Malaysia

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If you want to skip ahead to the Malaysian countryside
(that is, skip Kuala Lumpur), just click here:

Monday, 15 October: It was time for us to journey to Malaysia. While we had been to the country before, this time our initial focus was the city of Kuala Lumpur, a place we had not been on our previous trip. We checked out of the Holiday Inn Golden Mile (Hong Kong) at about 8:00AM and quickly caught a complimentary bus to the Airport Express Train Station. There we were able to check-in with Cathay Pacific as well as drop off our luggage. So, it made for an easy ride back to Hong Kong International Airport. Once there, we cleared immigration and security and we were enjoying breakfast at The Pier, a Cathay Pacific lounge, before 9:30AM. Nice!

At about 12:00 noon, we left the lounge as our flight to Kuala Lumpur was departing from one of the most distant gates in the airport. We had to catch a train to a different terminal and then walk to the last terminal. We arrived at the gate at 12:20PM (yes, HKIA is a large airport) and boarded shortly thereafter. We enjoyed another wonderful Cathay Pacific flight, our last flight with Cathy on this year’s “Round The World” ticket.

Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, we again cleared immigration and customs. Then, we took the KLExpres (a high-speed train) into the KL Central Station. From there, we were able to take a monorail to a station directly across from the Crowne Plaza. All went very well except that the monorail travel involved lots of stairs and there were no elevators or escalators. Yikes! Ed had to ferry the luggage up/down the stairs while Lindy dealt with our hand luggage. The bags were very heavy so it was quite an undertaking. Twice, two nice men helped carry the luggage.

After we finally left the monorail system, we were able to roll the baggage up the walkway to the Crowne Plaza. Once inside, we went to the 21^st floor to check-in at the Executive Club Lounge. Again, we were upgraded to a beautiful room. We quickly left our bags in the room so that we could take advantage of the happy hour which was ending about 15 minutes later (i.e., at 7:30PM). As it turned out, we had plenty of time to enjoy a very cold beer (actually two) and a glass of red wine. The staff members were very accommodating and made sure that we had our beverages as well as plenty of snacks before the happy hour service ended. Afterward we relaxed, we returned to our room to unpack and unwind after a full day of travel.

Tuesday, 16 October: We enjoyed a very late breakfast at the hotel’s buffet restaurant, Planter’s Inn. The place was jammed due to a convention of some type but the wait staff quickly found us a table. Again, the staff took great care of us. In particular, we met Raimat, a staff person from Nigeria, who always made sure we had coffee and/or anything else we needed. As an aside, being in the restaurant was like being in a mini-UN setting. That is, there was every color of person and every kind of dress imaginable. The various languages being spoken were amazing. Also, to accommodate the backgrounds of the various guests, the foods included cuisine from Malaysia, China, India, Japan and, of course, Western countries. As always, the omelet bar was crowded and a place we avoided. Instead, we enjoyed the “make-it-yourself” Chinese soup as well as the Nan (bread from India) accompanied by vegan toppings. As we finished breakfast, we met Mr. Chris Tan, Food & Beverage Manager, who made sure that we felt welcome and that we enjoyed our experience.

Now, it was time to begin our touring! We returned to the monorail and took it one stop to Bukit Nanas Station. Our goal was to tour one of the oldest forest reserves in Malaysia, the Bukit Nanas Forest. It is the one remaining patch of tropical rainforest that stands in the middle of Kuala Lumpur. We arrived very quickly but unfortunately found the gate locked. We continued walking in hopes of finding another entry but eventually learned from a posted sign that the area was closed to visitors while a canopy walkway was being reconstructed. Boo hoo for us!

Since we couldn’t visit the reserve, we decided to walk about the area. We then realized we had not traveled that far as we could actually see the Crowne Plaza hotel. So, we skipped the return monorail trip and worked our way back. KL is a very hot and humid city so we were drenched by the time we got back. We returned to our room to freshen up and cool up a bit before going to the Executive Lounge for an ice cold Diet Coke.

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	The KL Monorail - the best way to get around the city
	The Crowne Plaza (it no longer exists; it was demolished in January 2013)

Afterwards we were back in our room for a couple of hours before returning to the Lounge for a relaxed happy hour (unlike the prior evening). The staff there (James (a Chinese Malaysian), Femi (from Nigeria) and Sanjith (from Sri Lanka) took wonderful care of us and everyone else in the Lounge. They kept beverages refilled and made sure everyone was comfortable. Again, it was another mini-UN setting. We enjoyed relaxing there and chatting with the male staff as well as our hostess, Nissa (from Malaysia). It was a great evening.

