Kuala Lumpur Part Two

When we have been in Kuala Lumpur for more than two nights we have so far stayed at the Corus Hotel opposite the Petronas Twin Towers in KLCC. This is simply because we have both come to know the area there well and no longer waste time and energy getting lost! From the Corus it is possible to walk underground almost all the way to the Suria Mall and most importantly to the KLCC Stesen, a fact that carries high value in monsoonal rains and equatorial sun and also when you've had a busy day exploring all that the city has to offer.The Corus receives mixed reviews on Tripadvisor but we have always had good rooms and helpful receptionists - maybe they have marked us as loyal clients - but maybe we might try another of the many well reviewed hotels in the area next time.

Centre Hall of Suria Mall, KLCC

 Kuala Lumpur is a rapidly developing city with changes noticeable after an absence of  only a few months. The Suria Mall is a very up market centre under the Petronas Twin Towers and was opened towards the end of 1999. Apparently two different companies constructed each tower and they differ only by about 3mm - according to my engineering LTM. There is a bridge between the towers about half way up and if you are an early riser you can queue to get tickets for a trip up there but once there you are not allowed to take photos. Many people instead go up the older KL tower for a better view and to take their photos. Not me though as just looking at a stick in the ground going skywards makes me feel nervous - earthquakes and all that history. I felt the same with the similar constructions in Auckland, Sydney and Tokyo.

Suria Mall, KLCC

 There are six levels to the Suria Mall and Ramlee Mall, all housing fashion houses such as Gucci, Chanel, Giorgiani Armani, Rolex, Harrods . .  all of them! The Japanese Isetan is often a great place to buy lovely quality clothes if you are lucky enough to be there during their twice yearly big sale period and they seem to have a permanent "Market Place" on one of the upper levels that usually produces a pleasing bargain. Parkson Grand there is more upmarket than Parkson Bukit Bintang and I was surprised to find Marks and Spencers there too as I remember it as more of a Target from my time in the UK. The jewellery shops are lovely to look at although they display only about a dozen things in their windows. One necklace I took a liking to cost MYR 125,000 - I have good taste - but not today, thank you!  I was instead satisfied with a couple of lovely gold pendants - much more my style!

Miss Sixty tickled me the first time I saw it! I can't figure the name! Does it suggest that you should miss out being sixty and be 59 or an earlier age of your choice forever ? If so, the brand is aimed at those who perhaps miss out on everything after twenty! Slim tailored jeans and jackets, brief tops . . . Then again, maybe the suggestion is that if you remain a "Miss" when you hit Sixty you will look great in that gear!

As well as six levels of wonderful shopping opportunities, the Suria Mall has Cinemas, a Convention Centre and a Science Centre - Petrosains - on the upper level. I believe that there is also a fish spa somewhere there as well.

The food Court - Signatures - is a great place to try out the quick version of foods from Malaysia and many other countries. We favoured the outlets that cooked the food in front of us and some of our favourites were Tepanayaki dishes and Otak Otak. I intend to cook Otak Otak one day soon. It's a spicy steamed fish dish with the recipie including tumeric root, ginger, shrimp paste and coconut milk and although the fast food version wasn't the real deal it was delicious. Kuala Lumpur is a foodie's delight with resturants and food stalls cooking food of all types that will surprise and delight your taste buds. We usually ate our main meal at a resturant at lunchtime and had a quick but tasty light meal at the Mall at night. We often ate at places that surprised us as they were hidden behind a shop or stall and noticed only when we paused to look at something. My rule is always to eat only food that arrives at my table steaming hot and this seems to work well as so far I have never had bad food problems. The benefit of that rule is also that I get to eat the local food with the local people.

View from the Food Court, KLCC

The lake usually has fountains going and is especially pretty at night. We spent one new Year's Eve here watching the fireworks and enjoying the company of a crush of Kuala Lumpur's residents. Everyone was very friendly and jovial and it was a great night.

The National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur

The highlight of our last time in KL was a visit to the National Mosque. I had hesitated making this visit in the past and gave some thought about this as I have visited all other religious places of worship, some repeatedly, without any hesitiation at all. I decided that the current fear mongering tactics by people and governments who have their own agendas may have contributed to my hesitation so it was time to satisfy my curiosity and desire to know more than just what is put out by those with vested interests, religious and political, via the information media.

Inside the National Mosque

Although I had no ideas of what to expect a  mosque to be like, this was a surprise. The geometrical shapes and colors together with the large circular type area created such a beautiful and calm atmosphere that it was easy to be relaxed and at peace. A guide explained that there were no pictures at all and that the arrangement of geometric patterns all had meanings and portrayed the messages of the five main prophets of Islam.

Our friendly guide

 I was delighted to see a group of women sitting and standing at a side door and went to investigate to find that a wedding was in  progress. I got talking to a young woman who told me that she was the groom's cousin and also that the bride was also her senior at school. She explained that it was not the usual Malay wedding but an Arabic one since the groom was of Arabic descent and that was why the bride was not at the groom's side.

The groom is in the centre, wearing the light
coloured clothes, beside the man in the dark jacket.

Thr Groom's cousin

Part of the outer praying area

The floor of the inside mosque was marked out with lines to allow room for the worshippers to pray. The men are at the front and the last third at the back was where the women worship. If there is a big crowd, then the women go upstairs. The inside area can hold 3000 people while this outside area can hold 9000 more.

Our guide was very informative, explaining practical things such as why devout men and women covered the whole of their bodies with loose clothing, the marriage rights of women and also about the prophets. Eventually she quietly enquired as to our religious belief and when we didn't have an answer for her she suggested that perhaps we were Buddhist and turned aside to pick up a phamphlet. When I read it later, I discovered that Buddhism is the "religion" that Islam has the least tolerance for because Buddhism has no god. [ I use " religion' because esentially Buddhism is not a religion but a philosophy.]

Non Muslim female visitors are provided with this highly visible purple robe. I had thought that such clothing would be very hot but surprisingly I was quite comfortable although that may have been due to the design of the building and the water features creating a cool atmosphere.

I left the Mosque having had an interesting and informative time and I'm glad to have seen this beautiful place. This experience, however, again emphasised that devout practitioners of all religions are not at all different when they declare that they have the one true God and religion and aim to make believers of those who are not of the same persuasion.

This Hindhu Temple was in China town

So, my last two posts give something of my experiences and impressions of Kuala Lumpur. There's much I haven't included and there is more to see and do when I get the chance to go there again. I will definitely be doing that and I am also hoping to visit other places in Malaysia for a longer period.

Salamat Datang!