Week 4 : Malay wedding

As I mentioned earlier, I was off to a wedding of two old friends of mine. Back when I was 13-15 years old, I studied in a boarding school. This girl was one of my closest friend back then, and the boy was this kid I used to argue with a lot in school. Back when we were 13, he was known as a motor mouth. Imagine my surprise when years later I bumped into her in a gym and she told me they were dating. An even bigger surprise came 4 years later when I received an invite on Facebook to their wedding (thanks Facebook!). So, 12 years since I last saw the groom, I headed down to their wedding.

Its actually not the easiest thing anymore to find a richly traditional Malay wedding. For this weekend I went over to the brides side which was done in a Kampung (village) on the outskirts of KL. I decided to bring my friend with me since this is one of those rare events for an outsider to witness if they dont know the right people or are in the right place at the right time.

Malay weddings typically provide a few hours window for you to arrive. Its usually quite informal with people walking in and out whenever they please. Attire is usually formal for the ladies (in traditional gear) whereas the men dress quite casually in shirts and pants. Jeans and khakis are fine, collared polo shirts are fine, though if you want to dress up a bit you can wear the traditional Malay attire or a Batik shirt.

When we arrived, I dropped by to say hi to my friend, afterwhich while she was getting ready, you get ushered out to eat. Food here is typically served buffet style. I love Malay wedding food for the nasi minyak, the rendang, the ayam.. MMMmMmMm... Little girls and boys might also come by and give you a hard boiled egg. Wrapped in little flowers or placed in a small box. Its for you to bring home or to eat on the spot, usually as a symbol of hopes for fertility. If there are no silverware around, just look out for the silver teapot on each table. You will be using this to wash your hands before you eat. Remember when eating with your hand you ONLY eat with your right one. Never the left, and never to use both hands. As for seating, its a free for all, so just say hi to the other people at the table and ask if you can sit with them.


(Wash your hands using one of these)


(Grab a seat wherever your would like)

After that, you wait for the groom's arrival. You will deff know when he is coming as he will be accompanied by Kompang players - a troupe of men playing hand drums. Beside him will be his best man, whose job is to fan him and slowly bring him to the bride, and beside him will be kids holding up the bunga manga. He will have a trail of people behind him carrying trays of items. These are known as the 'hantaran', or essentially presents for the wife. In typical fashion, the husband may offer 7 trays while the wife returns with 9, or the husband may give 5 trays and in return the wife gives 7. As for what are the presents? Its up to the discretion of the couple, though typically this includes prayer mats and items, shoes, handbag (for the ladies) and cookies/ sweets.


(The groom arrives with his entourage. Flanking him are boys carrying the bunga manga. His best man stands to his right)


(Behind him is a troupe of kompang players)

(His entourage comes bearing gifts)

The wife then comes out of the house to meet the husband whilst her face is covered by a fan until they are in front of each other. She will then salam (a Malay handshake where you hold on to both hands) her husbands hands and kiss them.

They then head over to a stage (pelamin) for the bersanding. Malay couples never speak and just sit quietly on the stage. The elder relatives are then invited up to bless the couple. They will put a bit of rice and shredded pandan leaves and flowers in each hand and sprinkle some rose water over the couple to bless them. As they leave the stage, they will receive an egg as a gift from the family.

(Elders blessing the couple)

Depending on how lucky you are, you may also get to witness a dance or martial arts performance. Usually the dance that is done is known as the Zapin, a traditional Malay dance and danced in front of the bride and groom. Sometimes a Silat performance is also done for the couple. Silat or also known as the Malay martial arts is done to symbolize the man's protection over the woman. As for what happens throughout this whole time?


(The girls enter for the Zapin dance)


(The boys accompany the girls)


(Old style Malay hair pins and selendang)

People would just mingle around, and chit chat. Like I said, traditional Malay weddings are pretty informal - nothing tends to start on time, its going to be super hot, people are walking everywhere and can be a bit chaotic. But because of that, its also a whole lot of fun.

