Less than 48 Hours in Kuala Lumpur---New Discoveries
It happened very quick, but it felt like I spent ten years of my life in this city. Only on this trip where I got to realize how beautiful Kuala Lumpur is. I thought I wanted to move to Bangkok, but coming here made me think twice. When I came five years ago, it was just an overnight stay due to typhoon Glenda that ruined the entire itinerary. I could't reschedule it because I had pending travels that time and I could not afford to take more days off from work. That trip in 2014 was literally a quickie.
This time I looked forward to doing more besides visiting Petronas Twin Towers again. The to-dos were simple: a few temple visits (already explored one before), another short visit to Petronas (it's really one of my favorite structures in the world), and interesting explorations of some sections in the city. There were a few surprises as well along the way, which made this trip more special. So let me take you with me as I walk down memory lane!
THE FIRST PASSENGER
I think I must have learned my lesson really hard. My flight wasn't going to happen until 12 noon, but I was already in the airport at 7 in the morning. Of all the flights I have taken, it was my trip to Bangkok prior to this one that was challenging in all aspects. I came early, but for some reason, the queue was very long and Cebu Pacific put flights to Nagoya, Hong Kong, and Bangkok all in one line. I got stuck at immigration too because the officer had to ask my friend loads of questions. So we ended up marathon-ing towards our assigned gate.
They say early bird catches the worm. In this case, the worm was not even there yet. So I just slept until it was ready for boarding.
They say early bird catches the worm. In this case, the worm was not even there yet. So I just slept until it was ready for boarding.
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| Kuala Lumpur International Airport. |
SHINING IN BUKIT BINTANG
This trip was totally unplanned. My boyfriend that time was about to finish his internship in Philippine General Hospital and he had series of trips, hopping from one country to another, before flying back home to the UK. His first stop was Kuala Lumpur. Being the impulsive traveler that I was, I decided to tag myself along Hahaha It was too soon and the ticket was quite pricey.
The good thing though was that all of his trips were planned; from plane fare, to accommodation, and to the itinerary. All I had to do was to be there. He left two days earlier and I just followed. His AirBnb was located in Bukit Bintang, a shopping and entertainment district in KL. The area is home to many landmark shopping centers, al-fresco cafés, bars, night markets, food street as well as hawker-type eateries; perfect place for me to try things I did not experience before.
The good thing though was that all of his trips were planned; from plane fare, to accommodation, and to the itinerary. All I had to do was to be there. He left two days earlier and I just followed. His AirBnb was located in Bukit Bintang, a shopping and entertainment district in KL. The area is home to many landmark shopping centers, al-fresco cafés, bars, night markets, food street as well as hawker-type eateries; perfect place for me to try things I did not experience before.
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| View from the accommodation. |
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| Closer look. |
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| View at daytime. |
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| An apartment building right in front of the condominium where the accommodation is. |
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| I can't remember if this meal was somewhere in Bukit Bintang. It was probably my first dinner upon arriving. |
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| This is probably in Bukit Bintang too, but in a multi-level market with a food court that offers myriad of food choices; Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian, etc. |
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| Last dinner in KL was Indian. Not my favorite cuisine, but something I can have every once in a while. |
PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS
Never leave KL without visiting this famous skyscraper. It was my second time, but I am still in awe of this mega structure. To book a tour, you can visit this link. If you got some extra money for it, I guess the tour is worth it. I just had different priorities for this trip, hence, I avoided that tour once again. I bet the photos I took now are better so it was easy to bid farewell to Petronas again.
HERITAGE TRAIL
I took a stroll around this area not knowing what it's called. This happened a year ago so I couldn't really remember the nitty-gritty. One thing that stood in my mind though was that we did a heritage walk. That then led me to research about this place and found it's within Merdeka Square.
What I remember as heritage walk, however, is actually known as Heritage Trail. It is a self-guided tour of the historic heart of city, covering many famous colonial-era landmark buildings clustered in a compact area surrounding Merdeka Square.
Besides the food adventure and a new temple discovery, I consider this part of the trip as my favorite despite the burning and draining heat of the summer.
BATU CAVES
Probably one of the many tourist attractions that one should visit when in KL. Not my favorite, but if you got time, why not? I got to the place by train before, but this time, I took Grab car. Both are comfortable means and the fare was pretty reasonable. If you have your own service then that's probably better too.
There's still a lot to explore in the city so if ever KL calls me again in the future, I might skip Batu Caves and divert my attention to something else; food, more food, and massage? How about that?
THEAN HOU TEMPLE
Thean Hou is a six-tiered temple of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The temple was built by Hainanese living in Malaysia and the property belongs to and is run by the Selangor and Federal Territory Hainan Association. It is one of the largest temples in Southeast Asia.
