Georgetown, West Coast or rather Malaysian island of Penang. I arrived in Malaysia at the end, there 'I did it, survived to Thailand and sirens. Distracted as Ulysses in the journey to Ithaca. I managed to cross the border during the 'last day of validity' of my Thai visa: 30 days of fun.
The first thing that strikes me in Malaysia and 'its cultural mix and the fact that everyone speak English very well. Learn more. The Malaysia and 'a former British colony and one of the inherited' colonial past 'was a great school system.
integration seems perfect: Malays, Chinese and Indians (the 3 largest ethnic groups) seem to coexist without significant friction. At Georgetown, in addition to buildings that resemble the English period, there 'a Chinatown, Little India and a kampung (village) in Malaysia. A mix of faces, a mix of flavors. The Malaysian cuisine I like right away, especially the way in which you can taste in restaurants: you receive a bowl full of rice to be completed as desired using a buffet with 20 different dishes. The paradise of the curious. Curry reminiscent of India, spicy flavors from neighboring Thailand, both soups and noodles popular in China.
Malaysia and 'a step ahead of Thailand: more wealth, high powered machines, highways, cleanliness and order. From the idea of \u200b\u200ban advanced country. And traveling fast. The epic transfers by bus, so common in other countries, are set aside for a moment.
With Markus, 21-year old German known on the minibus traveling through Thailand and Malaysia, I venture into some night raids in Gergetown. There 's a street with a number of clubs but lively and interesting, compared to Thailand, not' here we are more cagati 'much. What's happening? Maybe 'cause we're back in a normal country? Well, I guess so. We had fun anyway Ladies Night at the Wednesday evening culminated in una specie di concorso "miss maglietta bagnata" tra gli sguardi estasiati di teenager malesi.
Carrambà...
Quante volte avete esclamato "certo che il mondo e' proprio piccolo"? Verissimo. Accade un giorno su un bus di linea verso l'unica spiaggia decente dell' isola di Penang; a meta' percorso sale un ragazzo; caspita, mi sembra di conoscere quel volto. No! No, non ci posso credere! E' Mihai, il ragazzo rumeno con il quale ho passato 9 giorni a Istanbul nel corso del Capodanno 2005/2006. Un incontro veramente incredible. Mi racconta che ha deciso di lasciare Bucarest alcuni mesi fa per trasferirsi in Malesia. Io gli parlo del mio viaggio e ancora non riesco a capacitarmi di questo chance encounter. Maybe we'll meet again in 1 week in Kuala Lumpur, or who knows' where ...
Gergetown After I make a refreshing break at Cameron Highlands. I'm at over 1500 meters above sea level and climate and 'pleasantly cool. I almost cold at night and it 's the first time I've ever, after the rigors of winter' Chinese (then was the beginning of December, we are now in early March). So far my trip has been - and continues to be - a long summer. Here you can admire the extensive cultivation of tea and you are pleasant walks in the surrounding forests. The days passed pretty lazy, including a slight morning walk, a DVD to 'hostel in the late afternoon, and a couple of beers at the pub in the evening. Having said that, 'the cool climate and 'really the only reason that keeps me from these hills, will' cause my body just does not want Europe to get used to 35 degrees with humidity '100%?
A short bus transfer-fridge (AC with a bullet) and are already in Kuala Lumpur, KL for the friends, the capital city and 'a symbol of ambition in Malaysia: The Petronas Twin Towers, for example, have long been the building more 'high in the world. Make very hot and there is 'very wet'. The roads are congested, the sidewalks are a rarity 'as well as the pedestrian crossing. But 'there is a metro and monorail. Walks in the center soon turn into embarrassing sweat. During the day, then I'm almost always closed, rinfrescato dall'aria condizionata di centri commerciali e musei. Meglio esplorare la citta' al calare del sole ed e' in una di queste serate che mi imbatto in Ronnie un simpatico quarantenne svedese dalle idee chiare sulle prossime tappe del suo viaggio. Ronnie alla prima birra: voglio andare in Borneo, fare trekking nella giungla e vedere gli orang utan, come ho detto a mio figlio prima di partire. Ronnie alla terza birra: forse e' meglio se vado nelle Filippine; ho sentito che c'e' un'ottima scena di musica rock dal vivo da quelle parti. Alla quinta birra esclama... Voglio tornare in Thailandia!Ronnie mi ha portato all' Hard Rock Cafe'; per hobby, in Svezia, canta in un gruppo rock che fa cover di Led Zeppelin e Black Sabbath; è un patito del general. Pe give me proof I sometimes scream in the ears of the prolonged acute Joey Tempest, that guy! E 'disappointed' cause to 'Hard Rock KL bring almost exclusively hip hop, alternating with an Indonesian rock band that engages in cover everything. During the evening the bar know two nice Indonesian bar (at work), after an hour Ronnie greets me hurriedly and disappears with a girl. After another hour the only part of the local girl, to which I say "oh, but you kill me?". Laughter. Pero 'Ronnie I have not' seen again.
Rene '
