Days 12 and 13: We awoke late on Saturday morning, post-gig, and hopped into the car with Jeffrey who whisked us away to the place where Malaysians play hard - the Genting Highlands. Picture Vegas and Atlantic City 1,500 meters above sea level. After a delicious brunch of curries and noodles and yummy spirulina juice (good for post-club hangovers) Jeffrey Andretti (he has a VERY heavy foot) winged his way up the mountain side into the clouds to the Highlands.
It was a beautiful drive with a great view of KL in the distance (or so we were told b/c the clouds were so low, we could only see white outside our window!). A great relief from the city's humidity and pollution. For the next two days, we gambled (Sean won 150 ringgit - about $50 - at black jack), shopped (what a shocker - Sean got Diesel jeans for $20 US!), ate (a fantastic dinner buffet for just under 100 ringgit - a mere $11 each - and rode the rides (there is this kiddie ride called the Rio Float Parade Ride, in which you can ride above the giant shopping mall in either a swan, a dragon, Mississippi river boat or a giant whale - we got the whale. It was Sue's favorite ride - no high speeds involved. We were the oldest two people on it). It was the start of a week-long school holiday, so it seemed as though every Malaysian family and some Middle Eastern as well, was staying in our hotel.
We were awakened before sunrise on Sunday morning by the Muslim prayers being called from the local mosque (all the hotel rooms in Malaysia, by the way, have arrows on the ceiling pointing towards Mecca. 60% of Malaysia's population is Muslim, the rest Hindu (the Indians) and Buddhist (the Chinese) with some Christians sprinkled in.), and then in true NY, agnostic fashion fell back to sleep until 11:30 am.
On our way back down from the Highlands, we stopped at the famed Hindu holy site, Batu Caves, where we climbed - along with all the local monkeys - all 272 stairs to the lovely temples at the top. (Jeffrey protested again the physical activity, but we won him over.) We didn't complain because once a year, the most reverent Hindus walk from KL to make that climb with hooks through their backs attached to offerings for the gods.
That evening we met Winnie and Clement for dinner in a neighborhood called Petaling Jaya (or PJ to the locals) at the very famous and popular Fatty Crab, where Winnie and Clem treated us to the most delicious dinner of Chang beer, garlic prawns, spicy crabs and red snapper steamed with lime, chilis, lemon grass. By far our favorite meal in KL.
Jeffrey drove us back to KL proper and our new hotel (Hotel Imperial), which boasted not only a view of the KL Tower, but this time Petronas AND club Maison - where Sean would be performing again in several hours, this time for a crowd of KL's gay men and the women who love them at the weekly Sunday party called Garcon. I styled Sean up again for the gig, and then we made our way around the corner to the party, which was celebrating its 2nd anniversary.
(A word about the gays and Malaysia. Being gay is completely and totally illegal in Malaysia, but as we were told, gay parties and gatherings exist in abundance, and are largely ignored by the authorities. The party just cannot advertise that it is a gay gathering.)
This time we got to meet Sam, the club's owner, the party's sponsors from Australia and Beijing, and a lovely, smart, worldly woman named Grace, a writer/editor and best childhood friend of Luqman. We hope she and Luqman will come visit us when they are in NYC. In true Seanie style, he worked those boys at the party into a frenzy. The club's GM Reggie and all the staff were very pleased with Sean's sounds and energy, and are very eager to bring him back soon. Just say the word, and we'll be on the plane!
We acknowledge the generosity and support of everyone who made Sean's KL debut possible and extremely memorable - Ed Aston, Sam, Luqman, Reggie, Merlin, and the other resident DJs at Maison. We look forward to coming back very soon!
Lucky number Day 13, ended on a high note as we drifted off the sleep.
Malaysian phrase of the day:
Terimah Kasi - thank you
It was a beautiful drive with a great view of KL in the distance (or so we were told b/c the clouds were so low, we could only see white outside our window!). A great relief from the city's humidity and pollution. For the next two days, we gambled (Sean won 150 ringgit - about $50 - at black jack), shopped (what a shocker - Sean got Diesel jeans for $20 US!), ate (a fantastic dinner buffet for just under 100 ringgit - a mere $11 each - and rode the rides (there is this kiddie ride called the Rio Float Parade Ride, in which you can ride above the giant shopping mall in either a swan, a dragon, Mississippi river boat or a giant whale - we got the whale. It was Sue's favorite ride - no high speeds involved. We were the oldest two people on it). It was the start of a week-long school holiday, so it seemed as though every Malaysian family and some Middle Eastern as well, was staying in our hotel.
We were awakened before sunrise on Sunday morning by the Muslim prayers being called from the local mosque (all the hotel rooms in Malaysia, by the way, have arrows on the ceiling pointing towards Mecca. 60% of Malaysia's population is Muslim, the rest Hindu (the Indians) and Buddhist (the Chinese) with some Christians sprinkled in.), and then in true NY, agnostic fashion fell back to sleep until 11:30 am.
On our way back down from the Highlands, we stopped at the famed Hindu holy site, Batu Caves, where we climbed - along with all the local monkeys - all 272 stairs to the lovely temples at the top. (Jeffrey protested again the physical activity, but we won him over.) We didn't complain because once a year, the most reverent Hindus walk from KL to make that climb with hooks through their backs attached to offerings for the gods.
That evening we met Winnie and Clement for dinner in a neighborhood called Petaling Jaya (or PJ to the locals) at the very famous and popular Fatty Crab, where Winnie and Clem treated us to the most delicious dinner of Chang beer, garlic prawns, spicy crabs and red snapper steamed with lime, chilis, lemon grass. By far our favorite meal in KL.
Jeffrey drove us back to KL proper and our new hotel (Hotel Imperial), which boasted not only a view of the KL Tower, but this time Petronas AND club Maison - where Sean would be performing again in several hours, this time for a crowd of KL's gay men and the women who love them at the weekly Sunday party called Garcon. I styled Sean up again for the gig, and then we made our way around the corner to the party, which was celebrating its 2nd anniversary.
(A word about the gays and Malaysia. Being gay is completely and totally illegal in Malaysia, but as we were told, gay parties and gatherings exist in abundance, and are largely ignored by the authorities. The party just cannot advertise that it is a gay gathering.)
This time we got to meet Sam, the club's owner, the party's sponsors from Australia and Beijing, and a lovely, smart, worldly woman named Grace, a writer/editor and best childhood friend of Luqman. We hope she and Luqman will come visit us when they are in NYC. In true Seanie style, he worked those boys at the party into a frenzy. The club's GM Reggie and all the staff were very pleased with Sean's sounds and energy, and are very eager to bring him back soon. Just say the word, and we'll be on the plane!
We acknowledge the generosity and support of everyone who made Sean's KL debut possible and extremely memorable - Ed Aston, Sam, Luqman, Reggie, Merlin, and the other resident DJs at Maison. We look forward to coming back very soon!
Lucky number Day 13, ended on a high note as we drifted off the sleep.
Malaysian phrase of the day:
Terimah Kasi - thank you
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