Thean Hou is a six-tiered temple of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The temple was built by Hainanese living in Malaysia and the property belongs to and is run by the Selangor and Federal Territory Hainan Association. It is one of the largest temples in Southeast Asia.
I've been to quite a number of temples, but this one is something I had an instant connection with. First, I was not too tired when I got here so I had enough energy to appreciate the place. There were people offering their prayers and tourists taking photos too. The music was soothing and, since the location is a bit elevated, the breeze was cool enough. Most importantly, I learned interesting stories about the different gods and goddesses in the temple.
Weekend after I went, Margaret Zhang, one of my favorite bloggers/ artists, visited the place. I could only wish I was there when she was around!
CHINATOWN
Many of my friends don't like my consistent and unwavering affinity with China and it's culture and traditions. Not a master of it all, but there's something about the country that draws my heart closer and closer. This fondness goes back many years back. I remember I was just five years old when I wouldn't trade the Chinese movies or Chinese TV shows I used to watch to anything even if I did not understand a thing about the conversation. I laughed, I screamed, I Kung fu-ed. And lately, I cried.
It's pretty saddening though that some of my friends also think that I am acquiescent to anything violent or threatening that the country does, whether proven or not. They complain about lack of due process, authoritarianism, fascism, racism---name it---but are very quick to judge just because it's China. These are people I still value though. After all, they're my friends. I still respect their side even if sometimes I feel they don't respect mine. I just know when to keep something valuable and when to throw something away.
Now, let's head to Chinatown.
I've only been to three: Singapore Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur Chinatown, and of course, my own country's Manila Chinatown. My favorite so far is the one in Singapore. Pretty expensive as far as my recollection is concerned. The least favorite in terms of preservation is my own. When it comes to heritage and history, it is my number one. After all, it's the world's oldest, dating back to the 1500s. It was already a hub of Chinese commerce even before the Spanish colonial period. I just wished the government was able to preserve this entire section of the city---buildings, roads, bridges, etc. It would be nice to experience it just like how splendid it was back then.
KL's version did not disappoint. It is historic, colorful, and lively as well. I was able to visit the Taoist Guandi Temple where I attempted to offer incense sticks, but was so scared that I might be doing it wrong and somewhere around the corner, I sampled hot noodles as you can see below. Being a heritage site, it underwent a total face lift in 2003 to address the needs of the increasing number of tourists.
It's pretty saddening though that some of my friends also think that I am acquiescent to anything violent or threatening that the country does, whether proven or not. They complain about lack of due process, authoritarianism, fascism, racism---name it---but are very quick to judge just because it's China. These are people I still value though. After all, they're my friends. I still respect their side even if sometimes I feel they don't respect mine. I just know when to keep something valuable and when to throw something away.
Now, let's head to Chinatown.
I've only been to three: Singapore Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur Chinatown, and of course, my own country's Manila Chinatown. My favorite so far is the one in Singapore. Pretty expensive as far as my recollection is concerned. The least favorite in terms of preservation is my own. When it comes to heritage and history, it is my number one. After all, it's the world's oldest, dating back to the 1500s. It was already a hub of Chinese commerce even before the Spanish colonial period. I just wished the government was able to preserve this entire section of the city---buildings, roads, bridges, etc. It would be nice to experience it just like how splendid it was back then.
KL's version did not disappoint. It is historic, colorful, and lively as well. I was able to visit the Taoist Guandi Temple where I attempted to offer incense sticks, but was so scared that I might be doing it wrong and somewhere around the corner, I sampled hot noodles as you can see below. Being a heritage site, it underwent a total face lift in 2003 to address the needs of the increasing number of tourists.
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| Guan Di Temple. |
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| Guan Di temple. |
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| One of the best noodles I ever had. |
NEW LIFE
A few weeks from now, I might be embarking on a journey. I know Anna Wintour hates the word journey, but no, I am claiming it. I will be on a new journey and it will happen. It scares me though. My anxiety sporadically attacks even at my unconscious state. I have nightmares. My already abnormal sleep pattern is, once again, thrown off balance. But I look back eleven years ago from where I started my first voyage. I was fierce and laser-focused on my goal. I failed and stood up. Successes and failures took turns through the years, but opportunities to grow still keep on coming. And here I am still standing. What would be scare me now?
I dreamed of New York. I wanted Singapore. I fell in love with Thailand. But Malaysia was calling too. My heart is still in the Philippines so where am I to go? In time, I will be there. It scares me, but I came across this quote earlier and yes, it makes sense to me now especially writing this blog.
"If it doesn't scare you then it's not worth doing!"
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