Stef in Thailand!: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I feel like I have traveled through three countries at once. Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures create a unique mixture here in the city. We have been living with Mason's second cousins, Shaun and Glenn and their 4 kids, outside Kuala Lumpur for the past week. The first major difference from Thailand being that it rains at least once every afternoon! This does not detract from the hot scalding sun and humidity encompassing the day's air. The second being that there is still a considerable amount of lush jungle growing throughout the city. Chinatown, Little India, Orchid Gardens, and the butterfly park were all covered in one day. One of the highlights of Little India was eating a meal of curried vegetables, spicy sauces, and yogurt sauce over rice off a banana leaf with our hands. It's amazing how they shape and scoop the perfect rice balls into their mouths leaving me staring in wonderment and wishing I had a spoon to scoop mine! Chinatown is a bit smaller than Bangkok's but carries the same products being knockoff purses, watches, music, tshirts, watches, mangos, everything imaginable fried, dimsum buns, and a constant flow of sellers inviting you into their stalls "for free." Endless street shops line the road, a mixture of languages encircling our steps, and durian smells float through our nostrils (Durian can be described as a sour, flesh rotting, sweaty sock smelling fruit known in Southeast Asia. It tastes like it smells. It has been known to be banned in public spaces and other forms of transportation for its pungent odor thus the signs, 'no guns, no pets, no durian'). Although more of a hassle to take the train than hop in a 'teksi,' we board in KL Sentral and head toward home. There is an enormous mosque behind the train station as the call to prayer fills the air around 1 PM. Several people brush by, possibly to use the 'prayer room,' a space covered by a black curtain at the end of a hallway, located in the upper level of the train station. It is a 45 minute wait for our train. When it finally arrives already packed with people, the tension of the platform grows with the thought that only half of the people waiting will make it on this one. Who knows when the next one will arrive! The train slows and squeals to a slow stop before puffing a burst of hot air as the doors slide open: A rush of people from both sides collide with each other as everyone attempts to take steps toward their urgent destination. Mason, being a head taller than the entire crowd, levels his way onto the train and reaches his arm to create a gap large enough for me to slide through. We've made it into the bumper car villa. People shouting in many languages, reaching for the ceiling to steady their bodies with the train's momentum. The body odors are inescapable being right at the correct height to stare directly into an armpit. Needless to say we made it to Sungai Buloh, our final stop.

Batu Caves is most widely known for its Hindu Thaipusam Festival held in early February. We were a bit too late for this celebration, yet decided to visit the caves themselves anyways, On the 272 stair climb to the top of the 400 million years old caves, you are greeted by several aggressive monkeys in search of food. A couple had water bottles in their hands, some with leftover food cartons, and others with brown paper bags stained with oil. Perhaps the biggest victory was watching an 85 year old man make it to the top of the climb followed by the supporting applause of his Chinese tour group. Past the shops filled with wood carvings, masks, and printed postcards, the rock cliffs stretch extremely high. Sporadic holes in between stalactites allow for light beams to target several hindu shrines lined up along the side walls of the caves. There were not too many people up here. In fact, our biggest company were the monkeys who were throwing coconuts over the cliffs at pigeons down below.

This morning we took a rainy hike through the jungle nearby. Lucky for us the rain helped to bring some animals to the surface. Our first 5 minutes included the discovery of numerous leeches crawling about the leaves in search of some warm blood! A constant check on your ankles and socks ensures a busy mind through the flat surfaced hike. Glenn happened to step on a leaf that held a triangle headed snake prisoner: until he released the adrenaline and caused the snake to spring 3 times concluding with a defensive stance ready to pounce! Several leech shreiks, coconut trees, and wild boar tracks later, Mason spots a Giant Blue Forest Scorpion! He was about 7 inches long and had an iridescent tinted blue coloring. He was crossing the road for a days meal and immediately retracted into defense mode with his stinger darting straight in the air ready to venomize anything in his path. What an exciting adventure! We left sweaty and hungry with just enough energy to pry the fully plump and disgustingly satisfied leeches from Bobo and Rumy, their house dogs!