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Kuala Lumpur: street life

The diverse cultural mix of KL is evident everywhere, but I think the following picture captures the essence of urban street life.

Click here to watch the band in the picture above perform.  If I were a talent scout I would sign up the singer.

Check out the cultural diversity of the crowd in this YouTube video featuring singers Najwa Latif, Sleeq and Syamkamarul.

our Pakistani waiter at the Arabic resto

Jalan Alor (Alor Street) famous for its street food featuring Malaysian, Chinese and others

Chinatown market

Kuala Lumpur: the Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Petronas, or Menara Berkembar Petronas), are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur.  They were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 and remain the tallest twin towers in the world.

They are the headquarters for Petronas, an international oil and gas company wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia.

The towers were designed by Argentine - North American architect César Pelli.  A distinctive postmodern style was chosen to create a 21st-century icon for Kuala Lumpur.

The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion.

Below the twin towers is Suria KLCC, a shopping mall, a 140,000 m2 (1,500,000 sq ft) upmarket retail center featuring mostly foreign luxury goods and high-street labels.  Click here to watch a video taken inside the mall.

Also below the twin towers is the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the home of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Spanning 17 acres below the Towers is the KLCC Park with jogging and walking paths and a fountain with incorporated light show.  Click here to watch my video of the light show.

Kuala Lumpur: the KL Tower

The Kuala Lumpur Tower (Malay: Menara Kuala Lumpur) is used for communication purposes and features an antenna that reaches 421 meters (1,381 feet), making it the 7th tallest freestanding tower in the world.  It is an iconic backdrop to many sites of interest in KL.

Menara Kuala Lumpur was officially inaugurated on October 1, 1996.

The tower also acts as the Islamic falak observatory to observe the crescent moon which marks the beginning of the Muslim month of Ramadhan.

The main lobby of the upper ground floor is decorated with exquisite glass-clad domes that sparkle like giant diamonds. These domes were designed and arranged in the form of the Muqarnas by Iranian craftsmen from Isfahan.

When constructing the KL Tower, the builders took special care to construct a retaining wall around a 100-year-old jelutong tree (Dyera costulata).

Kuala Lumpur: the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park (Malay: Taman Burung Kuala Lumpur) is a 21-acre public aviary. It houses more than 3000 birds representing more than 200 species in an enclosed aviary.

Kuala Lumpur: an evening of karaoke with new friends

I went kicking and screaming ... karaoke? .... really? ... but then, I met this group of people.

Now, I'm a believer.  I watched like a child as each of them turned into Avril Lavigne, Beyoncé or Chris Medina.  7 of us packed in a medium sized karaoke room, 3 microphones and plenty of passion.  I wasn't in their league, but they said they'd have me back.

One of my favourite souvenirs is music.  Here are 5 songs by Malaysian artists.

Artist(s) / Song

Cakra Khan / Harus Terpisah

click here to view the YouTube video

Najwa Latif feat. Sleeq & Syamkamarul / Sahabat

click here to view the YouTube video

UNGU / Aku Tahu

click here to view the YouTube video

Anuar Zain / Sedetik Lebih

click here to view the YouTube video 

Yuna / Gadis Semasa

click here to view the YouTube video

Kuala Lumpur: durian: love it or hate it, is this the world's most divisive fruit?

"Durian. That big, hulking thorny beast, with an aroma so strong it’ll knock your grandma to her feet. Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, it’s a divisive figure in the world of food. Banned on Singapore subways for its smell (potent even when the husk is intact), it’s the Kanye West of fruits: you either hate it, or you love it. Intensely."

(an excerpt from this article in The Guardian)

the durians are to the left of the mangos

In this YouTube video, a guy eats durian for the first time.  He and I had the same reaction.

The house rules from the condo I rented stated, "No durian in the apartment."  Now, I understand why.

Kuala Lumpur: mari kita makan (let's eat)

The diversity of Malaysia's cultural mix is reflected in its food.  Many cultures from within the country and from surrounding regions have greatly influenced the cuisine. Much of the influence comes from the Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Javanese, and Sumatran cultures, largely due to the country being part of the ancient spice route.

