Jessica Wandering

Photos and thoughts on my travels

  • Singapore: the land of more impressive things.

    This sign is pretty much anywhere there is construction. It is so cute and polite to an extent that impressed me.
    Back to the Gardens. The hotel is pretty impressive…
    And then the super trees have a concert!They have different music themes, some people we met saw 80’s remix. But the drama of this was really good.
    More street art in Chinatown
    I like the art and the placard talks about living conditions in Singapore in the 1930s
    Imitating street art is fun.
    Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest- greeted by cool air and a waterfall
    Many levels and layers. Note the walkway above
    Little lambs
    There were a bunch of different artists represented. This is in the exhibit about the South American cloud forest.
    As you go higher it is meant to be like gaining elevation through different zones. The mist is actually up there in the cloud forest part at the top.
    The driftwood artist was my favorite.
    South African area
    American area
    Wall of orchids
    Pitcher plants of many kinds
    I appreciate the humor in the warning
    The pitchers all together. And yes, Dale Chihuly is literally everywhere.
    View back down from the top
    Selfie with some pretty stuff
    Dragon wall
    Going back down
    More driftwood
    Microscopic orchids!!! Who knew?!
    More driftwood- I love this artist!
    These last few are in the Flower Dome – the smaller of the enclosures. We were not so excited about their sakura display, especially having just been to Japan but we liked bits of it
    Back out in the garden there’s a great procession of bronze animals.
    Even though I was hot and tired, this site of so many kites got me to take a walk.
    and found this park/water department area
    You know the water department should be pretty too.
    And have fun wading pools for kids.
    They are hard to see on a phone screen but there were so so many kites all flying. I’m surprised more don’t tangle each other.
    How did they get all this done? It is so mind blowing that such a young small country has been so forward thinking and functional that they got so much done for people.
    Walking and cycling path across the barrier between sea and river. More park on the other side. The little white awnings are picnic areas.
    The Bay- I have never seen so many shipping boats together.
    Sunset starting as I head home. The Eye wheel is the world’s 2nd largest. It has 28 capsules that hold 28 people in 280 square feet. 28 sounds like/symbolizes “easy prosperity” in Chinese.
    More public health media in the subway tunnel
    Have we talked about cuteness? Best guess is this is a robot sweeper at the airport.
    OMG the airport! The ceiling sculptures with little crystals to look like rain from clouds.
    And yes, that is a waterfall!
    It falls three stories.
    Yes, this is the airport, or the mall in the center of the four terminals by of the airport.
    Then it falls a couple more stories enclosed so it doesn’t splash.
    And here’s the food court. Nice but not overly fancy. A good mix.
    I wish there wasn’t an advertisement behind the sculpture because I could watch it for a long time. There are actually five identical ones but each moving in a different pattern at any one time.
    Then, they themed the whole terminal with this shape of a flower petal. Carpet, lights, tables, even the tables the security check folks use!!! It is all so perfect and coordinated all the time!

    And that’s Singapore. Perfect and well planned and coordinated…kinda all the time…kinda everywhere. It would almost be creepy if it wasn’t so pleasant.

  • Melacca important center of trade for centuries

    So I was worried we wouldn’t find as good a breakfast place after we left Flaaah.
    But we found this gorgeous place in the old colonial district. The Daily Fix. O

    Yogurt with fruit and chia and passion fruit sauce and homemade granola – so so good!
    Bakery case included “cube croissants” which I never did try. The donuts were only on weekends so I had to get the strawberry balsamic one.
    Then out into the city in Chinatown to see what we can see
    Beautiful temple.
    I love the Tiger wall king of all beasts or king of the mountain.
    Celebrating year of the dragon!
    The most over the top band of trishaws I have ever seen. Spider-Man, Hello Kitty, Pokeman, any era any music, they’ve got you
    Even more impressive at night
    Mind blown! A blender inside a watermelon – just poke a hole and do it for an amazing juice!
    Kampung Kling Mosque founded in 1748!With Portuguese tiles, moorish cast iron lamps and a Victorian chandelier.

