Borneo Reflections: Gaya Street Fair

After the Tamu, we went to Kota Kinabalu's Gaya Street Fair (Sundays 5am to 1pm). It's been quite a while since my last visit. We started at the Sabah Tourism Board (STB). It was the Main Post Office in the old days. I'm glad they didn't demolish the building. Instead they turned it into the STB office.

Gaya Street Fair (pedestrian only) starts at this end flanked by UOB (Singaporean Bank) on one side.

And The Jesselton Hotel on the other side. Jesselton was the old name for Kota Kinabalu (named after Sir Charles Jessel, Vice Chairman during the North Borneo Chartered Company era at the end of the 19th Century). The Jesselton Hotel is a boutique hotel (ie small number of rooms & priced like them big hotels). They serve nice steaks and pizzas.

One block down, there was a fountain (unfortunately not working). Yet another bank (Affin - a Malaysian Bank with Hong Kong connections) and there were more banks to the right and behind me (but no point to advertise for them).

At the end of the fair was City Hall and the stage area.

At this end there was an arch. I am told the chinese characters say something about political stability and communal harmony being the essence of national prosperity. Yet another bank (Agro Bank, previously Bank Pertanian).

There were a lot of stalls selling mundane stuff to some rather interesting stuff. But One Man's Meat Is Another's Poison. So I'll just post those that caught my eye.

A Name-Plaque stall, started by the Filipinos if I remember correctly.

A Fabric Butterflies stall, very colourful.

A Carp stall (spelt "Cap").

A Roots and Bark Stall. Roots are strong and so will you be after consuming them!

A Sea Shells stall. Hmmm... aren't some of those ENDANGERED?

An Orchids stall. No owner around though!

A Birds and Roosters stall. Pet roosters, I think. They must be a dwarf variety.

A Decorative Plants and Cactii stall. I don't have a green thumb.

A Cake stall. I am not showing the couple running the stall as the number of cakes are limited!

You don't need three guesses for what I bought. Blueberry Cheesecake, Durian Cheesecake, and a Walnut & Almond Buttercake. Those jambus are big and juicy, but not that sweet.