Hanging with the Murtabak Girls

I took the monorail to Kampong Baru, stopping off at "Times Square" shopping mall, near Bukit Bintang to buy a new camera. My "old", (actually almost brand new) camera had been stolen from by bag the day before, while travelling cheek by jowel on the very crowded commuter train. Turns out I got dudded again, cause they sold me a demo model as the real deal. At least I got a good discount - haven't quite lost all my haggling skills!

Kampong baru is the old Malay quarter. Lots of wooden houses still remain, (see classic Malay wooden house) although Kuala Lumpur appears to be rapidly overgrowing the suburb. This is normally quite a sleepy part of town, but I happened to arrive on market day (Saturday) and the locals had galvanised themselves into action. Makeshift stalls and hawker stands appeared and cranked into life. There was generally a buzzy feel about the place.

I schlepped around around the place as the call to prayer flooded the streets in a pious chorale which nobody appeared to take any notice of. I took snaps, I poked into this and that, I smiled, I chatted. Everybody was charming. Check out thse kids I literally ran into outside the mosque!

Then I found it...The Murtabak Stall.

Murtabak is fabulous. It's a parcel of fried dough-wrapped spicy meat (beef, chicken) vaguely curry flavoured and scattered with abundant fresh herbs. Mmmmm (again)

The Murtabak ladies were both busy and shy. They had to move fast cause the murtabak was burning. Here's their photo.

Down an alley and around a corner two local lads got off a motor bike, sidled up wordlessly and stood right up there next to me. There was a weird expression on their faces. Was it a sneer? I smiled and walked on and they didn't follow, but I definitely felt that my personal security had been questioned.

It's an interesting fact that travel brings you face to face with your prejudices, for re-examination. It occurred to me that I had thought that because Malaysia is an Islamic country that it would be safe and its citizens law abiding, but within four days of arrival I'd had one camera stolen and been sold a crock for another. I'd also been intimidated by local hoods. On the other hand, I'd expected that since Thais are not Muslim that they would be more friendly, polite and happy. Again this turns out not to be the case for the vast majority. Too early to draw any valid conclusion, but..... interesting.