THINGS I THINK I KNOW ABOUT MALAYSIA & IT'S PEOPLE*

-Use of the public toilets costs a nickel

-The citizenry has no sense of "personal space"

-There is LOTS of money here

-The government's use of the "Internal Security Act" to lock up journalists and opposing politicians is unsettling.

-The otherwise excellent subway system in KL needs additional cars on each train

-Nobody calls the capital "Kuala Lumpur", but rather "KL"

-They enjoy their badminton perhaps a little too much

-It has a middle class that speaks terrific English

-Their media isn't covering the Phillies stretch-drive nearly as closely as I'd prefer

-It's different in most every way from the rest of SE Asia

-They have a funny sounding currency. ("Ringget")

-They clearly are yet to identify with the capitalist ways of tourism. Twice I visited attractions (Petronas Towers and Batu Caves) without paying

-The taxi drivers operate using natural gas and don't mind stopping to fill up in the midst of a fare

-The Mandarin Oriental lobby bar waitresses might be my favorites in all the world

-They've allowed a Danish brewer (Carlsberg) to dominate their taps

-It offers lots and lots and lots of great, spicy food

-They could use a few more internet cafes

-Malaysian McDonald's offer "Spicy McShaker Fries" and chicken wings

-They LOVE their malls

-The KL monorail doesn't make many city stops ("Take my pen knife, my good man. I swear it's Springfield's only choice...Throw up your hands and raise your voice!")

-You'd think when Chinatown and Little India are adjacent, they would result in a Kuala Lumpur economic powerhouse. You'd be wrong....but it does result in cheap, tasty street food.

-There may or may not be TWO airports in Kuala Lumpur

-When bartenders ask you if you want another drink, they phrase it, "Would you like ONE more?". (as though it's the final one)

-After 4 (?) years living here Fiona doesn't have ONE friend to hook me up with here. :-)

*I don't purport to know anything about Langkwai Island because the only time I left the Westin resort was for my drive to the airport

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