Check out this YouTube video entitled:  Destination Kuala Lumpur / Food Capital

Check out this site entitled:  A Beginner’s Guide To KL’s “Street Food”

While in KL, I savoured Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern cuisines.  I found KL to be a kind of culinary orgasm.

the smelly durian fruit is to the left of the mangos

eating spicy chicken on a stick in KL's Chinatown

a page from the menu of a Vietnamese Restaurant ... Vietnamese Crispy Pancakes filled
 with minced chicken, prawns and bean sprouts

flat bread with sauces for dipping (Indian eatery)

mixed grill, stuffed grape leaves, tabouleh and naan at an Arabic restaurant

Malaysian Entree:  Nasi Kunyit with Curry Mutton

Nasi Kunyit (also known as Pulut Kunyit) is yellow glutinous rice given its bright colour by tumeric powder.  This dish is very traditional and is usually served with curries on special occasions.

nasi kunyit with curry mutton

click here for recipe

Malaysian Desert:  Sago Gula Melaka

Sago is a starch extracted from the spongy centre, or pith, of various tropical palm stems.  Sago is often produced commercially in the form of "pearls".  Sago pearls can be boiled with water or milk and sugar to make a sweet sago pudding. Sago pearls are similar in appearance to tapioca pearls and the two may be used interchangeably in some dishes.

In Malaysia, sago gula melaka is a sago pudding made by boiling pearl sago in water and serving it with syrup of palm sugar (gula melaka) and coconut milk.  The version that I ordered several times incorporated banana slices.

sago gula melaka

click here for recipe

Kuala Lumpur: my cool Bukit Bintang pad

Check out the Airbnb apartment that I rented during my stay in KL.  (View all photos by clicking on the pic displayed when the page loads, and then on the right arrow to advance.)  Located in the heart of KL's bustling Bukit Bintang district, this was a great property, and I would not hesitate to stay there again.

view Airbnb apartment listing here

The pool was an oasis after a day of steamy temps.

View a video of the pool and other amenities by clicking here.

Kuala Lumpur: Hazri and friends

Here's my buddy, Hazri.  He planned my unforgettable first encounter with KL and shared his friends with me.  I was so impressed with the warm welcoming nature of Malaysians, wherever we went.

Kuala Lumpur: trip overview and country facts

On June 15, I began the outbound journey of 31 hours to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) via Paris and Dubai.

On June 23, I began the return journey of 34 hours via Dubai and Paris.

That's a lot of travel for a 6-day stay ... but it was worth it!

I rented a super comfortable condo in the Bukit Bintang district of Kuala Lumpur (KL to locals) and spent time with my buddy Hazri and his friends.

Every day was a new adventure.

Click here to see a page with all of my trip photos (many of which are also included in subsequent Kuala Lumpur blog posts).


Did you know?

1. Malaysia has a total land mass of 329,847 square kilometers (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo).
2. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. 
3. By 2015, with a population of over 30 million, Malaysia became the 43rd most populous country in the world. 
4. The Malaysian constitution declares Islam the state religion while allowing freedom of religion for non-Muslims.
5. The Malay kingdoms (which now form Malaysia) were once British protectorates. 
6. The government system is closely modeled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on common law.  The head of state is the king, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the prime minister.
7. Historically the government has tried to portray Malaysia as a progressive Islamic nation while strengthening relations with other Islamic states.
8. The Strait of Malacca, lying between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, is one of the most important thoroughfares in global commerce, carrying 40 per cent of the world's trade.
9. About two thirds of Malaysia is covered in forest, with some forests believed to be 130 million years old.
10. Tourism has become Malaysia's third largest source of foreign exchange.
11. Between 2013 and 2014, Malaysia has been listed as one of the best places to retire in the world too, with the country in third position on the Global Retirement Index.
12. The official language of Malaysia is Malaysian, a standardized form of the Malay language.
13. Malaysia has a multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multilingual society.  For more information on demographics, click here.