Myths and goddesses

Asian Deity

6 May 2015 | From Wei yi of Malaysia

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This postcard reminds me of some Great Goddess of Japan or some Asian-goddess of the far-east realm - a female being of supernatural powers or attributes and ethereal beauty that is worshiped by a people. Perhaps I watch too much anime.

Asian mythology includes a vast number of gods, goddesses, deities, and spirits. Most stories concern the creation of the world, divine origins, myths and history, rise of a kingdom, and the activities of deities, humans, animals, and magical creatures. Some myths describe characters and events associated with particular places. Others are set in legendary locations, such as the heavens or the underworld.

Malaysian island paradise

Malaysia's best beaches

30 Mar 2015 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Gentle sea breeze, crystal clear blue water washes against powdery white beaches are a common feature of tropical island paradise in Malaysia.

Malaysia is hot and humid all year and blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. With almost 900 scattered islands, and a vast 5,000km coastline on both sides of the Malaysian Peninsula and along Sarawak and Sabah, Malaysia has a vastly varied shoreline, from the palm shaded nature-rich islands of Sabah and Sarawak off Borneo, to the vibrant and stylish coastal resort towns facing the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca on its Peninsula.

Malaysia is one of the world’s most visited countries, and its stunning beaches are a big part of that appeal. Your biggest problem might be choosing where to start. Here are the 10 best islands for a Malaysia holiday according to CNN: Perhentians, a hippie hideaway; Tioman, an island for flashpackers; Langkawi, best for luxury; Penang, best for food and heritage; Labuan, an isle of bankers; Layang-Layang, isolation guaranteed; Sipadan, for hard-core divers; Redang, for a "Summer Holiday"; Rawa, for a weekend break; and Pangkor, most loved by locals.

2015 New Year Greetings from Malaysia

Chinese New Year in Malaysia

10 Mar 2015 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Just like any other festival in Malaysia, Chinese New Year is basically the time of the year to get together with family and friends. While each country may celebrate the New Year in an almost similar way, the concept of open house is normally practiced in Malaysia where the homes are open for friends and family to visit, regardless of race and religion.

The most important element of Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner, which is held on the eve of the New Year.  In Malaysia, a dish called yee sang is the first to be served. Yee sang, also known as the Prosperity Toss, is a teochew-style raw fish salad and everyone at the table will help to mix this salad with their chopsticks – with lots of noise and laughter. The tradition is that the higher you toss the salad, the more your fortunes will grow in the New Year.

Gift giving is an important component of Chinese New Year in Malaysia and the most common gifts amongst family, colleagues and business contacts are the boxes of oranges, or the live orange trees. Ang-poh – little red packets with new currency notes inside – are given to children, single adults and the elderly, and for children this is often the most exciting part of the celebration. A child with many uncles and aunties can potentially collect a lot of money from their ang-poh gifts.

Kuala Lumpur's oldest mosque

Masjid Jamek Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur

3 Feb 2015 | From Wei-yi of Malaysia 

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As twilight gently falls upon Kuala Lumpur's oldest mosque, Masjid Jamek is truly an oasis of peace and tranquility in this modern and bustling city.

Built in 1909, Jamek Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak River and was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback. The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sir Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah officially opened the mosque in 1909, two years after construction was completed. The mosque was built on the first Malay burial ground in the city. Before the national mosque, Masjid Negara, was opened in 1965, Masjid Jamek served as Kuala Lumpur's main mosque. The architect was Arthur Benison Hubback. The Masjid Jamek is situated, where both rivers the Sungei Klang and the Sungei Gombak meet. 

The Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur is the oldest mosque in KL. This is the very spot for Kuala Lumpur's history, where the early settlers of Kuala Lumpur built their shacks. Masjid Jamek was the main mosque of Kuala Lumpur untill The National Mosque was built in 1965 near the railway station. The mosque has a Moorish, Indo-Saracenic or Mughal architecture. It was designed by Arthur Benison Hubbock, an architectural assistant in the Public Works and Survey Department, who was intrigued and inspired by the Mogul architecture of India.

