I had a simple mission for the day – errands, and a visit the 120-year-old Chan She Shu Yuen Temple/Ancestral Hall in Chinatown (that’s Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, of course). I had seen this temple while riding the Monorail, but I didn’t have a clear sense of its location. When I learned it was just at the end of Petaling Street and I could walk there in just a few minutes, it was a no-brainer to include it in my day along with a 5-Snack Challenge.

I hadn’t planned on a 5-Snack Challenge, but while running errands, I passed by the well-known Putu Bambu Tradisi stall in Central Market. I’d tried to purchase this traditional food before, but I was too early and none were ready. On this day, a stack of freshly-made putu bambu was on display, and I bought a package and sat down at their table to sample it.

With such a successful snack to start my day, I had to then follow it up with several more. I didn’t make it to 5 snacks, unfortunately, because I forgot, and because snack number 4 (dumplings and noodles) was HUGE, and it filled me up for a long time to come.

All of this was interesting, and it was capped off by a pleasant discovery of various bits of street art and graffiti on the open walls of the various Chinatown buildings (Hello, Mr. MeeSeeks). That tied in nicely with my earlier visit to the National Art Gallery which had a large exhibition of Kuala Lumpur street art.

The day as a whole was an interesting lesson in how much more there always is to discover in a neighborhood that you think you know well. I’ve walked the streets of Chinatown many times, but zeroing in on the Chan She Shu Yuen temple opened up a whole new set of things to see and do.