The row of shophouses is located at
Gambier Street, one of the oldest streets in
Kuching.

This shop has its own delivery van as it
supplies to other retail outlets as well.

For the convenience of its customers, some
of the products are already packed in plastic
bags.

Spices are also sold according to the quantity required by the customers.

Other items such as pasta and crackers are
also sold here.

You can taste some of the free samples.

So many different types of curries are
available here.

"Assam Jawa" or tamarind is a popular spice
used in Sarawakian cuisine.

A wide variety of nuts and beans on display.

The dishes here tend to be on the spicy side
and so chilies are in high demand.

It was still the month of Ramadhan (fasting
month) and so a wide range of dates are
available.

Ever since ancient times, spices have been a key part of life. Spices such as pepper, nutmeg, and cloves have been used in food to add flavor and made our food taste so much better. Spices have also been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine by different cultures around the world.
The Egyptians used them to embalm their dead; they were used in religious ceremonies and rituals in ancient China and India. In the past, spices were considered so valuable that they were sometimes used as currency in many parts of the world.

A few weeks ago, I visited the spice market in Kuching, Sarawak. It wasn’t a market per se but is actually a row of 5 old shophouses on one of Kuching’s oldest streets, Gambier Street. This place is well known for its large selection of spices, powders, and herbs, the majority of which are not available in supermarkets. Some of the shops sell their own unique concoctions like smashed fried chicken spice, satay spice powder, sambar curry powder, and many others.

For a food lover like me, it was like being transported into another world—one where I could smell and taste all sorts of spices that I'd never even heard of before. The smells were incredible: fragrant, earthy, pungent… and some that I couldn't even describe. It was like being in an apothecary's shop from the Victorian era, but with more color and life.

It was a very busy place: there were people everywhere—shoppers picking up their favorite spices for the week ahead, families buying them as gifts for friends and loved ones. I realized that Hari Raya Aidilfitri (the Muslim New year) will be celebrated in 2 weeks time. That is why the place was more crowded than usual. The shoppers are getting ready for what they need for the New Year Celebration.

But what struck me most was how friendly everyone was! There were smiles everywhere you looked—and not just because they wanted your business; people were genuinely happy to be there.

I spent hours wandering around the shops; everyone was invited to browse at their leisure. It wasn't just about selling products either: these vendors had so much knowledge about each spice that they were happy to share with anyone who asked.

If you are ever in Kuching and need to buy some spices, these shophouses at Gambier Street are the place to go.

This is my entry for the #Market Friday initiated by @dswigle

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Market Friday Community

This community is where you can post your experiences of shopping in markets around the world and at the same time sharing a bit of your culture. #MarketFriday is started by the loving @dswigle who has put in lots of love to nurture the community.

The Rules Of #MarketFriday! in the words of @dswigle are as follows
“

Go to the market, or anywhere that you pay money for a service. Take pictures! Be creative!
Tell us a little bit about the market or the event. What brought you there? What did you buy? How much did it cost?
Post the picture(s) Of course, you should tell a little bit about the ones you post
Use the MarketFriday Community Platform to post #hive-196308 (this is not required, but appreciated)
. Drop the link into the MarketFriday comment section so I can find it
6 Following me and reblogging the post so more see it would be appreciated !! Not a rule, just appreciated, more vision for more views on your posts! **7. You must put #MarketFriday by @dswigle somewhere on your post.”