Storyline: Home to home westward
We left hot, smelly (lean closer to the screen maybe you can smell it), dirty, stinky, kitschy Melaka (Malacca in English) a UNESCO Heritage city for hot, smoggy, steamy, rainy (this is welcome to clear the air) Kuala Lumpur (KL), the capital and the biggest city of Malaysia.
We arrived by bus at the TBS central bus station that resembles an airport terminal. We had read that their public transit network can be very crowded. Not quite sure how crowded it would be around noon hour, we opted for a Grab car. Shortly after beginning our trip we would regret our decision. The traffic was much heavier than the crowds on the transit trains.
We sat in traffic for about an hour (partly because our route passed the US embassy and there was a large protest underway), despite the fact that we were only 10 km from our hotel in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). As we would soon learn, congestion in the area is ongoing as KLCC was dug up right in the middle for construction of a new transit line.
As everywhere else we visit, we’d walk to many places wherever possible. KLCC has more or less an east-west ellipse shape. To cross from north of the construction, where our hotel was, to south we had to go all the way around the ellipse, tripling the time it would normally take. When we ventured further afield, there was a station of the green Punta line very close to the hotel that we’d regularly take advantage of.
Our first impression of KL? We didn’t particularly like. It is a sprawling and very segmented city with disconnected districts and residential suburbs strewn around in what seemed to us a random manner. Aside from a few central and administrative areas it is hard, if not impossible to walk from one district to another. However, it has a great public transportation network.
They say that KL is very similar to Singapore, but we didn’t see the connection.
I don’t mean the economical and political, but aside from the great public transit system and many shopping mega-malls, the two rival cities are nowhere near close. One can easily walk through Singapore. Its greenery is everywhere, on the streets, on roof tops, in the middle of tall buildings, on the bridges, you name it.
There are parks in KL, but we didn’t notice much greenery elsewhere. And regarding cleanliness? One can say Singapore is very clean, but one can’t say this for KL, shiny malls and KLCC excluded.
It rains a lot in KL. And it rains heavily. Although June is supposed to be one of driest moths there were multiple daily downpours. It was the soggiest and smoggiest city on our itinerary. One can see the smog through our photos. And it was the only place where Alex got a heat rash, although it wasn’t as hot as Singapore or later Bangkok. We think it was a combination of air pollution, mixed with smog and heat that triggered it. Given all this I enjoyed lots of shopping malls (sigh – Alex) and food court time.
We arrived during Ramadan and the subsequent Raya celebrations. The famous Petronas Twin Towers were open the first two days of our stay but tickets were fully booked and then they were closed for Raya until after our departure. So, we saved some entertainment money (to go up to and across the bridge between the towers was more expensive than were the Singapore Gardens attractions). Same applied to other attractions. Of course, when I was doing the planning and booking at the end of 2018 it didn’t cross my mind that it would be Ramadan/Raya with all the consequences.
However, the shopping malls in the towers and elsewhere worked all the time. Apparently one of the biggest activities during Raya celebration is shopping. Malls, despite their numerosity, were crowded. There were people from all over the world.
I remember walking by the Masjid Jamek in the rain and two young Pakistani guys asking us to take a photo with us. With our colored ponchos in the grey world of KL we for sure were Instagram material.
We envy the KL transit system. This sprawling city is covered by expansive mass transit network of LRT (Light Rail Transit), MRT (Metro or Rapid Transit), Monorail, Commuter Rail and Airport Express. There are also bus lines but we don’t have experience with them. They even have a free bus in the centre. Hey Canadian politicians, stop talking climate change and start acting!
Despite the rain, heat and smog, we walked a lot. Located in the northern part of KLCC, before we could walk to anywhere, we had to get around the construction area. Thus, most of our walks would start passing by or through the Suria mega-mall occupying six storeys of the Petronas Twin Towers.
Aside from many luxury brand stores, there are food courts, restaurants and cafes, supermarkets (Alex loved his Marks & Spencer cookies), cinemas, souvenirs & crafts and performance areas.
We spent lots of time walking through KLCC Park, just next to the Petronas. This was the only green space we encountered near our hotel.
One day we walked to Bukit Bintang, Petaling Street Market, Sri Mahamariamman Temple and KL Central Market.
