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panama hat · 19-10-2009, 10:07 AM

Mrs Hat was asked to work up an efficiency report on the resort and so we dashed off for a just under a week to:

Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, on Borneo. (Roughly where the end of the cigar points to)

A brief history of the place:

Before the 16 century, the area we now know as Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak centred around the kingdom of Brunei. In this region the kingdom of Brunei was also the centre of trade with China. This region was in tum controlled by two great empires of that period; first by the Sri Vijayan of Sumatra and then by the Majapahit of Java. However, early in the 15 century, the Malacca empire under Parameswara spread its influence and took over the trade of Brunei. Through its traders, Islam spread to Brunei by the end of the 15 century. Leadership of the Islamic faith passed to the Brunei Sultans after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. Under Sultan Bolkiah, the kingdom of Brunei extended its influence as far north as Luzon and Sulu, and south and west of Borneo.Except for the Europeans, other foreigners who have had dealings with Sabah or Borneo left no written records of their activities in the region.
The indigenous peoples of Borneo have no written records except oral history and traditions.The Chinese appeared to have had trade and diplomatic ties with Borneo as early as 600 A.D. The Brunei Annals recorded the existence of a Chinese province in the Kinabatangan area. Archaeological evidence from ceramics unearthed in Borneo revealed that for centuries the Chinese had barter-traded their ceramic wares for spices.

The Coming of the Europeans
1521: Pigafetta, chronicler of Ferdinand Magellan arrived in Brunei and was received with great pomp and royalty.

1526: The Portuguese under Menezes visited Brunei.

1577: The Spaniards conquered Philipines; also attacked Brunei; the Sultanate of Sulu was brought under the Spaniards.

1609: The Dutch set up a trading post in Southem Borneo. 1619 :The Dutch set up a trading post in Batavia (Jakarta) in Java.

1658 : Sultan of Sulu given the north east coast of Borneo by the Sultan of Brunei in retum for his help in settling a civil war dispute between the Sultan Abdul Mubin and Pengeran Bongsu. Intemal quarrelling in the Brunei Sultanate was one of the factors that led to the decline of the empire.

1665 : The first Englishman to visit Borneo - Captain Cowley.

History Of Sabah

So, off we went with Malaysian Airlines whose service is simply excellent and the food even better . . . this trip had us munching on more satay than a village full of hungry head-hunters.
The littlest one bullied herself into the window seat where we set up some entertainment for her . . . in this case it was BOLT!

The resort itself covers over 3000 acres of very lush landscaping, bordering on the South China Sea, and contains a superb 18-hole golf course and a man-made lake. The place is very well maintained, usually a downfall in most South-East-Asian resorts.

The room was very well appointed and quite spacious with a view of the sea and a lovely breeze to make a nice change from the aircon inside and the sweltering heat outside.

Our fuzzhead decided she wanted to use a more traditional mode of transport, alas there were no koolies to be found anywhere and we had to walk or use a golf cart.

The swimming pools, all three of hem, were also well maintained and quite nicely set up . . .

Added to this was that we had arrived in the morning and, as it was a weekday, it was peacefully empty, though we were told that they usually operate on a 90%+ capacity. (The Malaysian tourism industry is going through a nice upturn)

So, the first thing we did was go for a swim . . . it had rained just before our arrival and it was low tide so the swimming pool was the best option:

Then, a few short hours later . . . like a tide rolling in, we were swamped by a whole bunch of Taiwanese with their loudspeaker-like conversations and clearly the owners of camera shops . . .
Without so much as a moment's hesitation they simply set up their photographic encampment right in front of us . . . honestly inches away from where we were enjoying the peace and quiet:

I mean, how many photos can you take of little Yung Fan or Soo Hua before the little urchin starts to drown . . . 'drowningnotwaving'!!!!!

Luckily, with a few choice words from Mrs Hat in Mandarin they moved their photo-expose to another part of the pool.

Then the littlest one discovered that ice cream was to be found on the premises . . .

She tried to trick us by eating it as fast as she could

. . . and then pretended that she hadn't had her share . . . those naughty sisters!

Riding on the beach was next on the agenda as we do love horse riding and the sand is simply divine . . .

Chess anyone? Actually, the only ones playing chess aside from us were several Japanese tourists who could beat us blindfolded . . . we consoled ourselves that they were probably Japanese Grand-Masters on vacation!