    The outside you can see is influenced by Malay, Sumatran, Hindu and Chinese architecture. Definitely a testament to the blend of cultures trading here.
    Cheng Ho again.
    We learn about these famous European explorers
    Doing their fancy things with 2-30 ships and a few hundred men in the 14th and fifteenth centuries. (1492 is barely in the 13th)
    Cheng Ho started in 1403 and had up to 300 ships and 30,000 men! He was trading prolifically for China before any of these guys were born! Again why do I not remember learning a single thing about him in school?!
    Night market
    Gorgeous by the river.
    Next morning they put pansies in my smoothie! I love this place
    And have poached eggs ever looked so perfect! With a sprig of thyme no less.
    Then we took a bike tour with Alias at “Melacca on Bike” we “put the fun between the legs”…
    We started near a rubber farm. Getting the sap to flow. Then wait, empty the cups and add an acid to make it into a stable form of latex. He was joking that while many things now can be made of synthetic rubber, condones still need to be made with the natural stuff for more reliable products.
    It was so nice to be on a bike. The self made wind is enough to keep you cool in the morning.
    Palm fruit clusters. He said they can be more than 50 kg!
    I cannot imagine this guy’s job. He is essentially using a small saw on a pole to get them off.
    Finding the heart of palm in case we are ever lost on a plantation…?
    This is a dragon fruit cactus. It’s crazy how I have no idea how so many things grow.
    Newer edition built on to the right of an old traditional Malay house.
    Alias was a great leader and we had a good ride. The fields are young rice.
    Next morning smoothie bowl with chia, toasted coconut and granola. With pansies!
    And lemon cheesecake, better than any I’ve ever had. yeah, yeah, I know it’s breakfast but….
    We went to a Ramadan Market at a beach in the edge of town on the recommendation of a barista and found…the weirdest little fish ever!
    Mudskippers look like that picture of fish coming up on land in the theory of evolution… kind of a fish, but “walking” on land. They can even jump up on a rock 15 or more inches up even though these are only 3-4 in at most.
    Then the sun went down and the egret flew away. we couldn’t really find food we wanted.
    So we wandered across the street to the little carnival that said it was open… but no one was there. I was almost creepy.
    But we could ride the rides all by ourselves!
    Even kinda scary ones.
    And be as silly as we want.
    At the very top of the highest hill overlooking the harbor is the Church of St Paul. Built 1566-1590 by the Portuguese
    It had amazing big trees
    Neat inside and to see some of the tombstones they kept and put “inside”
    Nearby at the bottom of the hill is what’s left of A Famosa.
    Built almost immediately after the Portuguese took the city in 1511 it had 3 meter thick walls surrounding the big hill with the Church of St Paul and had a 40 meter watchtower to protect from possible attacks from sea.
    In 1807 the British were about to hand control back to the Dutch and they wanted to blow it up so it couldn’t be used against them. But they saved this little bit.
    They also have a museum about the shipping industry built on a replica of a 16th century Portuguese ship the Flor de la Mar.
    It takes you through the very strict and well running port the Melacca sultans were running for more than 2 centuries with 84 languages spoken and able to accommodate >2000 ships in the harbor at a time. There were different tariff rates to the sultan based on nationality with wealthier nations paying more and local areas just bringing some gifts. Then in 1511 when taken by the Portuguese who mostly wanted control of the spice trade and charged too high of taxes and tried to force everyone in the area to dock in Melacca even if they didn’t want to, and then the Dutch in 1641, who actually just wanted to suppress Melacca so their port in Batavia (Jakarta) to rise to the most important. Both had tariffs way too high and caused much business to go to other nearby ports instead. And then the British came in 1809 during the Napolianic wars then Dutch again then British again in 1824 until 1941 when the Japanese came and then British again and then independence in 1957. Whew… Melacca lost its dominance but kept its history.
    After the Dutch captured Melacca they allowed some people to stay and granted them the Portuguese quarter. Which now is looked after by this statue I dumbed “sad Jesus”.
    Then there was a cool museum about the customs agency and how it worked over the years. These are scales with weights and hooks for the goods to be weighed.
    Ways to smuggle drugs
    Pronographic images for a Muslim country. I love how they make them more descent for the museum goers.
    Opium related items.
    After a month in Malaysia it was actually weird to see Christian alters in the gardens of houses here.
    Our last night we actually found a very cute Me Ivan restaurant and there was a beautiful singer playing American classics and just making them better than the originals often. We ended up dancing with a British woman who has lived in Singapore and now KL and gave us a couple places to look for when we moved on. Very lovely wrap up there.
    We had fun here after all.

