Cavorting in Kuala Lumpur

The first thing that comes into many people's minds when they hear the words "Kuala Lumpur" is Catherine Zeta Jones swinging on the bridge of the stunning Petronas towers. And in fact, the Petronas towers are quite astoundingly elegant in their jagged, elegant way.

Yet there is much more to this city than amazing architecture. The first thing you notice upon stepping off the plane is the staggering heat. This heat is not a humid heat like Hong Kong, just an overwhelming feeling. Definitely a tropical city, although it would do well to employ less concrete in its infrastructure, as that is what traps in the heat and creates an often stifling sensation. Hong Kong uses a lot of concrete too, of course, but the buildings are often made of other, more porous materials that make it more bearable, not to mention, a much more attractive city.





The first day I dared to take a taxi to the Batu Caves. I say "dared" because the taxi drivers in KL are notorious, and for good reason--they constantly cheat you and take you for rides. Anyways, I found a rather amiable taxi driver from Indonesia who taught me some of the local lingo on the way to the Hindu shrine. The Batu Caves is a limestone hill surrounded by Hindu temples, and the site is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. Upon arrival, I stepped into the temple on the bottom of the hill and was beckoned by the Hindu priest. Being the only non-Indian person in the place, I sheepishly approached him, and surprisingly, he blessed me and put white paint on my forehead. After taking some pictures, I began the ascent up the 200+steps to the actual cave, keeping a watchful eye on the mischievious monkeys perched alongside. Indeed, I will never forget the time I was in India and a monkey snatched my magnolia necklace right off my neck!

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, I was taken aback at the sheer size of the cave, with its massive drooping stalactites and holes in the ceiling--I swear it was something straight out of Planet Earth. I walked inside the cave a little bit, and turned a corner to find a beautiful sight-- the sun shining down brilliantly into the cave, with last night's glistening rain dripping down like a shining curtain. It would have made a nice romantic kiss scene in Indiana Jones.






















That night my travelbuddy and exroommate Maxine went down to the Central Market to take a look at the local wares and textiles. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of novelty in that seeing as we live in Asia, and a lot of stuff seems to be made in China and exported everywhere! All was not lost, however, as we found a delicious local Indian place next door and I chowed down some amazing naan and tandoori chicken. After walking through Chinatown, we freshened up at the hotel and went out for a few drinks. We ended up at Zook, a very trendy nightclub chain which we had already sampled and liked in Singapore. After chatting to some Malay Chinese in my broken Cantonese, we went upstairs and were offered some champagne. All in a day's work!



The next day we decided to try the "other" side of KL--the colonial side--by taking high tea at the old governor's residence. Set atop a mountain (of course), the house was a breathtaking alabastar building with verandas galore. They had wicker furniture and even a harp with a harpist playing darling! After careful deliberation, we ordered a black tea and a white tea with our set. Our set was delightful and included rhubarb crumble, scones, egg sandwiches and more. Ahh the life of a colonial!






Unfortunately, the pleasant side of the KL story ends there, as about halfway during the tea I felt ill and returned to the hotel. Turns out I got food poisoned from the hotel breakfast! I am still recovering today :( Anyways, I would recommend KL over Singapore as far as Malaysian cities go, as it has a little more spice and culture, not to mention less rules and sterility!

Funky Style Full Moon Party (Thailand)

Ever since I started to appreciate techno-electro music in high school with the help of my German/Portuguese/Eurotrash friends, I have heard about the Full Moon Party held monthly in Thailand. Indeed, it is often compared to the debauchery that descends upon Ibiza during their parties, although it is more exotic, and therefore, kind of cooler in my book...

Having been to Phuket and Bangkok as a young child with my parents, traveling to Thailand was not on the top of my list of destinations, however. Thus, I put it off, and traveled to perhaps equally extraordinary sites in Asia these past two years. Then, about 6 months ago, an old friend of mine from Penn who I had kept in touch with told me she was moving to Thailand to teach. We excitedly assured one another that we would come see each other somehow/somewhere--being only 3 hours apart, after all, we had no excuse!

About a month ago, she finished teaching and started to plan her little backpacking tour around southeast Asia, and we decided we would meet in the small islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangnan and Koh Tao to have a fabulous, funky reunion at the Full Moon Party at the beginning of April.

Now that the introduction is over, I can begin my journey:

Having arrived in the evening in Koh Samui (the only airport on these islands), the adventure began--I had to find a way to Koh Phangnan, the next island over, during the middle of a rainstorm. Armed with nothing but my backpack and some cash, I gathered my wits about me and recruited some wayward travelers to share the cost of a speedboat over. The 25 minute boatride was one of the longest of my life! The boat was all over the place amidst the Perfect Storm style waves, and I thought how lucky it was that my mom didn't know I was there hahaha she sure would not have approved.