The resort is well known for its beautiful sunsets and the best place to view them is from this lovely restaurant/bar . . .

As usual, my photographic skills (none) and equipment (Phone; Sony Ericsson W980) are sub-par and really didn't do the scene any justice.

All in all a very pleasant few days, there are some exceptional restaurants at the resort as well . . . so, tanned and overweight, we caught a flight back to KL

(So, if a nice mod would care to place this thread in the correct place . . . )

DrAndy · 19-10-2009, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panama hat

several Japanese tourists who could beat us blindfolded .

why would you want to play like that?

panama hat · 19-10-2009, 03:04 PM

I wanted an advantage but the bastards beat us anyway

Dug · 19-10-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

The littlest one bullied herself into the window seat where we set up some entertainment for her . . . in this case it was BOLT!

I swear I know it word for word. If I never see it again it'll be too soon. No chance of that though.

Begbie · 20-10-2009, 09:56 AM

I always pretend I've opened the links and looked at the pictures.

Nice pictures Hat looks like a great place.

panama hat · 20-10-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dug

I swear I know it word for word. If I never see it again it'll be too soon. No chance of that though.

Go on, ask me anything about the plot . . . anything! Luckily the Fuzzhead alternates with Mamma Mia, Bee and The Sound of Music . . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by klongmaster

am I the only one who is only seeing links to the pics and not the pics themselves?..

Its an oddity that our esteemed mods can explain

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

^ Yes I agree and how can a prisoner get out of jail when he can't post pictures.

I always thought that 'posting' in the 'top half' was a pre-requisite to get out, though that has proven to be inaccurate lately as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Nice anyway Hatter and I think its about time Hat was let off the rack!

Thank you. I'm not quite sure what else I am supposed to do to redeem myself from whatever heinous crime I am purported to have committed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Begbie

Nice pictures Hat looks like a great place.

Thanks, Begbie. It really is nice. Now Mrs Hat has had a job offer for the Sutera Harbour Resort Sutera Harbour Resort . . . and we are figuring out if there is a way for me to work from there or commute . . .

StrontiumDog · 20-10-2009, 01:59 PM

Great post, thanks very much. I always enjoy seeing places I've not visited before. Hope you are released soon!

Panda · 20-10-2009, 03:22 PM

Nice thread PH.

kingwilly · 23-10-2009, 06:36 PM

This thread looks good, your daughter is well cute mate.

Mods, aint it about time he was let out?

Sdigit · 25-10-2009, 01:25 AM

Great picture PH your kids realy sweet looking, hope you get out soon.

the dogcatcher · 25-10-2009, 08:40 AM

Expensive? Looks it.

panama hat · 26-10-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Great post, thanks very much. I always enjoy seeing places I've not visited before. Hope you are released soon!

Thanks, your hopes have been fulfilled!

It really is a beautiful spot, well worth a visit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shitdigit

Great picture PH your kids realy sweet looking, hope you get out soon.

Thanks, SD . . . the littlest one is a roughnut, I love it, as opposed to the others who are ever so girlie! (No boys!!!!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

Expensive?

Well, not cheap, but worth saving a few pennies to really get away and enjoy.

StrontiumDog · 06-11-2009, 06:37 PM

I will hope to be able to check it out sometime...another on the insanely long list

Nawty · 06-11-2009, 06:52 PM

Gorgeous little girl.....love the curls....sucker for curls.

Wish I had hair...i would make it curly.

panama hat · 09-11-2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingwilly

your daughter is well cute mate.

Thanks, mate. On of a scale from one to ten she looks like me:

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

I will hope to be able to check it out sometime...another on the insanely long list

Isn't that the truth . . . one of the advantages of living in this region is the choice one has of visiting places regularly, and for a short visit, that seem so very 'exotic'. The downside is that there are so many of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nawty

Gorgeous little girl.....love the curls....sucker for curls.

Thanks, Nawty . . . yea, the curls are great!

Here's one where she doesn't look like a wet rat:

good2bhappy · 09-11-2009, 04:01 PM

nice pics

Rural Surin · 10-11-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by good2bhappy

nice pics

Yep. Can't go wrong with a cute little girl!

Nawty · 12-11-2009, 08:31 AM

Well you can, but hopefully not.

