Sightseeing and Celebrating, Kuala Lumpur

Oct 13 Kuala Lumpur, Sightseeing and Celebrating

Today is a veeeeery special day. Yes! Birthday time! It's nice to wake up in a luxury hotel and have a scrumptious breakfast buffet waiting for you.

Sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur is planned for the day with some nice dinner and drinks in the evening.

Since we just see the Hop On Hop Off Bus pull away when we walk there we decide not to wait half an hour but go straight to the Petronas Twin Towers for photo-op and then take the bus from there.

The disappointing fact is that the viewing platform in between the Towers is closed until December. The lucky part is that while looking around inside I saw a ticket for the Opera inside the Towers and they have a special Tribute to Sibelius (Finnish) on for this weekend. Since I like classical concerts occasionally and my Finnish friends like Sibelius we get some tickets for Saturday with a special student discount as well.

Tickets in hand we stroll through the attached mall, all super luxurious outlets. We get unlucky again at the Hop On / Hop Off stop since we just get to see the tail lights of the bus. So this time we really need to wait. When the bus finally arrives it's a big disappointment. The commentary isn't working, the staff is rude, the windows are dirty and covered with advertisement. We get off at the first stop, the KL Tower. Since we did not get up on the Petronas Towers we will enjoy the view from the KL Tower, I guess the 6^th tallest TV Tower in the world. Ticket prices are steep with 38 Ringgit (roughly 10 €). The views are great but unless you are under 10 years old they have nothing else to offer there (very much unlike the TV Tower in Shanghai) so we are quickly out again after taking our obligatory pictures.

Another wait for the bus, here's to hoping this one will be better. It is, but only marginally. We get stuck in a traffic jam and then decide to just get out at a stop near the shopping malls to look for another hotel. We need to move out of our 4 star place since it is a bit too expensive to be staying there for all the nights. We quickly find one, have some Lunch and back on the bus to continue the tour. There's a quick photo stop at the National Palace with the guards, very British copy-cat like. We do get out at the stop for the National Monument. But the National Monument is quite a while walk from the National Monument and since there are no reliable signposts and no one around to ask for directions we end up the wrong way so don't get to see the National Monument up close. We walk by the KL Bird Park and decide to just continue walking passing by 2 HO/HO stops to the National Mosque. This is the recreational area where a lot of things to do are. Bird Park, Butterfly Park, Observatory, Museums... so if you wanted to keep busy, there are plenty of options. We walk through the Islamic Arts Museum (kind of a shortcut) to the National Mosque. I had heard somewhere that it's nice to visit so we wait the 20 minutes till prayer time is over and non-muslim visitors are allowed in. We get to don a very sexy cover-all dress and headscarf and uniformly walk through the Mosque. By the main hall a Lady approaches us. She is a volunteer guiding people through the Mosque and if we are interested in a personal tour. Yes, but we do not have that much time. No problem, just follow me. She shows us how and where the people pray here throwing in comments how everyone in Islam is same and how great that is, but that the King has a separate entrance and women need to pray in separate areas etc. What's wrong with this sentence? We see the separate red carpets King entrance and she explains that during Friday prayers 12,000 people pray here legs and shoulders touching for all to fit in. More info on how great Islam is and that we are actually all born Muslims and she converted because Allah is our true god. There is also a muslim cemetery behind the National Mosque. As a special treat she leads us into the Prayer Hall and upstairs. This is were women pray, behind covers with small peepholes to look through. This area is off-limits to Non-muslims so it's nice to get in there. Since we've been following here for quite a while already I get a bit restless. There's still so much to do in the day. By now an Indian couple, a Australian guy and Polish girl have joined the 'tour' and ask plenty of questions. Now is the time to skip out and we politely excuse ourselves. She urges us to take some brochures on the way out and tell our friends about it. I didn't take any 'Hear the true story about Jesus Christ' brochures, but as you read this I am obviously telling friends about it :-)

It is so hot under the full length dresses and headscarves, I don't know how the ladies do it all day every day.

Sweaty we leave to wait again for the HO/HO bus. There would have been another one or two interesting stops but we are glad to skip them and just get back to the hotel to get ready for a nice birthday dinner. Since our hotel isn't good at recommending places we decide on the Hard Rock Cafe, Kuala Lumpur.

It doesn't disappoint. It's pricy but the quality is what you expect and true to form they sing Happy Birthday for you once dessert is served. A lady on the table right next to us is celebrating her 80^th birthday today, being married for over 50 years too and still going strong. Very cute Australian couple. I would have picked her for end 60s only. Let's hope that in 50 years time I will still have her energy and look 20 years younger.

