I’m going home! After more than four years living in Kuching, I’ll be making a short trip home for a little vacation.  It’s for three weeks only, from the end of May to the middle of June.  I fly into Chicago to see some old friends and then wend my way to Detroit after that. […]
Author Archives: bingregory
Islamic Banking
Is It Really Kosher? is an interesting article by Aaron MacLean on the rise of Islamic Financing around the world. Some of the article’s better points: …“money always looks for the best deal.†if Islamic finance couldn’t provide results close to those of secular institutions, it wouldn’t exist. … The rational profit motive never lost […]
Datuk Hakim Keramat
By Abu Muhammad English Translation and Photography by Bin Gregory Productions Datuk Hakim Keramat, or the Miraculous Judge, was the title given to a religous scholar of Sarawak well known for his miracles and mystic knowledge. His real name was Abang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Abang Haji Brahim. He was born in Kuching, Sarawak and […]
Durian
What apples are to America, what mangoes are to India, Durian must be to Malaysia. Durian, or Durio zibethenus, is the most bizarre fruit in a land that has no shortage of bizarre fruit. It is often called the king of the fruits because when it is in season, other fruits don’t sell. The durian […]
Masjid Maktab Perguruan
Kota Samarahan, Sarawak Large government institutions will often have suraus or masjids built on their grounds, particularly if the institution has a resident population. The mosque where I most often make my Friday prayers is one such mosque, built on the grounds of a nearby maktab perguruan. It’s a lovely building, a modern rendition of […]
Mysteries of the Coconut: Air kelapa
Working under the hot tropical sun can take a lot out of you. Within minutes, sweat flows freely and before long you become drenched. Taking clothes off doesn’t help at all; in fact, it just exposes you more to the sun’s rays. Laborers will work dressed from ankle to wrist, often with a balaclava over […]
Subscribe to my Feed
I’ve discovered feeds, only three years late. Better than a bookmark and a blogroll rolled into one, with a feed you can read updates to your favorite sites right when they update, without having to visit the site. If you’re already using feeds, subscribe to my site now. Keep abreast of comments. I’ve even got […]
Dabai, the Sarawak Olive
Olives are a food I miss from back home. In Detroit, you can get a dozen different kinds of imported olives from the Lebanese grocery stores. My favorite are the dehydrated Turkish olives that you reconstitute by soaking in olive oil, lemon juice and crushed garlic. Mmmm. But I’m not complaining! Sarawak has its own […]