The Kuil Sri Maha Mariamman is the oldest Hindu temple in KL. Built around 1800 it is still functioning as a place of worship for the local Tamil community. That day we were also able to experience the network of overhead walkways that allow pedestrians to bypass ground-level traffic and the accompanying road-crossing adventures.
The KL Central Market reflects the ethnic background of Malaysia. There are souvenirs, clothing, art and crafts, fruits and vegetables, etc.
We had lunch in the food court on the second floor of the market. We loved it of course, and had a good laugh with a Romanian couple we met while queuing for our food.
After our lunch that day we walked to the Masjid (Mosque) Jamek under our ponchos that protected us from the rain to some extent.
We tried some interesting street food. It was made on the spot and of course mixed with the rainwater. There we met a Turkish family. We chatted and took turns taking photos of each other. By then we were soaked and it was time to find the nearest LTR station for our return.
It was the day after this when we decided to have a break from sightseeing and of course from local food. Near us and our MRT station was another shopping mall. There is where we did our grocery shopping (we actually had a small apartment in an aparthotel and sometimes made our dinners), did some other shopping and dining.
And so, this day we dined in an Italian restaurant. We also had western food in the Suria mall a few times, Alex’s willingness to experience local cuisines being sometimes overwhelmed by his need for a break from hot and spicy.
Our Batu Caves trip wasn’t very successful. Or shall I say it was an adventure (could have been an ordeal if you thought your glass was half-empty).
We took the train from KL Sentral to the suburb of Selangor where the caves and temples are located. These are Hindu shrines and are an important place of pilgrimage for the Tamil community.
It was the first day of Raya celebrations.
After having a breakfast celebration in our hotel and chatting with the local Muslim population we decided to head out to the caves. One of the reasons was that when I asked our Muslim friends what do they do during Raya, they told us that people go home and celebrate with their families. Or, go shopping.
Thus, we thought that no one will head to the caves. Well, we forgot that half of the KL population was not Muslim. And what about people visiting the city at that time? And so, we boarded the train. It was actually an interesting experience. They had women-only cars.
A few families and tourists like us boarded the cars full of male passengers. KL Sentral is a big station, however getting out onto the small platform at the caves stop was interesting.
As crowds descended the train there was no room on the platform. The few stairs to the one exit were jam packed too. We waited for what felt like for ever and were slowly pushed along with the crowds. So much so for women-only cars. It was a zoo. Squished like sardines in a tin for 45 minutes we slowly shuffled towards the only working exit gate. You see, you buy a token for the train and scan it at the entrance turnstile. To exit, you have to deposit this very token at a gate in order for it to open and let you out. Unfortunately, with our phone stolen later in Bangkok, the video of this interesting adventure disappeared.
As we finally made it outside, the heavens opened and we were greeted by a huge deluge. The ground was centimetres-deep. Well what were we thinking? It was afternoon and so far, we had experienced rain every afternoon.
This time it didn’t seem that it would stop. A young Romanian girl looked at as and asked straightforward. “Where are you two going? You can’t make it in this rain. I came down when it was dry, but the stairs are steep, narrow and slippery…” We must have looked old to her (can’t understand why that would be – A).
Armed with our ponchos we bravely headed out. Water was everywhere. Rivers of water was running on the streets and from temples, where shoes were left on the stairs and people sere sitting barefoot in the dirty waters…
we marched on towards the cave’s colorful stairs. By that time there wasn’t dry spot left on us. A guard looked at us with curiosity. Most of the people were down and trying to find a dry spot.
We began our attempt to ascend. However, I found it very slippery and hard to continue.
Eventually we turned around, just to catch the look of the same guard. “I thought so”, I read in his smirk. There was no shelter left.
We did attempt the food court, but others were faster than us, used to navigating through heavy crowds, and willing to eat under the circumstances. Non-consumers were not allowed. Having run out of options, and wet to the bone we headed back to the train station.
There was no problem taking a train back, except that it was air conditioned and we were wet. But by the time we got back to the hotel we were almost dry.
KL has a lot to offer: history, ethnic diversity, sights, good transit, and a very warm populace with lots of English-speaking residents – especially those in the hospitality or tourism businesses. It just wasn’t our cup of chai. We don’t regret having visited, and we do feel enriched by our experience. But we aren’t likely to return any time soon. And as we’re writing this three months later, Alex says he’s just checked…yes, our ponchos are finally dry!
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