I get wine and cocktails. Nachos for starters to share, a Burger each and then the Birthday Brownie to share for dessert. And damn are we stuffed. After the staff embarrassingly put me on the chair while the sing for me we happily divulge in the sinful Brownie and our cocktails. And damn are we stuffed. After getting some souvenirs at the Hard Rock Shop we literally waddle out of the Cafe. Since it is the birthday night we should go for cocktails somewhere else but right now we are too stuffed to even think about having a glass of water. We walk through a bar street past some clubs and bars that are surprisingly busy and happening. And after walking and walking and walking... still too full to have something else. Since you should do what you want on your birthday and not do what is expected... I wanna fall into bed and sleeeeeeeeep....

Malaysia, Truly Asia !?

Oct 12 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We decided to flee the high prices in Singapore and make our way to Malaysia. There are comfortable buses leaving all the time. Since we cannot find out whether any buses are leaving somewhere near us we take the easiest option and take a cab to the Golden Mile Komplex. From there numerous buses leave every hour for Singapore. We missed the big swarm of buses leaving at 9am but are lucky to find one leaving at 10am. The advantage of not going with all other buses at the same time is clear when we reach the border. First drop off to leave Singapore. No lines. I even get picked to tell people about my stay there and receive a little Merlion as gift for answering their question.

Second stop: Malaysian border. Take all your luggage bring it to security screening. Enter Malaysia. No Visa. No fees, just a stamp and you're allowed to stay for 90 days. Luggage back on the bus and off we are to Kuala Lumpur. The ride is nice enough in the spacious Massage chair.

Drop off is at the Times Square Mall and we first stop for some food and to get some Malaysian Ringgit. Although a nice Taxi driver would have even taken our Singapore Dollars to bring us to the Hotel. Needless to say he would have massively overcharged but if there were no other option for money changing it's good to know that they are flexible.

Our Hotel is nice enough but the big blow is... no free Internet. And the charges are simply outrageous. We are going to be out of touch with the world for two days. Settling in and on to explore the surroundings. Little India, Chinatown and the Main Square of Kuala Lumpur with many old colonial buildings. Whether Malaysia is Truly Asia is hard to say but I feel instantly more comfortable here than in Singapore. It's got a certain charme to it. While it's much cleaner and more organized than Bangkok it is not as clean and organized as Singapore. A nice city in the middle. Geographically and everything else it seems.

Merdeka Square is surrounded by stylish old buildings, museums and the likes. It's evening already and barely another soul to be seen. Same in the Central Market where we go for some shopping and Malaysian food. Not too many people here either. Very quiet day. My bounty for the day are a few postcards and the lovely Chinese saleswoman gives all of us a little bracelet to protect us and for good luck. Such a nice welcome to KL.

Wondering through the Central Market we notice an Information Booth selling tickets for the Hop On / Hop Off KL bus. Since we don't have any plans for tomorrow and get 50% student discounts we go for the tickets. Hop on / Hop offs are usually really informative so it's gonna be nice.

I am planning to buy some gifts and souvenirs and where better to do it than in Chinatown. Pedaling Street is where all the tiny shops are and so many of them too. Most of them sell the same things than in Thailand at similar prices. So like so many times... 'Same, Same... But Different'

Pictures to follow.....

Discovering Singapore

Oct 11 Discovering Singapore

There is extremely heavy rains this morning so we are in no rush to get out. The morning is taken up with researching hotels in Kuala Lumpur, our next stop and checking on buses to get there. Once the rain slows a bit we make our way to Orchard Road, Singapore's shopping mecca. If it's raining going to malls always seems like a good idea. And there are plenty of malls to choose from.

We are lucky to find a very hidden Hawker center for some food and continue our window shopping. And there it is... H&M haven't seen one of those in a while. Since Orchard Road has nothing to offer other than shopping and the rain has almost stopped we decide to hop on the Singapore Flyer. A gigantic Ferris wheel with great views of the city, much like the London Eye.

Not without a stop to see the famous Raffles Hotel where apparently the Singapore Sling was invented.

I can only recommend the Singapore Flyer. We were lucky no crowds at all and there were just 4 people in the compartment so free views all around to take fantastic pictures of the entire skyline and all around. It takes half an hour to get across and obviously the best views are all the way from the top.

