Skip to main content

Why I love Malaysia


Globetrotters often express the following sentiment: "The best part of travel is coming home".

I am going to modify that slightly: "The best part of travel is returning to Malaysia."

After a few days in a foreign land I begin to crave for all things Malaysian and that include teh tarik, street food, ethnic diversity and even the corny (some may say racist) jokes that Malaysians are fond of making.

It would be nice if the weather was kinder, the transport system more efficient, traffic flow smoother and people remembered to hold doors behind them as a courtesy to others.

It's not perfect but we are getting there.

Today Malaysians celebrate the 47th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia when Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined Malaya on September 16, 1963. Singapore left the federation in 1965.

From this year Malaysia Day is a national holiday.

The following pictures show some of the things that make Malaysia so lovable.

Terengganu boasts the best beaches in Malaysia. This one is a short walk away from Awana Kijal Golf, Beach & Spa Resort. Go ahead ... indulge yourself with a weekend stay here. 

Malaysians and durian are inseparable. Some would disagree but they don't count.

Picture shows the interior of Hai Peng Kopitiam (Chinese coffee shop) in Kemaman, Terengganu. It is 70 years old and serves great local coffee, toasted bread with butter and kaya (egg custard). There is always a steady stream of visitors here so be prepared to wait for an empty table.

I miss Malaysian street food when I am abroad. Some complain that such places are dirty. Yes, that's true in a few cases but the majority of food stalls such as this one observe good food hygiene. 

Eating out Malaysian-style. Stalls like this are everywhere.

A mug of nescafe or teh tarik? This one is nescafe tarik. There is nothing I'd like better! Remember the English  and their inevitable cups of tea? The feeling is similar.

This is tako, a Thai dessert, made in Malaysia. The choice of sweet food is endless.

Hussain Restaurant serves the best Indian Muslim food in Peninsular Malaysia. I discovered this when I was in Sungai Petani, Kedah a few years ago. Don't forget to have your meals here whenever you are in Sungai Petani.
I am proud of the fact that we are multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. Let's inspire young Malaysians to appreciate diversity. Don' they look sweet?

Comments

Conny said…
That´s exactly why I chose to live in Malaysia. I love it...
FAEZAH ISMAIL said…
Good to know. Thanks for dropping by.

Popular Posts

A spot of rural tranquillity in Ipoh

Your nerves are frayed and you need a dose of pleasingly rustic ambience without having to leave the city. There is such a spot for you, if you are in Ipoh. All you need to do is head for a block of flats called Kinta Heights in Pekan Lama, Ipoh, Perak, which is next to the Kinta River, one of the main branches of the Perak River. Unbelievable, as it may seem, there are several nasi kandar outlets and sundry shops in the vicinity, set in the greenery, with a view and a walking path. I suggest that you have lunch at Ramli Nasi Kandar and after that, take a very short walk to the river bank for your rural retreat. You might be motivated to spend 10 minutes or more in total silence and tranquillity. This is the place I go to again and again. Ramli Nasi Kandar is next to the sundry shop A short bridge to the river bank  You will feel irritated by people putting litter on the ground but I refuse to allow that to distract me. There is a 'Do not litter' notice her

Rumi's gift

You've no idea how hard I've looked for a gift to bring You. Nothing seemed right. What's the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean. Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient. It's no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these. So- I've brought you a mirror. Look at yourself and remember me. Jalaluddin Rumi said it all.   That's her in the mirror. The face is the mirror of the soul.  She sees joy, despair, hope, doubt. This is the end of another year in her life. A time to reflect and express her emotions. Love, forgiveness, healing and trust dominate all kinds of thoughts. She did many things right but she wavered too. Listen to your inner voice. Pressure? Deal with it! Quiet successes inspire her with confidence. Failures provide just the spur she needs. As she looks back on the past year, she is grateful that she got through it. Rumi, thank you for your gift!

Next stop, Sungkai

The locomotive joins the failed train A routine trip to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a medical check up turned out to be a nightmare for Rabiaa Dani and her husband. Their ticket was for a day train ride to KL Sentral , leaving Ipoh railway station at 8.20am, and returning to Ipoh at night. The couple arrived safely at KL Sentral Station and proceeded to the hospital immediately. Everything went well at the hospital. They even managed to sneak a shopping trip to KLCC for a quick look see before returning to KL Sentral for their 7.40pm train back to Ipoh. The train (9032), like clockwork, departed at the scheduled time. Both Rabiaa and her husband fell asleep about ten minutes after the train had left KL Sentral station. They woke up shortly before hearing the sound of a heavy object hitting something; the train came to a halt soon after. Replacement train at Sungkai station Their nighmare had begun. Rabiaa and her husband later learned that the train had hit a pig