Our journey began with a comfortable bus ride (yes, it was only one bus and no mini vans included) from Singapore where we met a lovely couple from South Africa who currently reside in London, England – Ryan and Nicola. They were very friendly as we shared a cab through the bustling streets around the Pudurayia bus station to the guest house we all ended up staying at Trekker Lodge which is located within the Golden Triangle area.
Trekker Lodge is a new facility and from the outside may not look like much but that just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Inside, this place is wonderful. It’s clean, bright, has helpful staff, provides kitchen facilities, has a lounge area where you can watch TV and they even provide DVDs and there are rooms for all types of travelers. We booked a double room with a private ensuite and were given a good deal as they were currently offering a promotion of stay three nights and get the fourth one free. The room cost 85 ringettes per night ($26.40 CDN per night) including breakfast and one free hour of internet each day which ended up averaging out to $19.80 CDN a night for the four nights we stayed – a great deal for what we got. Not only was the accommodation great, the location was superb. We were pretty much a 20 minute walk away from all major tourist attractions we wanted to see and very close to public transportation. We recommend this place to anyone who is planning on visiting Kuala Lumpur and is on a budget. The contact information is as follows:
Address: 1-1 Jalan Angsoka, Off Jalan Nagasari, Bukit Bintang
Website: www.thetrekkerlodge.com
Phone no: 603-2142-4633 or 6016-263-1410
Alternatively, if Trekker Lodge is not available, you can also stay at their affiliated guest house called the Green Hut (they also have facilities in Singapore and Australia) which is only a 5 minute walk away. Their contact information is as follows:
Address: No 48, Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang (Opposite Alison Genesis Hotel)
Website: www.thegreenhut.com
Phone no: 03-2142-3339 or 019-380-5339
After having a chance to talk to Ryan and Nicola for a little while, we found out that they are both working professionals in London and are travelling for 7 months before they go back to London and start to plan their wedding!! Looks like everyone we know back home and people we are meeting along the way are all getting hitched (must be a sign..hehehe). Ryan and Nicola got engaged while travelling and here’s another CONGRATS to the both of them. We are looking forward to possibly meeting them in London when we go in the fall to get to know them better. Ryan & Nicola – If you happen to be reading this, thanks again for all of your help and it was great meeting you two. We hope your time in the Cameron Highlands was enjoyable and we look forward to possibly seeing you again in London.
We spent the following four days walking, walking and walking in the blistering heat to all of the sites we wanted to visit. Did we mention the walking?? Despite the heat, we were lucky enough to experience a few “storms” during our visit in Kuala Lumpur. We had been told that random showers can happen during the day and boy did it rain!! Luckily for us, in most instances we were back at the hotel taking a break from all of the walking when the storms hit. It was refreshing for us as we really missed the rain from back home and we found it a welcoming change but the storms only last a couple of hours and then the sun and heat come back out in full force.
Below are some of the highlights from our time in Kuala Lumpur…
KUALA LUMPUR CITY CENTRE (KLCC)
The KLCC can be found within the Golden Triangle area and consists of the famous Petronas Twin Towers, the state of the art Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Suria KLCC shopping mall, a five star hotel, the immaculately landscaped KLCC Park as well as a mosque. The area is a major tourist attraction as well as a famous place for the locals to spend their weekends.
The Petronas Twin Towers is an architectural marvel of the 21st century. They stand at a height of 451.9 meters, have 88 floors and are considered the tallest twin towers in the world. There is a connecting two tiered bridge between the two towers on the 41st floor where tourists are allowed to visit the bottom tier while the top tier is used by staff and personnel. The building is the headquarters for Petronas. This building is magnificent and especially at night when it’s all lit up. At night, the towers looked like they were from another world as you sat and watched a dazzling water show where two fountains in the park provide 150 colorful and dazzling animations. The towers are at the forefront of the City Centre and nestled within a park with a running track, a water park for children and a mosque. The park is beautifully landscaped with many areas to sit and enjoy an afternoon outside while gazing up at the amazing architecture which has put Kuala Lumpur as the gateway into South East Asia. We enjoyed our time at the park and spent quite a bit of time marveling at the towers, the surroundings and found the location of the mosque right in the middle of downtown Kuala Lumpur a pleasant surprise. Thus far on our trip, we have not seen many temples of worship right in the middle of the city and found the location of this mosque a sign of how devout they are to their beliefs and religion.
