Monkeys in Malaysia

I had almost forgotten the amazing feeling of being in a different country, seeing the sights breathing the air, feeling the culture. Since this is the first time travelling abroad (since Argentina circa 2003) I have had the itch to travel for awhile.

Kuala Lumpur is a metropolitan city with a tropical feel. It in some ways reminds me of the Philippines. We did some sightseeing, relaxing, and venturing out. The highlight of the area for me was the Batu Caves. It's a Hindu Temple in the side of the mountain, with 273 steps to the top. When you get up there, you are greeted by monkeys, some nice, some not so nice. They were everywhere (and added to the not so nice smell in the cave). Inside of the caves at the top were beautiful shrines to different Hindu Gods. I took many pix.

The city of KL itself was a bit less than impressive, but the skyline was beautiful with the Petronas Towers. Another thing I enjoy about travel is noticing the colonial influences on the architecture, culture, and town. The Bristish and Muslim influences were everywhere. Finally, the people in Malaysia were extremely nice and gracious. We were staying in a pretty nice hotel, but aside from that they were super friendly and went out of their way to help. It was interesting because one guy was saying that in the last few years the Minister of Tourism had instituted a new Malaysian way of saying 'welcome/hello' by putting your hand over your heart and saying hello. He said some people were resistant (for obvious reasons), but many people did it.

So now, I'm actually in Hanoi, Vietnam. We arrived last night and are heading out to Halong Bay today to spend the night on a boat in the bay. I am so excited to see the picturesque scenery. Another day in Hanoi, and then from there we're heading to the west, Dien Bien Phu and SaPa, and will be visiting some villages.

2 side notes:
1) In Malaysia I was consistently mistaken for Malaysian - or they definitely knew I wasn't. It's interesting because I was thinking about how I felt when they mistook me for a local, and was greeted by warmth and sincereity. I almost felt proud for the mistake. In some of my experiences within the US, when questioned about my identity, it evoked a much more defensive response in me, for obvious societal reasons. It's a simple reminder of how appearances and perceptions are complex and are still at play in our interactions with one another.

2) I have truly enjoyed getting to know my classmates better. We've had lots of late nights and long flights, and it's been great.

Looking forward to the next chapters....