A friend of a friends daughter was in the miss Thai Teen competition.

She did not win, but won a section and a prize.

The prize was a modelling contract for 1 year. Her best friend at school won the competition and got a 5 year contract.

One of the conditions of contract is a 'no boyfriend' clause for the term of the contract or it is cancelled.

I am going to enter my daughter at aound 15yo and hope she wins and i can rest for the next 5.

panama hat · 12-11-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nawty

One of the conditions of contract is a 'no boyfriend' clause for the term of the contract or it is cancelled. I am going to enter my daughter at aound 15yo and hope she wins and i can rest for the next 5.

I shall enter mine in this contest until she is 30

reinvented · 12-11-2009, 11:55 AM

beautiful pics and pretty girl
always wanted to go to east malaysia but not managed it yet

19-10-2009, 10:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
panama hat Selamat Datang Last Online: Today 04:15 PM Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South of the border now - thank God! Posts: 7,942	Borneo! Well, the Nexus Karambunai Resort just outside of Kota Kinabalu Mrs Hat was asked to work up an efficiency report on the resort and so we dashed off for a just under a week to: Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, on Borneo. (Roughly where the end of the cigar points to) A brief history of the place: Before the 16 century, the area we now know as Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak centred around the kingdom of Brunei. In this region the kingdom of Brunei was also the centre of trade with China. This region was in tum controlled by two great empires of that period; first by the Sri Vijayan of Sumatra and then by the Majapahit of Java. However, early in the 15 century, the Malacca empire under Parameswara spread its influence and took over the trade of Brunei. Through its traders, Islam spread to Brunei by the end of the 15 century. Leadership of the Islamic faith passed to the Brunei Sultans after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. Under Sultan Bolkiah, the kingdom of Brunei extended its influence as far north as Luzon and Sulu, and south and west of Borneo.Except for the Europeans, other foreigners who have had dealings with Sabah or Borneo left no written records of their activities in the region. The indigenous peoples of Borneo have no written records except oral history and traditions.The Chinese appeared to have had trade and diplomatic ties with Borneo as early as 600 A.D. The Brunei Annals recorded the existence of a Chinese province in the Kinabatangan area. Archaeological evidence from ceramics unearthed in Borneo revealed that for centuries the Chinese had barter-traded their ceramic wares for spices. The Coming of the Europeans 1521: Pigafetta, chronicler of Ferdinand Magellan arrived in Brunei and was received with great pomp and royalty. 1526: The Portuguese under Menezes visited Brunei. 1577: The Spaniards conquered Philipines; also attacked Brunei; the Sultanate of Sulu was brought under the Spaniards. 1609: The Dutch set up a trading post in Southem Borneo. 1619 :The Dutch set up a trading post in Batavia (Jakarta) in Java. 1658 : Sultan of Sulu given the north east coast of Borneo by the Sultan of Brunei in retum for his help in settling a civil war dispute between the Sultan Abdul Mubin and Pengeran Bongsu. Intemal quarrelling in the Brunei Sultanate was one of the factors that led to the decline of the empire. 1665 : The first Englishman to visit Borneo - Captain Cowley. History Of Sabah So, off we went with Malaysian Airlines whose service is simply excellent and the food even better . . . this trip had us munching on more satay than a village full of hungry head-hunters. The littlest one bullied herself into the window seat where we set up some entertainment for her . . . in this case it was BOLT! The resort itself covers over 3000 acres of very lush landscaping, bordering on the South China Sea, and contains a superb 18-hole golf course and a man-made lake. The place is very well maintained, usually a downfall in most South-East-Asian resorts. The room was very well appointed and quite spacious with a view of the sea and a lovely breeze to make a nice change from the aircon inside and the sweltering heat outside. Our fuzzhead decided she wanted to use a more traditional mode of transport, alas there were no koolies to be found anywhere and we had to walk or use a golf cart. The swimming pools, all three of hem, were also well maintained and quite nicely set up . . . Added to this was that we had arrived in the morning and, as it was a weekday, it was peacefully empty, though we were told that they usually operate on a 90%+ capacity. (The Malaysian tourism industry is going through a nice upturn) So, the first thing we did was go for a swim . . . it had rained just before our arrival and it was low tide so the swimming pool was the best option: Then, a few short hours later . . . like a tide rolling in, we were swamped by a whole bunch of Taiwanese with their loudspeaker-like conversations and clearly the owners of camera shops . . . Without so much as a moment's hesitation they simply set up their photographic encampment right in front of us . . . honestly inches away from where we were enjoying the peace and quiet: I mean, how many photos can you take of little Yung Fan or Soo Hua before the little urchin starts to drown . . . 'drowningnotwaving'!!!!! Luckily, with a few choice words from Mrs Hat in Mandarin they moved their photo-expose to another part of the pool. Then the littlest one discovered that ice cream was to be found on the premises . . . She tried to trick us by eating it as fast as she could . . . and then pretended that she hadn't had her share . . . those naughty sisters! Riding on the beach was next on the agenda as we do love horse riding and the sand is simply divine . . . Chess anyone? Actually, the only ones playing chess aside from us were several Japanese tourists who could beat us blindfolded . . . we consoled ourselves that they were probably Japanese Grand-Masters on vacation! The resort is well known for its beautiful sunsets and the best place to view them is from this lovely restaurant/bar . . . As usual, my photographic skills (none) and equipment (Phone; Sony Ericsson W980) are sub-par and really didn't do the scene any justice. All in all a very pleasant few days, there are some exceptional restaurants at the resort as well . . . so, tanned and overweight, we caught a flight back to KL (So, if a nice mod would care to place this thread in the correct place . . . ) __________________ Plus ça change plus ça reste la même chose.

