Getting to know KL

We don't have internet in our new place (that takes FOUR weeks to set up--seriously I thought they were kidding).  To do anything web-related I have to go downstairs to our building's "Book Club" room that has free wi-fi.  This room is partially open to the outside--this makes it hot--and has no AC so I hope you appreciate me sitting in the heat swatting mosquitoes to bring to you this post.

Here are a few more photos of the last few weeks.  These are all still taken in our old place.

 I had to take a family photo with the boys because I actually curled my hair (that is a big deal since it is so hot and humid here).  

I SO appreciate Asian hair now since they can wear their hair down and it looks fabulous in this humid heat.  Courtney I am SO jealous of you.

Next up: eating adventures!

 I have been trying to get to know the REAL KL (I call where we live the fake KL since it is so nice and full of expats).   Janah (Helen's friend, pictured above) lives on this adorable street off Jalan Ipoh (very REAL Malaysia complete with wandering dogs, streetside wet markets, and a KFC--they are everywhere).  Janah has lived in the same house forever so she knows everyone.  This past week she took us to her favorite eatery in her neighborhood (pictured above with striped awning and blue tarp).

This is the street the eating stand is on (look for the blue tarp to the left of the silver car).

She picked out her favorite food for us.

Here we are back at home--Helen and Janah set out quite the spread for me.  Side note: Janah calls me "madam" which I think is so funny.

I started eating with my fork and knife but then noticed I was not doing it right--they were eating with their hand!  So then they explained you have to eat Malaysian food with your right hand (your left hand is for potty).

 

Then at the end of the meal you pour a few drips of water on your plate.  You are not supposed to leave your plate dry because wet plate means you will always have food.

Next up: shopping for an Indian punjabi suit!

Helen is on the left and Janah on the right with Andrew.   The grey car is our rental car (a Nissan X-Trail--not a very glamorous car and it is ridiculously expensive--maybe at least $1,000 USD per month).  We are getting rid of it as soon as we buy a car here.

So I want to get a punjabi suit (there are so many Indians here and everyone wears them).  They are different from a sari.  Helen and Janah took me to this row of shops that would have some good ones.

Here we are walking to the shop.

Option #1.  Bright orange

That was the best one I tried on, but I didn't buy it because I didn't like the way the fabric felt.  Anyways as we were walking out of the shop emptyhanded the sales ladies were being so rude and mean because I did not make a purchase.  It made me feel really bad.  Helen says that is normal for Malaysia so not to take it too personally.

Then Janah treated us to some fruit.  They cut it up and sell it in little baggies.  Joseph couldn't wait to get his hands on it (see below).

Here is Joseph enjoying being in the driver seat.

Helen made up a new game to play with Andrew.  He loves it.

As we have been driving around the city I have taken some pictures.  Here they are. 

Side note: I keep taking these pics so everyone back home can see what KL looks like.  However I am not a photographer, and I don't have a digital SLR, so the pics aren't perfect.  All of you have the most perfect pictures on their blogs (ahem glamorous Annie Reynolds) so just take them for what they are--crooked, awkward pics snapped from the window while driving on the left side of the road in a foreign country.

The high courts (below):

Petaling Street (aka Chinatown):

Since our shipment of belongings has taken so long to get here, Joseph has once again grown out of all his clothes.  I bought him some cheap Asian baby clothes (below).  Mike can't believe I put Joseph in a muscle shirt but I think it's funny.  It doesn't seem to keep people away from wanting to touch, hold and take pictures of him.

We took an excursion to the Central Market which sells all sorts of handmade artisan type items.  Here we are outside.

Before we could even walk into the market we were spotted by a group of Indonesian tourists.

After a hundred pictures we made it to the front of the central market.  As you can see it is a very architecturally striking turquoise art deco-style building.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the market's floor tiles.

Here I am in one of the shops buying a pashmina scarf for 15 MYR ($5).

Here is the shop owner and I--all buddy buddy.

On the way out I took some more shots of cool buildings I found.

