Postcards from the Edge : Alwizbme in Johor, Malaysia

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My next Postcard from the Edge...of the World comes from my new friend Alwizbme in Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.

It reads:

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Ah, my old friend - the durian fruit. Thank you, Alwizbme! "Flash" - I like that! And if any of you would like to see my previous translation of the durian fruit, click here.

From what I can tell, the durian is quite wacky and wonderful, and I'm glad to hear that you don't think it's worthless, Alwizbme! I'm still not sure that I would be able to get past the stinky feet smell. Beauty (and smell) is in the eye (and nose) of the beholder (smeller).

When it comes to fruit, Alwizbme should know quite a lot. He runs the beautiful Tropical Bloom blog, which features breathtaking photographs and natural histories of the fascinating flora and fauna endemic to Malaysia. Here are a few of his most recent entries:

A purple Senduduk flower.

Hibiscus, Malaysia's National flower.

So if you're interested in a journey into the heart of a tropical paradise, be sure to check out Tropical Bloom. I totally understand Alwizbme's website. It's daily reading that will truly take you away. No further translation necessary!



Did you like this review? Guess how much Alwizbme paid me for it:

NOTHING! It was free!

And if YOU are interested in sending me a postcard and having your website "Translated" for free, it's simple! All you have to do is send me a postcard, and when I put it up on Rosetta Rants, just write a post linking to my post, so all your friends can see your card! That way, more people will learn about my idea, too!

Please CLICK HERE to learn more. I can't wait to hear from you!

And be sure to check out my new Postcards from the Edge Buttons!

Please CLICK HERE to read my previous postcards.

Ahem...I wouldn't mind a Digg, too.

Durian Fruit

Our adventures now take us to Southeast Asia. Let’s say that you are sightseeing in Malaysia, and you get a hankering for a snack. Next, just for the sake of argument, let’s imagine your appetite is piqued by something for which the following can be said:

... its odor is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away. Despite its great local popularity, the raw fruit is forbidden from some establishments such as hotels, subways and airports, including public transportation in Southeast Asia.

– Travel Writer Richard Sterling

Sound good?

If so, you will probably love the durian fruit. From Wikipedia:

The durian is the fruit of trees of the genus Durio belonging to the Malvaceae, a large family which includes hibiscus, okra, cotton, mallows and linden trees. Widely known and revered in Southeast Asia as the "King of Fruits," the fruit is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and a formidable thorn-covered husk. Its name comes from the Malay word duri (thorn) together with Malay suffix that is -an (for building a noun in Malay), meaning "thorny fruit."

Ok, as someone with a background in Biology I did a little thinking. Why would the fruit smell like that? Probably to attract animals to eat the fruit. Why would a plant want animals to eat the fruit? Seed dispersal. Then why cover the fruit with a thorny husk? Probably to discourage tiny, inefficient agents of dispersal.

Animals I can understand. But why in the hell would any human want to eat something that looks like entrails and smells like pig shit?

I just don’t get it. Can you help me translate?

Beenzzz's Translation: "Shit flavored fruit sounds so tantalizing."