I like saying it, it's silly, but it reminds me of I don't know which advert: BREAKFAST: Yangon (Myanmar) LUNCH: Bangkok (Thailand) DINNER: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) I sadly leave my friend Mike at Bangkok airport, where, after a day of shopping, he sets off, heading home.
Day 14 Jan 2007
KUALA LUMPUR
KL (as they call it here) is the usual urban agglomeration worthy of any Asian megalopolis. After 2 weeks in Burma I appreciate finding myself in "civilization" (even though nowadays civilization in these parts means having the greatest number of McDonald's, Burger King and Starbuck's...) without the danger of tripping in the potholes of the sidewalks. Even though the charm of Yangon is a thousand times superior to that of Kuala Lumpur, I wander around for more than two days, visiting the almost non-existent historical aspect of the city, which after all was only founded in the 19th century, and the myriad of skyscrapers that spring up like mushrooms in the cities of this corner of the world. Above all the Petronas Towers. I admit they impress: almost half a kilometer of height in two towers that besides the ultramodern appearance also have a certain design in Arab style. Fascinating.
For 20 minutes. Then, apart from the strange spectacle of seeing a river (literally!) of people returning to work after the lunch break (in 1 km of offices, vertically, I imagine how many thousands of good employees can be sitting at their little desks...), the city offers the usual chinatown overflowing with stalls, with built-in leech-sellers, ready to sell everything and more. But nothing to envy to dear Bangkok. Conclusion: I wanted to come to Kuala Lumpur, I did it, I explored it and I'm happy about it. But I would have no reason to return. At least I rested after a physically hard month.
Melaka - Portuguese church...
Day 27 Jan 2007
MELAKA
I arrive in Melaka with the best historical-cultural expectations, moreover galvanized by a bombarding advertisement in Kuala Lumpur where, in the year dedicated to tourism (what luck I have!), the city that gives its name to the famous strait is painted as the flagship of historical Malaysia. Damn. After 3 days in Melaka I therefore can't imagine the rest of the country. Maybe from the "historical" point of view I'm a bit too demanding and coming from Europe means my standards are a bit too "high", but, I'll say it clearly, Melaka disappoints me. Let's be clear, the city is pleasant, but far from what I sincerely expected. Apart from a couple of 17th-century churches (and this would be ancient?!?) and the square rebuilt as the Dutch themselves had designed it, the "historical pearl" of Malaysia ends there.
And so, also thanks to a violent tropical downpour that persists for more than 2 days, I take advantage of the nice hostel where I'm staying to read, sleep and relax to my heart's content. I therefore leave Malaysia with the clear memory of its modernity, cleanliness and organization. All things not easy to find in this part of Asia. But that at the same time present a continent that doesn't attract me. An Asia that doesn't feel like Asia to me. But in any case I want to come back here, to see more and to better understand this Malaysia.
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