Mind Expanding

Sitting in the Malaysian port city of Malacca in their China town in a restaurant called the Geographer, eating Chinese food,watching stomp (the movie) on the television, listening to a British women sing a Billy Joel song, drinking a Danish beer and talking to a German name Michael I came to the realization this is why one travels. The feeling of being a foreigner is an exhilarating feeling, to be the one who doesn't speak the language who gets the stares for looking different really humbles a person.
Malacca was great I went there yesterday (Monday) on a 2 hour bus. The mass transit system here is amazing, I took a 65 cent monorail ride to take a 50 cent train to hop on a 2.60 dollar bus to go over a hundred miles to the coast to visit Malacca. The historic district was really neat, founded the Malays then taken over by the Portuguese then the Dutch then the British then the Japanese and once again by the British and finally in the 60's handed back over to the Malays. On the top of the hill at the south end was a church founded by the Portuguese back in the 1540's which was really neat (of course it had been expanded so it looked nothing like it did back then, but it was still cool.)
I walked across a small bridge over the canal and into China town, narrow streets lined with shop fronts and restaurants Chinese writing and lots of advertisements for any and everything you could want. I was so hungry when i stopped for lunch I thought I might pass out, it's amazing how walking can be come such a chore and a drag when you are hungry. After my meal and my talk with Michael walking once again took on a meaning of fun and adventure. I rounded a corner to find the Malacca Buddhist temple, what an amazing and quietly energetic building. All around the temple are signs asking to be quiet and remind you that this is a place of silent contemplation. I went to the second floor and on the step the separates the outside from the inside I sat and mediated for a bit, while the sun set behind storm clouds and the temple across the street played music (Chinese) I was able to look inward and woke with the most calming and joyous smile across my face. I again wondered how truly awesome getting out and experiencing the world is.
After the Buddhist temple I went across to the temple dedicated to the local deity, it was very intriguing, lots of chanting and offerings were given up. That guy must have received every type of food imaginable. The priest would chant, hold up and offering and then I'm guessing if it was unwanted they would throw it on the floor. I came then 1 ringgit (30 cents) and went on to catch the bus back to K.L
The day before Malacca (Sunday) 4 girls and I took a 30 minute bus to the Batu Caves outside of K.L up near the hills. The Batu Caves goes to show that what is holy for some is to others just a grueling 272 steep stair climb into a cave. It is a shrine to the Hindu god Muruga, and I have never seen so many Indian people in my life, and it a good chunk of Chinese too. We had lunch there which is all vegan, being that the Hindus don't eat meat or so I gather. I had rice with peanuts and carrots, it wasn't bad. Later that evening we all hunkered down in the hostel and watched movies. Sunday was a nice chill laid back day, as today (Tuesday) is panning out to be. I did not make it to the Zoo because of some rainy weather and being that I have nothing better to do today I am gonna head there now. Don't forget to check the pictures, thanks for reading.