A strange set of circumstances allowed me to find out where I am, now I am finding out all about it. I received a notification from Apple that my device has been located and gave me a map identifying the Strait of Malacca. My MacBook Air was in plain sight, not missing at all. There was no stress or tension, just needed information. Apple can suddenly assist you it is most rewarding.
Next, along came Wikipedia,
“The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 500 mi (800 km) long and from 40 to 155 mi (65–250 km) wide, between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).[2] As the main shipping channel between the Indian and Pacific oceans, it is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the strait between 1400 and 1511, the center of administration of which was located in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. “
Now you know, I know, we all know. Well everyone that reads this blog knows. Too bad. So sad that others are uninformed. Hahaha This is real old time history – not the Canada and US pretend history. It started out very early, so early that no date at all is given, leading up to this. “After the tenth century, ships from China began to trade at these eastern trading posts and ports. Kedah and Funan were famous ports throughout the 6th century, before shipping began to use the Strait of Malacca itself as a trade route. In the 7th century the maritime empire of Srivijaya, based in Palembang, Sumatra, rose to power, and its influence expanded to the Malay peninsula and Java. The empire gained effective control of two major choke points in maritime Southeast Asia: the Strait of Malacca and the Sunda Strait. By launching a series of conquests and raids on potential rival ports on both sides of the strait, Srivijaya ensured its economic and military domination in the region, which lasted for about 700 years. Srivijaya gained great benefits from the lucrative spice trade, e.g. the tributary trade system with China, and trade with Indian and Arab merchants. The Strait of Malacca became an important maritime trade route between India and China. The importance of the Strait of Malacca in global trade networks continued well into later centuries with the rise of the Malacca Sultanate”
in the 15th century, the Johor Sultanate, the Straits Settlements, and the modern city-state of Singapore.
Back to Lexis Suites, Penang Malaysia
School holidays are upon us and my Lexus Suites is crowded beyond belief. It is FULL to capacity with families and their children. The breakfast room from which I presently write has a waiting line. Ordinarily there are few guests, tables to spare. Most of the guests today are Malaysians. One can tell by the brighten beautiful headscarves of the women. The men are dressed in ‘normal’ clothes, not the long white dresses of Saudi men. Malaysians breakfast food is most distinctive. My Malaysian sister occasionally comes for breakfast, instructing me on the complex flavors and necessary condiments. Nonetheless, there is cuisine from every country served at this buffet. This brings back memories of my earlier extensive cooking days. The Asian section had huge pot labelled Fish Porridge. I spoke to one of the chefs, inquiring of its safety because of my food allergy. I was sure the offering was mislabelled. Suddenly I remembered the Chinese name for it.
Me: That is congee, I used to make it during my cooking days, about fifty years s ago. I made dinner nightly using recipes from my thick Thousand and One Recipe book It was a very thick hardbound blue book
He: Really??
Me: Yes. But I do not cook anymore. It is true that “all this and I can cook too.’ But not necessary do not have to bother as I have you and the other hotel chefs.
He: Yes Madam Alexis
Yesterday morning I ‘cooked’ a noodle soup and attempted to eat it with chopsticks. The following WhatsApp conversation with my Malaysian sister.
Me: I made a noodle soup. I am trying to eat it with chopsticks. It is taking forever. I will soon switch to a spoon.
She: Good idea!
Me: The crowds have lessened only about six people here now. I met a lovely Saudi woman from Jedda and her two daughters. So sweet.
It is wonderful to have a sister to be with you and share experiences. Later she came to the hotel to help me – I needed assistance because looking back at what had happened during the last couple of days the phrase: ‘the best laid plans of mice and men etc etc etc. Googled to find this. .
In 1785 Robert Burns wrote “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. 229 years later, we still cannot accept this immutable fact.
So decidedly true! Everything, and I do mean everything, went awry., amiss. The plans were well formulated and executed. Catch a shuttle at 11 am to Queensbay Mall, while there go to a bank , possibly open a bank account, get a mobile plan for my phone, get cash from an ATM. (For some reason ATMs are a complete Malaysian rarity). The list went on and on. All of this, and more, could be completed as the shuttle would pick me up at 6.
Everything went awry, amiss. The shuttle, not a hotel shuttle, and everybody and everything shuttle. I was definitely on my own. To make an extremely long and harrowing story short – accomplished nothing. It was the most confusing shopping center in the whole world. To add insult to injury the ATM machine ate my debit card. I was rescued by a wonderful, kind, compassionate young Malaysian woman who escorted me to the missing ATM, tried to help me with the confusing machine. When that was impossible she introduced me to GRAB, ( a civilized Uber) paying for my trip back to Lexis Suites. Such kindness, such generosity, so typical of the Malaysian people I have met.
Nonetheless, I also had a great time, meeting and talking with people. Talked to a couple from South Africa, who had retired and are now living MOST happily in Bali. Made the adventurous move and never regretted it. They were most supportive and approving of my plan to live in Malaysia.
I did locate a H & M store and while there purchased twi dresses and two stuffed animals. My stuffed animals were abandoned in Edmonton and Pita Paudel, the manager of Park Plaza Apartments threw everything away although he promised to store it for me. Took the profits from the furniture I left there too, I am sure. Oh well, although some Edmonton people said they would help it would just take so much energy fighting evil. My giraffe and me pelican bring me comfort and they were way less expensive than fighting him, moving things to storage etc etc etc
I was standing at the check out counter, saw a Malaysian Muslim woman buying the same dress. We began talking, It evolved into a serious discussion of the Islamic Faith.
Me: I am new to the faith and, because of it been totally uprooted, taken away from everyone and everything familiar. The Islamic faith tells us that everything is temporary. So that gives me encouragement and hope. Families, friendships, people are supposed to be temporary.
She: Yes, that is true. But when we die there is an afterlife. There is the promise of Jannah.
Me: I know that! Starting anew I am going to associate with people who are good people of the faith. Although my time with them on earth will be temporary, there will be the hope that we will meet again in Jannah. Therefore, we will not miss each other so much when we die and it motivates us to live the life the Quran instructs us to.
She: Yes!! So you have the blessing of being able to start anew.
Me: Yes. With a clean slate and with peace of mind surrounded by worshipful people.
I am planning to wear the dress tomorrow. Tomorrow is my birthday. While writing this evening my door bell rang. I answered it to find a Happy Birthday piece of cake. Honest! I do LOVE this place. Who would not???
A photo of the cake (before I ate it of course). My little sister did come to assist me yesterday, more about the continuing calamity of the debit card digestion later. While visiting she brought double edged tape so now I see the Prophet’s Mosque from my bed. Actually the same ‘view’ as when I lived in the Medina Oberio Hotel next to the Prophet’s Mosque. My view looked like a jail cell so I put the same vintage photo gift (From the Riyadh National Library) on the window there.
The remaining photo is now the screen saver on my computer. It is the most magnificent sunset I have ever seen, and I am an expert on sunsets. It was last night. I was in total awe, thinking Allah (SWT) had ‘painted’ it just for me. The photo will be attached and also a photo of the computer with the screen saver. It replaced a photo taken in Jeddah of a special coffee and roses, it replaced a photo of a man, which had replaced a baby photo of me. Everything is temporary.
