GAYA STREET - SUNDAY WALKABOUT

Wasn’t doing much last Sunday so decided to go downtown to the Sunday Gaya Street Fair.  Formerly known as Bond Street, it is one of the main streets of Kota Kinabalu.  Situated in the older part of Kota Kinabalu , it is here where one can find a concentration of banks, other commercial and business offices, legal offices, smaller hotels, backpackers lodgings, traditional type of shops and restaurants. Many of these shops have been in existence for many years and some are family businesses that have been passed down from generations to generations. Some of the shops had undergone some major uplifts in recent years.

 

Pic courtesy of 

http://www.jesseltonhotel.com/history.html

Come every Sunday, this street is closed to make way for the mega fair from, 6.30 am to 1.00 pm and transformed into a busy and crowded place as if there's a big party!  With bargain hunters,  shoppers some of whom come with their entire families, you can even find grannies being wheeled by their grandchildren, so much so that it can get a bit tricky to maneuver with your camera without being knocked, blocked or pushed.  Nevertheless, it is not a deterrent factor and I found many photographers armed with their expensive cameras looking for interesting bits and pieces to shoot.

Lol.. yeah,  I do have a sense of humour...

A community group of ukulele lovers comprising mostly youths, calling themselves the

Orkes Akiuku, performing at the fair, doing their bits for society,

spreading the HIV/Aids Awareness in conjunction with the World Aid's Day 2011

this pup cost about RM1,650.00

It is also a popular destination for foreign and local tourists to shop for souvenirs such as local  handicrafts. One can also find, antiques, home cooked food, cookies, small plants and lots more.  Looking for pets? Yes, head for the Sunday fair.  There you can find guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, cats, dogs. Be prepared to apply your haggling flair as prices of some of the animals can be a bit steep.  A young pedigree pup can sometimes cost up to RM1,500.00 and above and  a Persian kitten, at RM2,000.00!

the ugliest thing I've ever seen.. a real frog skin, treated and made into a bag..

l 

local handicrafts

popular tourist destination

So if you find yourself in Kota Kinabalu on Sunday morning with nothing to do, head for the fair and join in the crowd!