Crown of Shyness (FRIM)

Friday was a public holiday in Malaysia so a few of us went out to FRIM or Forest Research Institute Malaysia. Basically it is an area where they have protected the rainforest and put in trails to walk on, a canopy walk (which was closed), a Malay teahouse and there are tours as well. We were just out hiking along when we met a Malay family who had a tour guide, a young girl from Malaysia Nature Society (MNS). We joined the tour and she showed us this amazing phenomenon called the 'Crown of Shyness'. In the rainforest there are certain trees that will give room to other trees and don't even touch as they spread out to form the canopy. I have pictures below but it doesn't do it justice. It reminded me of those optical illusion pictures, when you looked up it made you dizzy and you searched to figure out what was going on. It is one of those things that you never expected and are surprised by it. Stunning really.

We were headed down the slope and our guideline was already staked out by this massive caterpillar.

The National Mosque and KL Train Station (CNY Adventures Part 2)

The inside of the mosque. The guys on the right are performing their prayers (solat).

KTM HQ from Masjid Negara

Interior of the mosque

They made me wear a gown thingee as I was in shorts. The hood is for women but when you are having a day out and you have just bought novelty green frame glasses you gotta get your Yoda on.

KTM HQ

KL Train Station

Yup, still having fun with the glasses

Interior of the train station. Just uploaded then realized its not centered :(

By the end of the day I had scored some sweet new glasses and a new T-shirt (2.50 USD).

Then you gotta have some fun with the silly pics setting on the Macamera. Kinda froggish.

Petronas Twin Towers and Some Joss Sticks (CNY Adventures Part 1)

The fountain in Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square)

Petronas Twin Towers

The Towers reflected in the fountain.

I'm a little yellow from the streetlights.

Sometimes you get tired of seeing the Towers in virtually every ad, commercial, movie, etc and then you see them again and realize just how spectacular they are.

Lots of Chinese families visit the temple at midnight on Chinese New Year. They light incense sticks...in this case giant one.

Giant Joss Sticks.

The Night Market

Kuala Gandah Elephant Santuary (Deerland too!)

Don't forget to wash behind your ears!

Fun for some, pain for others.

Bottle feeding a 6 month old elephant.

A few students get to ride on an elephant.

Mommy, I'm dunking the elephant underwater!

The teachers pose the the Malaysian Sun Bear and Encik Abdullah.

Should we let the bear lick sweetened condensed milk off the face of a student? Sure, why not. What could possibly go wrong there?

Monkey butt!

As the conga line wound its merry way into the jungle, the evil monkey planned its attack on the noble American teacher.

Deer me!

Korea in Pictures

This is Hey Jang Guk or Hang Over Soup. That big dark red thing is congealed blood. It was probably my favourite new dish.

Sometimes self-photos don't turn out very well.

Snow in downtown Seoul.

Unfortunately they didn't let me ring the bell. It would have been fun.

Me atop the Seorak Mountains. We cheated and took the cable car to the top.

Min Ji's grandparents, Min Ji, her stepdad and me.

Sunrise at this very popular place for watching the sun uhhh rise.

At the cultural village...old style building.

Also outside the cultural center complex.

Very wise advice for us all.