Images of Bintulu Today

A uniquely designed 'tambang' which in the local Melanau dialect means a small motor launch used to cross the Kemena River . The tambang has been the main transportation for the Kampung Jepak villagers since decades ago.

It's the season of heavy flowering of the Angsana trees ( Peltophorum pterocarpum). The distinct dry weather for the last two weeks with hardly any rain has stimualted the roadside trees in Bintulu to flower flamboyantly. The above is taken near the SMK Bintulu overhead bridge.

The Kemena river as seen from the Bintulu town side. In the far background is the Bukit Jepak with the Melanau fishing villages tucked on its foothills and riversides.

May flowering trees of Kuching

Above is CU of the Goa tree flowers.

This time around in Kuching I noticed that the Cabbage tree/ Indian Goa tree ( Andira inermis) is at its best. The flowers at the car parking lot near the Padawan's Pitcher Plant center have cast their magic spell. Currently there is a heat spell in Kuching and this could have stimulated the rich flowering of bougainvilleas too around the city. The flowers are small and purplish. After the flowering season is over, the tree wil bear almond-like fruits which resemble our local ' kedundong' fruit ( Otaheite or ambarella). However, while fruits of the kedundon are edible this one isn't.

The Goa tree takes its name for the town of Goa in India. The tree is small to medium ( 5-10 m) high. It has a good compact crown shape and as such is a good candidate for shade trees. This tree is placed in the family Papilionoide of which another common family member is the Indian Coral tree ( Erythrina indica as in here >> http://alltheplants.blogspot.com/search/label/Erythrina . The best planting distance on roads is 40 meters.