KL (Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia – A City for the Senses

The Many Sides of KLWe really enjoyed KL, a friendly cultural melting pot where we felt safe and welcomed.   Rather than write a long blog for this recent trip, we thought we’d let the pictures do the talking.  From left to right:

• The refreshingly sweet taste of Cendol, a coconut based frozen drink with gummy worm-like green gelatin.
• The strong smell of incense during “borrowing day” at Sze Ya Taoist Temple.
• The cooling feeling of mist blowing from Merdeka Square Fountain.
• The hard-to-hear sound of Matt ordering the “3 BBQ Plate” within an extensive food court - He nearly ordered three “3 BBQ Plates” by mistake…What a pitty that would have been!
• The colorful sight of deities lined up at Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple.

Will we make it back to Malaysia again in the future?  Our senses indicate that the answer to that question is a resounding yes!

A Taal Order – Climbing a Black Sand Path to Crater Lake

Crater Lake on Taal Volcano

We are not typically “tour people”.  In fact, we can count on one hand the number of packaged tours we have taken.  But when researching the Taal Volcano trek we discovered many comments about being nickel and dimed by touts for transportation, passage, and guides fees.  In an effort to ensure a predictable and safe experience we decided to secure an experienced guide from Me’re Travel & Tours.

The tour was private; just us and our guide, Jamie.  During the two hour drive Jamie told us about the different neighborhoods and landmarks.  Close to our destination we stopped at a unique coffee shop where they roast their own beans that… How can we say this delicately? …have passed through the digestive system of the exotic palm civet.  The store owner proudly escorted us to the cat-like creatures and described how the beans are prepared, including the thorough cleansing process.  We sampled the coffee which Matt jokingly described as “a bit nutty”; in reality the coffee was rich with a slightly fruity flavor.

Next we headed to a “resort” to catch a boat to Volcano Island.  At the resort we were joined by Ivan and Susan, a lovely couple from Singapore.  We were offered the option to ride horses up the volcano, but being stubborn Coloradans, we decided to walk.   Describing the trek as dusty would be an understatement, expecting this we brought Japanese Handkerchiefs that our friend Akemi gave us before we left home.  We tied them across our faces like old West bank robbers and began the ascent.

Taal volcano is still active; it’s currently at alert level 2 out of 5.  We hiked past sulfuric vents that demonstrated Mother Nature at work.  There are stunning views on the way to the top, but the prettiest by far is the crater and sulfuric lake.  We encountered a local woman who described the most recent eruptions, noting that the wind direction has a lot to do with who survives.

We rested at the top of the volcano and enjoyed a fresh young coconut before heading down the slope, through the local village, across Taal Lake, and to the resort where we feasted on a delicious lunch of local tilapia, chicken adobo, rice and veggies accompanied by cold San Miguel brews to wash it all down.

A Day of Culture in Manila

National Museum of the Philippines - Saint Anne Sculpture (She Looks Happy, Doesn't She?)Today we explored the many local art treasures housed at the National Museum of the Philippines where we visited the National Art Gallery and the Museum of the Filipino People.  Many wonderful paintings, carvings, and historical artifacts were on display and we particularly enjoyed walking through the relics recovered from the wreck of Spanish battleship San Diego which sank off Manila Bay in the year 1600.

After a calming day of climate controlled art enjoyment we’ll be ready to face tomorrow’s adventure, a hiking trek and boat ride to reach Taal Volcano, the smallest active volcano in the world.  How could we pass up the chance to visit the “largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island - Vulcan point in Crater Lake on Vulcano Island in Lake Taal on Luzon” ("Some interesting islands and lakes". Elbruz)?

Guam - A Few Surprises

Glow in the Dark Fish at Piti Bomb Holes

We thought we had Guam figured out – An Americanized destination between Hawaii and Manila where we would acclimate to the time zone changes.  We were told the food wasn’t exciting and we shouldn’t expect much…Going in with this expectation, we were surprised to discover a few gems along the way.

It started at Hotel Nikko where we met TOTO, the sophisticated Japanese-style toilet that included what we’ll refer to as an advanced “cleaning feature” complete with instructions on its use.  Did we use it?  We’ll just say one of us let our curiosity get the better of him or her.  Do the surprises stop there?  Heck no!

We spent the next morning exploring the town (Tumon).  We ate at a local breakfast place named The Kracked Egg.  Jenn went for the Ramen noodle with spinach, spam, and poached egg – totally yum.  Matt added on a French toast slice stuffed with ham and cheese accompanied by apple Mogu Mogu (drink).  It’s like any other fruit juice, but with gelatin bits added for texture.  It sounds weird, but is quite tasty.  It’s apparently sold in Asia Pacific areas, so we’ll try some of their other flavors during our future travels.

Guam has a huge (HUGE) Asian influence and it is a popular Japanese tourist destination.  We didn’t put it together until we saw the TOTO and realized that many signs are in Japanese with English subtitles.  The food is Asian-influenced as well and we had the privilege of eating one of the best meals of our lives at Toh-Lee Restaurant.  Almost all of it was seafood (lobster, stuff crab claw (stuffed with more crab), whole fresh fish, etc.)  It was a flavor sensation and we ate every bit of it up.

We rented a car to further explore the island and found the usual activities – snorkeling, sightseeing, and pretty beaches (the best of which was difficult to reach, but worth the effort – Ritidian Beach).  After three weeks of “beach time”, we are ready for city life again – Just in time to leave for Manila tomorrow. 

Pearl Harbor

Waterfront Memorial with the USS Bowfin submarine in the background

Moving…Memorable…Peaceful - These are the words that describe our trip to Pearl Harbor’s portion of the Pacific National Monument, in particular, the USS Arizona Memorial.  The national park is configured well, providing a variety of sites and experiences that are free of charge supplemented by for-purchase packages to historic treasures such as the USS Bowfin submarine, the Battleship Missouri, and the Pacific Aviation Museum.

We arrived around 1:00 PM and located convenient on-site parking.  The park doesn’t allow any “items that offer concealment” including handbags, fanny packs, backpacks, camera bags, etc.  Once we figured this out, Jenn returned to the car where she stored her purse in the trunk.  Alternatively, personal items can be stored on-site for a $3 charge.

Upon entry into the park we inquired about our options and were handed two free tickets to the 3 PM tour of the USS Arizona.  We occupied our few hours of free time prior to the tour by exploring the grounds containing lovely monuments to fallen heroes as well as survivors of the December 7^th, 1941 attacks.  We also learned about history in the open air museums which described how “a date which will live in infamy” started WWII.  Lastly, we explored a variety of submarine and artillery items that were on display.

The time passed quickly and before we knew it the tour was ready to start.  After watching an informative 30 minute film, we boarded a US Navy operated boat that shuttled us to the USS Arizona’s resting place.  It is a beautiful memorial to the fallen; the ship below, fish swimming and nesting on it, a flag flying overhead, and the names on the wall dedicated “To the memory of the gallant men here entombed and their shipmates who gave their lives in action on December 7, 1941 on the USS Arizona.”  It was quite moving.

If you find yourself on Oahu, reserve a little time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country by making an educational, yet moving visit to Pearl Harbor.  You’ll be glad you did.