Rusted

 Confidence inspiring equipment as soon from the finger between plane and terminal. 

Hideout - Cove 55

 

Cove 55 in Kuching was yet again a phantastic place to spend the weekend. Located just about 15 Km outside the city of Kuching, there is not much going on to disturb the peace and quiet. We had the pool to ourselves and a blast on our balcony, chatting the night away. I even managed to get a LILLLLL bit of sunburn going. 

Christmas Tree is Up

 

I have put up my inflatable mini Christmas tree. Like every year. And like every year, it has been the source of ridicule. Nevermind, I can take it! I like the practicality of this thing as I just deflate it in a few days and then put it "in storage". ;-)  

Borneo's Cultural Heritage

 

When in Kuching, a visit to the Sarawak Cultural Village is a must! As we were staying nearby, this attraction was one of the main events of our recent weekend trip. In total, there are 14 different houses that make up the village. Each house represents the style and living conditions of one of the tribes found in Borneo. Many of these tribes used to be head hunters and there is a bit about that to learn at the village too. 

One has to appreciate that the houses are built as authentic as they could be. Which means that some have rather steep ladders made from tree trunks. Some tribes used to live in mountainous areas, which means that their houses are built into hills and thus, these ladders make for an adventurous ascend. Each house will have some demonstration or performance to explain a little about the culture of each tribe. 

Rather educational overall and certainly well worth the money. In particular, the live performance is worth it. A number of traditional dances are performed with some background about what they mean. 

Meanwhile, I am now also a semi-professional headhunter after my apprenticeship with this hunter:

Masking up? Again? Uhm...

 

It appears that a Covid variant is rather rampant again. We have been asked to use facemasks in order to spread the virus. 

Fine! BUT! Since the pandemic, many (I wish I could confirm all, but I am not malling enough) shopping malls have opted to dismantle their motion sensors for the doors and to use these buttons instead. Yeah, great! Now everyone dashing out of the toilet not washing their hands will fumble around with this. There is no sanitiser in sight, never ever have I seen anyone giving these buttons a wipe. Great news for viruses I guess. I am applying a different tactic: I wait for someone else to manage this so I don't have to touch these petri dishes.

Meanwhile, the hand sanitiser is also a rare appearance at the immigration counters of the airport. There I would have to place my fingers on a scanner to have my finger prints taken. Needless to say that there would at any given time been hundreds of others placing their fingers there....

Here I was, remembering two year's worth of articles telling me not to touch surfaces as that is where the Covid lurks. 

I Know Where it is!

 

Trying something different, we headed to a Mexicans place near the office on Friday after work. Despite being called an Undisclosed Location, it is easy to find and to our surprise, there is even ample parking space. Food is somewhat of a different take on the traditional dishes. 

The Brontaco was a bit of a surprise that had us giggling for a bit. First time we tried Mezcal, which is similar to Tequila, but very different altogether. Recommended as a long drink. 

Visiting ISUZU Plaza

Opened in 2017 as part of the celebrations of the 80^th anniversary of the establishment of ISUZU Motors, ISUZU Plaza opened next to the Fujisawa plant as a museum and showcase of the brand’s philosophy and future plans. It is obviously a must-visit for any truck enthusiast visiting Tokyo.

History
To understand the current philosophy of the brand, one would need to understand the heritage of the product and the surrounding area. Having left an imprint on the vehicles, the history of the city of Fujisawa is equally important. The entrance area of the ISUZU Plaza offers educational exhibits to provide the background to the brand behind the trucks and buses.

ISUZU Vintage Collection
Stepping back in time, visitors will be able to get up close to the iconic trucks that ISUZU has produced in the past. Among the collection of vintage vehicles is a Wolseley CP, the first ever truck manufactured by ISUZU. Scattered throughout the museum are other vintage vehicles, engines and other artefacts telling the story of the brand.

Truck Manufacturing
A strong emphasis is placed on the production capability of ISUZU. A highlight is a miniature model of the production line, which allows visitors to see what an assembly line for commercial vehicles looks like. Together with the miniature diorama and interactive booths, like the spray paint station, let the visitor gain an understanding of how the parts come together and make transportation work.

Take-away
Besides knowledge and understanding gained from the visit to the ISUZU Plaza, one can take home souvenirs and practical items from the merchandise shop. An assortment of toys, tools and quirky items can be obtained. Collectors may find interesting model trucks and buses to add to their inventory.

THE highlights of the visit could well be the miniature diorama and the fact that guides speaking impeccable English make the visit a memorable one.

Getting there

IMPORTANT: A reservation two days in advance may be required. Check website https://www.isuzu.co.jp/world/plaza/ before you go.

You can get to the ISUZU Plaza by train. Get off at the Shonandai station on Odakyu Enoshima Line, Sotetsu Izumino Line or Yokohama Munincipal Subway Blue Line. A free shuttle bus is available from Shonandai station. On foot, it is an easy walk of about 900 meters.