Deserted

Taking the opportunity to escape the tropical Malaysian heat for a spell without needing to psych myself up for a winter scenario,  the desert-scape of the United Arab Emirates offered a perfect reprieve for the first part of Christmas vacation.  While not always possible, I enjoy being about to travel with no expectations and only a few presumptions; the UAE was surprising and fascinating in every way and it made for a phenomenal "winter" vacation locale.

Dubai
I learned quickly - thanks in part to the informative audio guide on the Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour - that the country is made up of seven "emirates" (like states) that formed under one union in the early 1970's, of which Dubai is one and of which Dubai (the city) is located within. The largest and most populous, Dubai (city) is a clean and well-organized metropolis that finds a way to be both shiny and modern and yet decidedly Arab at the same time.


One of the first things one notices - because, how can you not?! - is the towering spire of a building, the Burj Khalifa.  The current holder of the "world's tallest building," it punctures the sky with its quickly tapering design at nearly 830 meters (a little over 2,720 feet).  While it can be viewed from most everywhere in the city so long as another very tall building is not directly in front of it, it was well worth a visit to the base of this monster at sunset to watch the mesmerizing fountain show that takes place nightly in the giant artificial pool between the tower and the neighboring Dubai Mall. If anything will enchant grown adults and transform them into wondrous, glazy-eyed children, the dancing a giant shoots of water set to flashing lights and lively electropop-Arabic music will!

Burj Al Arab from the top of the Big Bus

Another notable architectural site is the Burj Al Arab, a hotel located along the coast and built to resemble a sail of an Arabian dhow boat.  Built on an artificial island, the 5-Star hotel has been facetiously called the world's only 7-Star hotel due to it's extravagant rooms, restaurants, and lobby, not to mention the rooms range from $2,000 - $24,000USD per night.  While the hotel is limited to guests and those with restaurant reservations (made well-ahead of time) the nearby and public Jumeirah Beach offers a respectable view.

As Dubai has seen most of it's growth in recent years, there isn't much a historic center to speak of.  Aside from a few preserved or refurbished/recreated structures along the Dubai Creek on city's west side where it originated as a fisherman's village and pearl hunting post, not much remains.  One point of interest in this section of the city, however, is the Centre for Understanding an interactive museum where guests are offered a meal - we went for a late breakfast - and question and answer session with the local Emirati curators.  Following the delicious food and conversation is an opportunity to try on the national dress and take photos.

The Dubai creek is still a bustling canal filled with dhows.

Delicious traditional breakfast foods at the Center for Understanding.

While the winter months are the epitome of comfortable weather, the other part of the year is down-right oppressive with temperatures soaring near 50ºC (120ºF). It is not surprising then, that shopping is a major pass time in the UAE. While not intended destinations for all, it is undoubtedly impossible to not find oneself inside a mall at one point or another.  The Mall of the Emirates, as one example is world-famous for it's indoor skiing slope, and the aforementioned Dubai Mall is the largest in the world by area at 12.1 million square feet (compared to the roughly 2.8 million square feet of the Mall of America). Some people (cough, cough) have been known to get lost inside.

Abu Dhabi
When I was young, my only knowledge of this far-off place was that it was where Garfield the cartoon cat mailed in a box his obnoxiously vain, unwanted house guest Nermal in a couple of episodes. While there were no Nermal sightings, there was plenty to see in the country's capital city and capital of the largest emirate.

First up was the immense and blindingly white Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, initiated by and named after the first president of the UAE.  Built between 1996 and 2007, it is a relatively new structure, however, it is culturally significant as the former leader had wanted the opulent structure to blend traditional and modern Arabic and Islamic art and architecture as a way to unite all the cultures of the Islamic world.  While men were fine entering so long as they were dressed modestly in long pants and shirts that covered the shoulder, women needed to cover their heads, arms, and legs; women can acquire a loaned robe to wear should they not be attired appropriately.

It was just as impossible to take a bad photo in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque,
as it was to truly capture the immensity of the place.

Though the structure appears blindingly white, there are many
intricate inlayed mosaics throughout the structure.

While not as spectacular as the Dubai skyline, Abu Dhabi's is still a sight to see, one we enjoyed from an Arab restaurant along the Breakwater Marina as the sun set and the lights of the city came to life.

Abu Dhabi skyline from the Breakwater Marina at dusk.

Being located in a desert does not afford a lot of tourist destinations outside of the cities, however, there are plenty of desert outings available, from dune-bashing to camel-riding. We opted for a more relaxed visit and simply took a bus out of the city for a few miles to watch the sun set below the horizon in inspiring pinks and oranges while camels and antelopes made their way to wherever it is camels and antelopes sleep!

I've transited through Dubai once before and imagine it could happen again.  I had never assumed there to be so much to see and do but will think twice in the future about extending my layover, even if it's just for a quick shopping trip and authentic hummus and falafel.

Under My Belt

One year in Southeast Asia and Malaysia has flown by. I feel like I have both traveled a lot and not at all; learned much about the history, culture, and language, and know nothing at the same time.

