Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is washed by the South China Sea in the West and the Sulu and Celebes Seas in the East and contains parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. We visited Kota Kinabalu, capital of the Malaysian state of Sabah, whose location, 4-8 degrees north of the Equator, explains her climate. Sabah's population of 1.7 million comprises 30 different races and 80+ dialects, each celebrating its own colorful culture and traditions. In a state in which complete freedom of religion is ensured, Muslims are the largest group. Their beautiful new state Mosque can accommodate 7000 worshipers. The name, Kota Kinabalu (KK for short), first appeared on maps in 1968. Formerly known as Jesselton, it was destroyed and occupied by the Japanese during WW II. Mt. Kinabalu, her majestic peak, rises 13,000 feet, making it is the highest in the Southern Hemisphere. We spent our day seeing the surrounding back country by train, passing through rain forests of mangroves, palms and bright flowers and through farmer's fields with water buffalo surrounding Malaysian wooden houses, perched high on stilts. At Papar, one of the interior towns, we were treated to a wonderful display of Malaysian tribal cultural dances, music and games, including that of headhunter tribes displaying their accuracy with blowguns. Recently emerging into the modern world, it is said that the grandfather of your taxi driver in Kota Kinabalu may well have been a headhunter! Funny, we seemed to have had that same feeling on a recent taxi ride in NYC! How small the world!

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