  • Singapore – The Land of Impressive Things- Part

    First day I noticed all the big old trees that remind me of home.
    They seem to have an interest in the public’s mental health.
    And physical heath with exercise equipment in the public parks.
    With motivational placards around the track.
    Greenery on the wall at the subway station by the arboretum
    Swan with swan sculpture

    Rosti! Most delicious thin grated potato grilled with cheese mushrooms and crème fresh.

    Mall with sidewalk art
    Colonial architecture in the Chinatown market
    Murals of what might have gone on a hundred years ago.
    Entrance to “Dorothy’s” our first gay bar in months!
    I can’t tell you how good it is to be acceptable and not illegal somewhere.
    It’s been a long time since I felt a need to closet myself, it’s hard to do now. Makes me realize it is always hard for people to be unacceptable the way they are.
    Singapore is quite different than Malaysia.
    There is definitely a religious sense here more than in Seattle. We were told that there is a whole chapter about bees in the Quran.
    Lau Pa Sat Hawker Center (food stalls) – used to be an open air fish market by the river but when people were relocated to housing from their boats they started these inexpensive food courts and moved the neat building downtown. It’s neat to see the low old building between the big ones.
    So many interesting buildings
    The his one was close to Habyt Cantonment where we stayed. Save the name, it was the only inexpensive hotel we could find.
    Singapore National Museum- Cannons can be this decorative?!
    The his map was fascinating. I didn’t realize how early the Japanese started the aggressions that became part of WWII
    As they started invading China, I think it was areas the immigrants to Singapore and Malaysia were from.
    So of course people here were sending aid back to China to fight for their families and villages.
    And in 1941-2 as they rapidly took the British colonies that were not well fortified, the Chinese in Malaysia paid dearly.
    As the Japanese took some revenge treating Chinese worse than others here for that reason.
    After independence from the British and then the Malaysian Alliance in 1963, Singapore took and ran with its opportunity to develop. There was HUGE flood of immigrants again as the industry improved and housing was highly overcrowded and often minimal. The drastic changes seem probably quite harsh but it seems to have really turned out very well for grandchildren of those most impacted. City beautification and greening was partly achieved with harsh penalties for littering etc. but I must say it is a thriving huge city that is green and modern and so clean it is a little creepy.
    They seem to have done well with the public education campaigns
    More art
    A walk in the park. The Wave… I didn’t get a great picture, but it is a very cool skybridge.
    From Wikipedia
    A chunk of the planned hike was closed for maintenance, but the normal trails were also nice.
    Then I needed a bathroom by the tram station. A full wall window? A fountain? That is the fanciest bathroom ever.
    And then the most impressive area comes by bus
    The Marina Bay Sands. Of course I will never stay there, but the Gardens By the Bay is mostly free to the public.
    “Super Tree” in the background
    Kingfisher. The first time we went, we basically just stayed for sunset and were tired.
    But the taste certainly made us want to come back.
    Walkway between subway exits, piano just lives there in case someone wants to play.
    Full moon. Must be nearly mid way through Ramadan
    Ok, some people don’t like zoos, but this one had a good reputation for having open plan and lots of space, so we went.

    ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THE SYMBOL FOR SUSTAINABILITY GROWN PALM OIL. IT IS IN EVERYTHING FROM SOAP TO FOOD. WWF SAYS NOT TO BOYCOTT PALM AS IT IS A VERY GOOD OIL THAT GROWS PRETTY EFFICIENTLY. JUST MAKE SURE THE PLANTATIONS ARE DOING IT RIGHT!

    Bird show – done with educational emphasis on protecting nature. he music as the birds released made me cry.
    The orangutans have ropes and trees as well as a platform. They are kept contained by trimming the trees at the edges. Here a keeper is spraying water for them to cool off.
    You can walk right underneath them.
    Swinging up
    Chimps have a similar enclosure and so much personality at feeding time.
    The lady standing kept trying to draw attention and more fruit for herself.
    She got her fair share.
    We sat with this guy a long time. He was so beautiful
    Skink- which end is forward?
    Zarah made a friend
    Swimming lizard?!
    Mouse deer! They are about 8-10 in high
    Then these guys came along to eat and pull the branch across the path
    I think there were five ring tailed lemurs that were hanging out
    And eventually moved on
    Same big conservatory/ enclosure not sure his name but so so fluffy!
    Still same area
    Still same. Bushy crested hornbill?
    Flying foxes – Zarah photo credit. it was the best zoo I’ve seen.
    Evening being fancy at the Raffles Hotel bar
    The lines of fans on the ceiling move back and forth I wonder if someone used to have to pull a cord manually…
    Everyone is encouraged to throw the peanut shells on the floor.
    Pretty lady on the balcony of the interior courtyard.

  • KL Aquarium and Cats

    KL has the most impressive and entertaining aquarium I have seen. Anyone want to pet a green lobster?
    I’m really not sure why they have meerkats…
    Or chameleons…
    Or lizards. But they are all cute so I won’t argue. Did you know the spiky looking things are soft?!
    Frogs at least are amphibious…
    Then it gets better and better. I was fascinated by these tiny eels.
    Some go up while others go down. Watching them was so funny and soothing at the same time.
    And they had friends. The zebra stripe in the back is a big eel who is hiding his head from the camera. The plates are because they are talking about shipwrecks being habitat for sea life now.
    This little guy was so beautiful! I can’t believe the concentric colors on his spots.
    How does a clam have lightning going off in its flesh?
    The stairs are in the left of the photo. You are coming down next to the tornado of fish into a few huge shared tanks.
    Giant prehistoric looking fish
    Weird white fish
    3-4 foot rays coming up the side of the glass
    And fish you might see snorkeling
    I like trigger fish, I wish you could see its fins going wildly fast side to side
    And then, you get to the tunnel!
    Then the sharks and rays just glide right over your head
    And weird ones you’ve never heard of
    And leopard ones
    With blue friends
    Who come in
    And snuggle for a while
    Then go on their fluttering way. This was so magical to stand and watch them interact up close. They both seem rare beauties.
    And then these guys just make you giggle. Who thought to cross a ray with a pig?
    Just flapping along
    And this guy looks pretty scary when you see his teeth from below, but I guess he doesn’t eat his tank mates.
    I swear anyone with anxiety should be prescribed time here every day. The slow gliding floating movements are so calming.
    And you just might see a unicorn.
    And I swear who could avoid feeling a little more light hearted with these guys around.
    And you could feel seen and known by this grumpy old guy.
    And talk about what makes you angry in the world with this guy. I’m sure he’d agree. It isn’t a solution to problems, but it can somehow still make life better. At least for me.
    When you finally bring yourself to leave the tunnel, then you get jellyfish and their easy pulsing slowness to slowly bring you back to reality gently.
    And you get some moments with the octopus.
    And why upside down jellyfish?
    Seahorses!
    Camouflage
    Zarah got soup with fire!
    View from the workout room in our apartment building.
    The next day we gave in to our missing of having our own animals. Noodles was the last, at 21 yo and she died in June. So it’s been 9 months. Street cats are sweet for a few pets, but we wanted more. So a Cat cafe!
    Palatial purring big guy.
    He was lying in the fan and his hair was blowing like a shampoo commercial.
    They have lots of places to be. And the rules are you can’t wake up a sleeping cat and you can’t pick them up ever
    They have 36 cats of all kinds.
    Including a “munchkin cat” which I had never heard of.
    Alert cats
    Long cats
    And kitten that crawled into my lap!
    Clearly I couldn’t move for quite some time. I nice last day in KL.
    And a wonderful last float in the 8th floor infinity pool feeling like fancy girls and listening to the muezzin.

