Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers: A symbol of Islamic architecture?
I was visiting Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, a multicultural country with the majority population being Muslim. I assumed Kuala Lumpur would be a conservative city, one that would keep its assets under cover, but when I saw its much-heralded landmark, the Petronas Towers, I started to rethink my assumptions. The Petronas Towers are twin skyscrapers, 88-stories high and connected halfway up by a sky bridge. They are among the tallest buildings in the world. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Good trips, Malaysia, Memorable moments
May I introduce Tom Harrisson, the barefoot anthropologist of Borneo
Tom Harrisson (1911-1976) had many labels and amateur anthropologist was one of them. He was bigger than life, so it was said, and one who never failed at anything. He wrote a best-selling book about living among cannibals in the South Pacific at the age of 26. When the British were looking for someone to drop behind enemy lines in the remote jungles of Borneo where the ‘wild men’ lived, they chose Harrisson to lead … Read entire article »
Filed under: Good trips, Malaysia, May I introduce
Getting to know Sarawak, Borneo
Borneo, the third largest island in the world, belongs to three countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. It is a fascinating destination and home to one of the oldest rainforests with some of the most diverse flora in the world. It is one of only two remaining natural habitats for the orangutan. The island has a large indigenous population and each tribe has its own distinct language and culture. The Penan, for instance, are nomadic people who … Read entire article »
Filed under: Good trips, Malaysia
The orangutans of Borneo
When I visited the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre in Borneo earlier this year I was lucky to see several orangutans for there is no guarantee that they will show up, even if their feeding platforms are overflowing with food. There are only two places in the world where orangutans are found, one is Borneo and the other Sumatra, Indonesia. It is estimated that there are between 12,500 and 20,000 orangutans in Borneo . The word orangutan comes from the Malay … Read entire article »
Filed under: Good trips, Malaysia, Memorable moments, Wildlife
