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Published: August 12th 2005
There are many, many cool things in KL.
KL Sentral
First of all, my
hostel is in the best possible location. It is across the road from KL Sentral (Central) Station, which means I have access to the Intercity trains, all KL trains and subways, plus everything else you get around a central station, such as buses, taxis, restaurants, shops and I'm next to the post office. The biggest thing though is that I can get anywhere on one train, which means getting anywhere for about 50 cents.
Masjid Jamek
The first place I was dying to go to was Masjid Jame(k). The Jamek mosque marks the centre of KL in many ways - physically central, at the centre of two main train lines, at the intersection of the two KL rivers and at the centre of a faith - as the largest, most prominent mosque. So I went straight there after checking-in and while I was on the train a huge storm suddenly developed. You know those storms with the seriously scary thunder and lightning right above you? Needless to say, I could hardly even see the building through the
rain so I left and went undercover. I came back the next morning, and it was well worth the wait and the hassle. It's a gorgeous place to see and they allow you to walk around at certain times, if you are appropriately covered. I only needed a headpiece, but the 4 people in front of me were wearing shorts and they had to wear the full gear, so I got to see that too. Everything is free. I got a book given to me on the way out, because I put in a donation, but the book would have been free to take anyway. I was a bit disappointed at the rowdy 4 near me the whole way, laughing at their clothese and everything, and disturbing the peace of such a fantastic place. And I may have to come a third time and see if I can get in when it's quieter. Again, it'd be worth the hassle.
Central Market
The place I went to get out of the storm was the undercover Central Market. It was a lot like what I'd seen in Singapore, with a bit of a cool twist, with music/ band
t-shirts, cool jewellery, painted CDs and that kind of thing. Like most shops I'm going to, I'm not buying anything...just having a look around. The building itself is old and quite interesting.
I went into more central
Chinatown from there, just having a quick race across the wet streets until I found an internet cafe and waited it out there. I've got all my photos on disk as I've gone along (so I can put them on the site, but also so that I've got them in at least 2 places), so I spent ages just putting photos on the site, writing entries and relaxing out of the heat and the rain.
On that, I'd just like to say, if you have got the impression I dislike Malaysia or I'm having a bad time or anything I just want to tell you I'm not. Someone commented to me that they hope Malaysia redeems itself, and I just wanted to make sure it didn't seem like I disliked it at all. Going from one country to another, the first thing you do is notice things that are different to where you have come from. And I was
Groceries
The type of food I'm buying a lotcomparing it to Singapore, which is one of my favourite places in the world and Singapore people, who are easily my favourite people in the world. So Malaysia and Malaysians could be my second, third, fourth favourite.....
Food!!
I'd like to make an honorable mention now for
"Durham Cake" which is a really nice little biscuit cake. I was expecting the worst when I saw this thing - looking similar to the Indian dessert I had the other day and disliked - but I was pleasantly surprised, and you should try some if you see it. I'm trying to get into the swing of trying lots of different food I see. I had an anchovy rice dish, and before you barf I've gotta say, I really liked it!!! I've also had this green bread that's popular here. It's good too. I've forgotten the name of it, but I'll get back to you. I've had sugar cane drinks, various fruit drinks, and various fruit. I've tried a lot of different halal food, even down to simple chips. It's all pretty good, though it's a task trying to avoid spicy stuff. You know that fruit that
I kept talking about in Singapore - Durian - well it's everywhere here too, plus the rambutans, lychees etc. And did I mention yet, both countries LOVE their chocolate -
Milo is on all menus in Singapore and Malaysia.
Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka
TV DOES tell you a lot of what's goin on in a place and what the people there are like. I watched TV the other night, before I went to bed and advertised constantly was Malaysia's Independence day, August 31. 48 years ago, the man stood at Merdeka Square and cheered "Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka". "Freedom Freedom Freedom". And on the ads for this celebration, "the 48th Merdeka", they show various leaders over the last 48 years yelling the cheer, including the first. It's even more interesting to see right after the Singapore National Day, who were celebrating their separation from Malaysia!! It's an interesting way to learn the history of the places. I saw a play about the history of Singapore in conjunction with the National Day celebrations, and now I'm starting to learn more about Malaysia.