Wednesday, 17 October: Again, we enjoyed a leisurely and late breakfast at Planter’s Inn. Then, we decided to go to the one of the best-known landmarks of KL, the twin Petronas Towers. After stopping by the Concierge’s Desk, we learned that we could walk the majority of the way using a pedestrian walkway which was air-conditioned. Yeah! So, we left with our directions and a map in hand and walked to the Towers. We only had about 20 feet during which we were outside as we left the Crowne Plaza facility and switched over to the walkway.

The Petronas Towers truly are impressive! Despite being surpassed in height by the Taipei 101 building, the Towers still remain the tallest twin buildings in the world at 1,483 feet each. The Petronas Towers, which took five years and more than $800 million to construct, were opened in 1997. The key tenant is the Petronas Company, a Malaysian-government owned oil and gas company. To accommodate the mass number of people that can be in these buildings at any one time, high-speed double-decker elevators are able to share a single elevator shaft. The bottom elevator services floors 1 through 41 while the top elevator services floors 42 through 88. Each elevator is designated for either even or odd numbered floors and is capable of carrying 26 people at a time. Each tower contains 29 double-decker elevators. Simply amazing!

Entry to the Towers is restricted to employees (a pass card is needed to enter beyond the elevator) and to those individuals who pay a hefty fee of RM80/person (USD24/person) to access the Observation Deck and/or the connecting pedway between the towers’ 41^st and 42^nd floors. Instead, we chose to walk to a nearby park to take photographs of the beautiful towers. Afterwards, we went shopping in the Suria Shopping Mall, a five story mall at the base of the Towers. It has all kinds of shops, including a Harley Davidson Kuala Lumpur shop. Simply amazing! In addition to stores, the mall has a variety of restaurants as well as an inexpensive food court where you can take a break and sit down and relax for a bit.

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	The iconic Petronas Twin Towers
	A view of the multi-story attached mall
	A Harley-Davidson Shop
	Lindy on tree roots in the nearby park

In the evening, we once again enjoyed our happy hour at the Executive Lounge. We’re getting very spoiled by the wonderful personnel who work there!

Thursday, 18 October: After again enjoying a relaxing breakfast, we used the air conditioned pedestrian way to reach Kuala Lumpur’s aquarium, Aquaria. The Aquaria was outstanding. It’s a two story complex which includes a walk-through area where the fish are swimming all around you. We began at a touch pool where Ed was able to stroke a small sand shark. Then we entered an area with various types of lizards and snakes. Afterwards, we entered “the jaws” (a replica of a huge shark’s jaw) into the walk-through portion of the Aquaria. It included a moving sidewalk but we choose to not use it and instead just walk along so that we could stop to watch the many sharks and rays which dominated the exhibit. It was great to see them swim right to and over you! Afterwards we went to an area with “weird and unusual creatures” which were a bit of a challenge to photograph. However, Ed did manage to capture a jellyfish. We finished in our touring in an area called the “glass bottom boat” which was a beautiful aquarium containing small colorful fish like you might have at home in a saltwater tank. We had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Aquaria!

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	Ed stroking a small sand shark
	A group of colorful fish
	Cave Racer Snakes
	A High Yellow Leopard Gecko (found primarily in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India & Iran)
	A Common Butterfly LIzard (found throughout South East Asia)
	A beautiful ray
	A giant Moray Eel (Found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean)
	A shark swims above us in the "walk through" section of Aquaria
	Ed captured this beautiful jelly fish
	The "glass bottom" boat reef and small fish

We returned to the Crowne Plaza and stopped by the Executive Lounge for a cold Diet Coke. After resting, cleaning-up, etc., we returned to the Lounge for happy hour. About one hour into the evening (i.e., 6:30PM), Nissa came into the Lounge in street garb (i.e., her jeans and a casual shirt) and asked us to join her at a special Halloween Party for select hotel guests. How could we refuse?! So, we went with Nissa to the Glass Lounge where we continued to enjoy cocktails. We met the Crowne Plaza Ambassador, Misah, a beautiful woman from Iran, who assists high-profile guests during their stay. It was a fun evening but we didn’t get to bed until quite late because of enjoying the great Halloween party.

