Perhentian Islands, Malaysia: Weekend with Friends

We went with our best friends in KL to the Perhentian Islands,
off the east coast of Malaysia.
Abraham and Aden are also best buddies in their class at school.
That is best buddies, in that passionate sense, meaning intense love with moments of intense hate that these 4 year old boys sometimes have trouble navigating.

Their 2 year old daughter Savannah is ADORABLE and one intense, fun personality. It's easier to lavish attention on her as a friend than to be her parent at midnight when she refuses to sleep in a new hotel.

Aden and Savannah

Ashley, my respite from the relentless light positivity of people outside of NYC.
I got refreshing honesty, directness, creativity, and a sharp eye not shy of critique from Ashley.

Note the impressive bridge engineering, done by Ken

Click HERE for a video of us playing nightly family soccer at the beach.
The beach was beautiful and the water crystal clear
with easy access for everyone, including 4 year old kids,
to snorkeling at the reef. We saw Nemo. In fact, Nemo attacked my eyes,
but, luckily, I had my goggles on. Fear Nemo, don't love Nemo.

This hotel and nearby hotels were run by local Muslim Malaysians.
So, it was impossible to get a beer at our hotel.
We didn't give up easily and trekked along the shore every night to
Watercolors restaurant, where the Muslim Malaysian waitresses
seemed more comfortable serving us beer.

A Flying FOX!!!
We saw it fly, like a squirrel with wings

Durian, one stinky fruit

Volleyball on the beach, by local fishermen

Muslim Malaysian sunbathing sexy swimsuit.

The restaurant we went to every night.

Mark, Ashley, and family.

Mark and Ken,
Two born and bred New Yorkers. Mark's from Scarsdale and teaches
middle school science at ISKL. Ashley teaches high school art.

Ashley and Ken

Savannah and Alice
Two beauties

Superheroes

Playing with superhero figures while waiting for dinner

Muslim Malaysian family playing cards while waiting for dinner

We kayaked around these rocks and found a hidden beach, jumping off a rock into the water

Two lion cubs cuddling on the van drive back to the airplane

Boat drive back to the mainland. Savannah liked it the second time round.
Click HERE for a video of the adventurous boatride,
or at least it was an adventure for our young crew.

The windswept buddies on the bumpy boatride.

Two friends sleeping off their party weekend together.

May 20. 2011

Kuala Lumpur: Butterfly Park with 4 year olds

I went with Abraham's class of cute little 3 and 4 year olds to the Butterfly Park.

Abraham was scared at first then eventually held the butterfly.

Click HERE for a video of the now-brave Abraham teaching his friend Alaa how to hold a butterfly.

They touched the Rhinoceros Bug

And, they touched the Leaf bug. See, it looks just like a leaf!