Once on Koh Phangnan, I became engulfed in swarms of young backpackers frolicking around the town barefoot. Making my way through them, I got on a jalopy type taxi vehicle and made it to my lodgings--a charming bungalow hideaway on the water by the name of Green Peace Bungalow. I don't think I have ever been happier to see someone in my whole life! We celebrated our reunion by having some drinks and dancing on the beach in the rain. We didn't feel a drop.

To my great disappointment, the rain persisted through the following day, with us managing to squeeze in a wet elephant ride with some grumpy elephants (not recommended). We then enjoyed some delicious local street fare before preparing for the big night. Through her travels, Juliet had met many like minded young adventurers who we met up with to paint our bodies in bright swirls and patterns. Around midnight, we were ready to go, and so were all 15,000 people on that beach. What a night.

The next day around noon, we sluggishly ventured to Koh Tao, a small, quiet island to the north. Koh Tao provided a welcome respite from the chaos of Full Moon, from the calmness of the waters to the hammock at our bungalow to the pounding Thai massages that we received. After a quiet night's sleep, we had a leisurely meal of spicy Thai food (YUM) and proceeded back to Koh Samui for my last night.

Koh Samui was definitely the most commercial of the islands, despite the popularity of Koh Phangnan's Full Moon Party. Of course, it is not on the level of Phuket or Bali in terms of grotesque tourist trap gimmicks, and thus we could still enjoy a lush Thai dinner at low cost and drinks at some local clubs.

As I woke up the final morning to return and rested in the tropical airport surrounded by lush vegetation and poignant bird calls, I couldn't help but wish that I was staying just a little bit longer in this remote part of the world. But then again, vacations are always too short...

KOH PHANGNAN






Full Moon Party (KOH PHANGNAN)




KOH TAO







KOH SAMUI (Last night)

Off the Beaten (Tourist) Map

As I near the end of my stay here in Hong Kong, I find myself seeking out the remote sites located off the beaten (tourist/foreigner) map. Thus I found myself traveling to east Kowloon (on the mainland side, where foreigners hardly go as they live on HK Island) to see a small, remote fishing village centuries old. Appropriately named Lei Shuk Mun, or Coi (that Japanese fish) Village, it was full of big surprises. Apparently, I was one of the biggest surprises, being a Westerner in a remote village, and there were a lot of stares (much more than normal in HK, which says something!). I also saw a lot of deliciously enormous seafood fortune tellers and quaint tin houses in the village. Enjoy the pictures below!

The village/market entrance






The Seafood market--or something out of a sci fi novel??



Along the waterfront-some charms and funny signs









The Chinese fortune teller's seaside abode





The Wishing Tree

Hong Kong-A Gastronomist's Paradise

It never ceases to amaze me when foreigners come to Hong Kong and approach local fare skittishly. The fear of food poisoning is relevant and real, though no matter what kind of place you go to, here or in the West, you can get sick. In fact, the only time I have gotten really ill here was when I ate at a really nice dim sum place (granted, I ate chicken feet, which was VILE, but at least I tried it!). I understand the concept of "comfort food," and wanting to enjoy the food that you know and love, but the whole point of visiting Hong Kong, which is so far away from home, is to go beyond your comfort zone. Come on, people!

That is why I have been so pleased with the adventurous attitudes of all of my friends who have visited me here in HK (Eileen, Megan, Lara, Corinne, Shane, Christian, Danielle, Santiago, and Chidiogo). They were all too eager to get their hands (and stomachs?) dirty, immersed in the delicacies that Asia has to offer. The most adventurous guest to date, perhaps, was my brother, Shane. He not only wanted to eat a lot (his goal was to gain 10 lbs, or so he said), he wanted to eat the most outrageous things. Hence, he even tried pigeon, which even I have not dared try. Flying rats? Not unless I'm starving!

Hong Kong is truly a gastronomist's paradise (Check out this link for a personal account of Hong Kong food:
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2008/12/hong-kong-memoir). In fact, Hong Kong offers so much amazing exotic foods at such low prices, it's almost blasphemous to dine at a Western style restaurant, where the food is often mediocre and the prices exorbitant. Why not try Cantonese egg custard buns, Sichuan style spicy noodles, Shanghainese pork dumplings, or Beijing duck instead? Or, if you prefer south/southeast Asian foods, you can find delicious Vietnamese Pho, Thai Tom Yum Gai (coconut soup) or Indian curry. For the latter, you must venture to the notorious Chung King Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the place is so authentic that you almost feel like you are in a foreign country.

So come to Hong Kong--if not for me, then for the food!

Shanghainese pork dumplings


Spicy Noodles


Cantonese egg custard buns (dim sum)


Us enjoying dim sum


Beijing Duck


Us enjoying Beijing duck

Christmas in Cebu

Who would have thought that Christmas in Cebu, Philippines, would be so religious? When I booked my 4 day weekend getaway to this tropical city in the heart of the Central Visayas, Philippines, I certainly didn't expect it to be so marked by the religious celebration of Christmas. Then again, I should have known, as the famous Spanish ships of Magellan landed in Cebu almost 500 years ago, on April 14, 1521. A cross marks the spot where he landed and died shortly thereafter at the hands of the native chieftan Lapu Lapu.

