Goodbye India, Hello Malaysia

« Return to Malaysia

Ever eaten Ciku? How about a Buddha’s Finger? Or an Ice-Cream Bean, which melts in your mouth? Visiting a tropical fruit farm was like visiting Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Over 200 different species of fruit grew on the farm, most with names like mysterious candy. Canon Ball, Totomo, Hog Plum, Krekup, Rambutan, Duking - yum! Only about 1% of tropical fruits ever make it to the market, due to their highly perishable nature. Scientists are investigating the medicinal properties of Dragon Fruits for AIDS, and the newly discovered Skyfruit is so effective against cholesterol, major pharmaceuticals are starting a smear campaign. I tasted Durian, the King of fruit, which “smells like hell but tastes like heaven “. Alongside was the Queen of Fruits, the Mangosteen, with its sweet, juicy white innards, shaped like a crown. Exotic fruit heaven. Down the road I popped into the Penang Butterfly Farm where 4000 butterflies buzzed around my head. The farm also kept impressive tarantulas, beetles, lizards, snakes, and bugs that, like the babbelfish in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, were so well adapted they possibly prove the existence of God. I am not, contrary to popular belief, as skinny as a stick insect, because now I have met one, up close and personal. A visit to a Spice Garden would have been more interesting if I had remembered to bring mosquito repellent - within minutes my legs were covered in the little bastards, enjoying the taste of fresh, Gonzo meat.

It was hot, wet and humid in Penang in an off-peak season that had been rejuvenated by the recent bombings in Bali. I had also arrived in the middle of Ramadan, so streets were somewhat quiet and there did not seem too much going. Penang is a popular holiday destination for Indonesians, Arabs, Indians, and more recently Australians and Europeans. The city is also popular for it’s Heal and Holiday programs, offering cheap and professional plastic surgery for clients who wish to leave home a 32C, and return a 34D with a tan. Like KL, the Malaysian food in Penang was incredible, the culmination of everything I like about eating. Hot gravies, dozens of spices - I can’t get enough of it (not going to be a stick insect for much longer I fear). What I didn’t expect was the largest Buddhist Temple in South-East Asia. Some 40% of Malaysia is Chinese, and in Penang the Chinese make up the majority of the population. The Kek Lok Si Temple sits on a hill that overlooks the city, and includes a 120 foot bronze statue of Buddha, the largest in the world. Construction was underway to enclose the statue in a pagoda, a huge undertaking that will create a breathtaking sight. I gave my respects to hundreds of Buddha statues, and then went to the Burmese and Thai Temples, each with their own giant sized statues of Buddha and distinct, highly colorful designs. Truly, I have arrived in Asia. Lost in Translation in business-class hotels, I’m not sure where the Gonzo is, but sooner or later, it always seems to find me.

Emerald Laurel Hotel
Penang, Malaysia

Gonzo Gallery for Goodbye India, Hello Malaysia

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