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	Us with Misah
	Happy Halloween! (albeit a bit early)

[ T O P ]

Friday, 19 October: On our final day in Kuala Lumpur, we decided to return to the city’s roots and visit the area known as Chinatown. It was there that Kuala Lumpur began as a tin mining settlement and eventually expanded to the renowned city it is today. In particular, we wanted to visit some of the original temples which were founded in Chinatown.

We began by taking the monorail to the Maharajalela Station. Almost right next door was the Wei Zhen Gong Guan Yin Si Temple (Buddhist Goddess of Mercy Temple) which is associated with the Hokkein community. It’s known for its beautiful pink walls.

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Next we walked to the “Green Temple” as it is commonly called (the roof is covered with green tiles). In actuality, this is the Chan See Shu Yuen clan house. It opened in 1906 when its main goal was to provide help and support for newly arrived immigrants from China, specifically those from the extended Chan (Chen and Tan) clan. It features some beautiful and intricate carvings showing stories from Chinese legends. While we didn’t know the stories, we certainly appreciated the workmanship that was needed to create these beautiful items.

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We continued walking further into the Chinatown area and next came upon the most important Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, Sri Maha Mariamman. It has an impressive entry which is a five tiered tower (“gopuram”) carved in a southern Indian style which has more than 228 brightly colored figures. We recognized a few from our prior visits to temples in India. Again, the workmanship was beautiful!

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	The amazing Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu Temple
	A closer view of the Temple walls
	Another view of the Temple walls

The next temple we found along the same street (Jalan Tun HS Lee) was a Taoist temple, dedicated to Kuan Ti (or Guan Ti) which was completed in 1888. Kuan Ti is worshipped for his heroic, loyal and righteous character although he technically is a Chinese God of War and Literature.

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	The entry to Kuan Ti Temple
	A protector at the Temple
	Incense prayer coils burning with the Temple alter in the background
	Roof decorations adorn this wall

The final temple we found was another Taoist temple, Sze Ya (Sin Sze Si Ya). It is located off a small covered alleyway and it not as large as some of the other temples. It nevertheless was another beautiful temple to explore.

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By now, it was early afternoon and it was HOT! So, we worked our way back to the monorail and returned back to the Crowne Plaza. As we did so, we watched a huge storm forming near Petronas Towers. The sky was almost black despite it being only about 2:00PM. We reached the hotel just before the deluge began. We went to the Executive Lounge and enjoyed a cold Diet Coke while the rain and wind roared. Our hosts (Nissa and James) explained that rainy season was definitely here and we should expect the rain to continue for an hour or two before slowing down. Then, they both said traffic would become a real mess. Thankfully for us, our touring was done so it was a good afternoon to go about packing, downloading photographs, etc.

At 5:30PM we returned to the Executive Lounge to enjoy our final happy hour. It was great but a bit bittersweet in that the Crowne Plaza is being demolished shortly after the end of the year. The property is not owned by IHG and its lease, as well as that of other tenants in the business mall adjoining it, is terminated and the buildings will be demolished. The Crowne Plaza has been in KL for 40 years and many of its employees have worked there for many years (like James in the Executive Lounge who has been with the organization for 30 years). So, we did an extra “clink, clink” to the dedicated individuals who are staying with the property till its January 2013 closing.

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Saturday, 20 October: We had to get up early this morning in anticipation of beginning our touring by car of the Malaysian countryside. We had breakfast at 7:30AM and despite the early hour, the restaurant was busy as usual. Afterwards, we went to the Executive Club Lounge. We were able to check-out as well as say good-bye to each of Nissa and James. Then, we went down to the lobby to await our pick-up. Our tour was arranged by Leo Liu of GoWay Travel prior to our departure from the US. Leo did an excellent job on both this tour and our tour of Laos! If you need assistance with touring in Asia, we highly recommend contacting Leo (leol@goway.com).

At promptly 8:30AM, Kannan, our guide/driver, picked us up and our adventure began. We drove north and east to the Cameron Highlands area which is located 1,542 meters above sea level. It was so nice to escape the heat of Kuala Lumpur. Our adventure began by stopping at a cottage industry for basket weaving. The baskets are actually woven from bamboo which has been sliced and re-sliced into very thin strips. The weavers (two sisters) and a young many were incredibly quick in making the baskets. The baskets were very large and are used for picking vegetables and not of a decorative nature.