Merry Christmas from Malaysia

Christmas in Malaysia

7 Jan 2015 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia 

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Christianity in Malaysia is a minority religion practiced by 9.2% of the population (2010 census), most living in East Malaysia. As such, Christmas in Malaysia may not be as festive and long as comapred to other parts of the world. In Malaysia, Christmas is only celebrated on Christmas Eve. The actual first day of Christmas is often business as usual for many Malaysians. The lush decorations cannot be taken down soon enough after Christmas, as then all the mall will repeat the same ‘contest’ for the nearing New Years Eve (which is immediately followed by Chinese New Year preparations). The is no second day of Christmas, as this is only custom in a few countries in the world.

Most Malaysians, celebrating or not, flock to the shopping malls – a typical Malaysian past time. There, they enjoy the activities and events organized by the malls and even do some shopping, taking advantage of the Christmas and Year End Sale. On the night of Christmas eve, when the clock strikes twelve, various locations perform firework displays to welcome Christmas with a bang. Malaysians flock to these locations earlier during the day to get good spots to view the magnificent displays of fireworks.

Criminal Shinobis

The Akatsuki

7 Jan 2015 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Akatsuki is an organization of criminal ninja that serves as the primary antagonistic force of the second part of the Naruto series. It was founded by Yahiko, Nagato and Konan under instruction from Obito Uchiha.

Akatsuki seeks to capture the Bijuu and their hosts the "Jinchuuriki," meaning the power of human sacrifice. These are the individuals possessing bijuu (tailed beasts) within their bodies. Akatsuki's current base of operation is unknown, however they have multiple bases to which they can travel. These bases are used to summon the gigantic King of Hell statue known as Gedou Mazou. The statue's mouth is bound and his hands are cuffed. Each respective finger of the statue's hand represents the Akatsuki member. 

The members have the ability to project their presence to their base, this allows them to remain out and about and still conduct the business of Jinchuuriki demon extraction. Akatsuki's ultimate goal is to control the world. This would be accomplished through capturing and sealing away the Bijuu into the Gedou Mazou statue.

The Akatsuki members shown in the postcard are Kakuzu, Tobi, Deidara, and Hidan. 

Hidan (former member - neutralized) hails from Hot Springs village. He and his partner Kakuzu were responsible for acquiring the Two-Tailed Jinchuuriki. Hidan practices an evil god cult religion named Jashin. This religion loves chaos and death, and Hidan himself is near immortal due to the Kinjutsu used on him by Jashin.

Kakuzu is a missing-nin from Hidden Waterfall. He was a bounty hunter who often got sidetracked on bounty hunts. His body was stitched together by strange tendrils which he used to rip out the hearts of his opponents and then insert into his own body. This granted him their elemental affinities in the form of masked tendril entities.

Deidara and Tobi share a very strained relationship. Always eager to impress his new teammates, Tobi was prone to excitement. This often annoyed Deidara who tried to do his best to show Tobi what it meant to be an Akatsuki member. Tobi was assigned to capture the Sanbi. Though he boasted that he took out the beast himself, he was helped in his assignment by Deidara. Deidara was unaware of Tobi's true nature during their time together.

Malaysian Traditional Dessert

The Malaysian Kuih

28 Oct 2014 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Kuih, also spelled Kue, are bite-sized snack or dessert foods commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. They are cakes, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuit, or pastries usually made from rice or glutinous rice.

Kuih are more often steamed than baked, and are thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries. Many kuih are sweet, but some are savoury. The term Kue/Kueh/Kuih is widely used in the region of Indonesia and Malaysia to refer to sweet or savoury desserts.

Source: Wikipedia

My third Jetoy postcard

White cat with heterochromatic eyes

26 Sept 2014 | From Wei-yi of Malaysia

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This is my third Jetoy postcard: first is a black cat with white patches, then a black cat (also from Wei-yi), and then this one. Incidentally, one of the first postcards (probably third or fourth) I have received since joining Postcrossing is my first Jetoy postcard. It was sent from Hong Kong. I love cats but I've never thought of collecting cat-themed postcards. In time though I think I have unexpectedly collected a humble amount of cat postcards.

Just like this cat, it was a dream (or fantasy) of mine to have heterochromatic eyes. Heterochromia of the eye, or heterochromia iridis, is a fancy word for different-colored eyes. I want a grey one and a green one. I think it's so cool! It is such a beautiful and interesting physical mutation.

