Everything Is Relative

When I parked my car about a mile from the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple, I realised I have three bags of gear in my car. Had no choice but to squeeze all into the largest bag and carry it with me. I was complaining about the long walk in the hot sun when I met a lady with no feet.

Wheelchair-bound Pauziah told me she suffered from bone cancer and had her legs and fingers amputated. Because her arms are weak, she saved for an electric wheelchair by selling packet lunch door-to-door in the area. Now that she owns one, the spinster found out it will cost more than a thousand ringgit to replace the battery when it eventually fails. Thus, she is seeking donations.

I am normally quite skeptical of panhandlers but after a half-an-hour chat by the roadside, the lady seems quite genuine. She’s a philosophical, cheerful and positive person. Made me feel like a worthless amoeba for complaining earlier.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f9, 1/200 sec.

When The Going Gets Tough...

Sakura Cafe’s Nasi Lemak

Sakura Cafe, one of the first 24-hour coffee houses in KL, pioneered the ‘upmarket’ nasi lemak in the early 1980s. Their version of the local delicacy served with chicken floss and pickle launched a fad.

Nasi Lemak soon made it into the after-party menu of 5-star hotels in the city. It took the midnight buffet of the 1990s to knock the super supper off its porcelain perch.

Some three decades later, Sakura Cafe in Jalan Imbi is still going strong. I am not sure if Sakura (and newer sister-restaurant Madam Kwan’s) still belong to the same family though. On an impromptu visit last night, I was pleasantly surprised to see the original signature dish.

Tasty curry chicken, chunky sambal, chicken floss and achar over fragrant santan rice with a slice of egg to go. It must have been a luxury at RM 4 in the 80s. It is RM 15 for a plate of legend today.

Pork-free Sakura Cafe is at 163 to 169 Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2148 4315.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 400, f3.5, 1/30 sec.

Sakura Cafe's Nasi Lemak

You Pay Peanuts, You Get Photo Bombers

Wild monkeys seem to enjoy cam-whoring too. Or photo-bombing to the delight of those in the picture. Some of the Silver-Leafed monkeys in Kuala Selangor would jump on the shoulders of unsuspecting tourists when they see them posing for a photo. Fortunately, the endangered species have not learned the gratuitous V sign (as yet).

Not sure if it is a good thing but it appears to be a symbiotic relationship. The friendly wildlife attract hordes of visitors to Malawati Hill and in return they get fed with fruits and nuts.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f11, 1/1600 sec.

Photo Bomber