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	The man in working so fast, it's hard to see the bamboo reeds in motion
	Finalizing this basket while standing partially inside it

We continued exploring the area and our next stop was at the Lata Iskander Waterfall. It was beautiful with crystal clear water pouring down the hillside. Near the waterfall were various vendors selling a variety of products and/or food goods. Kannan bought us some fried green bananas to taste. They were delicious!

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Now, we were deep into a rain forest environment and we stopped at the home of a group of natives or aborigines. One of the men showed us how he used blow darts to hunt small game. It was amazing how far he could blow the dart and the accuracy too (he used a teddy bear as his demonstration target). We were able to walk around and take some photographs of the small huts in which the natives continue to live. Upon leaving, we gave the man a tip of 3RM and he was very appreciative. We later learned from Kannan that the natives use cash to buy rice which is now a staple in their diet as it is very filling.

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	A blow dart demonstration
	His target - a teddy bear
	One of the buildings in this native settlement
	A man resting on a door step

After leaving the family, we went to the very highest part of the area using a steep and winding road. Our goal was to visit the tea plantations for which the area is famous. We passed by many, many fields of tea plants and eventually reached the Boh Tea Plantation. Here we took a brief tour of the facilities. Afterwards, we went to the company’s tea shop and purchased several tins of loose tea leaves – one for us, some for family and friends and one for Kannan’s wife (which he graciously accepted). Then we enjoyed a pot of hot tea (Kannan chose to have ice tea instead) on a veranda from which we had great views of the surrounding hillsides of tea plants. Wonderful.

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	A tea dryer at the Boh Plantation
	A tea sorter which also breaks off & discards any stems
	This machine crushes tea
	Beautiful tea fields; they almost look like velvet

We returned back down the mountain to one of the many small towns along the major road. We stopped at a Butterfly Farm but it had much more than butterflies. A man from Bangladesh who manages the exhibit gave us a personal tour. He was great in that he opened many of the cages which held reptiles and/or insects so that we could examine them closely and/or even hold some of them for photographs. We spent at least an hour wandering through the entire area although we didn’t spend much time with butterflies.

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	A beautiful & very large butterfly (Lindy's hand is beneath it)
	Lindy holding two Green Snakes
	A giant Horned Beetle
	A Praying Mantis in Lindy's hand
	Now, she's got a Millipede
	How that for a Locust?!
	A Tortoise
	A beautiful Hibiscus bloom
	Our host holding a Scorpion (Lindy passed on this one)

[ T O P ]

Afterwards Kannan drove us back up into the hills to our hotel, the Strawberry Park Resort. It was in a lovely setting albeit the design is not Malaysia but rather more like an English manor. We enjoyed a quiet evening and we were glad to be indoors when the evening rain began.

Sunday, 21 October: After enjoying a leisurely breakfast, Kannan met us outside our room and we all got into the van for our drive to Penang some 330KM away on the northwest coast of Malaysia. En route, we first stopped at the Sam Poh Tang cave temple. We took a few photographs but didn’t stay for too long since the site is now designed for tourists rather than for religious pilgrims.

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	Welcome to this Temple/Cave Complex
	A temple built into the hillside
	An altar in a cave
	A Budda outside one of the Temple buildings

Kannan then drove us to the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. It is referred to as a “royal” town because it is the home of Sultan of Perak, one of Malaysia’s 13 states. Our touring began at the Ubudiah Mosque. It was somewhat amazing that we were actually allowed to enter the mosque since it is still in use and not a museum. The literature we received in advance of the tour had stated that we would not be allowed inside so it was quite the surprise.

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	Ubudiah Mosque
	Another view of the Mosque
	The interior of Ubudiah Mosque
	The decorated ceiling from which the chandelier in the photograph above hangs
	A beautiful carpet in the Mosque
	Looking through the Mosque

Afterwards, we drove to and photographed the Iskandariah Palace, the official home of Sultan. We also viewed the previous palace, a wooden structure built on above-ground stilts. It was quite the contrast between the new and old.

