I would like to write about what I didn't find on other blogs or in guidebooks during preparations for the trip. So I won't write once again that Singapore is a the-most-of-the-city, or that Penang is a food paradise... That's what you can find anywhere else, even without zero effort :) So it will be more practically, showing how we did it and how we survived it and what surprised us, astonished us or disgusted us. So for next generations... and for us in our old age :)
Now, briefly about what surprised, shocked, amazed us or just made us smile during a trip to Singapore and Malaysia, namely, travel's titbits.
Mixture of Chinese , Hindu, Muslim, Malay and European culture makes it a dream destination for the first trip to Asia. ALL IN ONE :) You can taste a little bit of everything and then decide what should be the goal next trip. I fall in love with beaches & nature, Hindu temples, and especially Chinese food. So it should mean that the next Pingwinek's trip will be a great trip to India, China and Thailand ;) But back to the present, we discovered many curiosities in Malaysia and Singapore
13 Curiosities & positive surprises
Cholinex and air conditioning.
In almost every store we have seen a shelf with drugs. Of course, there are medications necessities for food poisoning or fever. But apart from them, man can find at least 15 different flavors of Cholinex (or Strepsils) in mini packs of 2 pcs. At first this wide range and small packages has surprised me a bit. It is so uneconomical! However, after a few days of using public transport, sightseeing, going inside and ouside, etc., I understood. Going in and out, from a temperature of 30 degrees to 18 (or less) degrees of the indoor due to air conditioning can quickly make a sore throat. And then it is good to have a choice ... ;)
7 eleven anytime, anywhere.
A first-contact-store and always at near you. Actually, I have not seen other food chain stores. All open 24 hours a day (a paradise for anyone who lives in Denmark ...: D). They are literally everywhere, in every tiny town and have everything. From drinks, chips, cookies, by coffee, pastries, bread, Chinese soups that you can cook on the spot! To cosmetics, medicines (above) and "shelves for travelers" with all kinds of mini toiletries, padlocks, sets the thread, raincoats, etc. No need to worry that you didn't packed something. For sure you will find it in 7eleven :)
Queues to public transport.
Often you can hear an ironic "name" for Singapore as "a fine city", because of the number of prohibitions and harshness of the law. Ban on selling chewing gum, eating on the subway or the death penalty for drug possession at first glance surprise most of visitors. Specially dedicated space - the queue to the metro carriage or city bus also surprise people at the first glance. However, after returning to Europe and the first contact with public transport, we think it's a wonderful and great invention, which should be introduced everywhere ... Nobody pushes, no people in the starting blocks as soon as the bus emerges from the corner, no more rushing grandmothers ... everyone peacefully waiting in the queue. Peace and relax.
Often you can hear an ironic "name" for Singapore as "a fine city", because of the number of prohibitions and harshness of the law. Ban on selling chewing gum, eating on the subway or the death penalty for drug possession at first glance surprise most of visitors. Specially dedicated space - the queue to the metro carriage or city bus also surprise people at the first glance. However, after returning to Europe and the first contact with public transport, we think it's a wonderful and great invention, which should be introduced everywhere ... Nobody pushes, no people in the starting blocks as soon as the bus emerges from the corner, no more rushing grandmothers ... everyone peacefully waiting in the queue. Peace and relax.
Cats cats everywhere cats in Malaysia.
I have written about them here. In Singapore there aren't so many, because there are almost European standards of cleanliness everywhere ;)
Maneki neko and Hello Kitty.
Speaking of cats, you have to mention two types of cats that you meet everywhere in Asia.
Maneki Neko is a Japanese lucky cat. At the beginning it annoyed me that it is everywhere, these trashy cat with a raised paw, often waving and in flocks. But after a while, you begin to see their charm. Now I regret that I did not buy one of these below ...
Speaking of cats, you have to mention two types of cats that you meet everywhere in Asia.
Short explanation: Neko - simply means "cat", maneki - derived from the verb maneku, which one of the meanings can be translated as "invite". Such "inviting cat" can occur in a variety of colors that have different meanings: Tricoloured provides happiness and wealth, green is good health, white represents purity and innocence, black repels demons and tormentors, brings a wealth of gold, red stripped disease, and pink attracts admirers.
Hello Kitty itself did not surprise me, in the end it is Asia. But variations of it really amazed me sometimes :)
Super VIP buses.
That means 3 rows wide striped armchairs with footstools. Oooo that is the way to travel :) You seat in a luxury - there is more space than in Airbus380, where we were seating 12 hours ... When I first heard the slogan "super VIP" tickets from the salesman I thought it was a marketing trick. But no, it really is a super VIP! It is worth asking about the number of rows that the bus has - the fewer rows, the more space for our legs! We have chosen night buses a couple times so we paid attention if the bas has super VIP standards, because you can sleep almost normally during whole ride, and further, save on accommodation. Buses are quite cheap there!