  • Coffee, food, night market and Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall

    Rosemary orange zest latte
    Some parts of town are a real mix of bright and lively and run down and fenced off.
    Frog mouth door.
    One side
    Other side. So many people so close together.
    Jalan Alor market by day
    And by night. Pho makes me happy.
    KL Ecopark. It is cool you can really get in the trees in the middle of the city, but the Taman Negara canopy walk was better and there were SOOOO many mosquitoes!
    Also, showing some signs of neglect.
    Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque built 1909 in a moorish style.
    Merdeka Square
    I love the fountain. Are they griffins or something else?
    Have we talked about the heat wave here? 5-8 degrees above normal may be small but if you’re talking about the difference between 83 and 91, in humidity, IT MATTERS!!!! You kind love air conditioning more than is natural. And you find cafes in the middle of the day.
    And they are give you salmon cream cheese toast
    And treats!
    And have googly eyes on the pizza oven.
    And awesome skylights and lighting. Solace! The best little spot.
    This clan house was right by our apartment.
    It is really beautiful and detailed in its ornamentation.
    Even the stools are engraved
    Then you get inside!
    It is for the surname Chan or any iteration of Chan: Chen, Tan, Chin, or Chang. This is where you would go to find people to help you as kin when you arrived off the boat.
    Now it is a place to honor ancestors and document the achievements of some of the most influential Chans in Kuala Lumpur.
    I’m so glad we finally went in.
    It was well worth a visit.

    Only two more days in KL…

  • Malaysian Chinese History Museum, KL Botanical Gardens, Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, and fancy drinks