MERDEKA SQUARE
Merdeka Square also known as Dataran Merdeka is one of the city’s heritage sites. The Union Jack was lowered here on August 31, 1957 marking Malaysia’s independence from colonial rule. Hence the name Merdeka, which means “Independence” in Malay. A 100 metre high flagpole, reputedly the tallest in the world, proudly flies the Malaysian flag. The Square used to be the focal point of Kuala Lumpur and the field here was the venue for police parades and cricket matches. Today, it is a beautifully landscaped area with gardens, terraces and fountains. It is still an important venue for national events such as National Day celebrations and street parades. Included as a part of the Merdeka Square is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building which can be found across the street from the square. This is a remarkable edifice built in 1897 and served as the government administration building during the British era. The building is constructed entirely of brick and consists of a 41.2 metre high clock tower. This building now houses the Malaysian Supreme and High Courts as well as a handicraft centre. The building makes an impressive landmark when illuminated at night.
KL LAKE GARDENS
The KL Lake Gardens is another refreshing enclave in the middle of the bustling city. KL Lake Gardens is the city’s premiere park, sprawling over 200 acres and consisting of two lakes, imposing structures in the ASEAN Sculpture Garden, majestic rain trees, Orchid Garden, Deer Park, Butterfly Park, Bird Park. Other important sites which can be found on the outskirts of the Gardens are the National Monument, the National Mosque and the KL Railway Station. The National Monument is a very large bronze tribute built to the valiant soldiers who gave their lives defending the country during the Communist Insurgency in the 1950s. The National Mosque or Masjid Negara is the most distinguished mosque in KL. It has a unique stylized star shaped dome representing the 13 states of Malaysia and the five pillars of Islam. Its 73 metre high minaret stands impressively against the skyline. The KL Railway Station is yet another impressive architectural landmark in the heart of the city. Its Moorish architecture with graceful arches and minarets makes it one of the city’s favorite landmarks to visit.
ARCHITECTURE
Kuala Lumpur has lots to offer any tourist and in addition to all of the above sites, the city also offers some very different styles of architecture. Regardless of whether or not these are office buildings, restaurants, mosques or homes, all of these buildings have a distinct look and definitely stand out in the skyline. Below are some of the examples of great architecture that we were able to witness (the last picture below is one of Chris’ favorite – the public library…can you say “different” or what??)…
Despite the uncertainty of venturing into Kuala Lumpur, we were pleasantly surprised by the ease and comfort level we had felt here. From the architecture to the people, it was a very interesting mix between the two different cultures that really exist here. Kuala Lumpur is really made up of the Islam faith as evident through the many mosques that are situated throughout the city as well as many Asian descent Malays here who march to a different beat. This is evident through the way the city is laid out as well as some of the architecture. It is a dynamic mix, a fusion which seems to be working ever so closely with one another in a very symbiotic way. For instance, our favorite meal of the entire trip in Kuala Lumpur was at Karim Tandoori CT House where this union of cultures is displayed. The owner, a Malaysian Indian man just recently opened this new restaurant with his Asian wife. The food was fantastic and we recommend this restaurant as a MUST VISIT to anyone who is in Kuala Lumpur for a wonderful North Indian delicacy. The address is No 41, JLN Tung Sing. (the restaurant is only a 5 minute walk from the Trekker Lodge). A perfect end to our stay in Kuala Lumpur.
We are now anxiously awaiting our flight to Beijing tomorrow. We have a couple of days on our own to explore before we begin our pre booked tour that will take us through China and end in Hong Kong. We are looking forward to all this country has to offer us through its culture, history and food (of course!). Until then….enjoy your days and remember to take some time out of your busy days for yourselves…
1 comment:
Happy Easter Rav & Chris,
Just wanted to wish you both a Happy Easter. Great picture of KL there. So how are the both of you? Anyway I thought I drop a line and say hi. Have a great time in China.
LOC " Fluffy the Easter Bunny"
Post a Comment