Malaysia and Thailand - rituals and back roads
Anna's entry:
We have been exploring South East Asia for almost fifteen years now - as a matter of fact, this part of the world has become the "second home" of sorts, and at one point I even considered moving our main residence here. I have posted numerous blog entries about Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Singapore among others, but this particular entry somehow feels special - maybe because I am not sure when we would be able to return here again while the COVID dictates the "new world order", and maybe because during this last visit here I gave myself a special challenge - take the "back roads" of the familiar destinations and uncover new twists that other farang (foreign travellers) may be oblivious to. So, here it goes....
MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur
We arrived in Kuala Lumpur amidst Chinese New Year. It took us almost two hours to finally reach the passport control desk. We were standing in line waiting for our turn while being surrounded by hundreds of people of various nationalities, most of them holding Chinese passports. No one was wearing a mask or cared for any social distancing. After all, it was just the beginning of COVID "era", at that point of time almost everyone was either naive, misinformed, or simply in denial of what would yet to come.
We had visited Kuala Lumpur (KL) in the past on numerous occasions, so many times that we stopped counting. Now that I am writing this blog months later, I think it was probably a good thing to get our feel when it was possible. Kuala Lumpur is not your typical idyllic destination, but we enjoy it. It is a huge city, with a plethora of neighborhoods, ethnic diversity, fantastic food options, and most importantly - it is a
REAL city. not catered exclusively for tourists, and comes with its quirks and surprises.
We have several long-term friends from university living around Kuala Lumpur - they were born and raised here, and when Rob and I come to Malaysia, we always try to plan our get-together. It is always fun to reconnect with your past and re-visit special connections. I have also made it a special point to have us explore other parts of KL and had us stay in the city center right in the middle of the Chinatown. The place was very cheap and a dump, but the attitude of the stuff managing it was super kind and helpful. When people treat you in the most caring respectful way, it is easy to overlook the practical deficiencies like peeling paint on the walls, or broken screens on the windows. Our location allowed us to walk everywhere, and shortly after our arrival we located a super tasty eatery located across the street. Their (Indian) food was fantastic - always fresh, tasty, and super inexpensive. Their dosas with various gravies and coconut chutneys were my personal breakfast favourite, and we routinely ordered TWO breakfasts each. And, their tea tarik was sooooooo creamy... Just to sample all the abundant culinary options is always a good enough reason to come to Malaysia. I have written a LOT of entries on this blog about the Malaysian food, so I am skipping the details and mouth-watering descriptions this time around. Let me warn you though - after spending time in Malaysia, you WILL need to get back on a strict exercise program to lose those extra pounds, but you WILL justify the reasons you gained them, and rightfully so.
Kuala Lumpur's streets are always vibrant, diverse, and crazy. You have to be an open-minded person and culturally-inquisitive to notice, observe, and benefit from the scenes happening around you around the clock. I could only imagine what post-COVID Kuala Lumpur would turn out to be like, so it makes me appreciate even more the city and its life we were so fortunate to experience for years prior.
Penang - Georgetown
Our favourite city in
Malaysia of many years, and a sort of "love-hate" relationship in a
way... Over the years, the word about this wonderful city spread far
and wide, and way too many tourists made their bee-line here. The
latter had a very negative impact - this sort of "Western colonization"
brought obnoxious behaviour and habits - the quaint neighborhoods and
cultural spirit got substituted by loud bars, smoking drunk Westerners,
and thus bitter attitude from the local residents. It is still possible
to find the REAL corners and caring genuine attitude that refused to
"sell out" - and the latter is what we love about the city. I could
spend hours walking around the old lanes, admiring murals, and quirky
architecture, or just get lost in a parade of street stalls and
road-side eateries. Having visited here for the past 15 years, we know
the places, and the locals know us. So, that helps a lot to continue
the "love story" part with Georgetown.