    “Out of hunger and war, the Chinese were looking for a better life overseas”
    The trip was not easy and the living in Malaysia was not either. There have been migrants and traders for centuries, but it really picked up with famine at home coinciding with the tin mining picking up here in the early 1880’s.
    And they sent money back home when they could.
    Many became addicted to opium to handle the pain and keep them going.
    And many survived to create a particular culture of Chinese immigrants.
    Some not as wonderful practices came with them too.
    Examples of the shoes made taller for the shorter feet.
    There was a concerted effort at propaganda prior to WWII that the Japanese could provide help in throwing of the European rule and be one Asia.
    And then right at the same time as Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded Malaysia from the north. They used bicycles to get past some of the defenses the British had installed. It’s kind of a brilliant strategy to be quick and maneuverable.
    Chinese immigrants had been sending money not just to their families but to pro communist and anti Japanese causes for years. The Japanese did not take this lightly during the occupation. They had men report to checking stations and killed many of them whether they had been anti Japanese or not. It is estimated that “The Purge” took tens of thousands of lives. They also took primarily Chinese women to make “comfort houses” for their soldiers. It was a very dark time for everyone in the occupation , but it seems the Chinese may have had it worst.
    There were Chinese freedom fighters. There were terrible camps where Chinese were taken. It was all really awful. And then the war ended.
    And prosperity for some. Making lanterns…
    Having coffee shops.
    Then there was the fight for independence which the different groups of Malay and Chinese and Indian all had their groups working for and eventually were able to come together to the agreement in 1957.
    And their culture remains strong today within Malaysian society. it was a fascinating museum, very well done.
    For Ramadan, the ice cream place at the mall made special ice cream replicas of other foods. They were so well done, we asked a kid who had some and she said they were also quite delicious.
    There were So so many crows in the trees at sunset. It was like home when the murder gets together before they fly to their roost for the night.
    This was kind of a magical morning.
    Have I mentioned how much I love chocolate croissants?
    Then we went to get a coconut water or something at the little market in the park and found Aiza and her band. They were singing in Arabic or Malay and a couple old American standards. She was such a whole hearted singer I imagined she was singing about Ramadan as this was the first full day. As we were about to move on, Zarah went to put money in the busking box and she next played Zombie by the Cranberries! She was so pleased we were dancing in the market that it kept going for 3-4 more songs. It was so fun and she asked our names and talked a little. She had such a beautiful smile and was so present in the moments we had. I felt it was a great gift.
    Then we went on to the botanical gardens.
    Hibiscus is the national flower of Malasia.
    So you get two.
    Neat bamboo structure to have little picnics or kids to play
    I love this shade structure. And there were two small kids having a lot of fun riding their bikes.
    Beautiful place.
    The next day we went to the Masjid Wilayah
    It is just gorgeous. It was built in the last ten years so not old, but so much detail.
    We had the best tour guide, Jaslina. She clearly genuinely loves volunteering and talking about her love of God and her religion.
    They have their special rugs (initials of the mosque in the center). This way they can replace aa needed.
    In the back courtyard. I was so impressed with Zarah. She asked Jaslina about how gay and trans issues are discussed or handled in Islam. And she answered that some congregations actively denounce, but most just don’t talk about it. Then, she was open enough to answer that her daughter is dating a woman, that their friends are ok, but some of the family doesn’t know. She said her daughter has never been happier and still practices fully in her prayers etc. Not the answer or discussion we expected. But reassuring that progress comes (slowly, but it comes).
    Old and new together.
    Remembering Islam does not like human or animal figures in the art, especially at the mosque, so there is so much beauty found in the intricacies of pattern and calligraphy
    These are all semi precious stones inlaid.
    As are all of these.
    Then the call to prayer happened. Which Jaslina invited us to observe- the importance of worship shoulder to shoulder despite more space available.
    And so noticeable how far removed the women are. She did point out that with the movements that happen in prayer it might not be that comfortable for a woman to be in close quarters. Rows are packed tightly front to back as well as side to side, and I can see that. But still, NOT ok to me.
    The PT in me can’t help but wonder how much longer in life people stay agile and strong with five times a day getting up and down in prayer 3-5 or more times. They had chairs and seats for the floor as options if it was hard for you. My knees hurt just looking at the sitting on the heels. I miss being able to do that.
    It was gorgeous and moving and we learned a lot and I felt so much warmth from Jaslina. But it is time to take off these scarves and be free again.
    We decided it was time for the happy hour on the 51st floor that we had read about.
    Feeling more myself and impressed at our fanciness.
    The lower drink has a “durian membrane”. Half of this was my first and I kinda hope my last taste of durian. I liked the texture, but the flavor was not for me and it lingers.
    So lovely to see the mountains. We can’t see them most of the time. Very homey, I feel a bit adrift if there aren’t mountains.
    It got closer to dark and we decided on one more drink and some fries so we could be up there and see the lights. This one was with rosemary smoke I think.
    Such a cool space. They have three different areas, we were in the bar, but this is the outdoor part of where there are DJs at night, and then a restaurant. And our friendly Merdeka Tower is there to orient us.
    The KL Tower and the Patronas are quite lovely at night it was cool being near them.
    Fancy girls put on the town.

    Actually, we have not been out late very often. Drinking seems terrible in this heat and we need a shower and rest in the afternoon, then staying home sounds nice.

    So many selfies, but it was a great space for them.
    Even the elevator lobby to go back down was fancy. It was such a pleasant evening.

