STARBUCKS is a worldwide phenomenon. While traveling in Thailand and Malaysia, I was amazed at the number of Starbuck cafes in these Southeast Asian countries. In particular- Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, the capitals of Thailand and Malaysia respectively, are top heavy with Starbucks cafés. It seemed that everywhere I turned – across my hotel in KL and Bangkok (Ancasa Hotel and President Park), in fancy shopping centers and on the ground floor of large high-rise office buildings - there was a Starbucks. I really wasn’t shocked to find a Starbucks in downtown Tanah Ratah, a small tourist town in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. It even had a mock fireplace and an upstairs coffee-drinking gallery to boot.

Out of curiosity I checked online as to how many Starbuck outlets are in these countries. According to a 2007 census, Thailand had 132 Starbuck cafes, with Bangkok having the lion’s share at 72. In the meantime, according to the Starbucks Malaysia site, there are a total of 108 cafes in Malaysian with Kuala Lumpur leading the pack with 41. While Black Canyon is major competitor to Starbucks in Thailand; in Malaysia, Starbucks controls 45-50% of gourmet coffee business with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves a distant second.

In Malaysia, I found the service at the local Starbucks to be excellent (better than the USA) and the employees well versed in English; in Thailand, the service was very friendly but most of the Starbuck employees had limited facility with English. I must give props to Starbucks (and all the coffee retailers) in Malaysia, because they offered free WIFI, no strings attached. In Thailand, getting WIFI access at Starbucks was a real hassle as you received a complimentary 1-hour (thereafter you had to pay a nominal sum for continued use), but you had to jump through all sorts of hoops in the online signup process, fuggetabout it! I wish STARBUCKS in USA would take a cue from their colleagues in Malaysia and offer free WIFI and eliminate the gimmicky Starbucks card.

From what I observed in both of these countries, the clientele at a typical Starbucks café was a mix of local business executives and white-collar workers, the young University crowd with deep pockets along with tourists and expats. For Thais and Malaysians, having a Cappuccino, an Iced Caramel Macchiato or any one those fancy designer coffee drinks represents a real splurge as the prices are almost the same as in the United States. Please consider that the standard of living and the average salary is considerably higher in the USA, and the cost of one large cappuccino ($3.00 -3.40USD) will buy you a decent dinner at a local restaurant in both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Apparently, having coffee at Starbucks confers a measure of status with the locals. Yes, Starbucks is Huge in Thailand and Malaysia - such is the way of the World.

Coming up, the Starbucks Index.

Just wanted to share with you some snippets (some random observations and thoughts) about Bangkok.

Specialized Boutiques
Located just around the corner from the President Park hotel on Sukhumvit Road Soi 24 is Boo Blossom, a wonderful pet boutique that specializes in clothes and accessories for small dog breeds.

Beauty Salons
There are so many beauty salons in the tourist zone, however I will go out of my way to go to my favorite one, the Arena Beauty Salon, which is located on 152 Sukhumvit Road Soi 16. Tel: 22601263

Thai Restaurants
Raan Derm remains my favorite Thai restaurant in Bangkok. The food is spicy, tasty and affordable and there good selections for vegetarians.103-103/1 Sukhumvit Soi 22 tel: 22582401

Money Exchange
The best place for exchanging monies (excluding traveler’s checks) in the tourist zone is Vasu. Their storefront location is on Sukhumvit Soi 7/1 just a couple of steps away from the Nana BTS. They have now moved their operation in the very front of the store – you don’t have to enter thru the side door anymore. Makes it look more legit!!! Vasu 133-133/1 Sukhumvit Road Soi 7/1

If you’re exchanging traveler’s checks, I would suggest you that go to any one of the numerous exchange bureaus located along I the street, upstairs in the BTS shopping arcade or inside the big shopping complexes like the Emporium. It will usually take less than 3-4 minutes before you receive your monies. If you try to exchange your traveler’s checks inside the Bank, you may have to wait a very long time before the transaction is completed. Just recently, I had to wait almost 20 minutes and sign at least four or five forms before I finally received my monies at the Bangkok Bank. Never again!

Airport Departure
With the closure of the older Don Mueang Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport is now handling all the airline traffic. I have departed from Suvarnabhumi a number of times now - catching a taxi from President Park on Sukhumvit Soi 22/24, it hasn’t taken more than 30 minutes to get to the airport using the expressway even during rush hour traffic. I usually leave my hotel at least 2 hour 40 minutes before departure. Never had a problem! FYI, Suvarnabhumi Airport opened up on September 21, 2006.

