Birthday Week Ends In Malaysia

The moon is nowhere in sight, shrouded by grey mists. A directional sign blinkers on and off at midnight while the skyscrapers are all lit. The skytrain whizzes past our hotel; under it Proton cars and taxis abound.

Earlier, an Indian immigration officer talks to me in Tagalog. I flirt back with Bahasa I picked up from the jacket of a pre-sponsored immigration card. A Malay woman receives us at reception, while housekeeping and maintenance is dominated by Indians. Tomorrow we meet with Chinese- Malays.

Welcome to Malaysia!

As if on cue, the sky darkens and turns from mystical to pitch-black, and my inspiration to get up and grab a pen and paper disappears, telling me it's time for bed.

***

The drive from the airport to the hotel took us all of 38 minutes, covering a distance of 52 kms. It struck me how evenly paved the roads were; it was literally a smooth ride all the way, even with our Proton sedan. At first I am reminded of Singapore, with its taxi rides and neon- lighted traffic updates, but the roads are wider, and ubiquitous JAYAs along the way makes it harder to associate it with SG.
Within minutes, we see it, the Petronas Towers, both lighting the way to KL. It was majestic and represented the modern convenience of the life in Kuala Lumpur. Our taxi ride stops in front of the Berjaya TImes Square, one of the biggest malls in Malaysia, and owned by our host- friend.


Next post:
- All about Malaysian food!
- The best view in KL
- The Inside Story of the Life of a Billionaire
- Why I Never Got to Shop in KL
- What My Next Trip to KL will be All About


Abangan!


In the meantime, here are some pics of how my birthday week turned out to be, highlighted by food (of course), discovering Petra and Pilar (the best kare -kare in town), a pit-stop at Wine Depot/Purple Feet along Reposo, a quiet and relaxing day with L, a flower bouquet, a new phone and of course, this trip to Malaysia.













Here are some thoughts, after this birthday week:

To L

I've flown many miles
and scanned thousands of men
only to find you
back again,
in my heart.


To my dear friends

Precious gems
I count you all
our laughter shines like glitter,
your smiles etched onto my memory
like diamonds encrusted onto the earth.
All these years add color
and luster to our lives,
each one unique, different.
collectively,
i am
truly rich.


Thank you to all who remembered!