Day 2

---

Nearly missed the fantastic buffet breakfast included in price consisting of full English; continental; Malaysian - curry, rice, noodles; Japanese - wanton and dumplings; fresh fruit, cereals, salad, Indian: rotis and dhal. Fantastic - no need to have lunch, just skip through until supper. Bit jet lagged and needed waking
up - Steve thought it was a dawn raid!

Spent the day wandering around shops in Little India - most of the shops just sell items in boxes or bags as they come on the shop floors; other shop keepers were busy making flower garlands out of fresh blooms and threading them onto strings to offer in the nearby temples. We have walked everywhere so far, but Steve met a trishaw driver called Steven Steven from Portugal who has promised to take us out for a fee - I think we're too heavy to be cycled around town in this heat! All the trishaws are decorated with flowers and at night are all lit up - there is a set (government) charge of 40 ringits (six pounds an hour). Everytime we see them,
they stop and ask if we want a ride - not many people walk round here - all cars and mopeds. Walked past an enormous funeral feast - lots of music and wreaths and eating (2 days in a row...)Walked round Chinatown - some antiques but a lot of plastic. Gorgoeus smells from food stands but not so pleasant smells from the open drains that run on either side of every street, occasional covered with a cracked concrete slab. Bit of a hazard walking home after a few Tiger beers and trying to look where you're going whilst dodging the constant traffic. Lats night's thunder storm and heavy rains have probably helped wash away some of the smells, but it
is a constant flow of water, with people washing up on the edge of the street. Very busy, but no noise from traffic (only hooting is taxi drivers trying to pick us up) - but it is a city of colours, sounds and smells. We are in the midst of Ramadan and can hear the call to prayer most days at 4.10pm - the majority of the population are Muslim, but very inclusive of all other faiths. We have seen
churches, mosques, temples - Hindu and Buddhist and 'other' all next to one another. We keep going past huge bland halls with food tables and a shrine and then tables - not sure if they are restaurants or places of worship!

---