Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
191
Funky Flowers
Borneo is home to the world's largest flower, the rafflesia, which can grow to over
90 cm (3 ft.) in diameter. The parasitic plant is a rare find, and the smell it gives
off is similar to rotting flesh. Another interesting species of Borneo flora is the
pitcher plant, which survives in poor soil conditions by drawing nutrients from
insects and even small mammals it captures in its pitcher. Both plants are pro-
tected species.
FILMS
Anna and the King
(1999). A H ollywood
blockbuster, this r emake starring Cho w
Yun Fatt and J odie Foster was filmed on
Langkawi, after the Thai go vernment
refused to let them film in Thailand. The
Thais are not fans of the Western fairytale
that claims that one of their most r evered
monarchs was “civilized” by a simple Eng-
lish teacher.
Entrapment
(1999). This thriller star-
ring S ean Conner y and Catherine Z eta-
Jones has its climax in Kuala Lumpur, with
a stunt-filled heist at the top of the P etro-
nas Twin Towers.
Sandokan
(1976). B ased on the epic
novels of E milio S algari, this mini-series
captured the danger and myster y of colo-
nial Malaya.
South P acific
(1958). B ali H ai is Tio-
man Island, at least for the cast and cr ew
of South Pacific, who shot parts of the film
there in the 1950s, most notably the
scenes that accompany the song “H appy
Talk.”
Zoolander
(2001). This low-brow com-
edy, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson,
is banned from Malaysia because of a plot
that includes an assassination plan of a
so-called prime minister of M alaysia.
However, footage of a fictional M alaysia
has absolutely no resemblance to the coun-
try at all.
10
5
EATING & DRINKING IN MALAYSIA
Malaysian food seems to get its origins
from I ndia's rich curries, influenced b y
Thailand's herbs and spices. You'll find
delicious blends of coconut milk and
the Chinese food, the Peranakan food, the
Indian food—the list goes on (see chapter
2). You'll also find fr esh seafood almost
everywhere.
I str ongly r ecommend eating in a
curry, shrimp paste and chilies, accented
by ex otic flav ors of galangal (similar to
turmeric), lime, and lemon grass. S ome-
times pungent, a fe w of the dishes hav e a
deep flavor from fermented shrimp paste
that is an acquir ed taste for Western pal-
ates. By and large, M alaysian food is deli-
cious, but in multicultural M alaysia, so is
hawker stall, especially in Penang, which is
famous for its local cuisine. Although
almost all of the food y ou encounter in a
hawker center will be safe for eating, it is
advisable to go for fr eshly cooked hot or
soupy dishes.