Rest'n'go always and everywhere.
We mean a enormous leather massage chairs. The trick in Malaysia is that you can find them literally EVERYWHERE. While it seems quite normal to put them in shopping malls or at bus stations, it can be quite strangely to have them for example in the sultan's palace may seem strange.
We mean a enormous leather massage chairs. The trick in Malaysia is that you can find them literally EVERYWHERE. While it seems quite normal to put them in shopping malls or at bus stations, it can be quite strangely to have them for example in the sultan's palace may seem strange.
But the best place in which we have seen Rest'n'go is a .... MOSQUE (Straits Mosque on water in Malacca).
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| Pragmatism or kitsch? |
Backwards jackets.
You never know when it rains in Malaysia so you want to be prepared for that - if you put a jacket backwards then it does not flood when it rains suddenly and also it is still quite chilly in 30-degree heat.
Everywhere you can read and hear that the food in Malaysia is delicious. And I totally agree with that :) But what most stick in my memory and taste is dim sum or Chinese breakfast. Small steamed or fried snacks, served with tea (like ravioli, croquet, sushi and variations of this type with the addition of soy or chilli sauce).
First thoughts during the visit in Low Yong Moh Restaurant (Jalan Tukang Emas, Malacca) was pretty sceptical ("if I eat these little dumplings, will I have strength for all-day walking?") ... Until I tried. Good, flavourful, nutritious and varied. And this place in Malacca is really special. We tried dim sum in Georgetown (which all call food paradise), and in Singapore, but none have been as good as in Malacca
Takeaway.
Inventiveness and resourcefulness at every step. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, that you can packed freshly squeezed juice in plastic bags and rubber bands, I would not have believed it. In the same way they pack sauces of various types. So smart!
They have also some smart ideas to pack the hot drinks.
Speed bumps.
Malaysians' inventiveness really has no bounds!
Western Union.
More exactly queues all Western Union office, although they can be found on almost every street in the city centre.
A dog.
... and a dog on the beach. Why a dog is a gem? Because the dog is in Malaysia is hard to find. Cats dominated the entire country. A dog having a holidays on the beach is just a rarity!
But Pingwinek meets not only an ecstasy and admiration in other countries. The dark side of the most tourist places is still there if you like it or not.
Bus terminal, the triumph of form over substance. 3 Small disappointments.
This topic deserves a separate thread ... But in a nutshell, some bus terminals in Malaysia (as sometimes pompously called) can be compared to a janitor dressed up for the teacher;s day :) Huge halls, few floors, so much space and maybe 10% of those are used (Ipoh or Jerteh).
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| Terminal Amanjaya Ipoh |
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| @ Jerteh bus station |
And this enormous number of separate ticket booths, each transport company has a separate cubicle, but there is not even one timetable or information booth which gathers all information where and when buses go, which company operated on which route etc. Well, you need to walk from one booth to another and ask to find the best and cheapest connection ...
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| Terminal Amanjaya Ipoh |
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| Terminal Amanjaya Ipoh |
Shoes prohibition, so if in Malaysia, wear only flip-flops...
Malaysia is a Muslim country, it's a well-known fact. There are other habits and tradition, it's a well-known fact. I am very tolerant of other cultures, traditions, and even eager to get to know them. Well and as far as taking off shoes before entering private houses or temples is reasonable and normal for me, but for goodness' sake ... in the hostel where the are mass of different people from all over the world and with all possible germs and microbes! Or in stores ... the general store on the main street ... It is hard to understand and tolerate.
Why everyone in Malaysia walks in flip-flops? I think it's obvious - it is faster to take them off and put on when it should be done almost anywhere. Unfortunately, in most accommodation, in which we have stayed , they maintain this habit. It looked like that they think it is less to clean up in this way ... And if it is less to clean, hardly no one bothers to clean up the floor - the result, in my subjective opinion, in hostels & hotels where you can walk in the shoes (remember that the flip-flops or slippers are also shoes!) there was usually cleaner than in those places, where there shoes were forbidden.
Tokens for public communication in Kula Lumpur.
Sooo embarrassing! I understand even the idea of a closed circuit by using tokens as a ticket (which you put like on a "piggy bank" at the exit), but it is not handy and so easy to lost it. It's hard to understand ... Switching to other lines are almost not possible to done thanks to that. And this is a situation in the capital!
Generally, communication in KL is chaotic and complicated - some private operators supports different subway lines, monorail and different buses lines ... For each operator you need a separate ticket. Changes are a hassle. And if you want to buy a token for the subway, there are usually long queues for ticket-machines ... It is also some a form of integrated tickets for COUPLE lines (Touch'n'go or Rapid Pass), but it does not always work or does not work for the lines which you want to go :) In KL you just have to be patient during travel from place A to place B with public communication.
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