FUN-travel: Slow Boat to Singapore – 17th Port – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Day 41

March 23, 2016 by  

Sunday, March 6thKuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2016 27

  • Technically we docked at Port Klang and it took over an hour by bus to get to KL (as it is lovingly referred to.) Thank god it was Sunday and the traffic was light!
  • Welcome to Kuala Lumpur officially known as “The Knockoff Capital of the World.” That’s right. You can buy any high end, name brand item for only $50 and $10 if you’re really, really, really good at bargaining!
  • And these here on your left are the “Big Boys”– Petronas Towers and KL’s claim to fame. They were the official titleholder of the Tallest Building in the World from 1998 to 2004, until that nasty Taipei 101 took over the top spot. That was a big blow! But for the record – they still hold the #1 title for – Tallest Twin Towers.
  • And this is where you don’t want to be if you are claustrophobic and/or acrophobic. Never wanting to concede to fear, and actually having both of those phobias, I took on the towers! What I wasn’t expecting was what happened inside the elevator. As it began to rise, all three walls transformed into a movie screen, simulating a glass elevator with the outside view. I kept my eyes fixated on the floor. And focused on not panicking!Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2016 11
  • Fortunately it was a really, really fast ride to the top. But then the doors opened and all I could see was floor-to-ceiling glass in all directions. YIKES! Thankfully floor 86 was large enough that I could stand in the middle and not totally freak out.
  • These side-by-side soldiers stand tall at 452 meters with 88 floors in total. The design of each tower is based on simple Islamic geometric forms of two interlocking squares, creating a shape of eight-pointed stars in steel and glass. Too bad for us as the double decker 42nd floor glass Sky Bridge that connects the two towers was closed for renovations.
  • Like New York’s SoHo flea market the 120 year-old Central Market is filled with everything from clothing to carvings and food to fabrics.
  • Just outside from the market and down a couple of blocks is the small colonial district that dates to the 1880’s. And the city is filled with a wide variety of temples that range from Buddhist, Hindu, Chinese, and Mosques.

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  • Petaling Street is the China Town of KL, a colorful and bustling market with rows and rows of stalls hawking everything you can imagine, even Rolex watches! Hey, there was even a guy roasting chestnuts over an open fire! In March. In 100 degree weather. In Malaysia. Who knew they even ate them?

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FUN–fact – KL is working very hard to be in the same league as a Singapore or Hong Kong (but it’s still a 3rd world country.)

Not so FF – S & S (stand & squat) toilets are the norm. I was really, really, really lucky to find ONE handicap stall with a western toilet at the mall where the bus dropped us off.

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