A Riddle in Penang

The other day while walking around in Batu Ferringhi, Penang, Malaysia, I witnessed an event related to an age-old question.

Although I can't dispute the typical answer for why the chicken crossed the road, I suspect there were other issues at play too. However, the chicken wasn't interested in talking and had protection.

Non-chicken-related posts on the way. But if you crave another chicken & rooster photo, see the earlier post "China Scenes: Villages Around Kaili, Guizhou".

Masks for Beijing

My Twitter feed has been ablaze with comments about Beijing's recent air quality. Lets just say the folks at Mordor would be proud. The air is horrendous even to many who are accustomed to Beijing. It's a serious issue with implications for daily life. In the words of Didi Kirsten Tatlow on the International Herald Tribune:

With Beijing’s air pollution soaring to seemingly new, awful records this weekend, the classic parenting dilemma of “What shall we do with the kids?” had a grimly obvious answer: Slap on the antipollution face masks and go shopping for another air purifier...

Of course, the problem wasn’t limited to Beijing. As this photograph from NASA appeared to show, pollution was severe across much of eastern China (Beijing is within the blue circle).

And on state media’s lists of the most polluted cities in China on Saturday, Beijing wasn’t even in the top 10. That honor went to Shijiazhuang and other places.

Tatlow isn't the only person in China with an interest in face masks. For example, see these tweets by writer Adam Minter:

You know who's making a killing on the Beijing air disaster? 3M, via their n95 masks. People referring to them as 3Ms. cc @adambelz
— Adam Minter (@AdamMinter) January 14, 2013

China tweeps - search 3M on weibo. PR you simply can't beat.
— Adam Minter (@AdamMinter) January 14, 2013

Other reporters in Beijing are finding it necessary to accessorize as well:

Darth Vader/Hannibal lector anti-pollution mask @nprinskeep @dalyhiggs #hottest accessoryinBeijing #airpocalypse twitpic.com/bv7c9h
— Louisa Lim (@limlouisa) January 14, 2013

Leading to comments such as this:

Is the gas mask to journos in Beijing what body armor is to them in Middle East + Afpak? Looks good on TV. @limlouisa
— Edward Wong (@comradewong) January 14, 2013

Tatlow's comment about Shijiazhuang also caught my eye. In all my travels in China, Shijiazhuang's air "impressed" me the most. It wasn't just the haze preventing a crisp view of buildings just across the street. It was the toxic taste of the air. Yes, the taste. When the broth in a bowl of soup I ordered had the same taste I wasn't sure if the air was overwhelming my taste buds or the soup and the air shared a common compound. Whatever the case, I didn't finish the soup.

With an Air Quality Index (AQI) over 800 having been recently reported in Beijing, comments such as those by Anthony Tao in a recent post may not seem ironic:

Highways closed, flights delayed, social unrest stirred… however, there is some good news. The AQI has remained below 400 for each of the last five hours...

For context on what now could count as "good news", consider this recent "good" tweet from an account which provides regular updates of Beijing's air quality as measured by the US Embassy in Beijing:

01-14-2013 20:00; PM2.5; 282.0; 332; Hazardous (at 24-hour exposure at this level)
— BeijingAir (@BeijingAir) January 14, 2013

Even an AQI of 332 is listed as hazardous. And that's just for a 24-hour exposure. Most people in Beijing are not breathing its air for only 24 hours... See here for more information about the AQI.

There are many great pieces to read on Beijing's recent pollution and the evolving reaction of the Chinese people and new services. A post by James Fallows here mentions and comments on several of them. More on this topic later.

Vegetarian Thali in Penang

A photo of a most glorious vegetarian Indian thali I enjoyed in Penang, Malaysia:

Can you identify which bowl contains the sweet dessert?

And that's all for today. More tomorrow...

A Penangite's Thoughts About Frozen Food and Crime

While walking around George Town in Penang, Malaysia, I paused for a moment to consider where I should head after discovering the hawker stall where I had planned to pick up lunch would not be open until later. As I looked around, a man working at a nearby hotel came out offering his assistance. I appreciated his helpfulness, and I now see that some guests of the Red Rock Hotel have singled him out online for his excellent service.

After I asked to take his photo,
he deliberately positioned himself in front of the hotel sign.

During the resulting conversation, he asked where I was from. I told him I'm from the U.S. and asked him the same question. He proudly said, "Malaysia!"

When I later praised Penang's food, he commented it was a shame so much of it is now frozen at some point. In that way he said, "We're becoming more like America." He then added that the similarities between Malaysia and the U.S. did not end with frozen food or the design of their national flags.

For example, "America has too many weapons, and more and more people in Malaysia now have weapons too." When I asked if many people walking nearby were likely carrying weapons, he looked off into the distance and replied, "No, but more people who commit crimes like robbery have weapons."

He then had to return to assisting the hotel's guests. As we bid farewell he asked me to give his blessings to Barack Obama. He's definitely a fan.

I'm familiar with neither crime nor frozen food in Malaysia, so I will refrain from commenting on the man's statements. But I can say that after I walked away I soon discovered he had pointed me in the right direction.

