AliJon Hand Crafted Silver & Craft

Amongst the stalls in the arts and crafts bazaar at the Borneo Jazz Festival 2012, AliJon Hand Crafted Silver stood out because of the towering orange-red Heliconias in a large glass vase.

Closer inspection revealed an assortment of fine hand crafted silver items on display at the main counter while traditional Japanese “Washi” hand made craft items were displayed on the side.

The owners of the stall, John Ng and his wife Alice Ho were very friendly and it didn’t take very long for us to get chatting. We found the couple to be warm and approachable, with John eager to promote recycling and share his creative methods with us.

Washi is the light, strong traditional Japanese paper made by hand from the inner-bark fibers of trees and plants. The name Washi literally means "Japanese paper".

Making Washi involves a long and intricate process where certain types of tree bark are stripped, boiled and then dried. The fibers are boiled with lye to remove the starch, fat and tannin, and then placed in running water to remove the lye.

The fibers are then bleached and any remaining impurities in the fibers are picked out by hand. It is laid on a board and beaten to a pulp. Wet balls of pulp are mixed with water, scooped onto a screen and shaken to spread the fibers evenly. The addition of the pounded fibre to a liquid solution, combined with fermented hibiscus root produces a paste-like substance when it is mixed.

It is this "paste" which is tossed until evenly spread on a bamboo mesh screen to form each sheet of paper. The sheets are piled up wet, and later laid out to dry on wood in the sun. Considering the amount of work involved, John was selling his items for a song.

Looking at his exquisitely detailed silver pieces, it would never occur to you that John is entirely a self-taught artist. He studied architecture and socialogy, also took on liberal arts for his double major in Iowa, USA. While in the US, this gifted guy also found the time to work as a chef to satisfy his creative streak.

On completing his studies, he came back to Sarawak and having plenty of time on his hands, started painting. His work attracted the attention of the Sarawak Arts Society, and before long he was working in an architectural firm.

When Kuching (North) became a city, John was selected to design the Mayor’s robe, mace, chain of office and official crest. Recognition for his creative talent didn’t end there as he was again picked to helm the art department when Hollywood came to Sarawak to make the movie “Farewell To The King”.

In a twist of fate, John ended up working in the computer graphics department of Shell, developed a cough and went to the inhouse clinic where Alice Ho attended to his registration. Over several visits, the artist became smitten with Alice, and plucked up the courage to send her a bouquet of flowers with a witty and creative message:

“I always see you when I am ill,

Can I see you now that I am well?”     

Apparently Alice must have seen the humor in the message as well as the couple are now married and blessed with two teenage girls.

Soon after that John became the leader of the art group in Shell, and a British lady friend of his saw so much potential in him that she bought him some raw silver and challenged him to come up with some original pieces.

John duly taught himself silverwork, improvising along the way and now he is devoting his full time to his creative passion, quickly making a name for himself and his own brand AliJon Collection.

He still finds time to teach art and craft making to the Penans and Asli in an effort to encourage them to not only keep their culture and traditions alive but also as a means for them to earn income too.  

If you like reasonably priced limited edition hand made silver, you can contact John at alijon_john@yahoo.com

The Piasau Boat Club, Miri, Sarawak

Piasau Camp, the Sarawak Shell housing area was constructed in the early 70's to house company employees. It is situated on a peninsula, separated from Miri town by the Miri river.

Piasau Camp is like most residential areas in and around Miri with the exception of its abundant greenery, open spaces, shade and lack of fences around gardens. The people of Miri come to Piasau Camp for an afternoon stroll or their weekly exercise run because its quiet and has a pleasant atmosphere.

The Piasau Boat Club (PBC) is overlooking the South China Sea. We fell instantly in love with Piasau Boat Club's peaceful ambience. It is literally the coolest place because there is often a sea breeze. The surrounding area is planted with big trees which gives it a tropical feeling, especially on a clear sunny day.

Unfortunately the seawater is not crystal clear blue, as it would be in our dreams, but it is always nice and warm. The beach is a public area and keeping the beach clean of drift wood and rubbish is a difficult task. The beach spans from the mouth of Miri river to the mighty Kuala Baram. Away from the Piasau Boat Club local fishermen have built simple huts along the beach under the pine trees.

The PBC does not only have a nice bar and good food at the restaurant that allows diners to enjoy the often stunning sunsets over a nice dinner or refreshing drink but is also the center for lots of activities like the Beach Triathlon and the Friday Fun Runs.  Amongst the facilities are a gym, tennis and squash courts, a beach volley ball and kids play area.

The PBC also provides various categories of sailboats as well as surfboards, kayaks, row boats and several power boats and equipment to go diving, water skiing and wake boarding. It is also possible to rent one of the boat for a nice, private river cruise or a fishing trip.

Membership checks have been reinforced lately, so it's not easy to get a drink or have lunch there unless you are lucky guests like us accompanied by a club member.

We were very sad to hear that this lovely club is in danger of being shut down as Shell has returned Camp Piasau to the city and there are plans afoot to demolish the Shell housing estate and develop the area. We really hope this does not happen, and Miri City keeps this historic club operational for the enjoyment of all.

