GETTING THE LAY OF MALAYSIA'S LAND-Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown, Malaysia May 2018

GETTING THE LAY OF MALAYSIA'S LAND

Kuala Lumpur, Penang, George Town Malaysia May 2018

Towering above

While we had virtually no expectations about what Malaysia would be like, it is still fair to say that we encountered the unexpected:  Kuala Lumpur is a vibrant, modern city teeming with high-end luxury stores boasting names like Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

A religious experience, for some

It also has iconic, world class architecture, as seen in the Petronas Towers, and numerous billboards beckoning people to come live in the lap of luxury in the newest apartment buildings. Clearly, there is a large enough segment of wealthy inhabitants to support the many malls and boutique stores.

A feeding frenzy

But that was only part of the story. It was also one of the most multi-cultural Asian cities we had visited, with a dizzying array of foods from India, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and of course, Malaysia's own unique dishes (we love Laksa!). 

Durian's business stinks

And while the official religion is Muslim (more than 55 percent of the population), Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism are well represented and all seemed to co-exist with relative harmony.

Please don't...

It was interesting to note, however, that this is a country with many rules. From the sign entering the subway to let you know your surfboard was not welcome to the signs on the subway warning against "indecent behavior" (i.e. kissing), you knew that you were in a place where it's best to tow the line -- and we most certainly did. 

Although our hotel, Amethyst Love Guesthouse, was more like a  basic hostel, the price was right and the location couldn't be beat. We were right next to one of the most lively night markets and took full advantage by moving into "grazing mode." 

Stairway to heaven

We also had the chance to visit the Batu Caves, one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India, that consists of a spectacular series of caves and cave temples. 

Monkey business

While the hundreds of steps up to the caves were a bit too daunting for some (ahem), Mike had no trouble making the climb and even helped with some brick transport at the top.

Eileen, on the other hand, was perfectly content to hang out with the monkeys at the bottom, who seemed to know exactly what to do to play to their audience.

GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

After a few very busy days in Kuala Lumpur, we headed back to the airport to fly to Georgetown on Penang Island. It was a place that had come highly recommended by our fellow world travelers, Kate and John, so we decided to check it out.

Iron art

We were so happy we did. Between the vast array of street food and equally captivating street art, it was enough to wander through the streets all day taking in the sights and smells.

Yes, blue rice!

It was, however, very hot and humid--temperatures that only vary by a degree or so throughout the year -- so our wanderings were broken up by frequent stops at the numerous cafes.  

One of the things we heard repeatedly about this city was that it was a "food heaven." No disagreement here. After every single meal we started reminiscing about the unusual tastes, the combination of spices, and the quality of the ingredients. 

The beauty of batik

Although at this point in our trip we had pretty much sworn off yet another museum, we made an exception when it came to the Batik Museum. 

The welcoming mosque

While batik is most closely associated with Indonesia, Malaysia has had its fair share of luminaries including Dato Chuah Thean Teng, considered the father of Malaysian batik. 

Not only did we see a very informative video about his art, but we saw batik art from this very prolific artist and from those in other parts of the world. 

Guarding the past

We also took in the splendor of the temples, shrines, mosques, and other religious buildings that had proliferated throughout the island. Not to be totally left out, we visited the Penang Jewish cemetery believed to be the oldest in Southeast Asia. 

Although we never saw evidence ourselves, we read reports that claim Malaysia is one of the most anti-Semitic countries in Asia.

The last Jewish resident of the island died in 2011, and the cemetery is still carefully tended to by an elderly Hindu man who really does know where all the bodies are buried.