Kuala Lumpar Fri 30 Jan 09

Kuala Lumpar Fri 30 Jan 09
Well here I am in Kuala Lumpar, the capital city of Malaysia, at the end of my 3rd and last day here.
The flights from Phuket had to be changed but then went well. Fascinating large model display of serpents and gods at Bankok airport.
Taxi driver from KL airport to hotel didn't stop talking, very proud of his country, especially low income tax!
Day 1 (Wednesday) here, took City Tour, first stop Petronas Twin Towers, now the 4th tallest building in the world (tallest is in Dubai if you remember from my visit there). Next a gift shop?!, then Beryl's Chocolate Factory - interesting charts explaining history and production of chocolate, bought Beryls dark chocolate with mango filling for Jo/Wayne and Philip/Faye.
Next to King's Palace - Here the King is a sultan appointed for 5 years then replaced by another.
Then to the museum, a relatively new building necessitated by the americans accidentally bombing and completely destroying the old one and all its contents. They were aiming for the railway line being used by the invading japanese and missed. The new museum is very impressive, including sections on the creation of land masses and the continents as they are now, rocks, politics and religions (mainly Islam here, but government says religion is an individual thing, not a state matter). Briefly chatted to Korean father there with his family. Interestingly, he/they work and live in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.
Next on to The National Monument to fallen soldiers in 3 wars, 1st and 2nd world wars and the 1948 - 60 war against communism. Designed by an americann and built in 1965, it is an impressive and fitting memorial. Chatted here with a lady from Mumbai (Bombay) as we returned to the bus.
I arranged for the bus to drop me in the Colonial District next to Mendeka Square which has a beautifully tended english cricket ground on which, in a ceremony in 1957, Malaysia formally became independant from Britain. Around the Square is an eccentric collection of colonial-era buildings, including British and the fashionable Moorish style of the time. I spent the rest of the evening wandering around Chinatown or 'Little China', including Jalan Pataling which is a long covered street packed with stalls down the middle and small shops along the sides selling everything you can think of. There is a teriffic buzz about the whole area, a great atmosphere.

Day 2 (Thursday) my main focus is Little India, the commercial centre of KL's Indian community. This area also has a covered street market, although there is a predominance in the shops for garments and materials, especially for saris and songkets, also jewelry retailers. Even busier than Little China, here there is a much greater concentration of locals with fewer tourists. Sat in a street food 'hall' surrounded by locals voraciously consuming rice and chicken with their fingers. It is just a large piece of street covered with a tin roof, with food stalls along 2 sides cooking various local dishes and tables and chairs in the middle. A constant stream of customers make for a non-stop bubbling atmosphere, I guess a major meeting place in this Little India. I just had a cold green drink, no idea what it is but looks and tastes good.
Next I see some of the main buildings nearby, The Jamek Mosque, St Mary's Cathedral, The Royal Selangar Club (very British) the Flagpole (tallest in the world) and the Central Market. The last is a huge 1920s brick building updated to house a miriad of small shops selling crafts, clothes, souveners etc - nicely done although clearly aimed at tourists.

Day3 (Friday) visited Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, a section of tropical forest preserved in the centre of the city in what they call the 'Golden Triangle'. I took the forest walk to the Menara Tower, the 5th? tallest telecom tower in the world built on a hill in the middle of the forest. Nearby back in the forest, I found the Arboretum which turned out to be a well marked path through a section of trees with loads of information on plaques alongside dozens of trees, bushes, undergrowth and fungii, a botanists heaven. Also walked around a herbal garden and the info. centre. 43% of Peninsula Malaysia is covered with tropical forest. Next spent some time wandering various trails (actually muddy paths but well marked) through the forest. Also 'Bamboo Walk' along which there are several massive bamboo bushes. All very relaxing. At one point in the depths of the forest, noises in the branches above made me look up to see a troup of monkeys leaping about and playing in the trees. I counted about 8 plus 2 babies just learning how to negotiate the branches. Stood there for ages watching them, they took no notice of me.

Now back at the hotel, got to prepare for 7.15am flight to Borneo tomorrow morning.
All the Best,
John