Ignoring the high-rise buildings, a Penang fisherman checks his night's catch. Photos by Gillian Vine. : A taste of Malaysia and its history

Buildings old and new are reflected in a Kuala Lumpur high-rise building. : A taste of Malaysia and its history

A colourful dragon outside Penang's Wat Chaiya Mangalaram. : A taste of Malaysia and its history

A child tentatively pats the head of a lion in a Kuala Lumpur street. : A taste of Malaysia and its history

Penang's St George Church has changed little since the 1830s. : A taste of Malaysia and its history

Choo Chay Keong, in Georgetown's heritage area, is a Chinese clan temple. : A taste of Malaysia and its history

An 18th-century jade bowl in Kuala Lumpur's national museum. : A taste of Malaysia and its history