So, if you ever get the opportunity to go to a Malay wedding... in the village... in traditional style, Go! Its slowly changing as people start moving to halls and to hotels for their weddings, but its these traditions that I would love to keep alive

(The beautiful couple. Congrats!)

Welcome to 2011

Hello again friends, apologies for not updating for the past few weekends (and yes dear sister, this shout-out is to you too). As soon as I came back it was the new years. I was far too tired and jet lagged to head out, but luckily for me, come midnight, they shot fireworks from a plot of land right outside my condo. As a result, I got to bring in new years with some fireworks while sitting in my favorite reading chair.





For the next weekend or so, I decided to just relax and go low key, thus hanging out at Pavilion (best mall in KL!) with mom, and just chilling out in Bangsar. Followed bry Friday nights with my colleagues, crashing my boss' house for munchies and drinks followed by partying the night away at Zouk.

I was then given my next assignment. 8 weeks in Singapore... that other city down south that always seems to do things 'better' than us. **Ive had people criticize my country, saying its nowhere as good as Singapore. To those people, I say - travel is about understanding another country, the good, the bad, the charm. Its about opening your eyes and learning how others live. Its not about going to other countries and saying "My country is better than yours na-na-na-na-boo-boo". If thats the case, please can you please just go home***

I do plan to come back on weekends, to visit family and keep up with friends. But this blog may be more difficult to update as a result of that. Ill try to keep it going as proxy, and keep it going whenever Im back.



Thaipusam came and went, and I completely missed it (yet again!) But a few of my friends did go to Batu Caves to watch it. And for those who are interested in seeing it again next year - it falls on the 20th of January and best place to see it is in Batu Caves. Head over there early - like at ~5:30 a.m. to watch the devoted walk up Batu Caves. Some carrying Kavadi's (the offerings are pierced through their bodies) as well as jars of milk as an offering to the Gods. Its truly an incredible sight and probably the largest one you can find (even in India its not ever this big and consolidated). You can hire a taxi to head over, or take the Komuter train over there. I think they open the trains up a little earlier on this special occasion.

And to start! Today is KL Pac's annual day! So in case you're interested, please head on over. www.klpac.com

As for me, I will be bringing my Spaniard friend out to a Malay friends wedding. I've come to realize not all my friends are aware of how a 'traditional' Malay wedding is like with the amazing Nasi Minyak and Ayam Masak Merah (both food). With the kompang and the bunga manga and the sitting on the dais and traditional clothes and all. So... Ill be heading over there soon and will post up pics later!

Happy weekends!

Happy ending

Dear friends,

As we come close to the end of 2010, I look back and think to myself. This wasnt a bad year after all. There was sadness, there was happiness, there was resignation and indignation. But through it all, there was KL, there was Malaysia. I ran through heartbreaks, took a literal leap of faith, and danced the night away to a brand new life. I ate... shopped... cried... and pampered myself...

In 2010, I lived.

I will be leaving tonight for Argentina. A trip planned so long and yet not so long ago. Bound for a city of passionate tango and hoping for a return filled with breaks now healed. I look forward to my soulmates waiting for me now on the other side of the world and to turning off my blackberry for two solid weeks.

I look forward to solitude by the glaciers, and hopefully a cup of coffee in my hand with the other hugging an old old friend.

And so, I bid you adieu 2010, for when I return a new year will begin. And I hope with it, new life, new loves and old fashioned happiness, once again.

Cheers all
Happy ending.

Cheese cheese!

For the past week Ive been sent over to our friendly neighbor Jakarta for work. Its been quite a lot of fun being here. Even though a few members of my company are constantly sent over, I myself have never had a chance to work in this city. The people here are without a doubt really really nice, and the entire city has a very service oriented mindset to them. I guess you kind of have to with that many people. Every little bit counts in trying to get higher spending from foreigners.


