Finding Rafflesia

The Rafflesia is an extremely rare giant fungus found only in Borneo. The genus has 16 species, one of which, the Rafflesia arnoldii, has the distinction of being the largest flower in the world. The name, Rafflesia, was in fact attributed to the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. Apparently, Raffles and his good friend Dr Joseph Arnold were walking in the rain forest of Sumatra one day when they found a humongous and most unusual flower that smelt like rotting corpse. Deciding then that it was a rather opportune moment for naming a flower after themselves, they tossed a coin to see whose name should come first..alright, that was me mixing facts with fiction again. Seriously though, the flower Rafflesia arnoldii was indeed named after Sir Raffles and Dr Arnold. The flower was however discovered by Dr Arnold's Indonesian guide and not him or Sir Raffles. 

Today, the Rafflesia is a protected plant as all known species are threatened with extinction due to massive deforestation activities in Borneo. Complicated by the very difficult way it reproduces, the chances of seeing a Rafflesia in the wild has been likened to striking a lottery.

And that was why I was so excited when we were told a day after we arrived in Sabah that there was one blooming at the foothills of Mt Kinabalu, near the Puring hot springs.

First sign of Rafflesia

Our journey to finding Rafflesia began with a 2 hour drive the day after to this remote village where the latest bloom was spotted. 

First stop, ticket booth. We were already told by the tour agent that our tour cost of about RM 170 per person did not include the entrance fee of RM 35 payable to the villagers who found the flower. We did not mind paying the extra at all as the small fee likely went a long way towards the conservation of these  flowers. Having a wild Rafflesia bloomed in your garden must truly felt like striking lottery.

Paying at the counter of Vivian's Garden when we were to go to Edna's

Nobody really cared nor asked who Vivian or Edna was.  It was probably nobody's garden anyway unless the villagers named Mother Nature Vivian or Edna. 

We did a really short trek,

thanks to very useful signs.

Excitement grew as we drew near and saw a small crowd peering over a fence.

Here it is.  A 4 day old Rafflesia that was starting to wither behind the fence. I managed to take about 4 pictures of the flower even though I thought I would be taking 1000. 

A shot taken with me leaning as close as I could over the fence so I could see what was inside the flower.

This was a dead Rafflesia, found very close to the one in bloom. We were told that this was the female flower- yes, the flowers are unisexual -  as only the female retains its shape for up to about 4 days after it withers. Pollinators, largely insects attracted by the stench of the flowers must cross pollinate the female and the male  flowers which makes successful pollination even more difficult since finding both flowers together is really rare.

Two minutes later, it began to drizzle. 

Beating a hasty retreat, I didn't even have a chance to experience the stench. Walking back, I overheard someone remarking that  this was the quickest way to spend RM 35.

Was it worth it? 

Absolutely!

Borneo International Marathon 2013

City Mosque, Kota Kinabalu , part of the race route

I have been away from blog land because I have been away in Borneo from 2nd -9th May 2013. This was a trip planned since our last Borneo run. I had spoken longingly of seeing Sipadan, a destination on my bucket list. 3 out of 4 of us were really keen to register for the Borneo run one last time this year and then to fly over to Sipadan straight after the run. Although Doc did not join us, a new member, CaRy did and so did MarG. 

Borneo International Marathon 2013 did not happen as scheduled. 1st, it fell on the same day as the Election Day of Malaysia, which was called just 3 weeks before the election when the run was planned many months before. At first, the organisers managed to persuade the authorities to allow the race to go on but pushed to an earlier time like midnight, 5th May 2013. There were many Malaysians who wanted to vote as this was to be a watershed election. They would have to of course return to their home states to vote.

Just one day before we were due to leave however, we received an email to inform us that the race has ben cancelled. There were talks that it was because of  the reported missing 700 explosive items from a quarry. Fearing the repeat of the Boston Marathon this year, the police advised the organisers to cancel the run and they had to.

Since we had already made all preparations for the trip, we decided to go anyway. 