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After leaving Kuala Kangsar, we drove to Bukit Merah Laketown Resort to visit Orangutan Island. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great photography experience. The orangutans are kept in compounds behind two sets of fencing. Since it was a hot day, most of the orangutans were in the nests in the trees. So, not many photographic opportunities were there. However, we did learn about the breeding and rehabilitation efforts being made by the organization and that was important, especially given the need to assure that orangutans remain in the wild.

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	Welcome to the Island
	An adult orangutan nesting in a tree
	Two baby orangutans in a nursery

[ T O P ]

By now it was early afternoon and we started the final part of the drive to Penang. Unfortunately for Kannan, the rain started and we were soon in a torrential downpour and he could hardly see. We had to slow down a bit but he did an excellent job getting us through the traffic (we saw multiple multi-car wrecks due to the rain). Thankfully, the rain slowed as we approached Penang, known as the “Pearl of the Orient.” We crossed into the city via the fifth longest bridge in the world. It was pretty amazing!

Once in Penang, Kannan again had the challenge of fighting traffic as well as flooded streets. For us to reach the hotel, Kannan had to use many alternate routes since some of the main roads were totally flooded and/or traffic was at a complete standstill. When we arrived at the Bayview Beach Resort, our home for the next two nights, we were all ready for some “rest & relaxation” time – especially Kannan.

Monday, 22 October: We enjoyed a very nice breakfast although it was a bit different than being in Kuala Lumpur or Cameron Highlands. That is, in other areas of Malaysia, we felt like we were at a United Nations event. Here we felt we were at a meeting of individuals from the Middle East. That is, the predominant dress for females was the black burka. While most Malaysian Muslims are friendly and warm, the females in burkas and their immediately family members were rude to staff, impolite to others in buffet lines and at the coffee queues and generally anti-social. Oh well, thankfully the balance of the hotel guests as well as all hotel employees made up for the behavior of the others.

We began our touring at 9:00AM. Our day began at two Buddhist temples which were built across the street from one another. The first was the “Reclining Buddha Thai Temple” which is properly called Wat Chayamangkalaram. It boasts a reclining Buddha figure that is about 108 feet long. There are many other beautiful statutes of Buddha in the complex as well as beautiful temple buildings. The second temple is Burmese-style Buddhist temple called “Dharmikarama.” It too was very beautiful and featured many statutes of Bodhisattva – a female form of Buddha (the best description we as non-Buddhists can provide).

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	Wat Chayamangkalaram
	A side temple in the complex
	The beautiful Reclining Buddha
	A closer view of the Reclining Buddha's face
	Ed with his "Rabbit Buddha" (the Rabbit is the symbol for Ed's birth year)
	Lindy with her "Rooster Buddha" (again, the Rooster is the symbol for Lindy's birth year)
	The beautiful roof lines of Dharmikarama
	A Bodhisattva
	An intricately carved ceiling panel

[ T O P ]

We next drove to the Kek Lok Si Temple which sits on a hilltop overlooking Penang. It is also known as the “Temple of 1000 Buddhas”; however, the key feature is a huge bronze statute of Avalokitesvara or Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, which stands 30.2 meters tall. It was very, very impressive. After viewing the temple area, we went down to a lower temple complex via a cable car.

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	The beautiful Goddess of Mercy
	To give some perspective, we stand in front of Kuan Yin
	A temple building
	A beautiful altar
	A view of Penang from the Temple
	The cable car we used to descend from the Temple
	The lower Temple complex

We then left the hillside and returned to the sea to visit Fort Cornwallis, the landing site of Captain Light in 1786. He subsequently began the first British colony in Penang. Afterwards, we drove to Pitt Street, which also is known as the “Street of Harmony.” It gets its name because it has housed churches, Chinese temples, mosques and Hindu temples side-by-side for many years. We also went through an area with many stores selling Indian goods in anticipation of the upcoming Deepavali. Afterwards, we took a break for a delicious spicy noodle lunch (“mee”) at a street vendor’s stand. Yummy!

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	En route to Fort Cornwallis, we passed the City Administration Building
	Welcome to Fort Cornwallis
	Lindy across the Fort's draw bridge
	Ed at the wall of cannons which were used to protect from an attack the sea
	Yap Temple on the Street of Harmonies
	The altar in Yap Temple
	If you look closely, you'll see a major means of transportation - tri-shaws
	Our sidewalk chef begins to make our spicy lunch
	Our yummy noodles (known as "Gee") are just about ready

Our final stop for the day was at a water village known as The Clan Jetties at Weld Quay. Here Chinese Malaysians continue to live in houses that are built over the sea and many continue to earn their livelihood from fishing.