(The really great view from Hyatt rooftop)

There is of course, the infamous Jakarta traffic you have to contend with... and after getting stuck in one on my first day here I quickly re-strategized my day to make sure I was back in my hotel before the traffic built up... and to continue working from the hotel of course. Otherwise you're pretty much better off staying where you are until about 8:00 p.m. when traffice eases up again.


(The horror!)

I do fly back on Thursday evenings so I have my Fridays in KL. Last Friday I was invited to go for... Cheese Fondue!!

Even though I studied in the States and studied 3 months in Paris, I have yet to have a proper cheese fondue (the kind that doesnt involve microwaving cheese in college days). So we went over to Chalet Suisse in Ampang for some much needed cheese!

The decor of the whole restaurant is quite quirky. They're built it to look similar to a Swiss lodge. They even have cotton as fake snow lacing the inside of windows so with a painted picture of the Alps in the background. I only tried out the fondue itself but have been informed by my friends who had the main course that the courses there are pretty good as well. The best part? its really easy to get here (with a car of course, but how else would you get around the city). Just take Jalan Ampang all the way past Great Eastern Mall and Gleneagles. Go on the flyover and pass Ampang Point on your left. At the traffic light, turn right. Then immediately turn left into the shophouses and turn right immediately. It will be the only restaurant with a cow up front.


(Alps-y feel)

Its located in Korean Town, so you deff wont miss a cow when every single other shop is a Korean shop.


(Let there be cheese!)

The portions are decent, but I guess depends on how much you like cheese. Two French, two Malaysian and two Spaniards shared two servings of cheese fondue, but the four Swiss friends who showed up ordered five servings for themselves. My French friend tells me later that this is pretty typical for the Swiss =P

Swiss Chalet website

Little India

"Want to join me this weekend? I promise you three of your favorite things... adventure, food and shopping"

Miss C sure knows how to get close to my heart

The adventure – gallivanting around Brickfields
The food – Restaurant Sri Pandi serving limited potato tose until 11 a.m.
The shopping (mission) – to get Miss C and R-squared Indian garments for a wedding in India

So we met in Little India. I grabbed a cab over to realize that I had never been to this side of town in my entire life here. It was a completely new area and I was at a loss with the amazing purple buildings and colorful archways greeting me. Of course I found out later that this was all recently beautified since the Indian Prime Minister came by for a visit and the Malaysian Prime Minister of course wanted to show it off. Typical Malaysian Govt. only when someone is coming or there is some spotlight do ppl just throw money at the problem and gets it fixed.


(Purple buildings and colorful arches)

(Yummy potato tose)

We had breakfast at Sri Pandi, outside facing the road. But with all the loud Indian music going on, I would recommend eating inside at the back where there is ac and is much quieter. A friend had commented a few days prior that he couldnt find mamak stores that made their own roti canai anymore, that nowadays everyone buys pre-made roti canai. Fret not! as Sri Pandi still happily keeps to the tradition of tossing up their balls of dough... like an Indian version of an Italian pizza man.

(Tossing up a few batches of roti canai)


(Success! Shopping!)

After we finished our breakfast and got proper outfits for both of them it was time to hunt down a tailor to get Miss C's little top sewn for the inside of her sari. We walked along the row of shophouses and Miss C walks into a butchery which was located in one of the shophouses...
I walk in behind her and see the chopping blocks, the bag of chicken heads on the floor, the blood...

And a woman sitting in a chair by the wall...

HUGGING A MONKEY

COMPLETELY BLOWING MY MIND

Here is my thought process

"omg why are all these chicken heads in the bag on the floor"
"why does this woman have a monkey?"
"why is she hugging the monkey, is she afraid the monkey would run away??"
"Why is the monkey hanging out in a butchery???"
"why is there a tailor's store right inside a butchery?!!!!"
Ah well dear friends, I guess the city will always keep surprising you

***

Brickfields is located right next to KL Sentral. To get here, take the monorail to KL sentral. Descend, turn left and just keep on walking straight... soon enough you will be in the heart of Brickfields

(Little India... with KL Sentral area in the background)