Georgetown - Thaipusam
We had skipped SE Asia for the past two years and instead spent our time
in South America and Africa, so I was really looking forward to our
return back here. I also made sure that our visit here would coincide
with two major celebrations that happened to be happening at one -
Chinese New Year celebration and Indian Thaipusam festival. I love both
of them, but the latter is definitely more drastic, AND it is NOT for
faint-hearted, Thaipusam is an intense 3-day event packed with
ritualistic behaviours, graphic images and very colourful celebrations.
Thousands and thousands of pilgrims, chariots and processions, body
piercing and self-inflicting pain, smashed coconuts and blessings, loud
drums and deafening music, fainting and sacrificing - you name it! We
have attended at least four Thaipusam celebrations in Malaysia and
Singapore, and I am fascinated by this ritualistic event every time.
Lumut
Having explored Malaysia for years, there were only a handful of places that still picked my interest, and that managed to stay off the "tourist radar". Rob and I boarded a long-distance bus, and headed towards Lumut located on the West coast of the Malay peninsula. Our bus route took us via less populated areas, and less developed roads gave us another glimpse into a more rural life of Malaysia.
The rain was pouring when we reached Lumut's tiny bus station. After a bus terminal in Georgetown, this one in Lumut seemed out of the frozen time capsule - tiny little ticket kiosks without any computers, boarded squat toilets, and very basic facilities. So far so good. Lumut's town center and waterfront were definitely more developed, but very quiet. Our hotel, on the other hand, felt quite modern, but we managed to have our share of surprises - twice a group of (Indian) Malay guys were trying to force their way by banging on our door and shaking it in the mid-night hours. The front desk was oblivious to all of it, and the best explanation we gathered was that some Indian family had a party and mistook our room for theirs, but who knows... Local eateries, on the other hand, had a super friendly and caring attitude - we got served huge portions of biryani dishes, roti canais, and tea tariks at exceptionally affordable prices, and we ended up taking a big parcel (take-away) with us to the Pangkor island.
Pulau Pangkor
Pulau Pangkor was a refreshing change. There were only a limited number of Western tourists, but even they seemed more adventuresome. I also deliberately picked a mid-week for our arrival - meaning no local/domestic tourists were around, so we pretty much had a beach and walks all to ourselves. There were a few shenanigans at the ferry terminal - the usual "transportation cartel", but once we made it to our place, things were quiet and peaceful. We had a spacious bungalow to ourselves located a short walk from the beach, and near-by there lived a local who would feed wild hornbills at sunset with various tropical fruits. Every evening, around 6 p.m. a large number of colourful hornbills would appear from the jungle waiting for their treats. The local guy shared fruit pieces with us, and both Rob and I also hand-fed the wild birds. Their beaks were quite massive, but the birds were gentle enough with us.
The island's eateries were shut down, so getting freshly made food was nearly impossible. We had brought some food supplies with us from the "mainland" and were OK, but we certainly were missing a delicious freshly prepared local food. While exploring a village and beach life around our area of the island, I came across several basic establishments offering kayaks for rent (I LOVE kayaking). After talking to several kayak "entrepreneurs", I selected a humble gentleman whose price was not only super-reasonable, but who had an excellent attitude and was very flexible with my inquiry. One of the mornings, he supplied me with a great kayak, and I was off exploring the beaches and coves. The currents and waves were quite manageable, and after several hours on the water, I was making my way back to the shore. I noticed two guys in a distance, at a nearby small island - they were waving their hands above the waves, and one was shouting "HELP!!!". I tried getting to them as soon as I could, and while turning my kayak around, I was blocked by a speed boat, who arrived just a few seconds before I did. The boat's captain pulled one guy out of the water and started to leave, and I kept shouting to him "there is ONE MORE person in the water, there is ONE MORE person in the water!" He waved at me and smiled, AND...LEFT.... I was circling around and around looking for the OTHER person, but I could not see anyone... After a while, the speed boat finally came back. They started looking as well, but it was too late... No one was to be seen above the surface... At the shore, beach-goers were oblivious to what had been happening just in front of them... Eventually, local police arrived and a few boats were sent to check for possible bodies in the water. I kept telling people at the shore that there was at least ONE more person when the speed boat and I had been at the scene, and up till now I still do not understand why the boat's captain decided to leave - instead of trying to locate the OTHER person near-by when he still had a chance... Sometimes, just one second makes a difference between life and death... The rest of the time on the island was sombre - the natural beauty and ocean no longer seemed tranquil and exotic, I kept replaying in my mind what had just happened...
