Thursday, June 25, 2015

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