Indeed, when we walked through the sprawling, incongruous city of Cebu, we encountered many people lighting candles and singing hymns outside and inside of massive churches and cathedrals. Even near our hotel, on the small, poor island of Mactan, the locals would call out Merry Christmas to us on Christmas day as well as a few days thereafter. Only the Koreans, who have taken over many of the businesses in and around Cebu, did not seem to be consumed by this religious fervor.

Besides this interesting cultural discovery, we spent our time eating much of the local food (basically grilled meat and seafood), laying out on the beach (small and relatively unimpressive as it was), and getting $3 massages. Yes, you read that right--the cheapest massages ever! You better believe we had more than one!

Overall, I had a delightful trip with two of my ABC (American born Chinese) friends. Just as in Boracay, Philippines, the locals were exceedingly polite and helpful when they weren't trying to cheat us--they thought I was a rich Westerner, as people in Asia tend to think all Westerners are rich, and they thought my friends were Korean. The beach in Boracay was much more beautiful though, and I recommend it more highly if that is what you are looking for.

Hope everyone had as interesting and fun of a Christmas as I had!!

The Token..White Girl?

With the exception of India, I have never lived in a place where I wasn't in the majority in terms of race. Of course, I never really considered this an issue, positive or negative. I traveled all around and became friends with people from many different socioeconomic backgrounds. I considered myself well versed in cultural/social/racial differences. That is, until I moved to HK, where I am definitely not in the majority.

Before arriving, I thought I knew what to expect, in terms of the fact that Asians look different from me. But the reality was so much more nuanced, as I came to learn rather quickly. For example, people would stare at me quite a lot. The men would never call out to me or anything-just stare. Particularly if I stood on the MTR (subway) in a low cut top. This is a fashion no no among locals--lots of leg is normal, but cleavage is a HUGE deal (no pun intended). This "cleavage" issue even came up in the school I was working in, as my colleagues would freak out if so much as a bra strap was showing. I don't think this had anything to do with the fact that it was a religious elementary school, either.

My height has also definitely been an issue here. As many of you may know, my students used to constantly ask me, "Ms. Murray, why are you so tall?" The most iconic example of this height wonder manifested itself in a classic essay a student wrote about me whereby he claimed that "Ms. Murray is very tall--perhaps as tall as a door!" Not for the first time, I also became the all around representative for and expert on the subject of Westerners, with my colleagues asking me all about Western culture, from the matter of elections to men in America.

One of the first times I truly felt like the token white person, however, was when I went on my trip to Vietnam last Christmas. 4 western girls and I embarked on an epic journey across China to get to Vietnam. We were the only white people on the trains, and Chinese locals often stopped in front of our cabin and just loitered, staring at these curious Westerners in their mist. When we were almost in Vietnam, we started playing Choi Dai Di, a Chinese game that is quite like poker, and some of the locals joined us. This was funny in itself, as of course there was no verbal communication involved, but the best part was that we were playing with these giant joke cards that one of my friends had bought at the market, and the locals just couldn't get over them--they thought that all us "big" Westerners must use these "big" joke cards!! There we were again, being the token white people!

When I started dating Zeno, I became even more acutely aware of the token white girl phenomenon, as Chinese men rarely date Western girls. Unknowingly, we became an item just by walking down the street. When I started attending his basketball games, I was always the only foreigner there, almost like the mascot for his team! I also became a bit insecure, thinking that I was just a trophy on his arm--did he really find me attractive or was I just a white girl on his arm? I have come to terms with this at this point, and am happy to be on his arm at any occasion :)


Zeno's birthday with the bball boys

Like last year, I am the only Westerner at work, but unlike last year, I don't have all my British/American/Canadian Chatteris colleagues as a support network, so it's a bit different. Recently, I have been involved in organizing Christmas decorations and parties for the tenants living in the building I work in. As usual it seems, I was the token white girl, so as usual, I was the MC at all the events:







After having worked and lived in all Chinese environments the past two years, I realize that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try to speak the language or "fit in," it is impossible. I will always be a sheep in lamb's clothes here. While it's been interesting being the token white girl the past two years, I must admit being the minority is definitely overrated at times...hahahaha


My friend and I in traditional Hakka women gear

I shook my little touche on the catwalk...

A friend of my colleague is an amateur photographer who has hardly taken pictures of white people, thus I had the honor of being his model for an afternoon, along with Zeno.

You may recall the entry I wrote about a year ago about camping in November? We used the same beach and surrounding area to take pictures. We also took some shots on the ferry journey there and back. My sister oh so delicately made fun of them, saying the pictures were "so Asian" and "such wedding photos." Regardless, we had fun being silly on the sands of Hong Kong that day...Enjoy!