Uniquely Kuching

A barber in a tyre shop in Kuching. 11 May 2008

Like most people who live near the town center in Kuching, I seldom venture to the 7th Mile area which is considered as the outskirts of town. But it is actually an important town center for the surrounding countryside areas. And I happened to be there on Sunday morning and as I was walking along an old row of shophouses, I spotted a barber in a tyre shop! No kidding and it was occupying a part of the front portion of the tyre shop. In fact there was no clear full height partitions separating these two quite different trades.

Prices, licence & operating hours. What more do you want to know to get a hair cut?

I was delighted and took a few quick snaps from a discreet distance but my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to check it out and see if I can get to talk to the barber as well. I’ve just had my hair shorned really short the day before; otherwise I would take an excuse to have a haircut to talk to him. Technically I still do have some hair. *sigh*

Tools of the trade. The antique chair gives a clue as to how long this barber shop has been operating.

But I needn’t have worried as Mr. Liew was as friendly and chatty as most barbers are and didn’t mind at all that I asked him a few questions and took a few snaps as he busied himself on a customer. Turned out that he has been cutting hair in this spot that he had rented from the shop owner for the past 20 to 30 years. He sees no problems operating as a barber in a tyre shop and couldn’t understand my ’surprise’.

Mr. Liew has been practising his trade in a tyre shop for nearly the past 3 decades.

I am pretty sure someone from Vancouver wouldn’t mind coming to this place to have his beard trimmed when he next visit Kuching. And I can’t think of another place or barber with more charm, personality and character! Right Lou?

Friendly barber and an attentive service in a unique setting - what more can you ask for?

I think that the best Sarawak Laksa in Kuching is found in a house by a river somewhere in Kuching! And KV thinks so too and that’s the main reason I suspect why he loves to drop by our place! Yummy!

Construction vehicles, materials, debris and workers greet you on your way to the basement parking … Nice hor?

Unlike most of the “sakai” people in Kuching, I was vaguely interested in the opening of the latest shopping center not the least of which is the fact that I despite people who flaunt the laws (and the ‘laws’ abusing their authorities). The building is not even completed and yet the ‘authorities’ allow it to open for business just so that the greedy owners can open before Christmas. What a lot of B.S. but anyway that’s another story and who cares about public safety right?

With plenty of construction works going on both inside AND outside - is the building fit to allow public occupation? What B.S.!

My disinterest in shopping and distaste for conspicuous consumption was not match for my intrinsic curiosity as to why so many people here are rushing there causing massive traffic jams in the vicinity. So this morning while I was in the area and with light traffic, I dropped by for a quick visit to see what the attraction there is in this “just another meaningless shopping center” or what’s so special about it to warrant stewpig B.S. Kuching bloggers raving about it (they are just stewpig? “sakai”?)

Watch out as there are push carts everywhere!

Anyway the only thing that I could spot that is perhaps interesting and probably not seen in other shopping centers were these – which I dutifully snapped; at the meat section of the ‘hyper’ market. I think it’s enough to put me off burgers or steak for the rest of the week. Enjoy!

Lest you forget - we come from a long line of headhunters …