We cannot change...

[Photo by MKL taken in Kukup, Malaysia, 2008]

Comparing two climates

Sometimes I really consider myself lucky. I saw some pictures coming from Slovenia around this time, showing the huge amounts of snow. Well, at the same time I was looking at that photos, I was in slippers and shorts, sipping beer in the tropical heat of over 30 degrees. What a difference, don't you think?

[My MALAYSIA page][Photos by MKL, 2008]

Village comparison: Slovenia and Malaysia

The countryside is same everywhere!

[Photos by MKL (2003-2008]

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Singapore's little bad brother

I've been to Johor Bahru today (in Chinese New Mountain or 新山), or JB as the Malaysians like to say. One would never expect how big JB is. It's the second biggest Malaysian city, with it's suburbs, stretched around the border with Singapore, the JB metro area has a population of 1.8 million. Compare that with 4.5 million inhabitants of Singapore, and you'll see JB, his small brother, is getting fatter and fatter. Sure, you can't compare these two cities in some other aspects, such as prosperity, safety and importance in the world. While Singapore is known for being a very safe and clean world-known economic hub, full of interesting things to see, JB is just crowded, not very well-known, has not plenty sights to offer. In addition to that, it has one of the highest crime rates in Malaysia (so I've been told by my Malaysian friends). Ok, I felt pretty safe, although I heard so many scary stories how people got mugged or even stabbed. So be cautious when you're heading there. Some parts look quite nice, remind me of Singapore, especially the architecture of some high-rise buildings and the way they pave the streets. Many say JB is very good for shopping. So enjoy it, while being cautious. Despite what I said, JB is worth to visit. At least once.

See my photos of Johor Bahru:

This is a suburb of JB. The suburbs are huge and long.

Inside JB the traffic is congested.

Looks a bit like Singapore.

One of the main roads is paved.

Malaysian styled high-rise building, a mix of Muslim elements with post-modern touches.

One of the taller buildings in JB. I don't know the name.

Another high-rise nearby.

This is a shopping mall, where my da jie and I went to have a drink.

High-rise buildings again.

A closeup.

A church, probably a remain of the British colonialization.

[My MALAYSIA page][Info: Source][All photos by MKL, 2007]

Kluang, Malaysia

A small town in Johor

I've been to Kluang (Chinese 居銮) today, a small town in Malaysia. It really seemed small, but comparing to Slovenian towns, it would be considered a big town. It has 140.000 inhabitants, seems as if it had more than my native town of Maribor (110.000). But you walk around the place, it's really smaller than Maribor. So it made me think, how come it's so small in size, yet it has more inhabitants. The answer is simple: While in Slovenia we have a big house, yet only 2 or 3 people live in it, in Malaysia, houses are small and full of people, families can easily exceed 10 members (usually mum, dad, 3-5 children, grandma, maybe even some grand children). Then it's no wonder you don't see huge blocks, because there's no demand from the people. Sure, Kluang is less developed than Maribor and even less important. In fact, who ever heard of 'Kluang'? Only people in Malaysia and Singapore maybe. And some travellers who happened to travel around there.

Kluang is just a typical Malaysian small town: Crowded, dirty, but partly clean and neat, full of cars, hot, many shops, many shopping malls and with very friendly people. But you won't find anything special there, so if you go to Kluang, don't expect too much.

My photos of Kluang:

Taken in early morning from a top of a shopping mall garage.

Another view.

This is a new central shopping area.

Very colorful.

The lanes are wide here.

Typical Malaysian small town.

Hotel Anika.

The road out of town.

The old Kluang.

Interesting old house.

A backstreet, seen many of these in Malaysia.

A public park, not in the best condition.

Another road.

Another hotel.

Tropical rain in Kluang. It started pouring in the evening.

[My MALAYSIA page][All photos by MKL, 2008]

Malaysia - the land of sun

Finally! I returned to the place, where the sun plays the main role in every day life - Malaysia. It's like a kingdom Far Far Away, where the people are much different from the ones I left behind. These days I am walking around in slippers and short pants, while the ones I left behind, have to remove enormous amounts of snow, have to fight the freezing cold and merciless winter.

And I think to myself. Is that fair? While I'm enjoying a summer-like adventure, the people I left behind suffer the fickle winter? I feel bad for them, but I guess wheather I'm there or not, they still have to face the winter. They are used to it. They have a warm and cosy home where they can survive the agressive winter. I just wish them all the best. Sometimes I fight my own battle in The Land of Sun: It's not only paradise. The Sun burned my back, my skin is peeling of and the mosquitos are very dangerous as well. We all hope that in few months the world finds it's way back to normality.

[My MALAYSIA page][Photo by MKL, 2008]

Autumn 2008

It's getting colder here... Darker and wetter. Winter is at our doorstep. Yet... I won't see it :-) I will be leaving soon to some warmer place 10.000km away - to Malaysia. I'm excited. And yet, so not ready for the crazy heat and humidity. I will go from one extreme into another. Wow. Will post some photo soon to compare these extreme oppoistes. Good luck to me! ;-)

[Photo by MKL, 2008]