A final day in KL, which started well with breakfast at Steven's w/ Louise and Denis. The three of us had your typical roti-and-dhal (Malaysia really is delicious). And David? The man who never met a local food he didn't want to make friends with? He had ABC. This is short for Air Batu Campur. It is supposed to be desert. It consists of a head-sized pile of shaved ice topped with a delightful array of deeply random stuff. These include: noodles made with green bean paste, chili beans, peanuts, brightly colored jelly, cream, and palm seed kernels (natch.) Even David couldn't do this one justice.
Anyway, on to the Museum of Islamic Art, in a building style best described architecturally as 'Persian Diner', and with an amazing collection of manuscripts, scale models of the world's great mosques (very pleased with myself as we wandered this hall announcing to awestruck fellow visitors, "Been there, been there, been there." I think I may technically qualify as muslim after this trip.) The textile collection is especially well done, and ranges from Ottoman velvets to Malay songket, by way of Chinese jewellery and Uzbek suzani.
We also made it to the National Museum (entry fee: 57 cents), which had a good few rooms on the trading colonies established here by the Portuguese and Dutch and British. We're in Malaysia during Hari Raya, the celebration of Aidilfitri (Eid), the end of Ramadan, and the museum had a little temporary exhibit on the foods of this festival as well. Malaysians are eaters, that's for damn sure. Just to keep it surreal, there is also a model of Stonehenge.
Today we're out of KL and down the west coast to Melaka, the colonial city on the Straits of Malacca. Here for 3 nights, so more to follow.
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1 comment:
Hi David & Monica
Thank you so much for your Blog, I enjoyed enormously your postings as you both have travelled around this beautiful planet we all call home. I look forward to reading more as you complete your epic journey. I will be meeting Emma in Brisbane and together we will travel together for a short time before heading home to England.
I wish you both as the Greeks say; Kalo Taxidi (Good Journey)
My very Best to You Both
David
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