For passengers who need a day room at Suvarnabhumi because of a long layover between flights and they don’t stray far from the airport, they can stay at the new Novotel Airport Hotel, only a 3 minute walk from the main terminal.

(the following snippet pertains to both Thailand and Malaysia)
Christmas in Thailand and Malaysia
Christmas is a big production in Thailand, primarily a Buddhist country and in Malaysia, where 63% of the people are Muslim, as most of the tourists are Christian. In many of the large shopping complexes in the major tourist centers – including Bangkok, Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Kuala Lumpur and Melaka (Malaysia), Christmas decorations start going up shortly after Thanksgiving, a major holiday in the USA celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Walking into a Starbucks Café in Chiang Mai on November 25, I was greeted by the familiar tune of ‘I am dreaming of a White Christmas.’

I have just published on YOUTUBE my long awaited, critically acclaimed slideshow video on MALAYSIA. This is my 12th travel production that I have put up online and I really believe that Malaysia Farewell ranks as one of my best efforts to date. It is simple and straightforward - the pictures and the music carry the story as there is minimum text. Unlike my prior shows on YouTube*, this will be first one in High Definition. Selamat Datang!

I guess you’re probably wondering who has reviewed Malaysia Farewell – besides Jerry, an old family friend and yours truly, no one else – let it be known though that I am my own harshest critic. My rating for this home production using ProShow Gold V4.0 is 8.5 on a scale of 1-10. I really don’t want to toot my horn anymore, but you must view this latest effort - it is that good!

The video is based on my inaugural 13-day journey to MALAYSIA in November/December 2008 and is intended to be an introduction to this very tropical and exotic destination located just south of Thailand. Highlights include Kuala Lumpur, the cosmopolitan Capital; Melaka (Mallaca), the historic colonial city with a mixed pedigree of Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese Heritages located just 2 hours south of KL; Cameron Highlands, a popular hill resort about 1 mile above sea level with sprawling tea plantations covering the hillsides and a popular locale for jungle hikes; last but not least, the final segment features Langkawi, probably the most popular beach resort in Malaysia and a decent dive destination as well.

Just a couple of notes (and anecdotes) before you view the show. The footage on Kuala Lumpur is very scanty as I was there for only a brief 2 nights/1 day, just long enough to pack and unpack. The section on Melaka is the biggest chunk of the show as there are tremendous photographic opportunities in this UNESCO World Heritage Site including China Town, the colorful night bazaar, old forts and a hybrid culture and architecture that is reflective of Melaka’s colonial past (both Dutch and Portuguese). In Melaka, there is definitely a clash between the Old vs New (and East Vs West) as evidenced by the proliferation of modern shopping centers, new condominium complexes and luxury resorts in addition to manifestations of Western Culture - KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, McDonalds and the like. Finally in Cameron Highlands, where I stayed for 5 days/4 nights, I have omitted gruesome images of THE WOUND, an injury I suffered on the top of my left hand while hiking through the jungle in search of the legendary Jim Thompson.

*Also see Streets of Bangkok

As usual, I have one cameo appearance in the show and there is one rather comical moment! ENJOY!

I admit to being a Chinese food enthusiast; although I’m a vegetarian, most Chinese restaurants can accommodate me by substituting soy bean curd (tofu) for meat/chicken/seafood. One of my favorite dishes – I usually order it with all my meals - is hot and sour soup, a staple in Chinese cuisine. I have had this particular soup at Chinese restaurants not only in my home town of San Francisco but all around the world, in places as far away as Accra, Ghana and Quito, Ecuador. The common denominator is that the soup is relatively spicy and has a certain thickness or consistency.

Believe it or not, the worst hot and sour soup that I have ever had was at Kim Liam Kee, a rather, large establishment located on Petaling Street in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s famous Chinatown. I ate at this establishment on Nov. 27 of this year - it was my first night in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city and after a strenuous day of travel, I really wanted a proper vegetarian meal. My hotel was an easy 5-minute walk to Chinatown and my decision to patronize this particular restaurant was primarily because of their rather large and very prominent signage.

I ordered two dishes at Kim Lian Kee – a vegetarian claypot dish with rice and a small hot and sour soup to the accompaniment of a Royal Stout. While the claypot dish was satisfactory, the soup was very watery and had hardly any taste – it was so bad, I thought I would let the management know about it. Now I’m a person who is not afraid to voice his opinions to the restaurant management if the service or the food is bad.

