South Africa

:: Singapore & Malaysia

Japan

Hong Kong & Macau

China

Tibet & Nepal

Myanmar

Australia

New-Zealand

Tahiti

Easter Island

Chile

Bolivia & Peru

Argentina

Kuala Lumpur: great diversity

Without doubts, the Petronas Towers are one of the main reasons to visit Kuala Lumpur. But the city also has other interesting sights. Kuala Lumpur is huge, polluted, full of cars and buses. It has no place for pedestrians, almost no parks or green spaces... but it is a city where different worlds live together. From Chinatown to the Golden Triangle, from Little India to the Colonial District... from Malay markets to Chinese street vendors and Indian boutiques... We visit Hindu and Shinto Temples, Mosquees and Churches, and we do appreciate to be in a city which seems to succeed in having different religions living together, a city which offers a very interesting cultural diversity.

The Malaysian Islands: from Penang to the Perhentians

Contrasts are also striking in Malaysia, especially from one island to another. Our first step into the country is Penang, a historical and colonial island north-west. Culture and history are well-preserved on the island, but what strikes us most of all, once again, is the multicultural and multicolored atmosphere of the Chinese, Indian and Malay areas. Here too, Shinto and Hindu temples are next to churches and mosques. Colors and scents are part of the warm and lively atmosphere inside the temples, where people do come not only to pray but also to be together, share, meet each other and smile. Buddhas, dragons, warriors keeping the entrance... we meet surprising divinities too. Everything is strange to us, but nice. We don't understand anything, but do feel good here.

One day driving motorcycles on the island makes us discover other marvels, like this huge Chinese Buddhist temple on a hill. Sculptures, decorations, lamps, everything participates to a magical atmosphere. Are we into a fairy tale?

Driving through Penang also means facing another reality : the poverty of the country from huge abandoned buildings to small fishermen villages...