Hello everyone -
Hope that everyone is doing well...Monday is four weeks that we've been on this trip and it really helps to "talk" to people from home. I think the election really brought us back to thinking about home - it's been a lot of the talk around here (and none of it good). We actually watched the election coverage in an Indian buffet in Penang,Malaysia...it was the only place with CNN - so it was Indian breakfast (Roti - a very nice bread), Indian lunch (lamb is always good...it's just a fact), and we didn't quite make Indian dinner - and the owner was quite sick of us at that point.
Penang is/was fantastic. We started the city by taking a tour of Cheong Fatt Tze's home - one of the last Mandarins of China. He built a phenomenal house or as the tour leader said it "perfectly balanced feng shui"...and it's completely rentable for special occassions...each of the 16 rooms has a different theme and the room we saw was pretty phenomenal. This guy had 8 wives and 8 houses...a model citizen that I will attempt to emulate in the future. http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/
Other fun things in Penang were taking a bicycle taxi - very, very scary and the driver doesn't actually seem to watch where he's going...and it's the typical 5 lanes in 2 type driving around here. We had thought about renting scooters but thought better of it...something about health insurance running out after I quit working.
The other big to do was trying the fruit "Durian" - and Mom, I just don't like it. We were walking by an older French couple and Deanna somehow psychically indicated that we would like to try. Next thing you know, they're speaking French, looking at me and laughing (hmm...), and then the man breaks open his bag and offers us Durian. The durian is a fruit that's supposed to be incredibly stinky (check) and apparently many buses, public places, etc... have banned people from eating the fruit within their premises. The fruit is also supposed to be very, very flavorful (not so sure about this). Deanna and I agreed that it had an avocado texture, couldn't agree on what exactly it tasted like (like fruit mixed with cheese), but did agree there was a distinct onion afterflavor (and not a good one just in case the statement is noncommittal).
We've been eating really well in Malaysia - we were staying in the Chinatown area and ate dim sum every morning. And the bill each day was about 15RM - or $4. Incredible. I love everything about Asia. Actually, everything but the toilets. And the humidity. And some other things.
We're on Langkawi Island on the Malaysian side of the Thai border right now. It's great. We have a bungalow RIGHT on the beach and Langkawi is a DUTY FREE zone! The problem with Malaysia is that alcohol is expensive (relatively)...but here...40 cents a beer (Tiger). Needless to say, Langkawi has been fun and we've met some cool people (of course at the Irish pub - you were right Chuck...there's one everywhere, but no Raiders jerseys). The most amazing drinking, however, has been how much water Deanna drinks. We picked up a 5 or 6 L just last night after dinner and it was gone by 3pm today - and I swear I didn't drink a drop of it. Granted it is 90% humidity, 95 degrees, but still.
Next up, we're spending a few more days here on Langkawi...then on to Krabi in Thailand. We did get the pictures uploaded on Ofoto - so see the links below. Deanna has captioned quite a few - but there's alot...you've been warned.
Also - Deanna has been posting a web-blog. It has all of my emails and her own "column". Check it out at: www.offandaway.blogspot.com Her account is more entertaining and far more truthful.
Everyone take care.
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