Traveling Tolins 2

Named for the stunning Mt. Kinabalu that rises to jagged heights, Kota Kinabalu is the capital of the Malaysian state of Sabah.  Today’s modern city was built after Jesselton, as Kota Kinabalu was once known, was destroyed during World War II.  One of Malaysia’s first national parks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of lush and mountainous terrain that hosts orangutans and 4,500 other species of flora and fauna, lies to the west.  Indigenous cultures are preserved here, too, as a visit to the Mari Mari Cultural Village attests.  Deep in a remote forest, the ethnic communities of the Sabahan people survive and provide a fascinating glimpse of the island’s traditional ways (see pictures about mid-way in this blog post). Views as we arrived in port.  A small water village but nearly as large as Brunei.  Very modern buildings.  Dock side welcoming party.  On our way to Mari Mari village. We rode in a bus for 45 minutes with our guide