Georgetown, Malaysia-Little India-feels like home!

Hello there,
How are you? Well I have spent the last 4 days here in Georgetown, it's amazing when you are in a place you are "supposed" to be all the angst of the other places all come clear. I really get I wasn't supposed to be in Thailand, I just couldn't fully relax. I got here on the Chinese New Year, having no idea that everything shuts down for 3 full days and that I wanted to leave on the 22nd for Bali, but because of the holiday everything was full. So luckily I found a flight on the 25th-the number 25 keeps following me around-I was born on that day, I flew on the day and some rooms I've stayed in and a number of other things, love that number.
So I got here and wondered why the Universe wasn't letting me leave and I realized it's because I LOVE this place! I love the Indian culture, going to the little street stalls where only the Indians and Chinese eat and sit down with them to have a lovely Chai, Roti with Dal, eating it with my right hand only-no left hand help in tearing the roti as the left hand is used to wash when you go to the toilet! They are surprised to see me eat like them, I love it and then they start chatting with me and telling me I look like a local. It's fun. The people here are amazingly friendly, authentic, pretty happy people, they hang out with the people they work with before and after work. They love their people. The Chinese, Indian and Muslims get along great together, they don't let it bother them. Though some laws pertain only to some religions, pretty interesting. The Muslims are 70% of the country, Chinese 23% and the Muslims run the govenment here. It's pretty amazing how everyone just gets along here.
I walk down little India and breathe it in with the incense, the ceramony they do when they open their shops of ringing bells, chanting, bowing, incensing the whole shop and saying prayers, it feels like home to me. Today I was walking down the street realizing I was leaving and I tears started to come-it just feels so comfortable here. I hated to leave India when I had to leave there as well. But I will be leaving today for the mountains of Cameron Highlands to cool off, to hike, to be in nature. It's hot here, well, less hot then Thailand but still you drip from every where within no time of being outside. Yet outside there is at least a breeze and so sometimes is cooler. Fans are pretty much every where.
Chinese New Year was full of Chinese being with their family, going to parks, watching the dragons dancing up and down the streets with drumming, incense so huge-about 6 or more inches around burning on the street, candles and altars burning on the side of buildings. Everyone relaxing.
After checking into one place (Olive Spring Guesthouse), which I think Anne and I stayed last time, not sure though, I found The Blue Diamond, which I know we stayed in for a time last time as well. Sitting there at the Blue Diamond I got to know a great English Family, they have two kids of 10 and 14 years of age, they are traveling for a year. They were great fun. We sat there talking and laughing, watching the street rats come and go through out the restaurant, minding their own business. The roosters would come in and hang out, be petted and will fall asleep on your lap if you let them. They'll even stand on your head if you put them there-this is one thing that Sophie, the little girl loved to do-play with the Roosters. They were great to hang out with for a few days and I gave Tobi, the wife a haircut!!! I love that.
The side walks here are funny, they go right through the restaurants sometimes and if not they have concrete slabs that sometimes are broken and you can fall right through. I don't think they believe in sueing thank goodness. The drivers here are much nicer then in Thailand, they aren't nearly as crazy and they acknowledge you are there and sometimes apologize when they almost hit you. It's sweet really! In Thailand they just would cut you off and not look at you. Thailand used to be much more friendly but honestly I only see them as wanting to make money off of us now. We tourists, farong as they call us, are little dollar signs, so sad as they didn't used to be that way.
My breakfast in my little Indian place is 2RM, which here the money is Ringget and it's 3.5 to the dollar, so it's less than a dollar for a lovely meal. Most meals are less than two dollars, depending on where you are. My room for a private room is $4.00 and if I wanted to have a dorm it would be $2.00. But there is something to having your own room. I used to be the MAJOR budget person but honestly I just like my space and prefer it. Yet when I go to the hills I'll get a dorm room as it's more expensive there and more social to do that. I've had a great time here alone and with people.
It was sad the other day to watch this Indian woman follow her husband around, if he stood up, she did too, if he washed his right hand, so did she, I'm not sure if she ate with him, it seems like he must have but when I looked afterward I only saw one plate. She looked so sad, so beaten down, over weight with protection and so small, slumped over and he looked confident and in power. I wanted to take her in and teach her a thing or two, but that would just really screw up their culture-but not all Indian women are like this, only some over here are. In India the women let the men look powerful but the women run everything. I'm not sure about here.
I met these three men that are businessmen that fly to Bangladesh just to find workers for cheap to work for them and it works for them. It sounds like America with the Hispanic population.
I don't have the photos up yet but I took photos of some of the things they spell funny, on actual signs and billboards, like car-kah, I'm not sure if they misspell police or if it's really this way to them but it's polis to them, and a number of other things.
The drivers in Thailand were amazing how they didn't all hit each other and drove within inches of each other, they'd swerve out in the other lane, the on coming traffic would just move over to let them be there, no honking needed or anger, they move to the inside to take the front before a car, all so close to each other, it's shocking how they do it without accidents, well not as much as us anyway. I saw one accident but it was only 1 or 2 cars involved. And there was no traffic watchers for 2 hours watching, they just moved on from it.
Oh, KFC is here and I saw the other day where they were advertising a sign of fresh herbs on the sign, as if it's healthy or something. The locals think the tourist want to eat there, I tell them how unhealthy it is but they don't seem to understand that. Advertising is very drawing and tells much that isn't true.
So I can go on and on really, but this is probably enough. I am loving Malaysia, I'm happy I'm here, I love the people, it's cooler than Thailand, though still very sticky and drippy. I have gotten my travel legs!!!! I'm off to the mountains this afternoon and will be getting in at 9pm, the guesthouses there are nice enough to come pick you up so you aren't wandering around lost. I'm excited to go hiking and be in nature. I'm bummed I haven't got a chance to record any of the sounds of the insects, it's hard in cities as it's so loud with traffic. The roosters are amazing to wake to and the birds squawk so loud in places, it's beautiful. Really amazing. I'm hoping to do some sound recording soon.
I send you all love, I hope you are well. Please email me at gypsysundancer@yahoo.com.
Big hugs and kisses, Heather
Let your heart shine from the inside out and everything you want will follow and attract to you!