Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia
2005 January I was on my way back to the Philippines from Sri Lanka and I decided to stop over Malaysia and visit my good friend Val. My previous travels to Malaysia were overnight affairs and I was locked up in the Hotel for most of the stay, that or running to meet with potential business partners for the company I was working for at that time.
In any case, Metro Kuala Lumpur (KL) is an amazing city due to the number of old structures that litter the whole city. What's nice about the city is that they have a strong conservation program for old buildings / structures. At that time, the city was about to celebrate the Chinese New Year "Gong Xi Fa Chai" and most residents are out of town, leaving me free to roam around and take some interesting pictures.
I was able to visit Merdeka Square where the Sultan Abdul Samad Palace is also located. Around the area you will find the Old City Hall that looked amazing at night due to the gold cast light from the lamppost. From there, it is a short trip to the Old Train Station - the white facade of the building accented with turrets and moorish design gave it an interesting feel.
Interestingly, the biggest mosque in South Asia is found in KL (Masjid Negara) but it is also one of the newest design in the area. Pictures taken at night highlight it's majestic facade with rows of bubble-cup fountains lined up along the perimeter of the mosque.
Another interesting visit is the old china town area where they have old buildings and rows and rows of boarded windows shaped like slim tall arches. i can't remember the name right now but val took me to visit a furniture shop that has a cafe inside and we took our time lounging around and eating delicious pastries.
The KL skyscrapers are really tall with the Menara (imagine a fishball stuck at one end of a long, very very long stick) visible from almost every point in the city. Of course, the more interesting place to visit would be another towering structure, the Petronas. Night and day photography of this place never ceases to amaze me with its intricate design. i can imagine with the way it is designed that if you are looking down on petronas it would be shaped like twin lotus leaves, a testament to the fact that this building is owned by a hindu malaysian (rumored to be the richest as well).
The base of Petronas is KLCC - or the shopping mecca of KL. Honestly though, items are expensive. The place is interesting with the walkways surrounding Petronas as well as a beautiful fountain show when night hits the city.
KL is not just about these structures as the food, night life and people are just as interesting with a mix of chinese, malay and indian giving it a good mix. I found it interesting that the different groups tend to exclusively stick to their own gang though Val's entourage is a motley group of chinese, malay, hindu, swiss, german, spanish thrown in.
going to and from the city to KL International (KLIA) is fast, efficient and easy. You can take the express train from KLIA to KL and be there in 45 minutes (i think...) right in the middle of the city. One interesting feature that i liked was that i can check in my luggage in KL Central Station so i just go direct to my boarding gates in KLIA. That is, if you're flying Malaysian Airlines. KLIA itself is an interesting structure, the tent like dome with slits expose the interiors to interesting natural lighting and in some areas, there are atriums where pocket gardens grow. I can spend a lot of time roaming the place without feeling bored.
Hmmm... my next trip is going to be about food and more food hmmm, for now, i look forward to planning another visit to this lovely city.
In any case, Metro Kuala Lumpur (KL) is an amazing city due to the number of old structures that litter the whole city. What's nice about the city is that they have a strong conservation program for old buildings / structures. At that time, the city was about to celebrate the Chinese New Year "Gong Xi Fa Chai" and most residents are out of town, leaving me free to roam around and take some interesting pictures.
I was able to visit Merdeka Square where the Sultan Abdul Samad Palace is also located. Around the area you will find the Old City Hall that looked amazing at night due to the gold cast light from the lamppost. From there, it is a short trip to the Old Train Station - the white facade of the building accented with turrets and moorish design gave it an interesting feel.
Interestingly, the biggest mosque in South Asia is found in KL (Masjid Negara) but it is also one of the newest design in the area. Pictures taken at night highlight it's majestic facade with rows of bubble-cup fountains lined up along the perimeter of the mosque.
Another interesting visit is the old china town area where they have old buildings and rows and rows of boarded windows shaped like slim tall arches. i can't remember the name right now but val took me to visit a furniture shop that has a cafe inside and we took our time lounging around and eating delicious pastries.
The KL skyscrapers are really tall with the Menara (imagine a fishball stuck at one end of a long, very very long stick) visible from almost every point in the city. Of course, the more interesting place to visit would be another towering structure, the Petronas. Night and day photography of this place never ceases to amaze me with its intricate design. i can imagine with the way it is designed that if you are looking down on petronas it would be shaped like twin lotus leaves, a testament to the fact that this building is owned by a hindu malaysian (rumored to be the richest as well).
The base of Petronas is KLCC - or the shopping mecca of KL. Honestly though, items are expensive. The place is interesting with the walkways surrounding Petronas as well as a beautiful fountain show when night hits the city.
KL is not just about these structures as the food, night life and people are just as interesting with a mix of chinese, malay and indian giving it a good mix. I found it interesting that the different groups tend to exclusively stick to their own gang though Val's entourage is a motley group of chinese, malay, hindu, swiss, german, spanish thrown in.
going to and from the city to KL International (KLIA) is fast, efficient and easy. You can take the express train from KLIA to KL and be there in 45 minutes (i think...) right in the middle of the city. One interesting feature that i liked was that i can check in my luggage in KL Central Station so i just go direct to my boarding gates in KLIA. That is, if you're flying Malaysian Airlines. KLIA itself is an interesting structure, the tent like dome with slits expose the interiors to interesting natural lighting and in some areas, there are atriums where pocket gardens grow. I can spend a lot of time roaming the place without feeling bored.
Hmmm... my next trip is going to be about food and more food hmmm, for now, i look forward to planning another visit to this lovely city.
Comments
Because KL could've been us. It could've been Manila or Cebu. A bright, innovative yet still culturally-strong city. Had we not been plundered by the Marcoses (and all the other politicos), I think Manila or Cebu could've been as pretty as KL.