Alright, well that is all for today.  I have more pics to post, including those of our new house since we are finally moved in.  I will post them soon.
I am sure you were wondering if I am now covered in sweat.  The answer is yes.  Enjoy.

Update

We are currently moving into our new place.  In the mean time here is what we have been up to.

Test driving new cars (yes, they put plastic on all the seats).

Checking out our new church branch (the PJ Branch).

 Visiting the nearby Lake Gardens.

 I love this tree.

 This is where all the locals go to run...

 ...and read love poetry to each other....

Nevermind that there are signs everywhere saying no public signs of affection.  No kissing, hugging, etc.  Mike and I tried to refrain.

Update on our adventures in KL

 We are still in temp housing for the next month until our place is ready.

Andrew is now putting on his own new shoes.  All the kids here wear crocs (or fake crocs).  Andrew's have the Japanese cartoon Ben 10 on them.

Mike has been out of town a bit (he is currently in Osaka) so Helen and I have been having a ton of adventures.

 Helen's friend Janah came to visit to meet the boys (she hears all about them from Helen) so she wanted a pic with them to take home to show her family.

I went to lunch with some of my expat friends from church to a fab Chinese restaurant at the Pavilion.

Then Hilary and I went shopping.  I put together the list of places to go and her driver took us.  She has a driver.  How cool is that.

 Here is this warehouse of Chinese antiques called Lasting Impressions.

 Seriously the most beautiful pieces.

Next up, grocery shopping!

We usually do our Grocery Shopping at the nearby Cold Storage but it is really expensive since it is an expat area.  This week Helen and I took the boys to Tesco.  It is a bit farther out but it is huge, and reminded me of a mix of the Tesco we shopped at in London and Walmart from the states.

Later Helen was going out with her daughter and grandsons so they stopped by the house to pick her up.  I was so excited to meet her grandson Eeshawnth.  He is 3.5 just about one year older than Andrew.  He is so beautiful and full of energy. 
He made himself right at home and did not want to leave.

Check out his smile.  So gorgeous.

 Helen and her grandson.  Precious.

Helen is Indian Malaysian, so her daughter brought some Indian food from the local Indian restaurant Leaf.  The restaurants put all the "take away" curries in little bags.  This is Masala dosa.  

TO DIE FOR. 

 Joseph is growing a ton.  He is now pulling himself up on everything and starting to cruise.  He is the happiest little guy and quite the superstar in our building (and pretty much every store we ever go in).

 One day after Andrew's OT appointment we stopped by the buddhist temple on Jalan Ipoh to get some vegetarian Chinese food.  They have the best tofu chicken and pork.  It even looks like meat.  And it is more expensive than a typical dish with meat because their tofu is high quality and they spend time preparing it to make it just as good as meat.

Helen took Andrew up to order while I waited in the car with Joseph.

YUM!

Rough week

It was a rough week.

• Mike was out of town.
• There was a cockroach in Joseph's car seat.
• Andrew got sick.

Did I mention there was a cockroach in Joseph's car seat?

______________

On a separate note I did get to go furniture shopping with a friend.  We heard about a Chinese import place crammed with legit antiques (called Danasty nonetheless).  It was quite an adventure.

A quick vid.

Mike is in Osaka this week, so I went house hunting without him. I found a place (below) and made an offer and he hasn't even seen it. He saw the building last week but not this unit. Hence, this video is for Mike. Mike, I really hope you like it because if not, we're pretty much stuck.



Here's an explanation of some parts of the video (it has been quite a learning process learning about how Malaysians build high-end condos).

The first scene shows the private lift lobby (that is pretty standard here).
There are two kitchens (one "dry," one "wet" for the heavy cooking).
That dark room off the wet kitchen is a maid's room (everyone except us seems to have a live in maid).
For some reason there is a balcony off the master shower (strange I know--for access to air con unit maybe?).
The windowed room off the family room is actually a patio (you can pull back all the window/doors).
Each bedroom has its own bathroom (which we won't even use).
There are hard floors throughout. No carpet anywhere (hot weather thing?).
There are usually several agents at each viewing (at least one for client, one for landlord).