Sarawak Mata Kuching or Wild Longans

Now is the season the for mata kuching or cat's eyes - a local wild variety of longan that are now being cultivated.. They are super-sweet and have more flavour than the normal longan.

The tree of the mata kuching is a big tree ..... this tree here is already fruiting.

The young mata-kuching...

The mata kuching we bought from the market.

Most are of a size between the 10 sen and 20 sen coins. 
 

The shell,s super-sweet flesh and seeds of the fruits. 

Enjoy.

Mid-Autumn Festival - 中秋节

Sending off the Sky Lanterns or 孔明灯 with good wishes last night after the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner. We set off a few - all different colours - the kids love them!

 

All had a good time!

中元节 ZhongYuan Festival at Carpenter Street

On the 16th Day of the Seventh Month, the 中元节 (ZhongYuan Festival) at Carpenter Street is possibly the oldest in Sarawak - having been held at this location every years since the temple was built in the 1800's. Tonight celebration is a KeJia （Hakka，客家) Clan event. The ChaoZhou （潮州） clan had their event the night before. Three highlight so this event - the Raising the Lantern of Heaven, the 8 pm free-for-all and then the 8:30 pm free-for-all.

 

Frontage of the festival venue at Carpenter Street, Kuching.

Prayer at the altar for the YuLanShenHui (盂兰盆会).

Prayer at the altar for the YuLanShenHui (盂兰盆会).

Altar to the Gods of the Gold and Silver Mountains 

The Lord of Hades.

Prayer Offerings on the ground

Making paper Gold and Silver Ingots

Prayer Offerings on the ground

The Lord of Hades.

This Lantern of Heaven oil lamp is worth a lot of money - it will go to the highest bidder. It went for RM999.

Crowd waiting for the 8 pm free-for-all

Kid waiting with big bag to grab the goodies

 
Burning the Paper offerings

Crowd waiting for the 8 pm free-for-all

The Lantern is up.

Free-For-All and Grab as much as you can!

The empty altar table.

Crowds grabbing the goodies.

Crowds grabbing the goodies.

Making off with the goodies.

Place emptied of the offerings

The empty altar table

Crowd waiting for the second of round of free-for-all - this time the grab for the tickets to collect the rows and rows of food hampers seen at the back.

Free-for-All again!!!

中元节 ZhongYuan Festival at 3d Mile, Sg Maong

The ZhongYuan Festival (中元节） Festival at the 3d Mile, Sg Maong is a public event and one of the largest in Kuching. It is also known as YuLanShenHui (盂兰盆会).

The height of the event will be tonight when at a certain time, all those food items (mostly dried food, fruits and vegetable, rice, etc) placed on the large expanse of the ground behind the main altar will be up for grab in a major free-for-all. This is a typical Hakka (客家) event.  

Giant Dragon Joss Sticks

 

Main Altar

 

  

 

Sweets Mountain

Grains Mountain

Gold Mountain

House

Black Gold with 2 Attendants 

Black Gold

Silver Mountain 

Offerings of Food

 

 

Offerings of Five Types of Fruits 

 

 

  

 

Festival Flags

Tonight, all those food items (mostly dried food, fruits and vegetable, rice, etc) seen here on the large expanse of the ground will be up for grab in a major free-for-all.