When I learned about the Snake Temple in Penang, Malaysia, I knew I had to visit. Snakes and I have a long-standing relationship, which may have begun back in 1968, when my father brought home the new Bill Cosby album, “To Russell My Brother, Whom I Slept With.” One of the bits was about his … Read more

I walked cautiously, trying not to slip into the concrete gutters that separate George Town’s row houses from the narrow road. Beside me, a gaunt Chinese man with flowing white hair pedaled an ancient bicycle. The foot-long hairs growing from his bulbous black chin mole bounced in perfect time with his pumping feet. Distracted, I … Read more

It is monsoon season. And while many avoid Asia during the rainy season, I think it may be the best time to visit Malaysia. Every morning dawns clear and sunny with a breeze that freshens, keeping the monstrous heat at bay. By early afternoon., blue-gray clouds roll in and darken the sky, threatening to release … Read more