New Orleans, LA

                    

Penang

Penang, a small island state in Malaysia, is located off the northwest coast of the mainland. We took a two hour bus ride to get to Georgetown, and grabbed a ferry to Penang. The state is heavily urbanized and is known for its street art.

This is a monorail going up Penang hill.

This is a famous temple called Kek Lok Si, which wasn't too far away from Penang hill. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Note: I'll be posting about my two-week trip in Malaysia in increments based on locations. My trip began on Sept. 2, when I landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. From the airport I took a bus into the city centre and checked into my hostel, Backhome. I grabbed a map and plotted a path traversing through the heart of the city. I started near Central Market, which was five minutes from the hostel. These photographs are from the span of a few days.

Malaysia is quite the diverse country. It contains a mixture of Chinese, Indian and Malays and Islam is a heavy presence in the country. Walking through Kuala Lumpur, I saw these cultures clashing distinctively. For example, among the jam-packed roads and streets are Chinese temples such as this one.

These temples are filled with statues, flowers and incense.

These hung from the ceiling in a lot of similar temples.

Coconut water is bountiful and refreshing, just like in India.

Central Market is a blue and white two-story building in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It hosts a wide-variety of stores where you can purchase garments, sculptures, jewelry, art and more. It also features a few eateries and a foot-cleansing station with garra rufa, also known as "doctor fish." I paid 10 MYR to put my feet in a tub filled with these fish that immediately flocked to my feet and began eating the dead skin cells. It's a weird, ticklish sensation, but you got used to it within a few minutes.

Behind the Central Market is an art gallery, showcasing the work of artists, some of who paint right there.

After sifting through the Central Market I ate at an airy and somewhat popular restaurant, Yut Kee on Jalan (street) Dang Wangi. The food I encountered is a mixture of Chinese, Indian and Malaysian cuisine, making it extremely flavorful. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of what I ate, so you'll have to take my word for it that the food in Malaysia looked and tasted great.

What I liked, if not more than the artwork at the Islamic Arts Museum, are the domes in the building that are prominent in mosques.

Little India was a little tricky to find but I think I walked through parts of it.

Here's the main part of Chinatown. The street food is delicious!

We went up the Kuala Lumpur Tower a few days later, as it's cheaper than going up the Petronas Towers. Also, I got to grab some pictures (below) of the iconic KL landscape from here.

A Ghostly Ruin: The Eastern State Penitentiary