Kuala Lumpur

Before the Malaysian Airline flight disappearance, had most people even heard of Kuala Lumpur?  Other than the Petronas Twin Towers, I knew nothing. The city is well-connected to Singapore via bus, so I saw it as a great excuse to spend a couple days there at the end of my vacation.    

I first visited Batu Caves, which is a religious site of Hindu temples that are guarded by a giant statue of Murugan (god of war).  By the way, I don't use the term 'giant' lightly:

At over 40 meters tall, this is the biggest Murugan statue in the world

The caves are on the northern edge of the city, but they are easily reached by train or taxi. As a lover of public transportation, I obviously took the train.  

The climb is a steep 272 steps, but I stopped frequently to check out the statue and the boring view (and also to avoid sweating profusely in the ridiculous humidity). 

Aside from the caves, there is not much else to see in this area

The caves, themselves, were interesting to see.  There is a dark cave on the left side, which offers a guided tour and is worth the admission fee. The guides talk about the animal/plant habitat and continuous conservation efforts. 

The main cave houses several hindu temples and drawings.  There were some religious ceremonies happening when I visited, but none last very long and the entire site doesn't require more than an hour to see.  

Gate at the top of the staircase

This is what the main cave looks like inside

One of the temples in the cave

On the way back down, I noticed the infamous monkeys (not sure how I missed them while I was going up).  These monkeys act like they own the staircase and their actions are totally unpredictable.  One moment, they are sitting nicely. The next moment, they are running up the railing and stealing food from people.  I stayed far away, although I did notice a mama with a tiny baby that just held on while she climbed around. 

The next generation of creepy monkeys!

There are some more temples at the bottom of the staircase that are also worth a quick visit.  They were doing some sort of statue-cleaning ceremony when I was there but I got bored after a a few minutes of atonal music and prayers.  

On my way back to the city, I noticed some tired women on the train that made me laugh. 

Malaysian signature sleeping pose!

There are several interesting buildings to check out near the city center, which include the old train station and the national mosque.    I was amazed by the architecture of the train station, which looked very Moorish and completely out-of-place in Asia. The building now houses administrative offices. 

Old train station in Kuala Lumpur

Near to the train station is the national mosque, which is straight out of the 70's in its design.  It's almost comedic.

Exterior of the Malaysian National Mosque

I was happy that they allow non-muslims to enter the prayer area

By this point in the trip, I really started feeling like I was in the middle east.  Malaysia is a Muslim country, but I didn't realize just how different it would be from places like Thailand and Vietnam.  A lot of women wear scarves on their heads, most people have a darker skin complexion than other parts of Asia, and the architecture has a strong Middle-Eastern influence. 

Ironically, the country's tag line is: "Malaysia - Truly Asia".  It makes me wonder if this was a deliberate response to a perception that Malaysia is unlike other countries in the region. 

I'm not sure I agree with this slogan

A modern city emerges in the background

Another well-known area worth visiting in KL is Chinatown.  Petaling street is famous for its cheap goods (I use the word cheap in reference to quality, not price).  

Main gate at one end of Petaling Street in Chinatown

I fully intended on trying some street food in Chinatown, but I just couldn't bring myself to take the risk.  Regardless, it was fun to witness the activity and the types of items on offer.

If you like Kebabs, this is the place to be

A street food vendor prepares hot pots for hungry customers

The majority of luxury hotels and business offices are located in the City Center district, which looks like any other big city I have seen. The speed of development is quite evident in this area, where cranes seem to outnumber existing buildings. 

KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center)

Perhaps the biggest (and certainly the most iconic) tourist attraction in Kuala Lumpur is the Petronas Twin Towers.  I may care more about architecture than the average person, but I think anyone would find these towers impressive - especially at night, when the buildings are lit up.  

Towers glisten as the sun begins to set

What's inside the towers, you ask?  There is an observation floor at the top (with a pretty hefty admission price), offices throughout the bulk of the building, and a large shopping mall in the bottom four floors.  

I was actually somewhat surprised to see that there was no security, whatsoever, to enter the building.  In India, you can't even walk inside a suburban hotel without passing through a metal detector, but anyone can enter Malaysia's most recognizable building without even a glance.  

The towers literally light up the night sky

Every time I passed the Petronas Towers, there was a group of people taking "selfies" in front of the building.  Although I normally hate such a narcissistic activity, I got caught up in the excitement...

A rare selfie in front of the towers

I really enjoyed Kuala Lumpur - not because it is "truly Asia" but because it "truly" redefines the stereotypes of Asia.  Local cuisine incorporates so many different cultures and offers such a memorable flavor palette.  My favorite Malaysian dish, Beef Rendang, is made with coconut milk, lemongrass, and curry (among other ingredients).  Seriously, where else in Asia will you find such an interesting combination of flavors?  

The mix of cultures is also evident in the architecture, the people, and even the fashion.  Kuala Lumpur may be on people's radars because of the recent airline tragedy, but it also deserves attention as a country worth visiting.