While author Elizabeth Gilbert had to travel to three countries to eat, pray and love which she chronicled in her New York Times best seller Eat, Pray, Love, I simply visited one metropolis in an amazing country to experience it all. Malaysia: The land of diversity and contrast is the nation’s slogan and it is visible in every hole in the wall restaurant all the way up to their highest government courts.
I have lived outside of the U.S. and feel connected to the other side of the world but I am not an avid traveler. This reality however, doesn’t prevent me from having a philosophy on the matter. Whether I am traveling through my Golden state of California or across the globe, I sincerely believe that it doesn’t matter where you go – it’s the open minded wonder that helps us see a place and it’s people; a treasure at every corner and a deep connection in every chat with a local. Part of my philosophy is to really attempt to soak in a place and adding notches to my travel belt by island hopping throughout Malaysia or nearby countries would mean dipping a toe in and certainly no soul drenching experiences, the way I like. Here on Voicebowl, I’m taking you to Malaysia’s most diverse city, Kuala Lumpur with modern high rises and ancient sites all nestled in a rainforest. Let’s eat, pray and love!
Eat
Fried foods that burst in your mouth with a loud crunch then ooze either a sweet filling (kuia kodok – banana fritters) or a spicy kick (curry puffs) are a must. Malaysia is famous for their curries that look to create a fiery pit in your stomach but are almost sweet since most of the food utilizes palm sugar to balance flavors. A side of homemade sambal or other chillied concoctions are presented on the side, should you need more heat. Fish of every kind wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over flaming coals is succulent and noodles swimming in flavorful broths are to be slurped until gone. The steaming dumplings are a surprise of flavors in every little parcel. Needless to say, Chinese, Malay, Indian flavors all coexist in this city. And don’t forget the Durian which tastes like an overripe mango. Try it, don’t be a baby!
Street food stalls to gourmet restaurants all have a place in KL. The food is better at small eateries, for sure. The national dish Nasi Lemak or Nasi Kerabu is food for the soul and served for breakfast in most authentic restaurants. Try Restoran Anis Putri. Its street is lined with other family owned restaurants; tin roofs and motorcycles zipping past. Restoran Anis Putri served authentic Malay dishes plus, a modern banquet area in the back if you want to be away from the street elements. The owners, like all Malaysians were inviting and even made my husband a plate saying “try it, I eat this every day.”
Pray
“The lamp is different but the light is the same.” These words by Rumi fit Kuala Lumpur like a glove. My overenthusiastic husband, pre-teen daughter and even my sluggish 9-year-old son and myself all had something specific we wanted to do on our trip and mine was to see a few places of worship and investigate if the country’s slogan matched their actual society.
Thean Hou Temple: Nestled in the forest city, the Buddhist temple Thean Hou is a postcard you can actually walk through. The Chinese architecture painted a bright white accented with shining red dragons and cobalt patterns are a visual feast. After a short flight of stairs, you are greeted with strings of yellow lanterns leading to the actual altar to the temple. Lotus flower shaped candles and incense are lit by worshippers wanting to make offerings.
The temple was lively yet, the worshippers kneeling on red cushions looking up at content smiling statues emanated a kind of humble stillness. I observed a worshipper who held his eyes tightly shut as he prayed deeply for a long while. I wondered how great his burdens, wishes, grievances or transgresses must have been. After his intense prayer, he stood, turned and walked swiftly out of the temple. He must have had other tasks to carry out in his day and seemed to have left his previous concerns at the temple footsteps – believing his creator would now tend to them.
The Wilayah Mosque was the spiritual and physical cooling we all needed. The grand arches that gave shade, cooling marbled floors throughout and an exquisite sense of peace soothed us. Ahmed Ridwan our personal tour guide with a permanent smile gave us insightful and knowledgeable information on the Muslim majority country and its aim to keep religious harmony amongst the faiths. We picked his brain for over two hours as he took us through the mosque. Then, we prayed next to Muslim Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arab, African and even a few American ex-pats, side by side. Later, we had tofu fritters with our gracious host who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
No matter your faith, you must visit this grand prayer rug of a mosque – housed with a school, cafeteria, library, harem like baths for ablution – a hive for those seeking knowledge and enlightenment. During prayer times worshippers abandon everyday life and fill the mosque with souls buzzing and bow deeply in worship.
Batu Caves: I’m certain every visitor to Malaysia puts the magnificent Batu caves on their itinerary and rightfully so. The caves are not in KL but in Selangor and are impressive on first sight with the 140 ft. high golden statue of Murugan. Hindu worshippers and tourists of varying faiths flock to its rainbow steps and many temples within the caves. Curious monkeys travel up and down the stairs and are both fun and perhaps, a bit too friendly with the incentive of a snack from you.
Once you reach the top of the bright stairs, the cave’s giant mouth entrance greets you with cooling misty air. Natures complimentary air conditioning is offered via the Sungai river that flows past the caves with tiny waterfalls and constant misting that settles on your face as you crane your neck to stare up and around. Beams of sun light that pierces through the gaps in the cave ceiling gently touches the temples and their worshippers alike as they humbly press their palms together in peace.
The jungle: Malaysia is home to a magnificent rain forest and nearby Borneo jungle. While the jungle rainforest is not a conventional place of worship, you can certainly pray here and watch monkeys swing from treetops, hear exotic bird songs, feel the humidity wrap your skin and taste the misty air and lastly, feel yourself be grateful. Visiting the botanical gardens, the Forest eco park and hike into a few nameless forest areas to just exist is a prayer in itself.
Love
I don’t know if you ever have to look for love. You just have to show up and take a seat. One of my most favorite things in Malaysia was meeting its people. I struck conversations where ever I could such as with our Ginger foot spa therapists at Pak Boh in the Central Market or our 20 plus Grab (Uber) drivers from all parts of Malaysia who shared their stories and asked questions about our lives back home, in wonder. We chatted with people for just a few moments and were even generously invited to join them and their families for dinner.
The hospitality of the Malaysian people was other worldly. From the perspective of my journalist self and tireless connection seeker, I witnessed the fearless love of the Malaysian people in their faithful implementation in the coexist movement on every level. My conclusion: Their society lives up to their country’s slogan. Everyone I met in Malaysia wore a smile, even if some only to make me smile. We had an exchange and connection in every interaction. This was my version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s love part, hers in Bali and mine in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All I had to do to receive this love was show up and take a seat for a little bit in this beautiful country.