  • Patronas towers and KL Bird park

    The most iconic buildings in Kuala Lumpur are the Patronas Towers
    They have a park on one side with a lovely fountain. They have a giant mall inside which I would like to say I didn’t spend much time in, but… air conditioning. It has been about 5F hotter this spring than usual.
    Unfortunately (in the US) named cosmetic store.
    But also sensible orthopedic shoes with sparkles! Why don’t we get more of this in the US?
    It lights up very nicely.
    KL bird park: a super giant area netted off into 4 zones of birds.
    Some bird need their own space, but so many are just free roaming.
    This is in the parrot house.
    And this
    And this… you buy a tiny cup of milk and they come to you to drink it.
    In case you don’t want to watch the whole video
    Another animal who wants my sweaty head
    These crack me up
    Ok last bit of this experience
    Then we went to the bird show. Totally hokey but I’ve never seen a bird do a series of flips on a hoop. Have you?
    Or race to get three rings on a peg.
    Or know it’s shapes and colors
    Or use a slide
    Crowned crane
    Night heron
    Crazy amount of birds wandering with you
    They might be a bit too tame. But this means the staff put food there regularly, not patrons.
    This guy was one of my favorites. I’m sad to find out it is a kind of pigeon.
    He looks so sheepish. I wonder what he’s been up to…
    I’m really not sure why these cranes. Are all facing the fence and displaying, but to each their own.
    We stopped for a snack and this guy really thought we would share.
    Wait for it…
    Wait for it….
    TA DA!!!!
    And….Cassowary! These are so cool, saved him for last.

  • Islamic Arts Museum and National Mosque

    Museum the outside. The domes are so beautifully painted.
    A little introduction, done better by the curators than I.
    I hadn’t even realized the reason there are such ornate and stylized patterns in the art and architecture is that they have been discouraged from the human or animal form. It kind of makes the European obsession with portraits and realism seem frivolous and a little narcissistic.
    I don’t know why but this one just kept drawing me farther and farther in. If you blow it up you can see that each stroke is a calligraphy line of Arabic script.
    As is this one. The lighting was really dark in here and then the spotlights really made the art seem to glow.
    This one too.
    I CANNOT understand how anyone can write this small. This is the entire Quran in a pocket sized book in the 12th century. how was there even a pen than could keep that fine a tip?
    Hundreds of years ago watching the paths of the planets and stars. The focus on learning and science is so much stronger than Christianity with all the scientific heretics like Galileo.
    And something I really hadn’t known or thought about, the Chinese who have been Muslim for hundreds of years.
    So familiarly a Chinese platter…with an Arabic phrase from the Quran.
    These are just such an interesting mix I hadn’t seen before.
    I just love the color of this.
    Jade and Arabic on the blade on the left.
    My mom would have loved all the displays of fabric and weaving we’ve seen. I wish I could send her pictures of this trip.
    Model of the mosque that all other mosques point to: Al Masjid Al Haram. The place to pilgrimage to. The place to face in your personal prayers 5 times every day.
    National Mosque and Merdeka 118 from the stairway in the museum
    After the museum we went across the street to the national mosque.
    If you are not fully covered they will lend you a beautiful polyester garment to make you properly modest. Zarah dubbed them wizard suits, which made me feel slightly less unattractive. they also remind me of a robe my sister had as a pre teen.
    Ok getting over my own vanity, the mosque is beautiful. So many details so finely wrought. The tiles on the column, the wood carvings, the windows, the chandeliers.
    This mosque did not offer tours so we just wandered a bit and took some pamphlets to explain… I am woefully ignorant of Islamic practices.
    Then we went to the Central Market and wandered looking for food. We found ourselves near but not willing to get to the oldest mosque in KL.
    Sadly some of the wall art is under renovation. We were pretty spent by then, but Zarah still looks good. 🙂
    Ok, this one is actually from the day before, but I can’t not put in the picture of the indoor rollercoaster at the mall!

  • Another butterfly park and more monkeys.

    Butterflies just make you feel you are in a magical place. And KL has more and much bigger ones than Bangkok.

