World Harvest Festival

I sleep very well at Naga Damai. There is no wifi here but there is internet for checking e-mails. It feels good to be out of constant touch.

I sent an email to #1 family saying we'd had no rain and then of course, it rained, for about 3 hours. But that was ok. i'd swum ion the morning and I had plenty to do until it was time to get a lift down to the hotel to pay the balance for tomorrow and then on to the Sarawak Cultural Village for a visit during the World Harvest Festival 2014.

tye viallge has replica houses from all parts of Borneo and I dsicovered that the hat I bought 40+ yeras ago in Singapore is NOT Chinese but Melanau and they are still selling the same ones today. i had a wander round visiting tall houses and long houses and Biduyah round houses and eating varios sago products and then it was time for the cultural show, luckily in an air conditioned theatre. It was very good. Very professional but difficult to catch the dancers on a photo.

Then I went across to Damai Sentral which was quieter today and watched another sunset with a beer and had some food in Escobar, and a cocktail. the wifi wouldn't work but hey, who cares?

Then it was back to the Cultural Village for the theme play. A story about 7 stars and the getting of the padi. The audience sat on one side of the lake and the play was preformed on the other. The lights were out and the show was excellent. Well dressed, very colourful and with a commentary in English.

It lasted about 90 minutes andended to rapturous applause. i didn't stay to enjoy the gawai in the various long houses but trekked back up to the house for a beer and a chat with the 2 girls - one Swiss from Lausanne/Zurich and one Iranian from Esfahan/KL. What a mix of cultures. We discussed women and Islam before bed.

Early start tomorrow.