On
the way back to Lumut, I spoke with a local who commuted by ferry
often. He shared with me similar stories that had happened in exactly
the same location. It also brought some memories for me when I and two
more people got pulled out by sudden rip-tides in Panama... At that time, I
was able to swim back to the shore by myself, and luckily, there were two local Panamanian guys - who rushed to the ocean and rescued a person who was drowning. I hope that person remembers the guys
who saved him. After all, it is the kindness of complete strangers
that could sometimes determine the rest of your life...
Ipoh
We
have avoided Ipoh for years - mainly, because all guide books were
depicting it as a dull town with an expensive price tag attached to it.
But, something kept intriguing me, and I began doing my own research.
Contrary to the guide-books (and not surprisingly), the image I was
getting about Ipoh was completely opposite. And, I am so glad we went
to Ipoh, we LOVED it!
First
of all, the place we stayed at was probably the cheapest of all in
Malaysia. For about $7 a night we had our own room - it was small and
basic, but the central location was excellent, and the Muslim family
that were running it were very honest and hospitable. Just before we
arrived, I had been given a heads-up and full disclosure of what to
expect, and I actually found the place to be more than adequate, There
were so many special touches to make us feel welcome - like
complimentary (and a local staple) Ipoh's white coffee, nice (and hot)
rain shower, free drinking water, a cozy and comfortable common sitting
area, and a great reliable wifi. The sleeping quarters were located
above their popular family restaurant, but they made sure to secure our
room in a quiet location, so all worked out really great.
There
were also various things to do around Ipoh. Elaborate cave temples and
gaudy religious interpretations were certainly interesting enough -
and, as long as you have patience to figure out a confusing (and
contradictory) public transport, it was certainly easy enough to get to
them. Ipoh's street scenes and markets were also worth exploring. And,
just walking around and stumbling on various local treats (like chandal)
gave a pleasant aim to be there. But, the attitude of local residents
was, hands down, the best part about Ipoh. We felt so warmly welcomed;
and having travelled for many-many years, we can guarantee you - being
offered a genuine hospitality is THE most important factor of any
destination.
THAILAND
Bangkok
Kanchanaburi
My professional assignment back in 2001 brought me for a visit to Bangkok - it was love from the first sight. Now, twenty years later, I am still very fond of the City of Angels, however, there is really nothing that "angelic" about Bangkok. Most people would find it intense to say the least. But, the city has a lot of layers, and if a person is not in a rush to peel those layers, Bangkok is truly unforgettable. It is a city of contrasts, where right beside a posh palace, one could find shacks by a river, where a traditional Buddhist culture by day goes side by side with turbulent provocative activities by night, where the soul-provoking monks' signing gets to be drowned by loud street traffic, where delicious culinary stalls in narrow alleys compete with repulsive poignant smells of suspicious cooking, where humble Thai residents have to go against obnoxiousness of the visiting Westerners, in other words - if you can think it, you can find it here, in Bangkok... And, the city never sleeps - you can walk out of your room in the middle of the night, and find an active street market or a family gathering enjoying their meal together in the middle of the street. Regardless, Bangkok has an unbelievable amount of diverse layers, and it is impossible not to appreciate the complexity of the city.
