Malacca, Malaysia

February is all about the number two, and 2/22 is a palindrome too! The Dutch took Malacca from the Portuguese in the 1600s. To commemorate that era, the city has built a Dutch windmill. It seems to be a rare case, at least in Asia, of post-colonial history proudly incorporating colonial themes. Be sure to see tomorrow's post. [2011]

Malacca, Malaysia

In an effort to connect with their Islamic foundations and negate all the attention paid to the Portuguese, Malaysians rebuilt a long-gone nouria on the Malacca River. It's ancestors are in medieval Syria. Although this one is just a showpiece, its original purpose would have been to serve the famous trading city on the Strait of Malacca. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

You've heard of a double-wide. Well, here's a double-tall. But, the two doubles are at opposite ends of the socioeconomic spectrum. There is really no reason for KL to have two of the tallest buildings in the world, but the Petronas Towers sure did put Malaysia on the map! [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Before you enter any mosque in the world, you are obligated to remove your shoes. Outside, they will wait for you. Of course, it is far easier to do in Malaysia, where the tropical climate permits sandals year-around. Actually, though, families almost everywhere in the world will ask you to remove your shoes before entering their homes (exception: USA). [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Compare Christianity's Roman Catholic cathedrals to Hinduism's Tamil temples. Just as Christian architecture may have reached the pinnacle of magnificence with the Gothic cathedral, Hindu architecture may have reached the same point with the temples of southern India and Sri Lanka, after which the Sri Kandaswamy Kovil was modeled. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

These folks are Chinese, a minority in a land of Malays. Evidence: traditional Chinese characters on the sign. If you are still in doubt, sound out "Xiang Yees." Yes, the object of the transliteration seems to be English rather than Malay! As for restoran, it's a Malay word borrowed from English. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Wheel chair rolling. Pedestrian strolling. Corner approaching. Two souls rendezvousing.
An uneasy feeling. Back pocket starts squealing. Wallet's revealing some ringgits for dealing.
Some gracious accepting. Lives intersecting. Good deeds compiling. God must be smiling.
[2011]

THE BACKSTORY ~ Posted on the 10^th Anniversary of Geographically Yours, 4 August 2020: When I saw this transaction unfolding on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, I had to get to my camera fast. I knew something was taking place that everyone should see. I had to document it. Snap, snap, snap: Done. This is the way “almsgiving” works in a Muslim society. People take care of those who can’t easily take care of themselves, even if they are strangers. Just don’t call it charity! It is nothing “over and above”; it is the least that God expects. Here were a few seconds of performance art that made tangible one of the pillars of Islam. It reminded me so much of my studies and travels in the Arab World, where I met some of the kindest and most hospitable people anywhere. I am so glad I was quick on the draw with my point-and-shoot (so much more responsive than those old 35mm varieties I used to strap around my neck). After I returned home, I found the images here to be among my favorite mementoes. I liked the scene so much I wrote the poem above. D.J.Z.

Malacca, Malaysia

Since it is Friday night, you can be sure that Jonker Walk in Malacca's Chinatown is alive with activity. It's the setting for one of Asia's famous night markets. But be careful: There are all sorts of chimerical creatures lurking in the shadows. [2011]

Malacca, Malaysia

People you meet in graveyards might be ghosts, so be careful! But, would a ghost be trying to find a renter for a flat in Malacca? Built by the Portuguese, St. Paul's was the first Christian church in Malaya. Today, its architectural shell and its graveyard are part of the historic core of the city. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In the center of Kuala Lumpur, at the point where the Klang and Gombak rivers meet, not even the mosques can win the battle with skyscrapers for visual dominance. Commerce comes before creed in most world cities, and KL is no exception. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

You can watch the transition from raw material to finished product right before your eyes. No long-distance food chains here. In fact, this grass originated somewhere in the nearby tropics. You recognize it, right? Sugar cane and fresh cane juice (the non-alcoholic kind). Natural, local, pure, refreshing. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Elephants used to abound in Southeast Asia. Now, thanks to human greed, they are an endangered species. You can probably see more elephants in statuary in Malaysia than in the wild. Here are three small ones, maybe pygmies, gathered around a watering hole. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Low rise, high rise.
Lots of 'partments. A surprise?
Not when cities grow apace.
They just might run out of space.
So up they climb, into the sky.
Towards the sun, which makes things dry.
[2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Whatever be the future of food, bananas are sure to be part of it. Here is what you call a hand of bananas. Can you count the fingers? Can you accept the fact that the banana is botanically a berry? The future of food? It's the theme of this year's Geography Awareness Week. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The rest of the world could not believe the American electorate had actually voted for a Presidential candidate named Barack Hussein Obama. He quickly became an international rock star. At home, though, the story was different, and you rarely saw Ts like this, especially three years after his election. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

There they are: the other twin towers, known by the name PETRONAS. Between 1998 and 2004, they ranked as tallest buildings in the world. Why does KL need such superlatively tall buildings? (a) To maximize return on high-priced land in the CBD. (b) To maximize brand recognition and attract attention. Answer: 10% the former, 90% the latter. [2011]

Malacca, Malaysia

Hibiscus flowers can brighten up any canal-side garden. In Malaysia, they are so popular that the red variety was chosen as the national flower. Here, though, yellow is the perfect power player: It demands focused attention at the expense of everything else. [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The best place names offer geography lessons. Kuala Lumpur, for instance, means "muddy confluence." The city was founded at the point where two streams come together to form a third.  You can see that point here. Today, the confluence is occupied by the Jamek mosque, which is backed up by the city's financial district. [2011]

Malacca, Malaysia

If history is gone, you can always bring it back. That's what happened in Malacca several years ago when the famous fort built by the Portuguese was reconstructed riverside. Too puny to be the real thing, don't you think? So, it must be a scale model. Nevertheless, when you see a fort, ask yourself: Why was this a strategic location at one time? [2011]

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In the foreground is Bricktown, one of the historic (now upgraded) neighborhoods of Kuala Lumpur.  In the background are the two icons of Kuala Lumpur's skyline: the Petronas Twin Towers at 1483 feet and the Kuala Lumpur Tower at 1381 feet to the top of the antenna. The former is an office building; the latter a telecommunications tower. [2011]