Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Penang, Malaysia


Ahhhhhhh, Malaysia. Peace, tranquility, order, nature, water, trees - such a nice contrast to India. My heart is happy, I have that bounce back in my step, I feel light and joyous that we have arrived in a calmer port.
It is beautiful! Nice architecture on one side and the sea on the other. It is still hot and humid but the town doesn’t overwhelm you with crowds, vehicles and poverty. The people are polite and not desperate for your business haggling and pushing, a much easier place to visit for a few days. One thing that strikes me is after we visit Buddhist temples, mosques and Hindu temples is how everyone gets along peacefully here, not much tension or anger, an orderly existence where people are a bit reserved but friendly, Malay, Indian and Chinese all working together.

We have 4 days to explore around Malaysia and I have found have 3 friends who I enjoy traveling with, Kima, Scott and Erika, all professors in their 40’s. This time Erika heads for the beach, Scott for cooking school in Thailand while Kima and I head to a private island for relaxation and a spa day.

On our 6 hour journey in boats we meet quite a few Muslim honeymooners from Kuwait, Malaysia and Yemen. The young women are in full burkas with only their eyes showing, the men, in western clothing- shorts and a t-shirt. They are wonderful people, the women are the first to open up some chocolates or candies to share with me and start a conversation- these women speak a bit of English while their husbands speak much more. The couples tell me about their huge weddings, how they met- most arranged, one just married his 3rd cousin who he had never met, and where they work. The women’s eyes are beautiful and expressive, each holding a beautiful designer bag and wearing designer shoes. They tell me about the importance of their extended family, how most live within a few blocks from each other and every Friday night have a dinner where they gather together and share stories about their week. ( Reminds me of how great Friday night pizza and movies at home were with the boys! ☺)

Finally we arrive on Rebak Island outside of Penang and it is incredible! Beautiful, lush and clean. It feels a lot like “Fantasy Island”. The tropical plants surround us and a huge lizard walks across our path on our way to our room. We cannot believe the personal service and how lucky we are to be here for 2 days. The big swimming pool looks so inviting on this hot day with the beach on the other side! We spend the next day in the spa being massaged and covered with oils and lotions by the ladies. It is monsoon raining outside and I cannot think of a better way to spend the afternoon. The pinnacle of the experience was walking outside to bathe from a huge basin of hot water filled with herbs and flower petals. You take a wooden bowl and pour it over yourself while surrounded by tropical plants and listening to the rains all around- it was just wonderful!

Not only did we pamper ourselves with the spa but also indulged in the wonderful meals. This is my kind of cooking- love it all, noodles, fish, soups, fresh ingredients light and healthy- all the flavors are so delicious - lemon grass, ginger, curries, red chilis, dark sauce with soy and oyster sauces-- yum.
An interesting breakfast dish is called Roti- it is a heavy crepe they mix with some light seasoning and an egg, a bit sweet with a lot of flavor- wonderful. Reminded me of my grandmother’s crepes in Sweden.

Well, it looks like the toughest ports are behind us as far as reaching beyond our comfort zones and from here on the ports are more westernized. We just arrived in Viet Nam where 50 parents have come to join their sons and daughters to travel for a few days before we head over to Hong Kong and China. It was an emotional moment for everyone to see loved ones waiting on the pier for family. So many smiles and tears were touching to watch and a real treat for me was to laugh and talk with Cathy and Craig Small who came to see their son Chris.
I am off to a city called Nha Trang for a few days with Erika and Scott for a more cultural experience of Viet Nam than the big city of Saigon or Ho Chi Mihn city as they call it now. The updates will be coming fast as we head from port to port for the next few weeks.
Hope all is well.
Love
Margareta

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