There are even notices on TV and elsewhere about hanging up your
flag. They are all coming out for the whole of August, including on skyscrapers, wrapped onto the hoods of cars, hanging in front of shops and lots more. The notices tell you all about how to carry flags, what not to do with them, what condition they must be in etc. There is also a Malaysian banner that you can put up instead, and it even specifies how long banners should be, and exactly what colour they should be made in and lots more. It's probably a lot more interesting here than to you guys just reading this in Australia or wherever!
Just while I'm on TV, quickly, I saw this great ad for
Malaysian Idol (they are getting towards the end. they have 8 finalists left). This young girl is singing, the cutest little girl you've ever seen, singing the sweetest little song. Then the camera turns to the parents watching on the couch, who say, "You know, if you.....it would have been better." "You've got to......" Then it flashes up "Suddenly, everyone is a critic" and then the logo "Malaysian Idol. I just thought it was clever and funny.
Smoke
Just
the quickest not on the dirt and pollution and everything ... It's bringing back memories of China! While in China, when Jim and I'd go to the city for the day, if you blew your nose that arvo dirt would come out. Isn't that gross? Anyway, that's happening here too. That combined with the clothes and hair and everything smelling like fire, you feel pretty dirty by nightime. There was a show on TV last night, in Malaysian, about the pollution and health issues and talking about wearing surgical masks (like in Japan when you have a cold or hayfever) and you can really see them everywhere today. I'm about to talk about the towers I've been to, where you can't see anything but the buildings closest to you...
Menara Petronas
I went to both the Menara Petronas (Petronas Twin Towers) and Menara KL (KL Tower). Firstly the Petronas Towers are basically a petrol company's lair, which I had no idea about. At the gift shop you can get their car racing gear, there are sports cars around the complex, and they run a kids "petrol science centre" downstairs. They have a whole range of kids
goods.
Entry is free to the Petronas Towers, but you only go to the
walkway (41st storey, 170m) that Catherine Zeta Jones and Sean Connery hang off (in "Entrapment"). Also you have to make a booking. I went around 10.30 and got a ticket for 2.30, so you've gotta do that if you come here. Come early and get a ticket for the afternoon. At 2.30 I noticed a sign, "No more tickets for today, sorry", so I can imagine the number of tourist that finally find their way there and are turned away until the following day!
Inside you watch a video on the tower and the corporation, then are taken up to the walkway where you get 10 minutes, then are taken back down. The whole thing is extremely impressive, and it is one of the better looking towers in the world I think.
Just before I leave there...the
SLCC Suria shopping complex at the base is a good place to get your better quality souvenirs and gifts, yet still isn't too crazy expensive. And the train goes from there too. It's got at tleat 1 good Japanese restaurant which I
enjoyed too!!
Menara KL
I also went to Menara KL. You feel you're on about the same level as the very top of the Petronas, cause it is built on a hill to start with, with a gorgeous little rainforest at the base that they cared for during construction and still now. (There is a story of a 400 y.o. tree they spent like RM 300,000 to save). So actually, the view I got from there was higher than the Petronas walkway, 170m vs over 400m I think. That's higher than Canberra and Sydney isn't it? And it's higher than Tokyo, which I know is 336m.
Chow Kit Market
The COOL thing I went to on the 11th was the Chow Kit Market, a great, dirty "wet market", with the wriggling fish, racks of chickens with their legs up in the air, men hacking up various animals and all sorts of more harmless and interesting looking fruit, vegetables and spices. This place was so great, I actually felt a bit sick! (I think it might have been a hangover from the towers, but whatever.) So I did a second round taking photos
and talking to a few of the guys. There was even what looked like a school right nearby that I got some photos of. When I say school, you know I mean a gorgeous Islamic school? A mosque-looking building, with grand pillars, roof, beautiful writing, etc.
LRT
Finally for the 11th, I went on a
monorail 'self-guided tour' (!!) while I was waiting for my Petronas booking. There are at least 2 lines of the LRT - light rail transport (monorail) - the Star Light and the Putra Light lines. They go to most of the cool places. I sat where I could see out the back or side window and watched all the temples and mosques we passed. I even saw this fantastic mosque half built. I'm now considering going for a close look if I have time and can find it. It might given even more of an insight into mosque architecture.
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