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	Kannan & Lindy outside a house in The Clan Jetties
	Homes on the Clan Jetties
	A contrast of the modern city behind the Clan Jetties

[ T O P ]

It was now early afternoon and time to end our half-day of touring. We returned to our seaside resort for the balance of the day for some “rest and relaxation.”

Tuesday, 23 October: We had an early breakfast and said goodbye to the many hotel staff members who had spoken with us during our two-day stay. At 8:30AM, Kannan was ready for today’s adventure to begin.

We drove through Penang and caught a ferry to Butterworth, the opposite side of the bay. It offered some great views of the massive bridge connecting Penang to mainland Malaysia. Then we began our goal for today – to travel from the east coast of Malaysia (Penang) to the west side of Malaysia (Kota Bhura). To do so, Kannan would drive us across the Peninsular Malaysia through the main mountain range. We drove a windy road which was densely forested. The area was primarily a rain forest and many times we were in the clouds. About 11:30AM, Kannan (and the driver of another van owned by the company) needed a well-deserved break. So, we stopped at the town of Grik. There Kannan and his two co-workers (one a driver; the other a German-speaking guide) took a quick lunch break. We walked the town’s main street (and were quite the attraction). Ultimately, we stopped at a bakery and bought some snacks and cookies. The cookies we shared with everyone while we kept the spicy snacks to enjoy before our evening meal. Then, we were back on the road again.

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	A ferry approaches our identical ferry from the opposite direction
	A close-up view of the port
	The amazing bridge which connects Penang to the mainland
	The town of Grik
	Vendors beginning to set-up stands, including woman on the right setting up her cooking area
	The sweet shop
	Lindy and loads of sweets

We continued climbing into the mountains and stopped at an overlook to take photographs of Temenggor Lake, part of a dam system in Malaysia. Since the rainy season had not yet begun, the lake was low but we were assured that it would be quite full after the daily rains begin. After passing the road we reached an area where wild Asian Elephants are known to cross the road. We didn’t really expect to see any since it was close to midday; however, we did see evidence of elephants – dung. We did stop to take photographs at a sign warning vehicles to beware of the possibility of elephants crossing. Ed really got the action going once he posed in front of the sign. Then other individuals, including Kannan, jumped over a steep drainage ditch for a photograph too. Interestingly, we did come across a wild pig that a car had hit a few minutes before we arrived. It was off to the side of the road and Kannan said that a trucker would likely stop to pick it up since it was worth a lot of money.

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	Temenggor Lake
	The elephant crossing sign
	Kannon getting into the action by posing under the sign

Our next stop was the highest place on the road – 1,052 meters above sea level (~3,450 feet). Here we took photographs of the Malaysia/Thailand border which was set high in the mountains in the clouds. Since we were traveling in tandem with the other guide/driver and their clients, we got our first shot together with Kannan.

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Once we arrived in the state of Kelantan, we went to the border town of Rantau Panjang, a free-trade area between the peoples of Malaysia and Thailand. There we watched small boats ferry individuals across the Golok River (without any need of passport or identification cards) at a cost 1RM ($0.33USD). Afterwards, we walked the streets of the town but decided not to do any serious shopping but instead watch the crowds of individuals – both Thai and Malay do their shopping.

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	Crossing the Golok River into Thailand (obviously, no border guards present)
	The colorful town of Rantau Panjang
	Need some flip flops or a scooter?
	Shopping everywhere!

[ T O P ]

At 5:00PM we arrived in city of Kota Bharu and checked in at The Renaissance Hotel. We got a great corner room on the 15^th floor (Ed is a Silver Elite in the Marriott Rewards program and Renaissance hotels are a part of that group). Since we had great internet access, Ed spent a couple of hours catching up on our credit cards, brokerage account, etc. It also gave us a chance to send early birthday wishes to Torchy. Afterwards, we enjoyed cocktails and dinner and then we were both ready for bed.

