At a coffee shop in Behrang, two polite gentlemen asked to share my table. We introduced ourselves, chatted and ended up becoming friends; exchanging phone numbers and all. They even invited me to their village to eat durians.
They are Orang Asli of the Semai tribe (aboriginal people) from nearby Kuala Slim. Sal (left) was busy writing lottery numbers to place bets on. I asked him if I can go to his village to ask for lottery numbers from the tree spirits. The Orang Asli are traditionally animists.
Mon (right) told me to drink up and the numbers will come. Haha. The Cap Rusa (Deer Brand) Chinese ‘Rose Road’ herbal liquor is potent stuff with alcohol content stated as 20%. Not clear if it is measured by proof or volume.
At extreme left, is waitress Vivian originally from Surabaya in Indonesia. It was her cooking that lured me into this shop. I caught whiffs of enticing ‘mee hoon kueh’ boiling when I was on the street outside.
Such wonderful and friendly people, all of them. Listening to their life struggles, stories and beliefs is humbling and enriching at the same time.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 2000, f4, 1/60 sec.