On this last visit to Bangkok, I had us settled in three various parts of the city - in a bustling Chinatown, in a bit more reserved area near the Chao Phraya River, and in an area adjacent to a picturesque Palace district. Each of those locations had their unique personalities, and provided a small adventure around. I have written quite a bit about Bangkok in my prior blog posts, so I am going to share just a few new "encounters" - though, I must admit, I could dedicate an entire blog just to Bangkok, and it will be a looooooooooong post.
Regardless of how many dozen times one visits Bangkok, there is always something colourful to remember. Whether it is some unusual cuisine - like various animal body parts stewed in curries in back alleys or roasted scorpions on sticks, or colouful night markets and traditional ceremonies, or just a long ride on a public ferry along the river and canals, inadvertently you come across something new among oh-so-familiar scenes and places. Rob and I got off at one of the ferry stops (where we had been a number of times) to pay respect to a large statue of Buddha and wander around an adjacent neighborhood. We got off that spot so many times, and always remember seeing a peculiar building ascending right over the river and Buddha statue advertising Thai massage. I figured that due to the picturesque location, it must have been an over-priced spa, so I ignored it on previous trips (I prefer to go with locals). This time around, a Thai lady kept calling some ridiculously low (even for our standards) massage price and inviting us to enter the building. So, we thought, sure let's check out just for laughs what this "shenanigan-fancy" place is like... When we climbed to the top floor with sweeping views, and entered the building, something did not make sense. There were dozens and dozens mats laying on the floor, with dozens and dozens of practicing massage ladies and men and dozens and dozens of LOCAL (good sign!) people spread out all over the floor. The place looked like a " massage sweatshop", except people looked happy. There were "free-ranging" chickens running around and occasionally jumping on the bamboo mats and people's backs, there was a dog, there was a masseuse hanging onto the ropes while walking on someone's back, there were scents and temple scenes on the ceiling and there were posted CHEAP prices - about $5 per hour for full body massage. All of it got my curiosity, and I decided to give massage a try. I was assigned a gentleman, who looked more like a taxi driver than a masseuse, but OMG - he was so good! His massage technique was the BEST I've tried around Thailand (and I had a LOT of traditional massages done throughout my travels in SE Asia). I returned to this place again, and the last time I got another Thai man (an actual massage instructor) - who did things to my muscles I did not think were possible. LOVED the entire experience! We still were the ONLY FOREIGNERS among the local patrons. When we left this place and came across more "presentable" massage venues advertising to Westerners, we laughed...
Another unusual encounter happened in the city's central Lumpini Park. Imagine strolling around a vast central park in a big city and witness a scene straight from National Geographic - several huge (crocodile-sized) monitor lizards ascending to a shore in a predatory fashion and battling over and devouring a carcass right in front of you. Being engaged in that scene made me late for my dental appointment - the latter is also worth a story "detour". Did you know that your normal dental cleaning in Bangkok comes with a complimentary pick up and drop off and a personal driver? Naturally, not all dental clinics offer that, but I dare you to come up with at least one similar example in North America! See why Bangkok stands out as different?
Bangkok has an unbelievable amount of street stalls, day and night markets, and every alley and corner seems to have someone cooking something. Thai food is tricky. If you hear a Westerner saying "I love the Thai food", don't trust them. Chances are 99% of Western tourists "love" the food adjusted to a Western palate. And, chances are they are oblivious to a REAL (traditional) Thai food - including animals' heads, eyes, stomachs, paws, hooves, etc. The bitter bamboo shoots and shrimp paste makes the smells intolerable - and, if you see a long line of local people, that is likely the food they are after. That being said, Rob and I have been exposed and tried pretty much everything, so I feel like we do have a "right" to speak about Thai food. And, there are beautiful tasty local creations that are NOT catered to travellers, and that we are very fond of. Luckily, in Bangkok, there are a lot of choices - from an old babushka cooking on a street to a plethora of stalls in night markets. If you are up for an adventure - Bangkok is your place.