Wednesday, 24 October: We got up a bit early this morning to again do some work on the internet. Then at 7:00AM we went down to another delicious breakfast. Malay food is very spicy so those dishes were our primary choices. We saw our fellow travelers (a mother & son from Switzerland) as well as Kannan, the other driver and other guide there. At 8:30AM, we met in the lobby to begin today’s touring.

Our first stop was at Khota Bhura’s “wet market.” It’s called a wet market because the floors end up being very wet due to the numerous cleanings going on throughout its various food stands. The complex was three stories tall. The top area primarily was clothing and many vendors were not yet open. The middle floor was primarily dried goods – dried spices, nuts, fish, etc. plus some root vegetables (i.e., potatoes, onions, etc.) that keep for a long time. The first floor was the most varied and most interesting. One area was consumed by individuals selling fresh vegetables and fruits. It was very busy as individuals were making their daily purchases. The adjoining area sold fresh fish, fresh beef and fresh chicken (this state is primarily Muslim so no pork was offered). It had an amazing variety of items albeit some that weren’t too appealing (i.e., ox tail, cows’ feet, organ meats (both beef and chicken). All and all, it was a great stop.

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	We're in the veggie section of the Wet Market
	These are all different sorts of spices
	Kannan is shopping for nuts & spices
	A selection of dried fish
	Baskets of fresh fish
	The beef buther's area
	Preparing chickens for sale
	Turtle eggs

We then had a short drive to a silver handicraft store. The individuals working there did a great job with filigree work. From there, we went to a weaving store where women still use hand-looms to produce a variety of table cloths, clothing, etc. Our final stop in Kota Bhura was at a small shack where an old man makes kites from rice paper. They were simply amazing!

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	A woman using a hand loom
	Finished woven cloth
	Kannan trying on a fabric cap
	The German-speaking guide (who also speaks English) is showing our group various kites

Next we drove into the countryside to visit a man who is known for his skills in training monkeys to pluck coconuts from palm trees. He had six male monkeys – a huge number we were told. The man (who looked very, very old but probably wasn’t) put one of the monkeys to work. It was amazing! We asked and were told that he generally acquires the monkeys from native peoples who capture the babies in the jungle. Then, he trains them to perform the work. The one he used for the demonstration was a four-year old male that was very shy and gentle. Lindy did get brave and give it a few strokes.

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	Our other guide and the owner/trainer of the monkeys
	The male monkey who performs the demonstration
	The monkey quickly climbed the tree and threw the coconuts to the ground
	Lindy petting the sky monkey
	The little guy's not quite as shy with Kannan

After leaving the monkeys and their trainer, we went to Wat Phothikyan, a beautiful Buddhist temple. It was pretty amazing to see because the entire state of Kelantan is Muslim. Even signs are often written in Arabic. So, it was nice to enjoy this beautiful temple.

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	Welcome to What Phothikyan
	A beautiful Buddha greats us
	An altar featuring Buddha in its center
	This temple is elaborately decorated
	A side temple building with a snake going through it
	A beautiful decorative tower beside the large Buddha

Afterwards we drove along narrow country roads until we reached the eastern coastline of Malaysia. Then we drove north towards the town of Kuala Terrengganu until we reached our home for the evening, the Sutra Beach Resort. It was a pretty basic property but the hotel was right on the ocean and offered some nice views. We enjoyed the balance of the day there.

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	A view of the beach and ocean behind Ed
	The lovely and deserted beach
	Yes, the wind is blowing!

[ T O P ]

Thursday, 25 October: On the road again…. Today we were once again on the road at 8:30AM in tandem with our fellow travelers from Switzerland and their driver and guide. Our first stop for the day was in the small town of Pulau Duyong where we met individuals making wooden yachts in Malay’s traditional style. It was amazing to see how they formed the wooden planks into the large sailing vessel.

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Our next stop was the Grand Crystal Mosque, which was next to the Islamic Civilization Park in the city of Kuala Trengganu. The Mosque is not often used for ceremonies so non-Muslims were allowed inside. This time, in contrast to the Ubudiah Mosque, Lindy was required to wear a long beige robe as well as a white headscarf in order to enter. It was a beautiful building.