After a year I can celebrate a few things, reflecting back on one of my first posts:

• I have a dedicated running route and the monkeys that plagued a part of it earlier this year have been either disposed of and/or there is more enforcement of the "not feeding the monkeys" thing. 
• I feel comfortable saying "thank you" (terima kasih) and "good morning" (selamat pagi) in Bahasa Malaya without it feeling contrived, and can recognize a slew of other words when written out. Important ones like "danger" (awas), "stop" (berhenti), and "restroom" (tanda).
• I have found a great group of new friends to go hiking and exploring with, finding hidden waterfalls and mountaintops to venture to on weekends or even after school.
• Despite a rocky culinary start with a few nasty bouts of true heartburn, I have grown more tolerant to the level of spice and heat in the local cuisines. I've found a favorite "stalls" place in my neighborhood that serves amazing, authentic Thai dishes (except when they are suddenly closed for a "boarder run"). My developing palate can handle a moderate bowl of laksa (Malaysian soup) and I will never turn down some roti kanai (twisted flatbread) or teh tarik (pulled black tea with milk).  Being located centrally in Southeast Asia has its perks, food-wise, and with the diverse styles of Indian, Chinese, and Malay cooking, the choices are sometimes overwhelming!

In flipping through the pictures on my phone from the last nearly twelve months, I rediscovered some that I imagine I had intended to write about. Others were just oddities that are now not so odd, and others will have to speak for themselves...

Behold the ping-pong ball-sized pulasan, not to be confused with the rambutan,
though they (and the lychee) both look like slippery eye balls once peeled.

Then, there's always new, regional flavors of Kit Kats to try...?

Hashtag you know you live in a Muslim country when...
Something tells me this won't be appearing on any airline in-seat monitors in the
western world anytime soon. Standard on Malaysian Air flights.

One day I was brave and took my phone out on the walk to work, risking it being
stolen...by monkeys.  The trick is to not make eye contact and keep moving.

Malaysia, you are truly Asia, and I look forward to knowing you better!

Painting the Town

If there was one place in the entire country that embodies the essence of the "1 Malaysia" campaign, the island of Penang and the city of Georgetown, specifically, would be its poster-child.  With a history as rich colorful as the street scenes one is involuntarily immersed in, Georgetown is the melting pot of cultures, food, and history Malaysians sell to the outside world.

Typical shophouses in the historic UNESCO-protected part of Georgetown.

Founded in the last part of the 1800's as a way for the British to get a foothold on the spice trade from China to India to compete with the Dutch East India Company, Fort Cornwallis was established on the northeastern point of the island. Though the fort saw little action, this essentially served as the birthplace of Georgetown the settlement which grew out, southward from it. Due to Penang's location and opportunities, Georgetown quickly took on the identity of a cultural cornucopia - immigrants from Europe - namely British and Armenian - Siammese (Thailand), Burmese (Myanmar), Indians, Chinese, Indonesians, and Malays, all took their places in this new city, finding niches to fill within the community while holding on to their own traditions.

Left: Canons along the walls of Fort Cornwallis
Right: A statue to the "founder" of Georgetown and a captain for the British East
India Company, Sir Francis Light, who arrived on the island in July of 1786.

Strolling down the street today, past old tin workshops with lettering in cantonese (Chinese) characters on lanes named after undeniably English names, it is not hard to notice the myriad cultures still present, though arguably fewer and more integrated. Dodging motorbikes in Little India whilst Tamil music blares from a neighborhood spice shop and then crossing the road toward a small mosque with teenagers hanging outside discussing something in Bahasa Malaya. Within a five minute walk one can pass a centuries old Hindu temple, Buddhist monastery, mosque, and the first Anglican church in the country.  It is conceivable to eat laksa soup for lunch, have an afternoon snack of tea of mooncakes, and finish off with biryani and samosas for dinner, all without leaving a one-block area.

Georgetown has become known for a number of street art installations, which
make for an entertaining scavenger hunt whilst wandering the historic city-center.
Many of the above were rendered by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic.

Fountain outside the City Hall building.
My camera's shutter is not functioning correctly and repeatedly blacked out
a portion of my shots, however, I like the effect it had here.

The Ming Xiang Tai bakery is famous for their egg tarts, siew pau (pictured),
and other Chinese (Cantonese) pastries.

The temperature was hot and the covered walkways were a welcome way to try
and escape the afternoon heat...and motorbikes.

The Jubilee Clock Tower: built in 1897 for Queen
Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and is 60 feet tall, one
foot for each year. The tower leans slightly due to
bombing that occurred during World War II.

While two days was not enough to experience everything Georgetown has to offer, it was ample time to get lost in the time-machine that the city has remained; thinking about all the crumbling store fronts have seen, inhaling in all smells - aromatic, nauseating, and questionable - that emanate from often mysterious places or origin, standing in a sea of people in a street market listening to the cacophony of languages and dialects being spoken, mixed, and understood.