Expressing my dissatisfaction vociferously with the manager over the bland tasting soup, I opened up ‘a rather large can of worms’. Later on, I asked the manager to reprimand the young waitress for her very flippant comment when I requested the bill. After hearing my complaint, he smiled and replied “I am sorry sir, none of these girls have any training; they are hired off the street.” After hearing that, it was very difficult for me to refrain from laughing out loud!

In retrospect, I really thought the whole incident was quite amusing as I relished playing the role of the incensed tourist-customer. Bottom line - I would never, ever go back to this restaurant and recommend that my fellow travelers do not patronize this establishment as well. For a detailed account of my rather dismal experience at Kim Lian Kee, I have filed a report on TripAdvisor

On my 2nd night (and final night in Kuala Lumpur), I went to Fatt Yan, a small vegetarian Chinese restaurant that received very favorable reviews in Happy Cow. The price was right at 18.50RM ($5.25USD) and my two entrees were very tasty – one of which was a vegetarian hot and sour soup. Take that Kim Lian Kee!

I was very fortunate to have chosen the ANCASA HOTEL for my brief 2-night stay in Kuala Lumpur. Situated only two short blocks from Chinatown, the hotel’s location is ideal - Puduraya, the interstate bus terminal is next door while the public mass transit system- the overhead monorail and underground trains - are within easy walking distance. As a bonus, Starbucks Café with free WIFI is conveniently located directly across the street. And at $51USD including breakfast, the price is right. While the hotel is short on facilities - no swimming pool and only a stripped down and small fitness center – all rooms come with cable TV, free wifi, a hot water utensil and a small refrigerator and the breakfast buffet was more than satisfactory with a variety of hot and cold dishes, rolls and pastries as well as fresh fruit. The hotel management seemed very keen on customer service.

The young manager, an Indian fellow who I believe is first generation Malaysian, was especially accommodating. Upon check in, he personally gave me a guided tour of the hotel and its facilities - gym and the massage treatment concession - and answered most of my questions about Kuala Lumpur. While he was showing me around, we chatted a bit about the terrorist attack in Mumbai, India as well as the political situation and demonstrations in Thailand. Although he did give me a bum steer as to where to find premium T-shirts as gifts, I cannot really fault him for that – he meant well.

Bottom Line – I would highly recommend the ANCASA Hotel for the first time visitor to Kuala Lumpur. While short in facilities, it is very affordable for a 3 star property and you cannot beat the location.

• Be aware of the laws and customs of the land

..Shortly after landing, I picked up some informational brochures at airport; on the back of the brochures in small print there is a warning - trafficking in illegal drugs carries the death penalty. Be forewarned and please remember to leave your recreational drugs at home. Also I learned from an informed source that a Fatwah will be issued for any citizen Muslims practicing Yoga. No kidding aside, I don’t think I will be opening up a yoga school there anytime soon.

• Bars, nightclubs and alcohol use in Kuala Lumpur

..Because MALAYSIA is an Islamic State, there are not that many dedicated liquor stores (most of them are owned by the Chinese) and many of the convenience stores do not carry wine and beer. Like Thailand 7-11’s minimarts are very common here. However in Chinese restaurants, beer, wine and liquor are readily available. Curiously enough, a small can of Guinness Stout can be had for as little as 2.80RM (80 cents). Compared to Bangkok, there are far fewer bars, nightclubs and discos - not far from my hotel on the outskirts of Chinatown district was the popular REGGAE BAR. Bob Marley lives!

• Globalization

..Scattered around city are KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King and of course, Starbucks.

• Free wifi at Starbucks

..Shortly after arriving in KL, I learned that all Starbucks outlets in Malaysia offer free WIFI with no strings attached – now if only Starbucks in Thailand followed suit, I would be absolutely delighted! The people who worked at the Starbucks across the street from Ancasa hotel were very friendly and customer service oriented – more so than their US counterparts.

• The mass transit system

..Compared to Bangkok, I found the Mass transit system - overhead train, monorail and underground subway - in Malaysia’s capital city to be somewhat confusing with it’s many different routes and platforms. But then again, I was there only for a very short time – therein likes the problem.

• People

..In general, the people in KL seemed to be friendly although a little on the reserved side, maybe not as smiley as Thai people, but genuinely nicer than people in the USA. Because Malaysia was a former British colony, people’s facility with English was far superior to Thais. Like Thai people however, I found that Malaysians were terrible about giving directions - it could be that cultural differences and communication problems come into play. After all, English is still a 2nd language here!

