why wy?

Just spent an amazing five days in KL, with plenty of shopping, catching up, eating. For those who don't know, KL is the capital of malaysia, about 3 hours by car and 6 hours by bus from singapore. Traffic is crazy, alcohol is expensive (because of a sin tax) and the food is amazing.

The bak kut teh, the yong tau foo, the kolo mee, banana leaf rice, joe's brother's home made crab curry and bacon bone curry, char siew freshly roasted on a tray... i would have taken photos but i couldn't put down my chopsticks... well actually my camera battery is busted but the former sounds more poetic (and is also true).

We also got to meet the king and queen of malaysia! Yes, I am now three degrees of seperation from royalty. A classmate of joe's threw a hari raya party, and it turns out that his mother's cousin married into the royal family, so the couple showed up as well but didn't really socialise. They looked fairly ordinary, none of the ceremonial dress they have on in the photos in every building. It was interesting (to me) to see how everyone parted as they made their way into the house, taking turns to kiss their hands, you felt the aura of royalty rather than saw the glitz you normally associate with being king.

Drinks are just as expensive as in singapore, with beer costing RM15 after happy hour (and the place we went had their clocks 10 min fast, so we missed out) and cocktails about RM20 to 30.

I tried to dress like a malaysian and failed for the second time. Tevas and fisherman pants don't cut it, it seems. Bermudas and tevas are an even bigger giveaway that you are not from around here. To blend in, you have to:
- not wear anything skimpy or shorts. Or you could, and look like an ah lian.
- wear cheap slippers. or high heels. Avoid sporty expensive sandals.
- take the bus. these are usually smoky old heaps, standing next to one can give you lung cancer. you do get locals riding the subway and the monorail, just not as many.
- be extremely fashionable or suitably daggy. I didn't see many people dressed in classic cuts, and if you wear quick dry khaki togs, you have lost the battle.