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	Entry to the Grand Crystal Mosque
	What appears to be a pulipt
	The interior of the Mosque (on the left note the room divider to separate women from men)

Afterwards we went to the Islamic Civilization Park. It has twenty replicas of Islamic monuments mostly in miniatures. It wasn’t really our cup of tea. We spent our time there first looking at Monitor Lizards in a pond. Then, we found an air-conditioned spot beneath the miniature Taj Mahal where we watched a video about the beautiful building that we previously had seen when we visited Agra. It was a hot day and 45 minutes at this spot was enough for us (as well as our fellow travelers from Switzerland).

Our next stop was at a Turtle Information Center which has been established to help repopulate various sea turtle populations which mate and next in the nearby sea. Malaysia serves as the home to four species of turtles: Leatherback, Green, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles.

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	The Turtle Information Center
	Photographs of each of the turtle species found in Malaysia
	A map of turtle landing areas
	A few tiny turtles being raised at the center

Afterwards we stopped for a quick lunch at a restaurant where we had some noodles (mee) as well as various breads and also a sticky rice with fish. It was all delicious and a nice break. We also stopped at a stand where “emang” – rice cooked with coconut milk in bamboo – was being made and sold. It was tasty too!

Our final stop for the day was in Cherating. There we visited a cottage industry where local women weave mengkuang leaves into various mats, purses, bags, etc. The leaves are first boiled and afterwards are ready for weaving. It was amazing what the women could create! We purchased a few items to help support the collective program.

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	Fishing boats outisde the town of Cherating
	We're at a snack shop where bamboo is used to cook rice & other goodies
	The chef has now removed the food from the bamboo and is slicing it
	Lindy enjoying a snack on a leaf tray
	A woman weaving (not the completed purses hanging on the back wall)
	Kannan stopped by the road to show us the Mengkuang leaves used by the weavers

[ T O P ]

At 4:00PM, we arrived at the Swiss-Garden Resort in Kuantan. The hotel was beautiful and we had a spacious room overlooking the pool which also had ocean views. Very nice! It was the perfect place to enjoy our final evening in Malaysia.

Friday, 26 October: We had a leisurely breakfast with Kannan at 8:15AM. At 9:00AM we left en route for Kuala Lumpur International Airport some 200+KM to the north. Traffic was light due to the Islamic holiday, Hajj. So we arrived in Kuala Lumpur at 11:00AM. Once there, we went to a factory where batik items are made using wax on various fabrics (silk and cotton primarily). Lindy had wanted to try to find a blouse but unfortunately there were no small sizes. So, a batik blouse will have to wait for another trip.

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	Hot wax being used at the Batik store
	An artist working on his creation
	Beautiful Batik wall hangings

We then went for our final touring of the trip – a visit to the created City of Putrajaya, home to Malaysia’s Federal Administrative Centre. It was empty (apart from tourists and men visiting the Putra Mosque) since it was a holiday. The buildings are quite beautiful and the entire area is surrounded by some man-made lakes. Ed enjoyed taking some photographs without fighting the crowds. On a normal workday, that likely would have been impossible.

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	The Justice Building
	The Perbadanan Gateway
	A view of main street
	The Prime Minister's Office
	Putra Mosque
	The home of the Sultan of Selangor

[ T O P ]

Then, it was time to head to the airport. We arrived at about 1:30PM and said goodbye to our wonderful guide/driver, Kannan. Then, based on an email we had from Royal Jordanian, we went to the Malaysian Foreign Airlines Office in hopes of an early check-in for our 10:00PM flight. We found the office and a very nice individual read the email we had from Royal Jordanian and said she would attempt to reach the individual who had written it as she believed he was at Friday prayers. So, she suggested we take a 30 minute break and then return. We did so and were back at her office at 2:30PM.

Success! The Malaysian Foreign Airlines Office had reached the individual and gotten computer access to be able to check our luggage and issue our boarding passes. So, we went with her to the Departures Level and were able to complete the check-in process. Immigration procedures went smoothly and, after a quick stop in Duty Free, we were enjoying the Golden Malaysia Lounge. We stayed there until 9:00PM when it was time to get to our departure gate. It was a nice way to end our travel time in Malaysia.

	The entry to the Temple
	The main altar in the Temple
	Wall Art within the Temple

	Kuddos to each of Nissa, James & Nuriani
	Kuddos to each of Femi & Sanjith

	The old Iskandariah Palace
	The new Palace Gates
	Iskandariah Palace

	A view of the Malaysia/Thailand border
	Us with Kannan, an excellent driver/guide