The breakfast at D’Oriental Inn was just what you’d expect: cold and nasty. But mandatory nutrition meant suffering through it and leaving the hotel to explore Kuala lumpur as soon as possible. This was my second time in this city, my previous visit happening in 2005. Didn’t get much of a taste for it 7 years ago, perhaps this time it would be different, although by the first feeling we got from the hotel it was going to be difficult. Got to admit, I was in a rotten mood this morning. Last night’s hotel disappointment didn’t let off yet.
Kris wanted to see Batu Caves, a complex of Hindu shrines on the outskirts of the city. We took a commuter train there (strangely enough the fare going back is twice as high as the fare there, but still a bargain, 1 ringgit there and 2 ringgits back) for about 45 minutes. Batu Caves houses several different temples, some of which are carved inside the caves, some are built outside. The whole place is just swarming with monkeys. Small, ugly, yellow toothed, filthy creatures I would gladly put a baseball bat to, if I had the chance. I tried to feed one, only to get a few hisses and an attempt to tear my face off. Next time I see one in the forest it will be a blowgun lesson for me. The stairs to the temple cave are an arduous journey. Not only many of them, but also very steep. Needless to say I was sweating buckets and by the time I got to the top my shirt has changed its color a few shades. The weather is absolutely terrible in KL in August. Hot, 30 plus Celsius, humidity at 100 per cent. You’re out of your air conditioned room for a few minutes and your clothes are already sticking to you. We wanted a breather after the caves and found it in a vegetarian Indian restaurant. Now there is hell for my meat-eating wife if there is any. Our food was actually quite good, naan with cheese and onion with bunch of typical dips: chutney, mint sauce and daal. But I get this feeling that she wasn’t THAT happy about it. Even an ice cream cone didn’t fully do it, especially that it started melting immediately.
Merdaka Square
From there it was on to Merdaka square, a more or less central place in KL, a place where they hold their independence day parades and nowadays a good place to watch the Olympics on a big screen. There is a nice information center next to it, where we learned what we already knew: there was nothing really much to see in KL that interested us, besides Petronas Towers. And once again, as in Borneo, there’s this tendency to screw the pooch (and if you aren’t Malaysia, you’re the pooch) by charging three, four even five times for any entrance of worth. If you’re a budget traveler, you’re screwed, but even if you’re not, it just puts you in a bad mood. You’re being ridiculously taken advantage of. 80 ringgit to go up Petronas Towers?? $26 per person is more than Empire States building in NY, more than CN Tower in Toronto or the Space Needle in Seattle. Screw you!
We headed to Petronas Towers. Those jewels of modern Euro-Islamic architecture were the tallest buildings in the world for a while and still hold the title as the world’s tallest twin towers. With smog present in the city and the ridiculous pricing, we decided not to go up to the observation deck, but instead joined hordes of tourists attempting to get a clear shot of you and the towers with no one else in view. With hundreds of people pushing, getting in each other’s way it was a challenge. A flash of inspiration brought upon my powers of observation and I spotted a wall behind which there was a street. We went to the other side and zip, zilch, nada. No people and the view: PERFECT. Our photo session brought upon smiles from passing cops and a bus full of Malaysians shouting “Model, model!” to us. Below are some of the results.
Nothing to put us in a better mood then some Malaysian food from an Indian restaurant. Nasi goreng rocks, although I warn seafood haters: the sauce is pungent with fish and dried mackerels top the rice so not for everyone. Kris once again went for the tried and tested Mi goreng (pictured) which doesn’t smell of fish so bad. We grabbed a dragon fruit and a couple big beers on the street before heading back to our hell hole. Tomorrow morning, we’re off to Cameron Highlands.
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