... cloudy.
Why no pics about food? next post huh?
i love sibu too.. i wanted to go out n take pics of sibu too, but i didn't have time..maybe i had time, but somehow i just didn't get the chance to go n do tat.. it's a good thg i can come here n look at sibu when i miss it next time..hehe..thanks for taking n posting all these pics!!
aiyooo
kampua boo, zou cai hung ngang boo, cha ju mien boo and so many more *salivates and die*
bye
No fair no fair! I Love Sibu too okay? okay? hahaha.
i just randomly click the blog then see such a quite marvellous blog, expecting your new post ya?
Was working on an article on why Sibu is called the Swan City and I stumbled upon your blog. The pictures you took are beautiful and made me miss Sibu more. I'm a Filipina who lived in Sibu for 2 years. I consider it home :)
Hi Aaron, I found this info about the swan and Sibu on Wikipedia:
'In order to promote itself to tourists and for branding purpose, Sibu Municipal Council under the former Chairmanship of Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, adopted the swan as the symbol of Sibu town. According to the Sibu Chinese community, when the early immigrants arrived in Sibu in the mid 19th century and early 20th century, the present Rajang River reminded them of Swan River in Fuzhou, China. However, due to the fact that such a bird is non-existent in the town (except for the numerous huge artificial swan statues) or anywhere in Malaysia, the majority of the Sibu community, especially the natives, feel that such a choice is too artificial and does not invoke any special or deep feeling toward the so-called "Symbol of Sibu".'
Anyway, great photos you have here. I left Sibu when I was a young kid and last week was my first trip back after a long 18 years gap. The town has certainly grown but to me, I was once again that little kid that speaks foochow and loving her kampua mie! Thanks for reminding me of my lovely home town.
I don't see any REAL swan at all. Only statues.
Notes about wrong flag:
- The black and red position is correct. The orientation of The 9-Pointed Star is wrong. The first wedge shall point to the upper-left part of The Flag and not downward-right.
Avis, I do not make the flags, and if you notice, its being blown by the wind so it is distorted abit.
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