Borneo International Orchid Show 2014

Happened to be in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah when the Borneo International Orchid Show 2014 was on late last November 2014.
We stopped by for a quick look and here are some of the photos I managed to snap during the Show. Some of the photos are not that clear due to shaky hands on a phone camera :)

▼The ever proud looking Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (First).

▼ Other slipper orchid species on show.

▼Phal. pantherina

▼Remember this one? We have this species in our little orchid garden too and I ever blog about it here - D. parthenium

▼Best Hybrid of the Show - butterfly orchid. I didn't get the name. Most of the orchids on show were not labelled with name. 

▼Best Malaysian Species. A very unique orchid and my first encounter with this species.
No name seen. Do you know the name of this species?

▼Best Plant of the Show, yes no name as well. I guess it is a hybrid.

▼Several other orchids that attracted my attention but can't find the name as well.

▼Sabah Agriculture Park orchid booth/"jungle"...the Paphiopedilum rothschildianum is at the bottom left (center).

▼Panoramic view of the show (partly only).

Bung Jagoi - Trekking Activity at Mount Jagoi

We took the boys out for a short trek up Mount Jagoi a couple of weeks ago.
The mountain is located in an area locally known as Jagoi.
This mountain and the 500 hectares forest surrounding it is a conservation area under a community project. You can read more of it here - Jagoi Area Development
Here are pictures we took during the trek.

▼ At the start of the trek.

▼ An expert tree climber - a local boy.

▼ It is an easy trek actually as the combination of concrete, wooden and earth steps are very well maintained. No leeches.

▼ First stop at about halfway climb.

▼ One of the maps showing the trail. Only missing thing is the "you are here" indication. So, we have no idea where we were exactly at this point.

▼ Toilets are available if you really need to go.

▼ Another resting area.

▼ This is a "weir", a gravity feed water supply system,  which is very common in the interior of Sarawak. Water is collected in this small weir up in the hill before being piped (via plastic/pvc or bamboo pipeline) downhill via gravity.

▼ Almost there.

▼ William always behind.

▼ This is the abandoned village - Bung Jagoi. Except for an old lady, the villagers have moved to the lower ground. They still come back to clean the houses, tend to their garden and for special celebrations and occasion.

▼ View of the village.

▼ The "Baruk" (Skull House). Didn't take any picture of the skull though. They are somewhere inside there.

▼ On the way down, it started to rain.

▼ Sg. Jagoi, clear water.

▼ Blue dot is Bung Jagoi, pretty close to the boundary with Kalimantan, Indonesia.

▼ A huge lizard caught by one of the villagers. Maybe its a Gecko...not sure.

▼ Buah Cempedak, a cousin of Jackfruit, very common in the area.

▼ Cempedak tree.

▼ Some kind of herbs collected by the villagers.

▼ Mint.

▼ Rubber tree @ Hevea brasillensis, originally from Brazil but planted in large scale especially in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

▼ Some seeds we discovered along the way.

Happy weekend.

Newly Discovered Species (Edited)

Edited by Mei 27 April.
At home front, here are some pictures of activities taken place in the last two weeks or so:

Kuching City Orchid

Kuching City Orchid

Jong's Crocodile Farm, Mile 16th Kuching-Serian Road

A hungry crocodile jumping for the meat

Excited spectators

William, Henry and Brian getting excited too.

Some Orchids from a Local Orchid Farm

Here are some pictures I took last weekend at an orchid farm in the city.