12-11-2009, 08:31 AM	#18 (permalink)
Nawty Boxed Member Last Online: Today 03:37 PM Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: in a box marked 'fragile' Posts: 5,756	Well you can, but hopefully not. A friend of a friends daughter was in the miss Thai Teen competition. She did not win, but won a section and a prize. The prize was a modelling contract for 1 year. Her best friend at school won the competition and got a 5 year contract. One of the conditions of contract is a 'no boyfriend' clause for the term of the contract or it is cancelled. I am going to enter my daughter at aound 15yo and hope she wins and i can rest for the next 5. __________________ *'Owner of 'Arse of the year 2008'......* *First after the winner... 'International Architect of the year 09'*

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19-10-2009, 03:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
panama hat Selamat Datang Last Online: Today 04:15 PM Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South of the border now - thank God! Posts: 7,942	I wanted an advantage but the bastards beat us anyway

20-10-2009, 09:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
Begbie Thailand Travel Forum Last Online: Today 05:27 PM Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lagrangian Point Posts: 7,310	I always pretend I've opened the links and looked at the pictures. Nice pictures Hat looks like a great place.

20-10-2009, 01:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
StrontiumDog Thailand Expat Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2,534	Great post, thanks very much. I always enjoy seeing places I've not visited before. Hope you are released soon!

20-10-2009, 03:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Panda Thailand Travel Forum Last Online: Today 06:58 PM Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5,001	Nice thread PH.

23-10-2009, 06:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
kingwilly Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 33,728	This thread looks good, your daughter is well cute mate. Mods, aint it about time he was let out?

25-10-2009, 01:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
Sdigit It wasn't me Last Online: Yesterday 04:19 PM Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: All the way over there> Posts: 2,345	Great picture PH your kids realy sweet looking, hope you get out soon.

25-10-2009, 08:40 AM	#11 (permalink)
the dogcatcher Thailand Expat Last Online: Today 07:11 PM Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,073	Expensive? Looks it.

06-11-2009, 06:37 PM	#13 (permalink)
StrontiumDog Thailand Expat Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2,534	I will hope to be able to check it out sometime...another on the insanely long list

06-11-2009, 06:52 PM	#14 (permalink)
Nawty Boxed Member Last Online: Today 03:37 PM Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: in a box marked 'fragile' Posts: 5,756	Gorgeous little girl.....love the curls....sucker for curls. Wish I had hair...i would make it curly.

09-11-2009, 04:01 PM	#16 (permalink)
good2bhappy Thailand Travel Forum Last Online: Today 03:12 PM Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Klong Samwa Posts: 11,057	nice pics

12-11-2009, 11:55 AM	#20 (permalink)
reinvented Thailand Expat Last Online: Today 06:55 PM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: top of soi 2 Posts: 1,111	beautiful pics and pretty girl always wanted to go to east malaysia but not managed it yet

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