No Koalas in Kuala Lumpur

Hi All,


My dad sent me an email today notifying me that it's been 3 days since my last blog post, so I am dutifully posting the rest of my Malaysian adventure today. At least I know I have ONE faithful reader! I need to get all caught up before I leave for VIETNAM/CAMBODIA on Friday. Spring Break baby! I am going for the week with my two girlfriends, Mei and Adhiti. It's going to be awesome! So, here's the rest of Malaysia. Don't worry, my memory has not dimmed-I took notes! (yes, I am a huge dork, I know.)


First impression of KL was that it was very dirty. It's a big city, like any big city in the world, and there are piles of garbage in the street. Pretty gross. It was also really hot, like sticky-big city-exhaust fumes-and-grit hot, which is not so pleasant. Immediately upon arriving, I wished we had gone straight to Cameron Highlands and skipped KL altogether. When I voiced this to Lisa, she gave me a look that said "I am ignoring you for your own sake" and I decided not to be so grumpy. Something I have learned about myself-I tend to be a bit of a grump when I haven't been adequately fed, and my fuse is much shorter than the average person. I'm lucky that Tom and I have approximately the same boiling point, because I felt pretty crappy throwing a tantrum while Lisa was smiling like Buddha. I resolved to be less cranky, which is hard when you're in a country WITH NO TOILET PAPER! But I digress.


The big thrill in KL is the Petronas towers. They are the tallest twin towers in the entire world. They are very shiny and futuristic looking. They're so big it's hard to get them in a single picture. Here's my best shot-

Neato, huh? There's a big shopping mall in the basement, where Lisa and I duly purchased enormous quantities of sorbet. There's a fruit here called soursop, and despite the really lame name, it's DELICIOUS and I had soursop gelato. Lisa is a great roomie for many reasons, but one important one is that she loves sweets as much as I do. No "no thanks, no dessert for me!" from Lisa.

Our hostel was right in the middle of the city, and it was a bit bizarre. It was called Wheeler's Guesthouse, and we picked it because it has a free friday night barbecue. What we did not know was that it also had a huge aquarium in the lobby. Pictured here:

Only in SE Asia. It was a weird but ultimately charming place. And the lady who runs the place was very helpful, considering LONELY PLANET WAS WRONG! I guess things have changed in KL recently, because the information about the bus depot was flat-out wrong. It was not where LP said it was. Lisa and I set out on foot, thinking our hostel was nearby, when we were in fact across town at the bus station NOT on the LP map. I was crushed. How could LP fail me? But, the lady set us right so we could make our next journey on time. And the barbecue was delicious. You have to, as a Texan, realize that it is not in any way actually barbecue, but it's meat nonetheless. Then it's okay.

Lisa and I went, at my request, to the Islamic Museum. Much of Malaysia is Muslim, much more than Singapore. The museum was gorgeous. I was reminded of humanities and the love I'd had for the Islamic art back then. Everything is so ornate and just lovely. Looking at hand-calligraphed Qu'rans and seeing the exquisite love and care that went into them, I could not help but admire the people that made them. These people did not seem like the bloodthirsty terrorists that I've been made to believe Muslims are. There were many stories of Muslim rules that advanced science and international relations while they ruled. I was impressed with the lengthy and illustrious heritage, and I was deeply saddened to know that so many of my countrymen will never see or understand this side of Islam. It is complex and alien to us, yes, but these people love their God, as we love ours, and we are really not so different. It's devastating that so much beauty and wisdom can be spoiled by a few radical extremists.

We wandered around after that, taking a LP walking tour and seeing the sights. Not surprisingly, many things were closed for CNY. But, the architecture was cool. We went to a HUGE night market and wandered around, although without Priya to bargain we didn't buy much. Also, you have to be quick on your feet there. Converting money in and out of USD or SGD from RM is not so easy. We had plenty of fun, though. Saw some interesting mosques and buildings, soaked up the sun, and smelled some very intense smells. Word to the wise: Malaysia does not have Diet Coke. Epic. Fail.

One of the most interesting things we saw was a Hindu temple sandwiched in between two office buildings, tucked on an unassuming side street. Asia is overflowing with gorgeous temples, scattered haphazardly across the cities. It's always quite a surprise to discover a majestic work of art next to a starbucks, but it happens all the time. I have a shot up there of the temple against the tall modern building. If I had to pick an image to describe SE Asia, it would be this-ancient mysteries smashed uncomfortably against Western commercialism. I can;t help but feel that it's a battle, and it will be fascinating to see how it plays out in the coming years. Because I will definitely be back here :)

After the rooftop barbecue, Lisa, our new friend Rayann, and I went to a little bar across the street to have a drink. There we met some gals from Scotland and Sweden who had just started their travels in SE Asia. We traded tips: where to stay, where to avoid, what to buy in the big cities and what could be purchased out in the country, best foods to try, etc. Backpacking culture is so delightful-young people just starting out, determined to see the world before they settle down. You meet someone, swap stories, maybe ride as far as the next town with them, and then part, promising to visit if you ever make it to their home country. It's like I imagined the hippies might have been, except without all the sex and drugs. (So maybe not like hippies...) It's just very cool to sit in a bar in KL with girls from Scotland, discussing restaurants in Hong Kong. It's a real "pinch-me" moment, and I loved every second of it. If my old self could see me now! I think twelve-year-old me would approve of the woman I've become. And that is an awesome, awesome feeling.

After some souvenir shopping, Lisa and I turned in, ready for our big trip to Cameron Highlands the next day. Which I was going to post today, but it will just have to wait until tomorrow (sorry, Dad!). I have a midterm to write, after all! Until next time, this is Singapore Sue, saying, sayonara, suckers! (happy valentine's day to you all, especially my sweetheart <3 )