Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka

August 31st

The Federation of Malaya achieved independence from colonial British on August 31st 1957, every year Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) is commemorated with a parade and other performances at Merdeka Square, there are also fireworks displayed at the Twin Towers and at the Golden Triangle. However, I found out today that Merdeka Day celebration is postponed until September 16th because it coincides with Hari Raya. September 16th commemorates the joining of Sabah and Sarawak (the Malaysian Borneo states) into the new federation. As you will see below, the usual massive Malaysian flag at Merdeka square is missing from the massive flagpole. 

Across from Merdeka Square is the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, it is one of the example of Moorish architecture influence in older buildings in KL. Also in the area is the Dayabumi Complex which is one of the many buildings in Malaysia that is designed in Islamic style. From  above, the footprint of the building is an eight pointed star, the facade of the building also adorn the patterns of the eight pointed star, which is an important motive in Islamic architecture. 

Although there was no celebration for Merdeka Day tonight, there were still quite a handful of people at the Square. It's a mix of locals and foreign visitors who were playing with these glow in the dark vertical slingshots.. I went home and set off our own fireworks; as I have always bragged about how amazing Malaysian fireworks are, I'm proud to show the video that I recorded of the fireworks (at the bottom of the post) from tonight, the official ones are even more captivating :)

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station from Merdeka Square

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station with the Dayabumi Complex in the background. 

Railway Station with KL Tower in the background

Merdeka Square's giant flagpole missing its giant Malaysian flag

Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Like Muslims elsewhere in the world, Malaysian Malay (who are Muslims) fasted during the holy month of Ramadhan. Every year during this month, there is a street  at the Golden Triangle (commercial, shopping and entertainment hub, just like Toronto's Yonge and Dundas area, but a lot bigger) in Kuala Lumpur that is filled with food stalls selling Malay food so that Muslim working in the area can easily get Malay food to break fast. One of the things that I like about Malaysia is that everyone get to enjoy other ethnics' food. Therefore the stalls are not only crowded with Malays but also Chinese and Indians who enjoy good food as well. 

Hari Raya (New Year) is determined by the sighting of the new moon, Malays will invite their friend and relatives to come to their house, serving the guest with plenty of Malay delicacies. The city is quite empty on the first day of Raya, because most of the Malays would have gone back to their hometown or as we call it, balik kampung. It is a lot more festive at the villages with kid lighting home made bamboo firecrackers and blasting fireworks. 

 Ramadhan food stalls at the Golden Triangle

 Lots of fried food

 Halal dim sums so that Muslim can enjoy chinese food

 Selection for Nasi Lemak

 Drinks

 Display of traditional rumah kampung (village house) at the mall

Celebrating at neighbor's place

 Malay cookies

The one with the leaves are called "lemang" - charcoal grilled sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves in a bamboo stick (bamboo stick is removed after cooking)

Traditional Malay percussion music performance at the mall. Note that there are stones in the wok.

Makcik (auntie) selling lemang

the First Day

Locals point of view

- shots of daily morning market (pasar pagi) near my house

- guy making a popular south indian dish that Malaysians would have for breakfast or snacks

- malaysian usually eat out, even for breakfast; we do so at kopitiams (coffee shops) which have different stalls selling all sort of dishes that someone in North America would only have for lunch or dinner

- for example, my breakfast was Char Kuey Teow, a very oily fried noodle. There are alot of Char Kuey Teow wannabes in Toronto

Guy selling putu mayam, a southern india dish which is coconut rice flour served with brown sugar...

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putu_mayam

Apam Balik - Malaysian Waffle with peanuts and sweet corn

 http://www.followmefoodie.com/2010/06/malaysia-street-food-apam-balik/

Uncle (we call every guy older than us uncle) making my breakfast

Western food in kopitiam (coffee shop)

My breakfast - Char Kuey Teow

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_kway_teow

Dinner - stove grilled squids and clams with green bean. It's very very spicy...

Foreigner point of view:

-been told that jaywalking is actually safer than crossing at lights

-found of that it is actually true as during rush hour, traffic lights mean nothing, red does not mean stop for cars as long as there is a herd of drivers that want to run the red light

-jaywalking in KL freaks me out...

Tomorrow: more on Malay New Year and Malaysian Independence Day celebration..

the First Step

So I've been bugged enough times to finally create this blog, it's my fault really since I said so freely that I will create a travel blog for my three weeks vacation in Malaysia and Thailand. Nonetheless, I'm more than happy to do so knowing that I have friends who are very interested in Malaysian food and culture (you know who you are..).

I think what makes blogging about Malaysia so different and interesting is that I will be writing from a local but foreign perspective, yes an oxymoron. Local as I grew up in this tropical country that is rich with culture and amazing food (if you know me enough, you will realize that everything comes back to food). Foreign as I have been away long enough, to feel like a foreigner when I'm back in Malaysia and somehow no longer refer to her as home..

As I see myself travelling more often in the future, this will be a good place to start piling up pictures and my random thoughts as I discover other places let it be another continent or just another region in Ontario.

Your thoughts, comments and discussions are much appreciated..

Here I go!