Malaysia, Day 3

Have I mentioned how hot and humid it is here? I’ve a new appreciation for the word “enervated.” Even the enormous coconut trees seem to sway languidly, almost reluctantly.

So I strolled, equally languidly, through Georgetown today. I basically took in the colors and sounds–no great insights today, I’m afraid. It’s just too hot. But walking around and unabashedly pointing my camera everywhere, people did smile at me. And no one turned down my request of “photo, please?”

I heard a gaggle of young people fussing around one corner, and found a group of friends adjusting each others’ graduation robes. Seems that the big ceremony was tonight, and they wanted to rehearse–and take jillions of photos, of course. They were all graduating in “sports science,” and all had professional aspirations. No, none of their parents had gone to university. The American dream, Malaysia-style.

Of course, there’s the other end of the economic spectrum here. Even elegant restaurants need unskilled restaurant labor, and these sidewalk shops were hardly elegant. A guy scrubbing out cooking pots in an alleyway didn’t stop when he saw me, but nodded just enough to let me know I could take his photo.

We hear a lot about the coming demographic collapse in China, which is also true in Malaysia. But while births to Malays (Muslims) are declining, the norm is still three kids, even among the poor. Six kids per woman? Not so much anymore.

Well, that’s enough tropical sweating for one day. Let me cool off at the old E & O and we’ll see what (in)sights tomorrow brings.

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