And we did run, an informal race where about 100 over of the runners turned up late at night to fulfill their intended full or half marathon. The unrelenting spirit of the runners enervated the organisers, many of whom turned volunteers, offering their vehicles as make shift drink stations, the sight of which spurred the runners even more.  The sea breeze and the coastal route, the magnificent university campus and the grandeur of the City Mosque made me run like I could run forever. And we did, all of us completed the route and ran till well over midnight. It was to me, the best kind of race to run. 

Day 387- From Real To Fake

This was an experiment to create a miniature plant out of real leaves. 

Photo courtesy of Earth Floral- These Aralia branches are in fact faux branches

It was MarG's birthday and someone gave her a bunch of flowers with some Ming Aralia for foliage. The ones picked had really small leaves that I thought would  look great in miniature.

I really just did 2 things. Step 1: Paint the leaves in acrylic green. Step 2: Gloss varnish the leaves when dry.

After that, I plucked the leaves and stuffed them into a pot. Then I applied a 2nd coat of gloss varnish.

17 days later......

Magic!

I wish. 

As you can see from the picture above, the leaves have dried up a bit but the colour and gloss stayed. At this point, the leaves looked like they were made with paper. So I added some dried flowers to liven it up. 

I guess I have successfully made something real look like something fake. Let's hope it last like one. 

Days 315, 34something and 394- Birgit's Cards

Inside of a card from Birgit received sometime in August 2012

Befriending Birgit is like befriending one of the most  popular girls in school except she is one of those really rare popular girls who are ultra nice. Few who knew her could resist her charm and if you had read her comments, you would understand why. Her special gift is her words; encouraging, witty and always sincere; words she unfailingly leaves with many of the blogs she follows. And she follows many. 

Gift from Birgit when I visited her last year

Birgit recently commented in my blogpost about the handmade gift I did for my 80 year old friend. She wrote about how she often personalised and handmade her cards. She added that she was surprised how appreciative one recipient of those cards were.

Well, Birgit, I was one of those lucky recipients and today, I want to show everyone here how you must not be surprise at all why we love your cards.

Assortment of colourful beads and findings from you during Europe 2012

This was the peacock-centric parcel you gave me because peacocks often remind you of me. Not only did you give me a peacock envelop, you made little peacock cards for me to use in my projects.

Inside the card was a little plastic bag holding 2 peacock China plates. 

You said they made you think of me immediately and you just had to buy them for me. Of course, you didn't forget that I love marzipan and accompanying the card and the gifts, was a box of the best marzipan in the world, the Niederegger Marzipan.

Almost exactly one year after my visit, you gave me another box of Niederegger Marzipan and a load of woodcuts that looked like they were made for my abandoned house. You said in your card this time that you just felt like sending me a gift because it's the one year anniversary of Europe 2012. 

That, my friend is the Birgit we have all come to love. Beyond the gifts and cards, her generosity to spend time on our blogs with loving comments, there's that consideration she extends to all her friends, that assurance from her that somewhere out there, we have a friend who is thinking of us. 

We, the recipients of her cards, are we not the lucky ones? 

Day 386- My Palette

What is your palette like?

Mine started life as a chair. A chair that has since broken its back and lost an arm with legs that no longer stood strong.

Yet, I kept it because my apron belonged there; like two ill fated lovers who met again in their late years, a little worse for wear but finally happy.

And when there was room too for my old paper canister of new paint brushes and an equally old flask for my water, I knew the chair was for keeps. 

It could even hold seven small jars of precious pigments and make them look like jewels. 

And that is not all. For I could fashion a mixing board with its broken back and easily punched a hole  through. I put a tube in that hole so it could hold the most loved brushes; the ones I used all the time. Of course, I also made space for a little cup of water. 

The board has one short leg and one long one but it can be balanced with that sturdy tube of brushes. It stands securely anywhere

 but it sits most snugly on the chair where it really belongs.

I think I am ready to paint now. 

Will you join me? 

My place?

Or yours?