The principal mosque of Putrajaya

The Putra Mosque

26 Aug 2014 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Putra Mosque in Putrajaya features a single minaret consisting of five tiers whoch rises 115 metres high. Construction of the mosque began in 1997 and was completed two years later. It is located next to Perdana Putra which houses the Malaysian Prime Minister's office and man-made Putrajaya Lake. In front of the mosque is a large square with flagpoles flying Malaysian states' flags.

The pink-domed Putra Mosque is constructed with rose-tinted granite and can accommodate 15,000 worshippers at any one time. The basement wall of the mosque resembles that of the King Hassan Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco.

A computer-generated artwork

Petronas Twin Towers

18 Jul, 2014 | From Isabel of Philippines

This is a souvenir postcard given to me by Isabel, a former colleague, from her trip to Malaysia. This colorful picture of the Petronas Twin Towers was drawn by AESOS LAI.

AESOS LAI is a self-taught Computer Generated Graphics (CGG Art) artist who specializes in artworks that depict Malaysia's iconic Petronas Twin Towers, located in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Petronas Twin Towers remain the tallest twin buildings in the world today and has two 88-storey towers measuring 451.9 meters or 1,482.6 feet tall. Aesos is also an expert in PhotoArt - conversion of photographs to "art-like paintings" using the latest desktop publishing tools.

Cute animals at the Twin Towers

Petronas Twin Towers

4 Jul, 2014 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Completed in 1996, the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers stand tall at 452 meters above street level. Located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the structures are currently the tallest twin towers in the world. The Towers are a significant landmark symbolizing this progressive, modern city and representing the pride of the nation.

The Malaysian Experience

The Malaysian Festival

2 June, 2014 | From my sister, Pinky

Pinky got me a handful of Malaysian postcards during her business trip in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital and largest city. She spent a few days there enough to see places, taste the food, shop, and experience the culture.

Malaysia is a kaleidoscope of cultures that manifests itself in stunning and exotic traditional costumes during the annual Malaysian Fest. Malaysian Fest or MFest is an annual community and cultural festival organized bu the Malaysian student community of Sydney. The event is traditionally held at Sydney's glorious Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour.

MFest seeks to promote and raise awareness about the Malaysian cultural diversity to the Australian Community through amazing cuisine and cultural performances.

People of Borneo

Borneo's indigenous tribe

28 May, 2014 | From Vanessa of Malaysia 

FACEBOOK SWAP

This is one of the first swaps I've made in Facebook-Postcrossing when I joined late October 2013. After a while, Vanessa and I eventually lost contact. I actually thought that this would be my only failed swap in Facebook-Postcrossing. Based on the dates, the postcard was written November 8, 2013 but it was postmarked May 5, 2014 in Kuching, Malaysia. Then it was delivered to me May 28, 2014. I am still clueless though if she managed to receive my postcard.

The Kayan are an indigenous tribe from the island of Borneo. The Kayan people are categorized as a part of the Dayak people of Borneo.

The traditional Iban Dayak male attire consists of a sirat (loincloth) attached with a small mat for sitting), lelanjang (headgear with colourful bird feathers) or a turban (a long piece of cloth wrapped around the head), marik (chain) around the neck, engkerimok (ring on thigh) and simpai (ring on the upper arms). The Iban Dayak female traditional attire comprises a short "kain tenun betating" (a woven cloth attached with coins and bells at the bottom end), a rattan or brass ring corset, selampai (long scarf) or marik empang (beaded top cover), sugu tinggi (high comb made of silver), simpai (bracelets on upper arms), tumpa (bracelets on lower arms) and buah pauh (fruits on hand).

A black cat from Jetoy

Of black cats and superstitions

28 May, 2014 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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This is my second Jetoy postcard, the other one was sent from Hong Kong. They happen to be both black cats :)

In some cultures, black cats are believed to be symbols of evil omens and may bring you bad luck. Some believe that black cats crossing a person's path from right to left, is a bad omen. And from left to right, the cat is granting favorable times. But it varies from culture to culture.  The Scottish believe that a strange black cat's arrival to the home signifies prosperity. In Celtic mythology, a fairy known as the Cat Sìth takes the form of a black cat. Black cats are also considered good luck in Japan.

I have to admit, I am susceptible to some superstitions and to some extent do believe in such beliefs. But is isn't something I take too seriously. I follow some, ignore some, or laugh at the rest even.

