I'm in Singapore now, but here's a few more images of Johor Bharu, Malaysia, just to the north.
Anyway, I've done my best to avoid Western food on these travels – I like to immerse myself as much as possible in the local culture – but when I saw this bakery, I just had to indulge... and it was soooo good!
Then I moved on to some Indian food. Have I written about the diversity here? First there was an indigenous population, who were pushed into the middle of the peninsula when Malaysia was colonized by the Chinese from the east and by the Indians from the west.
Next came Islam, which swept over the whole country, though all the old faiths remained. Then came the Europeans: first the Portuguese, followed by the British. Since independence, more people from everywhere have come.
Where I entered Malaysia at the northeast corner of the country, the culture was predominantly Muslim. At the southern end, it seems much more a mix of Hindu and Christian.
And now I'm in Singapore, which is an even-crazier melting pot. More photos to come soon!
