Copyright © HOT SAUCE REVIEWS. Some rights reserved. We welcome free money as well as marriage proposals from rich, hot men who resemble Hugh Jackman or Chris Pratt (call us, darling!). Got something to tell us? Let us know!
July 29, 2006
Mysteries, genies, ghosts, coffins!
The exhibition sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Newspaper accounts of this exhibition talk of how “almost 90% of the exhibits are real and in their original form. Apart from the ghosts, we also have exhibits related to offerings and sacrifices”. How can I resist? Especially considering how this exhibition is opened daily until midnight.
I reach the Museum at about 10 pm where there is a good crowd despite the lateness of the hour. Looking for a parking space is not the easiest thing to do. I have to then queue up and cough up RM5 per person as admission fare. There is a sign saying that pregnant women, children, people with weak hearts, and other easily excitable people should stay away from this exhibition. Ten seconds upon entering the exhibition site, I can understand why.
People who are excitable to the point that they may suffer a heart attack from having their money cheated from them – really, do stay away.
The exhibition site is set up as a dark and misty lane for atmosphere, but it is 10 pm in the evening, which means that the entire area is nearly pitch black. There are some banners near the entrance explaining what genies are but I have to squint to read them because the only source of light are a few dim orange lights located too high up to be of any use. The lighting problem becomes a nuisance when I come to an area where there is no light at all. Hence, I cannot see what are inside the display cases!
For a while, a bunch of us visitors squint at what seems like an empty cage, wondering whether there will some “monsters” jumping out at us to scare us or something. After a few minutes of stupidly standing there, we all realize that there will be no “monsters” to scare us and we start squinting to make out what are inside those cages. I have no idea what the organizers are thinking to charge people only to show them displays in areas of pitch black darkness! Finally, someone who happens to have a lighter uses it and we finally get to see what is inside the display case: an opened coffin and a body bag that looks like it’s been filled with straw. How exciting! No wonder they prefer to put this exhibition in darkness – they don’t want to embarrass themselves.
The lack of light becomes an even bigger issue when I nearly trip over a bridge-like structure on my way to the next section of the exhibition. Now I know why pregnant women are not allowed to visit the exhibition. Who wants a lawsuit slapped on their faces, right?
The second half of the exhibition displays consists of stuffed “monsters” and various containers of mysterious nature. My favorite part of these displays is how there are absolutely no explanation whatsoever as to what these monsters or these relics are. Only the names are given on a white paper strip glued to some card and hastily placed inside each case. The monsters on display are various “jenglot”, “nyi blorong”, the skull of a “langsuir”, a “toyol”, some “anak kerak”, and some “pocong”. Apart from their names, no explanation is given about these displays. There’s also a stuffed mermaid as big as a cat. All these “monsters” look like they are made from coconut husks and clay and really, it’s annoying how I’ve paid money only to be fleeced off like this.
There are some food stalls in the museum ground but many are closing up since it’s close to 11 pm when I leave the exhibition. There are also some cheap stuff and knock-off “branded” clothes on sale. Frankly I have a much more enjoyable time looking at these stalls. I even find a cute handbag for only RM8. That and diarrhea from the burger from one of the food stalls.
This exhibition is one big rip-off. Visit it at your own risk.
Copyright © HOT SAUCE REVIEWS. Some rights reserved. We welcome free money as well as marriage proposals from rich, hot men who resemble Hugh Jackman or Chris Pratt (call us, darling!). Got something to tell us? Let us know!