On Quest of Museum Kopi Tiam

Kota Kinabalu, March 30th 2011

That night, I, me, was on a big quest of Museum Kopi Tiam which I read about in Insight Guide Sabah and then found out also in the internet. I asked RK to drop us off there, but he insisted that he knew Kota Kinabalu through and through and that there was no "Museum Kopi Tiam". I, me, insisted that it was written in my guide book which unfortunately I didn't bring with me. And then we passed by a coffee shop which definitely had not any signs of "Museum Kopi Tiam". RK said, all tourist goes there for coffee.

Two things I hate. First, when someone underestimates my research. Second, when someone tells me to be or to do, something, simply because everybody is or does so. In fact, RK had presented me a total turn off after his whole day of excellency as a tour guide.

 I told RK to drop us off at the post office, because I remembered that Museum Kopi Tiam was somewhere around the post office. Dina was completely on my side. We sought our way together on quest of Museum Kopi Tiam.

We didn't want just Kopi Tiam. We wanted "Museum Kopi Tiam". We wanted something that is not in Jakarta.

According to a blog I read, Museum Kopi Tiam was on the same building as Sabah Backpacker. I called Sabah Backpacker, the lady over the phone gave me the address, and Dina looked it up on the map of Kota Kinabalu.

Wow! Looks somewhat like China Town??

I and Dina walked along the alley while discussing about life on mainland China. What about exactly? You can guesslah!

 Tara!! Museum Kopi Tiam!!

Museum Kopi Tiam is on the first floor of the Sabah Backpacker Building.

 I went for chicken curry, my first curry in Malaysia. It turned out to be different from our curry in Indonesia but also different from the curry in Japan. Although it wasn't really something to make an interesting photograph, it did tasted good.

 Dina's choice: Nasi Ayam Pandan.

It's chicken roasted in pandan-leaf-wrap.

 There was a display window of various coffee beans from all over the world. But... no Vietnamese coffee bean.. :(

 This my coffee. Cappuccino.

 This is how the coffee shop looked like. Hanging on the walls are photographs and articles about the history of Kopi Tiam.

Some of the decoration inside the coffee shop.