Caves and customs

---

Went to the Batu Caves today. The bus journey there ended up more like an epic tour taking about twice as long as it should have, certainly got our monies worth! We walked up 272 steps to reach the Temple Cave which is guarded by a 43m gold hindu statue (quite impressive). The cave was full of hens and monkeys and these monkeys were even more forward than the last bunch we met- one even tried to tug the bag off my back! They were all scranning on bananas and coconuts that the visitors were giving them 😊 Jan/Feb is when the Thaipusam festival is celebrated and the pilgrims come and often shave their heads and perform sacrifices such as carrying big pots on their heads and we saw quite a few people doing this. Hindu temples are bright and colourful and play cheery music- we're fans 😉

After carefully making our way back down the stairs (they were lethally steep and wet and covered in banana skins due to the munching monkeys) we walked through the market stalls set up at the bottom and tried to find where to stand to get the bus back. It appears you just stand anywhere near where the bus passes and put your hand out.

Tonight was funny. We went down to the night market and just as Rob found the DVD he really wanted the shop guy came rushing up to us to explain that the customs officer was on his way and they had to close. We stepped back onto the street and the whole place was in uproar, all the knock off bags, shoes, watches, DVD's etc being bundled into bags. The back lane outside of our hotel room suddenly became a little getaway street with make shift market stalls being hurridly pulled out of sight!

---