Kanchanaburi
If we did not need a stop-over while on our way to the remote Sangkhlaburi, I would have skipped Kanchanaburi all together. But, it was a logical place to break up the long journey. Sure, Kanchanaburi has a historical Death Railway and WWII history - remember the movie "Railway Man" with Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth? The movie was based on the tragic story of the Death Railway and the prisoners of war who built it. But, having been exposed to the multitude of similar events and having my own family gone through pretty much all historical turns of the last century, the touristy part of Kanchanaburi just wasn't that memorable. Yes, we rode the Death Railway and paid our respects, but what we really enjoyed was getting to know the REAL city. We wandered off in the directions that do not see any tourists, and this was the most rewarding part - we explored the temples and narrow alleys, sampled local food from street stalls and night markets, watched the sunsets over floating villages and crossed paths with a green viper, rode local bus routes and swam in waterfalls - NOT the overrated and overpriced Erawan Waterfall, but Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi - free and genuinely local.
Having spent a lot of time in Thailand, we can reassure you - being able to discover and connect with a truly genuine hospitality is the best part of the journey.
Sangkhlaburi
Sangkhlaburi was definitely worth a long journey! Being remote and way off the tourist trail, it was not surprising Rob and I were the ONLY Westerners on a long distance bus - which is always a good sign we are heading towards a more authentic destination. Sangkhlaburi is a merger and peaceful co-existence of two cultures - Thai and Burmese. The Thai side and the Mon Village are separated by a picturesque wooden bridge - the second longest wooden bridge in the world. It is exceptionally quaint just before the sunrise, when covered in a blanket of fog with the first sun beams appearing above and over the floating docks...
Rob and I attended at sunrise a ritual ceremony, where dozens of Buddhist monks walked long distances from their temple towards the villagers who considered it an honor and a blessing of offering them the donations. Here is a catch - in the past (and traditionally), the donation meant a scoop of boiled rice put in the monks' bowls - it was basically a food staple to feed the devoted monks. These days (even in a remote place like this), donations reached the extreme level - money, gift baskets, pepsi bottles, chocolates, cookies, etc. were pouring into monks' bowls and bags - to such extent, that a military truck and a group of local guys with large plastic bags were following the Buddhists behind and collecting the surplus. Needless to say - big amounts of collected cash seemed the most desired donation on monks' behalf. But then again - we constantly see monks jumping in taxis, carrying expensive mobile phones, and I even experienced some flirting attempts from some of the monks in other parts of Thailand. Fortunately, for us, all this surplus collected during the rituals, likely made its way to the temple's Master Deity. And, when we were there exploring vast impressive temple complexes, there was a Deity's Birthday. We were invited to join the festivities, and were showered with varieties of various local traditional dishes. Local people kept motioning us to try more and more and more of treats served freely under open skies. Goes without saying, Rob and I yet again, were the ONLY Westerners. I wouldn't be surprised if there were ANY Westerners before or after. We LOVED it!
The night (food) market in
Sangkhlaburi was not too vast, but it was fantastic! Months later, Rob and I still re-collect the delicious fresh spicy coconut curries we bought every night from an elderly couple. And, the owner of our accommodation was probably the BEST HOST we have dealt with in our travels around Thailand. Not only was he humble and kind, he also genuinely wanted us to feel welcome and happy. Our colourful bungalow was located over a ravine atop the banana and palm trees. We had a small common kitchenette supplied with complimentary coffees, teas, chocolate creams, toasts, etc. And, even though the owner could not speak English, he made every effort to make us feel at home. He was one of these gentle souls, that never was intrusive, and yet, would drop anything to be available if you had a question. He even kept offering (for free) his motorbikes any time we wanted. We declined his kind offer on numerous occasions, communicating via our electronic translator that we really prefer to explore by walking, and every time with a smile he would say "but, when you are tired, please take my motorbike, free free!". If you ever travelled in Thailand, you would know that motorbike rental in Thailand is a lucrative business - unless you are in a place like
Sangkhlaburi, where it is a normal part of REAL hospitality to offer you one just to enjoy without any money exchange.
