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| Hanging out with Nora in Kuala Lumpur |
Having recently written a
somewhat cautionary post about venturing near monkeys, I figured I'd share some of the benefits of walking, armed only with a camera, among our hirsute cousins.
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| Nora shows the way |
My favorite monkey encounter occurred in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, a small rainforest park in the middle of Kuala Lumpur. Located only 2 blocks from a Starbucks, the park is a refreshing taste of green shrouded wilderness in the middle of a bustling city. On my first visit, I stopped by the welcome center to get information. The ranger asked if I had seen the monkey outside. "Monkey, what monkey?" "Nora. She's spends a lot of time near the center." I walked out back toward the trails and sure enough there was a young monkey. She nimbly jumped into the arms of one of the staff, who promptly handed Nora to me. I was a little taken aback, but hey, when someone hands you a monkey, you take the monkey. It's the only polite thing to do.
Nora swung from my hand for a bit, then hopped over to a tree. Later she surprised me by diving right onto my shoulder before balancing on the back of my outstretched hand for a spell. I was thrilled; just remembering the experience makes me break out in a smile. I almost extended my stay in Kuala Lumpur just to have more opportunities to interact with her. I have no idea if Nora is still around now, a couple of years later, or if perhaps she began spending time with the other monkeys that live in that small park.
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| Mother and child roam the forest. |
For more photos of Kuala Lumpur's forest and other sights, please click
here.
