I’ve been in Malaysia for 3+ weeks and my blog has been silent the whole time for good reason. The food and the shopping!
Also, I was sick, but that was to be expected, coming from winter to tropical weather in the space of 24 hours.
There’s certainly no shortage of good eats and malls to explore in this crazy country. The culture is rich and full of life, and I’ve been hard pressed to stay indoors to blog about it instead of experiencing it. However, if you’ve been following me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, you’ll see that I haven’t forgotten to let you know what I’ve been up to (and what I’ve been eating) in photos.
You’ll never go hungry
I’ve certainly been eating like a local. I have tons of family here; between them and my girlfriend, it’s been a rare occasion to eat at the same place twice (aside from cooking at home). Food here is culture, and you learn very quickly about how serious Malaysia takes their gastronomy. When pressed for time, I’ve eaten at random places (like a hospital or some corner hawker off the beaten path). People would tell me that it was a no-good place to eat, but damned if my stomach can’t tell the difference. In short, even the worst food here is ten times better than the worst food back in Canada. And yet the locals here can tell the difference.
The only drawback is the option of healthy eating – that mentality hasn’t quite reached this part of the world, and you’ll be lucky to find something that isn’t battered, breaded, deep-fried, or all of the above. In fact, the only way I could eat something healthy and give my poor stomach a break was to cook at home. Buying groceries was also a fun experience. Tesco is a very Malaysian version of its UK roots here. You’ll find numerous UK brands next to their Chinese, Malay, or Indian counterparts in the aisles. Expect to pay high prices for westernised options (I will have my Ruffles one way or another).
That segues into the next best part of Malaysia – the shopping experience!
Malls to the walls
I’ll be upfront with you – I really detest shopping malls. While I like the exercise, I hate the idea of having to walk past a bunch of unrelated shops just to get to the one I need, only to find that what I want isn’t in stock. Mind you, that still happened to me here, but with one major difference – Malaysia has taken the art form of shopping malls to a whole new level. I actually look forward to going to a mall. Every complex is a unique marvel in engineering, architecture, and interior design. Don’t even get me started on the seasonal interior decorating and events.
In Canada, I’m used to the wide open spaces, outdoor parking, and two floors of the same franchises repeated at random in each mall. Malaysia has large malls too, but it’s been a challenge to find a mall with less than 4 floors. Indoor parking is the norm here, and there are mom-and-pop shops sitting next to the big brands. Fancy restaurants for those with expensive tastes occupy these spaces as well.
Also, Krispy Kremes are a thing here! 😀
Ignore the politics
The locals here will tell you (in hushed silence) that their political and economical state is in shambles. However, don’t let that deter you from everything else that Malaysia has to offer.
I haven’t been to many other places in the world, but I can tell you that Malaysia is one of the most unique experiences for shopping I’ve seen, and your stomach will love your mouth from all the amazing food you will stuff into your face. For more on my meals, follow me on Instagram!