Eating
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I travel the world to see the world. But I also travel the world to eat its food! I have seen it and eaten it. And it is good. Kebabs in Australia. Bratwurst in Germany. Curry in Thailand. Fish and chips in England. Paella in Spain. Gyros in Greece. Now, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Chinese food. Though it may not be China, there is a great population of Chinese and it’s almost like being there. (And I will be there in a matter of days.)
Our hostel was in Chinatown, just a short walk down the street from the night market that’s open from 5:00 to 10:00 each night. As I walked toward it, the smoke from the street side vendor’s stalls wafted in my direction and my clothes began to smell as if they marinated all night in some succulent sauce. With my appetite whetted, I continued on as the lingering smell of all things barbequed (known or unknown) filled the air.
Brad and I sat among the red and yellow tables on the edge of a narrow road that was blocked off so the market could fill the expanse. The restaurants that lined each side extend their seating into the street. Neon signs adorn the buildings giving it a twilight feeling late into the night as the masses strolled by.
Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur
Beyond the restaurants are more vendors selling everything from Gucci bags to Rolex watches to CK perfume to Polo shirts to Shrek 2 DVDs to non-brand name exotic fruits and vegetables. Nearing 11:00pm, there was no sign of pedestrian traffic slowing down. A man across the way beat on his bongo drum and sang “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Sing it, brotha. Thousands of miles away from home and maybe I, too, am an owner of a heart that is a bit lonely. But you get too sentimental if you think about that kind of stuff this far away. It’s better to just think about the food.
I’ve never seen a place as diverse as KL. The Lonely Planet guidebook calls it a “…curious blend…” of cultures. Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus as well as many others live together in this city. To really make the point clear, we took a three-hour intimate (three guides to two of us) tour of the city. Each person was one of the three major religions. The Buddhist guide made a comment to the effect of, “…if the three of us can get along why can’t the rest of the world?” Good point. Why can’t we? Why do some feel it is their responsibility to kill others in the name of religion? And why do others kill them? I don’t want to talk about killing. Let’s get back to the food.
I’ve eaten lots of rice dishes, noodles, and my new favorite is peppered chicken. The Chinese really know how to do that. Amid the mixture of the smells of food in the air and the sounds of the different languages and the flow of people walking by kept the senses stimulated and wanting more. So more we had.
And if you’re going to have a lonely heart, you may as well have a full stomach.
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