the Earth-bound adventures of the Lost and Found

Start:      Feb 7, '08 4:00p End:      Feb 11, '08 Location:      Malaysia

Start:      Jan 26, '08 04:00a Location:      Pundaquit, Zambales

purple lions this time...

from penang malaysia, these acrobats have learned the tradition of balancing a 10-m (?) bamboo pole on their forehead or chin...while walking on stilts.

10 February 2008. welcoming the year of the rat at Bukit Bintang with all the VIPs (e.g. Prime Minister of malaysia). was exciting to be with international media and being pushed around by the big guards. but we always find ways to get our story :)

Putrajaya and Batu Caves are both just outisde Kuala Lumpur, in the state of Selangor. However, one is the seat of government (with the Prime Minister's Office), meaning it's Muslim with its very big mosque, while the other is like a pilgrim site for Hindis. It's an interesting juxtaposition in a multicultural country.

7 to 11 February 2008. as part of the malaysian government's aggressive push for the world to "Visit Malaysia!", media people and tour agents from different countries were invited on the occasion of the Chinese New Year celebration. while waiting for the celebration itself, we toured a couple of places around the city: Chocolate Boutique - good production of cocoa beans Istana Negara (King's Palace) Menara KualaLumpur (KL Tower) Royal Selangor Pewter - largest pewter factory in the world KLCC Aquaria Suria KLCC (Petronas Towers) Bukit Bintang malls and hotels Eye on Malaysia Muzium Negara (National Museum) Independence Square - with tallest flagpole in the world at 100 m

Text and Photos by Jeneen R. Garcia published on 28 February 2008     “I give you good price, lah !”   The Chinese vendor was eyeing me from underneath a bunch of bead necklaces hanging over our heads. Across the street, a dark-skinned Indian had said the same thing about a pack of souvenir magnets, which I later got for a lower price at another stall.   I was at Jalan Petaling, at Kuala Lumpur ’s famous night market. Said to be the domain of Chinese merchants, the street was surprisingly peopled with just as many Indians, Malays, Pakistanis, and dan lain-lain (other races) peddling the same wares. This was truly Malaysia --a melting pot of Asian cultures with nobody losing their native identity and everybody getting along just fine despite. Which made it all the more important that I drum up my best Asian bargaining skills.   “Five ringgit each for four,” I said. A European couple stopped to check out the necklaces. I kept silent as they bargained an...

lost and found by Jeneen R. Garcia to be published on 23 February 2008 Rolling in with the Chinese New Year this month were boxes and boxes of Mandarin oranges, popularly called ponkan , from China . This has brought down the fruit’s price from the usual P10 to P15 to a more reasonable P5 apiece. Either it’s the season for ponkan harvest, or there’s really a great demand for them this time of year. And no wonder: oranges don’t just possess that round shape evocative of money, the Chinese word for “orange” sounds similar to their word for “gold”. Displaying ponkan in your house as you welcome the New Year is supposed to bring good fortune. Traditional Chinese hosts inviting you into their homes will send you off with more oranges as a blessing. New Year or not, I always make sure I get a good dose of oranges for natural Vitamin C. I’m not Chinese, but I certainly agree that being healthy is my good fortune. On my way to Malaysia ’s New Year celebration the week...