Always Riding

I've shared photos of a variety of bicycles and other wheeled vehicles I've seen in Chinese cities such as Zhuhai. Not far from an outdoor market in Penang, Malaysia, I saw a bicycle that did not seem unusual in any away except for its riders.

And they're probably still there.

More later...

The Disappearing Outdoor Market in Penang

Yesterday, I saw an example of Malaysia's ethnic diversity at an outdoor market in Penang. I happened to be nearby today, and I decided to take a quick look.

The scene was rather different.

A couple vendors were set up on the side. And I recognized the faces of a couple other vendors who appeared to be relaxing. But as the photo shows, there were few signs of yesterday's lively market.

Today, I visited the location around 3 p.m. Had I stopped by at a similar time yesterday, and not at 5 p.m., I may have never "discovered" the market and had the opportunity to photograph some of its scenes.

I will later share some other examples to highlight how time and luck can matter in research, whether you're trying to understand a culture or the human brain.

Diversity at an Outdoor Market in George Town, Penang

Today in an historical area of George Town, Penang, I saw more signs of Malaysia's incredible ethnic diversity: Chinese ancestral homes, Islamic mosques, Catholic churches, Little India, and so on. But it is the people, not the buildings, which made the largest impression. So instead of highlighting anything historical, I first want to share some scenes from an informal outdoor market I stumbled upon. A variety of people could be found there...

A Mosque and Islamic Arts in Kuala Lumpur

Today was a longer than expected travel day. Such is life when a bus breaks down and you have to wait for another to show up. Fortune also has it that the hotel in my new location has chosen this week to upgrade their Internet. But at least there are some nearby cafes with wifi.

So, another light post...

This past weekend I stopped by the National Mosque of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.

However, I could  not visit inside due to restrictions.

Fortunately, the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia was nearby. The fusion of artistic styles seen in the section of Islamic art from China particularly caught my attention.

More later on Malaysia's rich mixture of cultures. For now, I will return to my Internet-less room. It will be like the old days.

Two Scenes from Neijiang, Sichuan Province, China

Due to my current trip, recent posts have focused on Kuala Lumpur. I have more posts about Malaysia planned, but China will definitely not be forgotten. On that note, here are two scenes related to two earlier posts about China.

Where I enjoyed some cold noodles for lunch in Neijiang, China

Where I later enjoyed a dinner in Neijiang, China

See here for more scenes from Neijiang, Sichuan province. And see here for a more recent post from Changsha, Hunan province, about stools in China.

More later...

Birds and an Unexpected Ad at the Bird Park

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park claims to be the "world's largest free-flight walk-in aviary". As a kid I was fascinated by aviaries so I decided to make a visit. It did indeed seem rather large, and it was possible to see a variety of birds in close proximity (although some were kept in smaller cages).

Keeping an eye on the human

I will refrain from sharing a full set of bird photos, but I feel compelled to share a photo of one of the few advertisements posted outside the park.

Advertisement for chicken nuggets

Maybe Ayam A1 thought looking at all those birds would put people in the mood for some chicken.

Not humored

OK. That's all--back to more typical topics in upcoming posts. 

Front View from a Driverless Train in Kuala Lumpur

One day while taking the light rail on Kuala Lumpur's Kelana Jaya Line I boarded the front car. I then discovered its trains are "driverless" and include a front window providing an excellent view. And I have since noticed it is particularly popular with kids.

Father helping his young daughter look out the train's front window

Several of my friends have kids who are fascinated with trains. So that provides me a convenient excuse to share a few photos from a train ride today when the front window was free.

On an elevated portion of the line and about to enter the tunnel near the Masjid Jamek station

An exciting curve

It appears I had some onlookers

Approaching a station

Off again

The front view definitely makes the train ride a bit more interesting, though not as "interesting" as the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel in Shanghai. Despite (or because of) the Shanghai tunnel being a "trippy" experience and Lonely Planet commenting:

Stepping from the trains at the terminus, visitors are visibly nonplussed, their disbelief surpassed only by those with return tickets.

I typically recommend it to friends visiting Shanghai. As noted on CNN Travel:

But what's not to love about the sudden appearance of blow-up dolls, flashing colored lights and booming, disembodied voices saying vaguely apocalyptic words such as "magma" and "hell." You won't get that on the metro.

You also won't get that on the Kuala Lumpur light rail, which is probably a good thing.

An Afternoon of Fabric and Stores in Kuala Lumpur

On this first day of 2013, I'll keep it light and share some scenes from my explorations today in Kuala Lumpur. They begin in an area well known for its fabric shops and end at the Sultan Ismail elevated light rail station. Some of the scenes provide a small taste of Kuala Lumpur's mixture of cultures and architectural styles.

A pedestrian street lined with fabric stores

A nearby "food court"

One of many food vendors

Several carpet stores

More stores

A sale section at the Sogo department store

Food court at the Sogo department store

Capturing some "Christmas spirit"

Sultan Ismail Road

Section of the Kuala Lumpur Rail Transit System's Ampang Line