I admit that it was nearly impossible in two short days to get a feeling for “the pulse” of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s modern cosmopolitan capital city of about 1.7 million people. My only other reference point admittedly was Bangkok, Thailand’s sprawling capital city whose orientation and culture is 180 degrees different than KL - afterall, Thailand is predominately a Buddhist country and Malaysia is an Islamic State, where approximately 60% of the population is Muslim. Buddhists comprise Malaysia’s 2nd largest religious group followed by Hindus and Christians.

Walking around Kuala Lumpur – at least in the area around my hotel - I observed that most of the Malay women, whose religion is Islam, dress very conservatively wearing the traditional Muslim garb - a wrap over their head and a color coordinated two piece outfit which covers their entire body. And many of the men wear the traditional Muslim skullcap. As a westerner, I say Viva la Difference! From what I could see, there was very little overt discrimination against Muslim women. They seemed to be well represented in the workplace - in hotels, shops, restaurants, banks, department stores, airport etc.

The architecture is an eclectic mix of East meets West - there are a number of rather ornate Mosques scattered around the city along with some exotic architectural structures whose design is influenced by Islamic iconography and motifs in addition to many gleaming new skyscrapers, modern high-rise condominiums and office buildings. In fact, Kuala Lumpur seems to have a proportionately higher percentage of skyscrapers than Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city. Rising far above the flat urban landscape of KL are the Petronas Towers, the highest twin towers in the world. These imposing skyscrapers, which can be seen from anywhere within this modern Asian metropolitan city, are named after Petronas Corporation, Malaysia’s large oil and gas conglomerate. Like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur has its fair share of gaudy shopping centers. Kuala Lumpur? For a big city, it is not bad at all. I wouldn’t mind going back there!

When I told the manager of Ancasa Hotel in Kuala Lumpur that I wanted to buy as gifts some high quality T-shirts with a simple but tasteful design, he suggested that I go to the nearby Petronas Towers. Rising far above the flat city landscape, these towers are the highest twin skyscrapers in the world and are Kuala Lumpur’s claim to fame. Although these towers can be seen from anywhere in this large cosmopolitan city of over 1.6 million, like most imposing landmarks they look closer than they actually are. Getting off at the closest underground railway stop, I had to walk over 1/2 mile before reaching the towers. There is a huge shopping complex, which occupies the lower floors containing many fancy, upscale and expensive boutique stores. In a way, the shopping complex reminds me of the Emporium in Bangkok, but considerably more grandiose. Insofar as finding the T-shirts that I was looking for, it happened to be a bum steer and an exercise in futility.

After finally reaching the towers in a roundabout way (I admittedly got a little lost), I made a beeline for the information counter, where I asked the young ladies for the best shops to buy high quality T-shirts. They gave me some leads – I spent the next hour going to at least 4-5 shops, only to discover that none of them had what I was looking for – they all carried the same cheesy T-shirts albeit of mediocre quality that most teenagers buy for the outrageous price of 72RM ($28USD).

Upon recommendation of somebody who worked in one of the department stores, the last store I visited was Banana Republic. This turned out to be the biggest joke of all. The young, affable sales clerk showed me a very flimsy T-Shirt with a design that reminded me of something that one would find in New York City. Out of curiosity, I asked her what was the price - she replied “150RM” ($42USD). I laughed as I told the sales clerk point blank, someone would have to “insane” to buy one of these T-shirts for $42. She smiled and said she bought one for her boyfriend, to which I replied suuureee! Then she went on to tell me that the T-shirts are made in the USA - no wonder they have western designs that you would expect to find New York City - and the reason why customers are willing to pay so much monies for these T-shirts is because they have the Banana Republic label. I laughed and repeated my assertion that any Western tourist who bought a Banana Republic T-shirt in Kuala Lumpur had to have a couple of screws loose.

Leaving the store, I thanked the sales clerk for her time and for putting up with my blatant sarcasm. I concluded that all these fancy boutique stores at the Twin Towers were really geared for the domestic market, not for the tourist crowd. It seems that there is quite a market for status conscious locals who are willing to throw their monies away.

Returning to my hotel by the underground train sometime in the early evening hours, my attempt to buy some T-shirts for gifts in Kuala Lumpur turned out to be an exercise in futility. In retrospect, I realized that I would have been lot better off staying at my hotel and taking a nap. Every dog has his day!

There is HAPEE ENDING to all of this - During my brief stay in the old colonial town of Melaka, about 2 hours south of Kuala Lumpur, I found what I was looking for - cost per T-Shirt ranged between 35RM-50RM ($10-14USD). Mission accomplished!