Museums

Janet and Jess went to a number of museums.  The National Museum was their favorite.  The Islamic museum was mostly things they had seen before and lots of different Korans.  How many times can you see different versions of a book that can't be translated or interpreted?

 Dragons in any form are cool - very Chinese

Beautiful wood and carving

Now we know what all those statues were half and half in Borobudur.  From Wikipedia - Makara (Sanskrit: मकर) is a sea-creature in Hindu mythology. It is generally depicted as half animal (in the frontal part in animal forms of elephant or crocodile or stag, or deer) and in hind part as aquatic creature, in the tail part, as a fish tail or also as seal.  It is often portrayed protecting entryways to Hindu and Buddhist temples.

A great man I am sure - probably a hunter???

It's always good to be the King/Sultan or some other royalty. I wonder which one was used for "affairs" of state?

I don't get the fascination with puppets but also in Indonesia, puppets are a rage.  I guess if you had never heard radio or seen TV puppets would be interesting.  The hawkers kept trying to sell these flimsy leather or other types of material puppet.  It didn't seem like a big seller - an in-between item - the buyer wouldn't want it and couldn't see giving it as a gift.  Appeals to buy to keep the traditional craft strong, fell on deaf ears.

The good old days (if you were the person sitting and not pulling)

In a few more years - people might be asking what this is and saying in the good old days- "man dreamed of exploring space".

Not sure what this is (I had to work) - maybe belongs with the mosque.  My motto - one year older, one year better at making things up - looks like some type of cemetery.

Looks almost exactly like the gong (sans stand) I bought, painted burnt orange and dragged around the Big 12 Cross Country meets - humbling all the cowbell cheering. 

I wonder if they have Marti Gras parades (or a Malaysian version) here?  Looks like a great float

I would buy copies of these guys - large ones to put at the entrance of my condo - much cooler than lions

Showing Malaysia is truly the crossroads of the world - Chinese art

 


Aladdin's lamp - so middle eastern art or craft

Malay and Indonesia chairs and woodworking

Everyone (but no one more than the Indians) likes gold and gems.  Amazing how much gold is expected at an Indian wedding.  Portable savings.

Looks like a western cathedral















Saving the best for last - some Alaskan /Pacific Northwest Indian totem poles!  With a tropical beat.

Men are Men even at the Mosque

Janet and Jessica visited and really enjoyed the National Mosque.

Very nice, tranquil spot - near a large park - open to all (during non-prayer times).  Notice the shade and water.

Distinctive architecture - and a different approach than expected for a mosque

 

Not sure of the significance of this crypt, writing, stones or tall urns but good photography

Islam does do classy architecture - the inability to show people forces a focus on designs and patterns that is pleasing to the eye

Design is simplified by not needing to provide pews

A bit different representation of the time - I thought Westerners used Arabic numbering - must be the concepts and not the script.


 

Women and children's quarters

To visit the mosque required donning these colorful, full coverage robes.  As on late 20s, early 30s male attendant was helping Janet and Jessica get their robes.  He couldn't help but ask Jessica about her marital status and explain that he was looking to get married and would she be interested in getting to know him better.  Janet was aghast "at the MOSQUE" but Jess can handle flirting easily and left his pride intact enough to take these pictures





Head cover slipping but maybe it's outside the the prayer room.

View of Indian Mosque - from late 1800s and early 1900.

Scooter bees

Like every big city - traffic can be a challenge in KL with it's own unique "unofficial" rules and methods.  As a westerner the biggest thing you notice is the scooters / motorcycles.  Thousands of them - "buzzing" along in between lanes, ignoring traffic convention, etc.  The biggest reason Janet doesn't want to drive is so she doesn't hit one of these scooters.  They are like bees or some other insect - "buzzing" around with their own rhythm.  The advice we (and every other expat) was given was if you hit one (or one hits your car) to not stop but go to the closest police station.  I hope we never have that experience - would be hard to drive away from someone on the ground from hitting 2,000 pounds of moving steel.

A different but very practical action the scooter drivers take is to wear a coat backwards - too prevent the bugs and other debris from getting on clothes.  Just like in Indonesia the law seems to be for adults to wear helmets but not children.

A small sample parked and waiting to take off

There are complaints about KL traffic but it's like anywhere else - if you go into congested areas during rush hour with traffic - you will be stuck. 

A few other pointers - rain has a big impact on traffic.  Like anywhere heavy rain limits visibility and people will slow down but in addition the scooters will congregate under overpasses (specially marked places) and can ofter take up 2 or 3 lanes of a 4 lane road if the rain is exceptionally heavy or long lasting.  Must be bad during monsoon season.

Other challenges can be parking - double parking and staying to chat or just leaving your car and reducing traffic to one lane seems to be perfectly acceptable.  Signals can be very optional.  My taxi driver seems to use his signals and has commented more than a few times about people that don't. 

Like much of Malaysia the traffic laws seem to be suggestions (much stronger suggestions than in India or Indonesia) so you need to get used to people easing out in front of you and or just cutting you off.  Most taxi drivers don't seen to think anything is unique and the amount of horn honking and frustration appears to be minimal.  Some of the action I have seen could cause gun play on Houston freeways.


To control traffic speed off the main roads there are speed bumps all over - to my mind excessively so there is a fair amount of acceleration, deceleration to ease over the speed bump, and then repeat for the next 200 meters. 