Rob and I ventured to the outskirts of
Sangkhlaburi as well. There were a series of temple complexes - some were almost abandoned, but all were impressive and interesting to wander around. While tourists are lining up in Central Bangkok to pay money to see a statue of reclining Buddha, we were surrounded by enormous unusual statues here, just the Buddha, peace, and us.
When we were returning back from
Sangkhlaburi on the same long-distance bus, we recognized our conductor who had rode with us on the way there. We were gently "passed" and introduced to another lady conductor who looked after us on the return journey. The bus was packed with local families and the usual odd-luggage of large baskets and roped boxes... I still feel the wind on our faces through opened bus windows while our bus was making its long way around the hills and valleys...
Nakhon Ratchasima
Also known as "Khorat" was an incredible stop-over. Most definitely off the tourist trail and a very REAL Thai city. We liked everything about this place - gentle attitude, great local food and markets, peacefulness and walkability, and it just felt good being there! This was kind of a place where local people are genuinely happy to make you happy, where your good attitude is truly appreciated, and where you feel like you are really accepted regardless of your foreign background.
Besides an excellent local attitude, Khorat also had a range of unexpected surprises. One of Khorat's temple complexes was truly remarkable! Outside, it looked like a Buddhist temple, but as soon as we entered - it felt like we were transformed into a cave covered in gorgeous formations of stalactites. Exquisite nature's creations of different shapes and colours were surrounding us, and various Buddha statues under stalactites added the mysterious feel to the entire place...
Another interesting quirk about Khorat was its Mall called Terminal 21. Rob and I couldn't care less about shopping, what we were after - was this mall's incredible creativity! Every section of the mall's design was dedicated to a foreign destination - you would walk along masterfully designed streets of London, Paris, Istanbul, Tokyo, San Francisco, and even Hollywood! Every cultural and architectural detail was thought out and reflected to transport you to various parts of the world. And, even a bathroom of each destination had its very specific theme depending what "destination" you were visiting. Just touring the bathrooms alone was breath-taking - and we are not talking about aroma in this case. Most of them looked like you walked into a palace - the design was absolutely incredible! I wish some day, our Western world could come up and implement such creative whimsical elaborations!
Khon Kaen
If the darling city of Nakhon Ratchasima were Cinderella, then Khon Kaen would have been its ugly resentful sister (the other mean sister nomination would likely go to a city of Phitsanulok in that region). Just did not care for Khon Kaen at all. It was boring, uninspiring, and felt very closed-in and standoffish. Sure, there were a couple of impressive temple complexes with excellent panoramic views, but when one goes off the tourist trail, temples alone just do not cut it... Locals looked gloomy and seemingly unhappy. The city's streets and squares often looked deserted. I also remember a group of Buddhist monks flirting with me while we were exploring one of the temple grounds - it sounds like the boredom took its toll even on a more exclusive layer of the city's population. In addition, unlike other places in Thailand, it was impossible to find any decent local street food (we kept having flashbacks back to our travels in Nicaragua years ago - when finding some ordinary bananas was a big deal) - so forget any culinary adventures in this town. After several days, I was happy to get back on the train (which arrived at least two hours late as if trying to avoid Khon Kaen all together).
Phimai Archeological Site
One of the largest Khmer Temples of Thailand with buildings dating back to 11th and 12centuary, had a very nostalgic and familiar feel. Walking around Phimai felt like we were transported back to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The architecture, buildings' silhouettes, tones and colours, landscape eeriness, and even an excruciating high tropical temperature were very familiar. We spent hours exploring, feeling exhausted from the heat, and yet drawn to the drama and images of these majestic ruins.
It also felt good and rewarding to still be able to find places in Thailand away from the tourist crowds, where you could truly appreciate the special connections and not be distracted or tainted by the tourists' impact. As I am writing this blog entry months later, I feel so grateful we chose a truly unique journey when it was still possible...
posted by Rob and Anna @ 4:36 PM
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