Fear of the unknown drives people to believe in them. As some may say, "a belief in superstitions gives people an illusion of control in an uncertain world."

A surprise postcard from a frequent traveler

Orangutans of Malaysia

12 May, 2014 | From Michael

SURPRISE POSTCARD

I received this postcard from Michael of Starring You. I found Starring You Facebook page when I first joined the Postcrossing Facebook October last year. Having read their profile, I found it interesting and I instantly "liked" their page. I got to chat with them for a while and gave them my address. Their mission is to share as many beautiful places as possible with everybody who's interested. They hope to take those people who do not have the time, means, and opportunity to travel around the world through their postcards - a slice of their travels. They have been always away in so many countries that I can't remember where exactly are their home countries.

They are in Asia as of this writing, and this is the surprise postcard I received from them while exploring Malaysia. I initially thought this was an official postcard. But when I was to register it, I found no Postcard code - then as I reread the card I saw the tiny "Starring You" detail. They sent me a postcard of an Orangutan, one of man's closest relatives. Orangutan means "person of the forest" in Malay. They are the most arboreal of the great apes and spend most of their time in trees.

An explosive threat

 

Deidara

23 Apr 2014 | From Wei-yi of Malaysia

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Akatsuki (literally meaning "Dawn" or "Daybreak") was initially an organisation created by Yahiko and his two comrades Konan and Nagato in an effort to fight against the tyranny and oppression that their home village Amegakure was facing during the Third Great Shinobi War, and the long-term goal of world peace.

After Yahiko's death and under the influence of Obito Uchiha, Akatsuki became a criminal organisation comprising S-rank missing-nin and is the most wanted group in all of the shinobi world.

Deidara was recruited to replace Orochimaru as Sasori's partner, but because Orochimaru took his Akatsuki ring with him he could not replace Orochimaru's position. Deidara possessed the Explosion Release kekkei genkai. This allowed him — by simultaneously using two (currently unknown) chakra natures — to give his chakra explosive qualities. Deidara also possessed special mouths in the palms of his hands and on the left side of his chest as a result of stealing and using a powerful kinjutsu from his village on himself.

Source: Naruto Wikia

New Year Greetings from Malaysia

(Message inside the card - right side. I think what she wrote is the translation for the text) 

A red packet for money luck 

Happy Chinese New Year

14 Mar, 2014 | From Wei-yi of Malaysia

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2014 Chinese New Year Day is on January, 31 2014. Chinese New Year Day is the first day of the first lunar month of Chinese Lunar Calendar. 2014 is the Year of the Wooden Horse.

Wei-yi sent me her new year greetings and wishes through this folded card. She also enclosed a red packet her parents got from the bank. It is for good luck :)

Christmas greetings from Malaysia

Christmas in Malaysia

21 Dec, 2013 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

Wei Yi extended me her yuletide greetings with this Christmas card :)

Despite having only a tiny Christian population, multicultural Malaysia still celebrates the yuletide season. Christmas displays are lined up in the streets, and malls and public spaces are adorned with festive decorations. Many look forward to this Christmas decorations.

Malaysians spend the Christmas holidays visiting their friends with their families. But most Malaysians, celebrating or not, flock to the shopping malls – a typical Malaysian past time.

Traditional Shadow Puppet Performance

Wayang Kulit

29 Nov, 2013 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Wayang kulit or shadow puppet theatre is a traditional art form from Malaysia. Wayang kulit is a living art form, and there are also many contemporary productions and cross-art collaborations. It is also inscribed by UNESCO in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Kulit means skin or leather. A wayang kulit puppet made of skin or leather is the most popular form of puppet used in wayang puppet theatre throughout Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia. A performance combines music and drama and is a celebratory ritual involving elements of Hindu, Islamic, and Indigenous Javanese stories brought to Malaysia.

During a Wayang Kulit performance, the master storyteller or Tok Dalang conducts the shadow from behind the screen by reciting the tale with appropriate sounds and movements.

Letters of Jane Austen - Brabourne Edition

Letter to Cassandra, Dec. 24, 1798

21 Nov, 2013 | From Honeysha of Malaysia

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"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal."

Jane Austen (December 16 1775 – July 18 1817) is an English novelist who recorded the domestic manners of the landed gentry. She is known for her classically understated style and sly, ironic humour. Some of her famous works include Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813),  and Persuasion (1818) - her last completed novel.