Meritz Hotel, Miri

Meritz Hotel is the latest four-star business class hotel in the heart of Miri. According to General Manager David Tai, their aim is to be the preferred hotel in the region providing personalised service, and to also be the benchmark in the hospitality industry.

Meritz’s facilities include accomodation in superior and deluxe rooms, 9 meeting/ conference rooms and the 60,000 sq ft. M ballroom catering for up to 1,500 persons is the largest indoor banquet hall in Miri. Business center, swimming pool, spa, gym fitness centre, and the annexe shopping centre complete the list.

all images courtesy of Meritz Hotel Miri

F&B

M Bar (Ground Floor Lobby)

Simplicity with a touch of Class. A nice avenue for relaxing, meeting with business associates and enjoying a nice coffee/tea or various alcoholic beverages. Nice snacks, too.

 Reflection Fun Pub & Outdoor Lounge (Level 8)

Modern surroundings and stylish finger bites from their enthusiastic chefs make Reflection the place to be. Bar counter offers a large selection of premium wines, juices and smoothies. An exciting variety of live performances every night with music creates a very relaxing and romantic atmosphere. Private room includes KTV features tastefully-designed karaoke rooms with an extensive song database, making it a perfect place for outings, gatherings and celebrations.

Grand Old Lady (Level 17)

Upbeat and sophisticated, this is an All Day Dining signature restaurant offering a cosmopolitan blend of local, western and oriental cuisine with live cooking stations. A vibrant ambiance and spectacular view overlooking the entire city from the top completes the evening with a difference.

Sky Garden (Level 17, outdoor)

Magnificent dining venue with open garden layout providing guests enjoyment of outdoor dining with a spectacular sunset view.

 

M Signature Revolving Restaurant (level 19)

Fine continental dining with an unobstructed view of Miri. High glass windows specifically angled for maximum viewing of the city below. A stunning combination of great food and a magical panoramic view. Together they will make your dining experience an unforgettable one. One revolution is completed approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

They are currently having attractive opening promotions so check out www.meritzhotel.com for details.

Clean, Green and Grin - Miri, Sarawak

Coming from the bustling metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, I must admit that I am very disappointed with Miri. The entire city is spotlessly clean. The sky is a bright blue and the air is clean and fresh.

There are no banners offering massage services or quick loans from Ah Longs on every available surface, including road signs.

The light poles along the streets and traffic light poles at junctions do not have stickers offering tuition services. Heck, the streets themselves are clean and well swept, and the buildings are well kept and painted.

The trees in Miri are not festooned with banners offering pills to turn men into super triathletes in bed, and worst of all, the people in Miri are very friendly and will smile and chat with you.

Miri is also not a concrete jungle, with many green lungs and parks. What a shame for a city to conduct itself in such a well mannered way. Its a good thing we were only there for three days otherwise we would have suffered from an overdose of niceness.

But seriously folks, Miri should easily be voted the cleanest city in the country. It is well taken care of by the authorities and the cooperation of civic minded Miri residents. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and is the birthplace of Malaysia's petroleum industry,

This is a town that oil built. The bustling commercial centre is well poised to serve the petroleum community. To best understand this city, visit the "Grand Old Lady," a nickname given to the first oil well formed in 1910. The official "Well n° 1" is on Canada Hill and promises a good view of the city.

Oil production has moved offshore and the sea surrounding Miri is again a divers' paradise. The waterfront along the Miri River is lined with seafood restaurants and small coffee shops, good for enjoyable walks.

Around the city, a wealth of natural treasures is open to visitors. 45 minutes by car south of the city, Lambir Hills is one of the world's most biologically diverse rainforests. Beyond the spectacular waterfalls, the forest is home to over 1,000 different species of trees and insects. Visitors may swim in the Latak waterfalls after crossing a suspended bridge that boasts impressive views.

Niah Caves, two hours from Miri, is yet another impressive site and shows evidence of some of the earliest existence of human life in the region; its walls are covered by prehistoric paintings. The cave has been proposed to be added on the Unesco's world heritage list.

Three hours by car, Loagan Bunut National Park is a bird observation site along the largest natural lake of Borneo.

Miri has excellent public amenities. A state-of-the-art Marina attracts the international yachting community, as well as divers.

Miri is small enough for strolling, yet big enough to offer all the amenities of life. It is also a staging point for trips to the vast rural hinterland drained by the Baram River, and some of Sarawak’s most famous national parks, including UNESCO World Heritage Site Gunung Mulu, Niah, Lambir Hills, Loagan Bunut lake, and the cool highlands of Bario and Ba Kelalan.

But I’m glad to be back in good old Kuala Lumpur with its traffic gridlock, lack of parking spaces, rude taxi drivers, smog, pollution and most importantly the graffitti, banners and stickers covering every conceivable surface imaginable.

Yes its good to come back to a city where people mind their own business and nobody will smile at you.

I wonder if there’s a market for an online lifestyle magazine editor in Miri?