By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Feb 1: The countdown to the highly-anticipated Chinese New Year (CNY) is on, and Kenyalang Park is buzzing with excitement as the annual bazaar (Kenyalang Park CNY Bazaar) steals the spotlight.
Despite the drizzle last night (Jan 31), it didn’t dampen the spirits of locals, visitors, and even tourists who flocked to the bazaar to snag some CNY-related goodies for the coming celebration.
As the sun sets, the 15-day bazaar which started on Jan 26 and will go on until Feb 9, springs to life.
People of all ages and backgrounds can be seen exploring the bustling aisles, drawn in by the wide variety of products available.
Some of the hot-selling items include bakkwa (Chinese pork jerky), nian gao (CNY sweet rice cake), dried or candied fruits, cookies, kek lapis, citrus fruits like mandarins and tangerines, and fireworks.
Mayflower Cake House, a bakery that’s been serving customers since 1988, is once again showcasing their mouthwatering selection of CNY cookies.
As always, they’ve set up a tempting display of cookies in front of their shop, complete with the opportunity for customers to sample and savour the different flavours. DayakDaily couldn’t resist and ended up buying a variety of CNY cookies from Mayflower.
DayakDaily also noticed some new stalls at the bazaar this year, selling a variety of CNY floor mats for different areas of the house, including the front door entrance, bathroom, and kitchen.
There were also various types of CNY decorations, including dragon couplets and couplets adorned with Chinese traditional writings.
“Without fail, I make it a point to swing by the Kenyalang CNY bazaar every year to load up on my favourite CNY treats. My family and I would always grab nian gao, dried fruits, and cookies from this place,” Yuan, a Kenyalang Park resident, said.
Tan, another local, stated that he would always buy boxes of mandarin oranges at the bazaar and distribute them to friends, family, and business associates.
As Kuching embraces the Year of the Dragon, this annual event stands as a symbol of unity, diversity, and the enduring spirit of festivity that brings people together to usher in a new year with hope, joy, and shared traditions. — DayakDaily
