We've really enjoyed Kuala Lumpur. It's a really exciting and vibrant city with some great things to see. A real mix of the old and new and the East and West. Just enough home comforts to make it easy but lots of things that are different and keep it interesting.
Next up is a 2 3/4 hour flight across the South China Sea to the island of Borneo. Borneo is divided by 3 nations, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (home of the oil rich sultan with the gold plated bog brushes). The Malaysian part is further sub divided into the states of Sabah and Sarawak.
We'll be spending the next 2 weeks exploring the jungles and rainforests of Sabah where hopefully we'll get to see some of the local wildlife whilst avoiding the leeches (we've brought some leech socks just in case!)
Showing posts with label Kuala Lumpur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kuala Lumpur. Show all posts
24 March 2009
17 March 2009
Petronas Towers
The most iconic buildings in KL must surely be the Petronas Twin Towers. Standing at 88 storeys and 451.9 meters high they are currently the third highest buildings in the world after Teipei 101 and Shanghai WFC. Although the highest visitors are allowed is the 41st floor skybridge that links the two towers 170m above ground.
The buildings were designed by Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli and incorporate many Islamic features. The floor plan is based on the 8 pointed star and the 5 tiers of the towers represent the 5 pillars of Islam.
I've seen the towers many times on TV and have never been that taken by them. However, seeing them for real has changed my mind, they really are quite stunning.
Our favorite spot in the whole of KL is from the sky bar at the top of the Traders Hotel which gives a quite stunning view of the towers and the rest of town.
We've been to the towers a couple of times during the daytime but it has always clouded over and a tropical storm started. Hence all of the pictures look a bit gray and gloomy (can someone please show me how to use Photoshop?)
On our first visit to the Petronas Towers we also had a wander over to Aquaria KLCC. The aquarium there was stunning and featured some really unusual fish including a giant arapaima that looked about 6ft long and some quite ferocious looking sand tiger sharks.
The buildings were designed by Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli and incorporate many Islamic features. The floor plan is based on the 8 pointed star and the 5 tiers of the towers represent the 5 pillars of Islam.
I've seen the towers many times on TV and have never been that taken by them. However, seeing them for real has changed my mind, they really are quite stunning.
Our favorite spot in the whole of KL is from the sky bar at the top of the Traders Hotel which gives a quite stunning view of the towers and the rest of town.
We've been to the towers a couple of times during the daytime but it has always clouded over and a tropical storm started. Hence all of the pictures look a bit gray and gloomy (can someone please show me how to use Photoshop?)
On our first visit to the Petronas Towers we also had a wander over to Aquaria KLCC. The aquarium there was stunning and featured some really unusual fish including a giant arapaima that looked about 6ft long and some quite ferocious looking sand tiger sharks.
Batu Caves
The Batu Caves are a Hindu shrine located in a limestone cliff about 15km outside of downtown KL.
The caves are famous for the Hindu Thaipusam festival which takes place every year in January/February and sees a million pilgrims visit over three days.
Normally were quite disappointed to miss a big festival, but having seen Thaipusam on TV, we're quite glad to have missed it. The festival features the kavadi carriers who pierce themselves through the skin with big hooks and use them to carry pitchers of milk and other offerings on the pilgrimage walk from the city centre to the caves. Some also pierce their cheeks and tongues with skewers for additional fulfillment. As if being pierced through the face with a spike isn't bad enough when it's removed the wound is treated with lemon juice and ash.
The entrance to the caves is via a 272 step stairway that is flanked by a giant golden statue of Lord Subramaniam.
Also guarding the steps are more monkeys who seem to do quite a good job hustling the visitors out their food and other belongings.
On the way out we saw this rather unusual looking cow/lady hybrid!
The caves are famous for the Hindu Thaipusam festival which takes place every year in January/February and sees a million pilgrims visit over three days.
Normally were quite disappointed to miss a big festival, but having seen Thaipusam on TV, we're quite glad to have missed it. The festival features the kavadi carriers who pierce themselves through the skin with big hooks and use them to carry pitchers of milk and other offerings on the pilgrimage walk from the city centre to the caves. Some also pierce their cheeks and tongues with skewers for additional fulfillment. As if being pierced through the face with a spike isn't bad enough when it's removed the wound is treated with lemon juice and ash.
The entrance to the caves is via a 272 step stairway that is flanked by a giant golden statue of Lord Subramaniam.
Also guarding the steps are more monkeys who seem to do quite a good job hustling the visitors out their food and other belongings.
On the way out we saw this rather unusual looking cow/lady hybrid!
Thean Hou Temple and KL Bird Park
On Sunday we headed to the Thean Hou Temple which is a beautiful Taoist/Buddhist temple situated on a hill about 3km South of central KL. The temple was incredibly ornate and gave great views over the city from its upper levels.
On the way out we passed through the temple gardens and came across their turtle pond. We have never seen so many of the little fellas in one spot . . . it was turtle mayhem!
After the temple we headed over to the Lake Gardens to go to KL Bird Park, which is the largest walk in aviary in the world.
Although the aviary itself was massive there wasn't actually a huge variety of different birds in there. It was still a fantastic afternoon out though and you could get really close to some of the birds. . .
. . . until some rowdy kid came shouting down the path and scared them off (or worse still try and poke them with their hand or shoe!)
Great entertainment was also provided by gangs of monkeys who were also roaming around the Lake Gardens causing mayhem by pinching anything that wasn't nailed down.