    Dragonfly too

    The Malaysian National butterfly: Raja Brooke’s Birdwing.
    They have a really cool underside as well.
    They had so many that were really big and spectacular
    Or just bright and beautiful
    Or again really huge
    And familiar from Taman Negara
    And sometimes they land in you to drink your sweat. It feels really weird for them to crawl around a little.
    They also had other bugs on display. I am quite sure I have never seen any insect this large.
    Close up of the face. 🙂
    And such a pretty turtle
    And such a cranky frog.
    We were hot and sweaty and knew we needed AC and went to the planetarium. But we were also more hungry than we planned, so didn’t stay very long.
    And found ourselves at the KL bird park restaurant and it was monkey o’clock.
    There were more youngsters and babies than we saw in the national park. Sadly, I think they are well fed by humans despite signs telling people not to.
    Lunch itself was also joined by this guy (cattle egret) and his friends who know where to get a meal. It is pretty neat to be in the bird enclosure for lunch and the visitors were respectful enough.
    On the walk home. The juxtaposition of old and new is always so surprising to us Americans.

  • Arrival in Kuala Lumpur: feeling swanky and unexpected delights.

    Night view from the infinity pool on the 8th floor of our building. It is so hard to believe this place is half the cost of a Budget Inn at home.
    Close up of the iconic Petronas Towers from our bedroom window.
    Actual size with the construction continuing on the big black building named Merdeka 118 and not open yet for a few more months. The stadium in the foreground is where independence from Britain was announced and celebrated in 1957. Merdeka means independence in Malay.
    Mosque built as part of the Merdeka complex. The image is iconic around here of the independence announcement. the building is meant to evoke the same image with the spire being the man’s arm.
    During the day. Overly repetitive, I know, but the building is becoming a friend we see many times per day. And most of the time wherever we are in town we can see where home is.
    Swing on the roof level of our building.

    I am mostly a person who loves to be in nature and seeing the vistas and animals when I travel. But when it is over 90F and humid, and you get to a place where air conditioning is actually cold, it feels so good and allows the nervous system to calm. In most lodgings we’ve had so far, we have been in a budget conscious mode. The key goes in a slot on the wall that turns the power on in the room. Which is a great energy saving measure. And it means you come home hot and sweating profusely and the room is hot for quite a while before it cools down. Our place in Taman Negara, the AC was quite weak and it was pretty warm all the time. Being here is such a relief. Who doesn’t love some luxury? There is still a lot to see and learn here.

    Very cool Chinese ancestral hall for the Chan/Tan/Chen/Chin etc clan. It is about 2 blocks from our place. Clans would help you get started working when you immigrated and the hall was an important place in the early 1900’s especially.
    The detail on all the figurines on the roof are just exquisite.
    Flaaah Bakery and cafe is about 2.5 blocks from our place. Left to right: Cinnamon latte, Spinach spinach spinach (think giant spanakopita), crookie (chocolate chip hazelnut cookie kept thick and wrapped in croissant dough), and rose latte.
    The rest of the case… this is an amazing place and the staff are really sweet.
    Buckwheat crepe (gluten free!)
    Magic little alleyway just off a side street with dumpsters on it.
    They are made to look like mahjong tiles. But they move and flutter over your head.
    The lattice work lets vines grow so it is shaded and cooler than the street.
    Wall art that incorporates actual objects into the picture
    Note the jump rope actually exists, and the basket. We had no idea this was here. We just wandered in on our first morning walk. It really felt like magic!

    It was probably ten days later we went to the Chinese History Museum and found out this was the street where very poor indentured workers would come to gamble and smoke opium. They were usually fleeing famine or persecution at home and many lost their lives from the despair of the hard life here. Knowing this makes it all the more magic in its transformation.

    We came by a different day in the evening. The lights are such a great addition.

    There is so much complex history here. I’m learning, but I started from such low understanding that I am still quite the beginner.