Very few older cars - surprising how many new and in many cases very high-end nice cars are on the roads.  This is especially true since the import tax on non-Malaysian cars is something like 200%.  So a low end BMW for example could cost  2-3x what it would in the US for people with the average salary 25-30% of US.  Easy to see why people live at home with Mom and Dad - especially if they want a car.

If you can handle right hand side driving, loose traffic laws and constantly check your mirrors and blindspots for buzzing scooters - you can handle traffic in KL.

The difference between by and for

We live in a locally considered luxury condo (10 Jalan Bukit Pantai) on the lucky 8th floor.  One of the many status symbols here is the height of your condo - the higher the better.  Janet went to a fire safety training in the condo and found out that the standard fire ladders only go to the 12th floor - otherwise they have to call in a one of a few special trucks and/or helicopters.  Unclear how quickly that would be done.   I enjoyed casting some doubt with friends who live on the 17, 18 and 31st floors about fire safety.

Probably the best course of action is to get out as quickly as possible if there is a fire.

This is truly a great location
* Directly next to the hospital - which is a great reference point for taxi drivers.
* Plenty of taxi drivers - so usually less than 5 minute wait for a taxi
* 5 minute walk to LRT station and public transport access to most of KL
* 10-15 minute walk from shopping centre - Bangsar Village Shopping Centre - mix of discount/strip malls and high end.  Not to be confused with the Bangsar Shopping Centre - 10 minute taxi drive away.  We still struggle with naming two shopping malls so similar when they are so close.  We are near the best one for our shopping habits.
* 10 minute taxi drive to work

The miniature "sail" - the original and larger one is in Dubai is not only interesting architecture but a great landmark to know we are getting close to the condo.  

Very nice views, plenty of space (2400 sq ft), new and a balcony that has a good view where Janet can watch birds, monkeys and the dorms of University of Malaysia students.   

Great sunset- it's a hard life






All positive on the surface but the challenge is that the condo was designed for Westerners not by Westerners.  What does that mean? (I'll add pictures later)
* No electrical outlets in the bathrooms - a must of Western women hair styling
* Limited storage areas (really just some narrow ledges) in the bathrooms
* Double sink in the master bath is tight for two people to be next to each other
* Toilets are separate in the bathrooms but with a glass partition - keep that private
* Switches for the lights are all outside the room - doesn't seem like a big deal until the light gets switched off on you
* Kitchen is split between "dry" and "wet" kitchen - so two small kitchens that are a challenge for two people to operate in - let alone the congregation spot for most Western in home entertaining
* Maid's area doesn't have Air Conditioning (Air Con) - I guess that makes sense but since Janet is the maid - it gets hot in the laundry room and dishwasher area.
* 3 Bedrooms + maid's quarters (small) - 5 bathrooms - 1 bathroom per bedroom and then the "guest bathroom" is outside the main living quarters in non Air Con space.  Would you really send your guest there?

Glad to be here and especially with the company paying, no complaints but just seems odd.  If I was designing a luxury condo for an Asian - I'm sure the list of questions would be much longer.

As our daughter said - this is much classier place than we have ever lived before.  She was surprised that they let me in along with my Hawaiian shirts.  I guess I need to step up my game (not likely).

Salad bowl

There has been lots of discussion about American culture changing from melting pot (single culture) to salad (multiple cultures in one country) and which is better.  There is no doubt that a melting pot is better - just loook at the challenges Europe is finding with the salad approach to Muslim immigrants.

Malaysia is an interesting case study in moving from melting pot to salad.  Under the British (until 1957) while there were differences between Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous people - everyone learned English, everyone went to the same schools, etc.  As recently as 20 years ago (according to some Malaysian I worked with in the US) everyone went to the same schools so even if culture pushed adults apart, people had grown up with the "others".  Now, the schools are fragmenting along ethnic lines due to the government decisions on preferences and language of instruction in the schools - moving from English to Bahasa.

One Malaysia is the government marketing campaign.  It's a good slogan and goal but do you have to say "One France" or "One Japan"?  If a person tells you it's not about the money - it's about the money.  There are big cracks under the surface of harmony.

It is always comforting that American Culture is even more universal than English.  I was surprised to see so many Golden Arches on cars until I was told that the sticker gives a drive-in discount - American Marketing again triumphs.

Great example of Malaysia - any and all types of people can be seen here.  The one exception is I haven't seen any cowboy boots and Stetsons - if the boots weren't so hot, I'd start wearing mine.

 


 I really enjoy artistic graffiti - from the people's heart culture

 

Funny how these type of guards (with different costumes) are all over the world - England, Greece, Czech Republic.  I am just disappointed Jess and Janet didn't get closer and get their pictures taken guarding the Sultan or King's palace.  I need to tell them I expect more in the future.

 

 As other posts have highlighted - it's good to the the Sultan or King.  Malaysia has one of the highest disparities in wealth of any country in the world - the wealthy are on both an absolute and relative scale - small in number but really wealthy.

The salad bowl does provide some great contrasts and is never visually boring

 

A more conventional method of signifying differences in people's allegiances and cultures.

Beauty of all kinds - including beautiful stones can be appreciated by all and bring people together to be glad it is shared by the country.