Attention Bill Geist (a CBS Sunday Morning contributor for years and devotee of quirky, off-beat museums) - there is the weirdest little museum in Tanah Rata, Malaysia. If you're ever here, Bill, do pay it a visit. It is called The Time Tunnel and was created by a Chinese man who had an incredible collection of 'stuff' and needed a place to put it. We had to be persuaded, by Sevalam our driver/guide, to visit it and it is a hoot. First, it is not a tunnel but it is a trip through time in the Highlands. First stop, a visit with an aborigine . . .
No, he isn't alive but a reasonably good replica of what he looked like when 'discovered' by the first 'white' men, the British. There are still a good many aboriginals living back in these hills, lives largely unchanged since . . . on the other hand, many of the aboriginals opted to go modern and accept the Malaysian government's offer of free housing, power, etc. One caveat - they had to become Muslim!
Back to the Time Tunnel . . . this is the strangest collection of odd things, many of which reflect American culture but probably not the best parts of it. For example . . .
This is a display of 'darkie' toothpaste - huh? Allegedly using this would make ones teeth as white as those of a black person. The name was apparently modified to 'Darlie's' over time . . .
And one of my favorites, an advertisement for Kickapoo Joy Juice - in Chinese!!
Cigarettes asked in round tins . . .
And one of the crudest wheelbarrows I've ever seen.
A typical Chinese tea house (complete with Nescafe sign) . . .
And Tim with our driver (That's the Malaysian flag in the background)
On to the Buddhist Temple, this one Chinese and quite different from the other temples we've seen.
These Buddhas look very militaristic, ready to take up arms and defend the temple (this was one of the few serene ones).
A couple of young girls were preparing some sort of altar decoration which involved making a sort of ornament from cut down soda cans. This matrix of dots with interconnecting lines meant something and the objective was to put one of these ornaments on each dot; they told us the final design would take over a hundred of these ornaments!
Last stop of the day is late lunch/early dinner. We keep hearing about roti canai and how we absolutely have to try it. One version left us unconvinced that it is a culinary delight. Our driver has assured us that we didn't have it in the right restaurant. The one we did have was a sweetish crepe- like affair that was chewy and unremarkable. So after a stop to pick up Severa's wife, we head to the 'authentic' roti canai place - in their neighborhood.
And the famous roti canai being prepared . . .
Back to the Time Tunnel . . . this is the strangest collection of odd things, many of which reflect American culture but probably not the best parts of it. For example . . .
This is a display of 'darkie' toothpaste - huh? Allegedly using this would make ones teeth as white as those of a black person. The name was apparently modified to 'Darlie's' over time . . .
And one of my favorites, an advertisement for Kickapoo Joy Juice - in Chinese!!
Cigarettes asked in round tins . . .
And one of the crudest wheelbarrows I've ever seen.
A typical Chinese tea house (complete with Nescafe sign) . . .
And Tim with our driver (That's the Malaysian flag in the background)
On to the Buddhist Temple, this one Chinese and quite different from the other temples we've seen.
These Buddhas look very militaristic, ready to take up arms and defend the temple (this was one of the few serene ones).
A couple of young girls were preparing some sort of altar decoration which involved making a sort of ornament from cut down soda cans. This matrix of dots with interconnecting lines meant something and the objective was to put one of these ornaments on each dot; they told us the final design would take over a hundred of these ornaments!
Last stop of the day is late lunch/early dinner. We keep hearing about roti canai and how we absolutely have to try it. One version left us unconvinced that it is a culinary delight. Our driver has assured us that we didn't have it in the right restaurant. The one we did have was a sweetish crepe- like affair that was chewy and unremarkable. So after a stop to pick up Severa's wife, we head to the 'authentic' roti canai place - in their neighborhood.
And the famous roti canai being prepared . . .
And, at last, the dish!! This had a savory filling - eggs, some sort of sausage - accompanied by some daal for dipping - and was very very tasty.
Lovely way to end our stay in the Highlands. Tomorrow, we're off early on the bus to Kuala Lumpur where we will overnight at the airport hotel. Early morning trio of flights - KL to Sydney, Sydney to Nadi, Fiji, Nadi to Savusavu, Fiji - a 24-hr trip, starting at 9 a.m.
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