On the way out we passed through the temple gardens and came across their turtle pond. We have never seen so many of the little fellas in one spot . . . it was turtle mayhem!
After the temple we headed over to the Lake Gardens to go to KL Bird Park, which is the largest walk in aviary in the world.
Although the aviary itself was massive there wasn't actually a huge variety of different birds in there. It was still a fantastic afternoon out though and you could get really close to some of the birds. . .
. . . until some rowdy kid came shouting down the path and scared them off (or worse still try and poke them with their hand or shoe!)
Great entertainment was also provided by gangs of monkeys who were also roaming around the Lake Gardens causing mayhem by pinching anything that wasn't nailed down.
16 March 2009
Little India and the Colonial Quarter
On Saturday we headed out for a walking tour of the Indian and old colonial districts of KL. We had hoped for a nice relaxing day out but had a bit of a rude awakening when we entered Merdeka Square, which is at the heart of the old town, and were met by a sideways traveling maxed up Nissan.
Unbeknown to us the square was being used as a venue for the KL X Street Games. The road along the square had been roped off and was being used by the local boy racer fraternity for a drift racing competition. The scene looked like a Vietnamese taxi drivers academy, cars belting around the place with smoke pouring from the wheels.
The field at the side of the square had 2 very different activities taking place, a netball competition and a thrash metal battle of the bands! It was a quite an unusual mix of people. We'd hoped to get some nice shots of the old buildings but it proved quite difficult what with the high speed vehicles and thrash metalers in the way.
To make matters worse we then got caught in a tropical rain storm and had to retreat back to the shelter of our hotel. I ended up heading back out today to get a few pictures in better conditions.
There has been a tropical storm every day that we've been in KL so far. It can be sweltering and humid one minute, then the next the skys darken, the thunder starts and it rains so heavy you can barely see across the street!
Unbeknown to us the square was being used as a venue for the KL X Street Games. The road along the square had been roped off and was being used by the local boy racer fraternity for a drift racing competition. The scene looked like a Vietnamese taxi drivers academy, cars belting around the place with smoke pouring from the wheels.
The field at the side of the square had 2 very different activities taking place, a netball competition and a thrash metal battle of the bands! It was a quite an unusual mix of people. We'd hoped to get some nice shots of the old buildings but it proved quite difficult what with the high speed vehicles and thrash metalers in the way.
To make matters worse we then got caught in a tropical rain storm and had to retreat back to the shelter of our hotel. I ended up heading back out today to get a few pictures in better conditions.
There has been a tropical storm every day that we've been in KL so far. It can be sweltering and humid one minute, then the next the skys darken, the thunder starts and it rains so heavy you can barely see across the street!
13 March 2009
Fish spa
One of the more unusual beauty treatments that we have seen on our travels has to be this one . . .
. . . a fish spa. Not a spa for your fish but one where you immerse your feet into a tank of cleaner fish for half an hour. The fish then proceed to eat the dead bits and gunk from betwixt your toes. Nice!
Kuala Lumpur
As cities go Kuala Lumpur is fairly new and was founded in 1857 when Chinese tin prospectors came ashore at the meeting point of the Kalang and Gombak rivers. Kuala Lumpur translates into English as "muddy confluence" and is named after the picturesque spot where the two rivers meet.
Due to the large ethnic mix of people here it feels a lot like Hong Kong but with more of an Islamic twist. Islam is the state religion of Malaysia and its influence can be seen in a lot of the architecture and buildings around town, not just the mosques but office buildings and skyscrapers too. The city centre feels fairly compact and easy to get around on foot, which makes a nice change after the sprawl and difficulty of getting around Bangkok.
We're staying at a place called Trekker Lodge which is right in the middle of downtown KL close to the golden triangle. The golden triangle and much of the surrounding area looks as if it has been recently redeveloped and is chock full of swanky new hotels, bars, restaurants and a shopping centre, called The Pavilion, that feels uncannily like the new Bull Ring back home in Brum.
For our first full day in KL we headed out for a walk around Chinatown. I don't know if it was the heat and humidity but we weren't that impressed with it. It didn't feel anywhere near as atmospheric or vibrant as the one in Hong Kong or Bangkok.
In the evening we headed over the road to the GSC Pavilion Cinema to see The Watchmen, which was a great film. One of the things we have really missed doing since we left home (apart from eating wine gums) is going to the cinema. It was great to be able to see a film on the big screen again.
Due to the large ethnic mix of people here it feels a lot like Hong Kong but with more of an Islamic twist. Islam is the state religion of Malaysia and its influence can be seen in a lot of the architecture and buildings around town, not just the mosques but office buildings and skyscrapers too. The city centre feels fairly compact and easy to get around on foot, which makes a nice change after the sprawl and difficulty of getting around Bangkok.
We're staying at a place called Trekker Lodge which is right in the middle of downtown KL close to the golden triangle. The golden triangle and much of the surrounding area looks as if it has been recently redeveloped and is chock full of swanky new hotels, bars, restaurants and a shopping centre, called The Pavilion, that feels uncannily like the new Bull Ring back home in Brum.
For our first full day in KL we headed out for a walk around Chinatown. I don't know if it was the heat and humidity but we weren't that impressed with it. It didn't feel anywhere near as atmospheric or vibrant as the one in Hong Kong or Bangkok.
In the evening we headed over the road to the GSC Pavilion Cinema to see The Watchmen, which was a great film. One of the things we have really missed doing since we left home (apart from eating wine gums) is going to the cinema. It was great to be able to see a film on the big screen again.
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