Shortly home to dress up. There's a surprise waiting for me tonight and it's an early birthday dinner for me. Since no one knows Singapore yet we haven't decided on a location and the search for a restaurant unfortunately seems to take forever (even longer when you are hungry). We settle on a Spanish restaurant for Tapas, since their Paella takes an hour and a half to prepare. Expensive but at least it's delicious. Yep! Ban from yesterday broken. Dessert at another place is even better. And then the highlight of the night. Drinks at a rooftop bar. We walk around 2km and yes, we find the recommended rooftop bar but am not sure if they understood what we really wanted. It's on a roof of a hotel, 5 stories tall. Hmmm... not giving us the view we wanted. Vilma is the savior and discovers some disco lights high up and we make our way to find that place. The walk was worth it. The New Asia Bar gives a view over the entire city. Aaaaah! Singapore by night is stunning. And it even looks as though people were here, things are illuminated (quite opposite to the empty spaces you see all day). In true fashion we order Singapore Slings and yeah!!! my birthday treat. And it was so yummy. So there's something great about Singapore after all ;-)

Singapore.... cleanest city in Asia

Oct 10 Singapore

We can't get out fast enough. Everyone has had a bad sleep and everything smells terrible. We booked a Taxi to the airport and off we go. The ladies were so tremendously friendly but the room was so tremendously bad, it's good we're off. The ride to the airport takes way longer than expected even though there is barely traffic. Once again I can see how big Phuket really is. A nice but overpriced ride later we are at the tiny airport grabbing some breakfast and leaving Thailand for Singapore. Uneventful flight, nice arrival in Singapore, an ATM stop and there we are in another Taxi (this time metered and fairly cheap, seemingly the only cheap thing in Singapore) to our Hostel. This Taxi is only 18 SGD and the Hostel is expensive . 16 € a night per bed in an 8 bed dorm. But still one of the cheapest options in Singapore. Singapore is soooooo clean it's almost shocking. I wouldn't believe we were still in Asia if it weren't so obvious through people watching. The city is made up of mostly Chinese, Indians and ethnic Malays and some people from other corners of the world. Whose really Singaporean and who isn't is practically impossible to say. A nice mix of cultures and religions and here they coexist peacefully.

After a quick check in to our City Backpackers Hostel in Hong Kong Street I do discover that all my clothes have taken on the terrible stink of the guesthouse in Phuket. Since I had unpacked everything to get my backpack repaired. I am so happy to find a washer and dryer downstairs and the friendly receptionist agrees to move it from the washer to the dryer once it's done so we are ready to head out straight away.

There is a Taiwanese girl staying in our room as well that's here waiting for her friend to arrive in a few days. Or so we think. She only speaks a few words of English but asks if she can come with us. Of course, and the first task is to find something to eat. So we head to nearby Chinatown and after crisscrossing through many corners because of the omnipresent construction we find one of the famous Singapore Hawker centers. All the street food has been moved indoors but these centers are all over the city offering fast, delicious and cheap food. One of the few affordable treats in this city.

Next we are walking past Clarke's Quay to the Old Center of Singapore where all the old Colonial buildings are. The Parliament, Courthouse, Victoria Theatre and so on. It's a nice walk and plenty of beautiful buildings to be seen but something is missing here... That's right. People. There are barely any people in Singapore. A few that are dressed in their business outfits with a serious look on their face.

After we stop in the Fullerton Hotel to cool down in the A/C we make our way to the Merlion – half Lion, half Mermaid, the symbol of Singapore. The water spying statue looks really cool and makes for good pictures with the Skyline behind it, the Marina Bay opposite as well as the Formula 1 ring.

Over a Starbucks we decide to head to Little India next. It's not a Little India I have expected. Way too clean and organized. Everything is neat and even the decorations for the upcoming Deepavali Hindu Festival of lights are neatly arranged. We pass by a famous Hindu temple with plenty of colors and ornaments. Shopping and dining is kind of expensive here so after walking and walking some more and discovering that Little India also lacks some atmosphere in clean Singapore we take the subway back to our Hostel. Stop by a mall on the way to look around and get ready for dinner.

Dinner today is near Clarke's Quay by the waterfront and they lure us in with the promise of a free cocktail. Sold! Everything is kind of expensive but it's Singapore. I splurge and go for the Softshell crab and after lousy service and what seems like forever a tiny plate of deep fried horrible tasting balls arrived. There's supposed to be crab in there somewhere? Wasn't it supposed to be steamed? It is one of the most expensive and the most horrible meals I've eaten since in Asia and I am both upset and disappointed.

Taking a stroll around the riverside calms me a bit before we take a few wrong turns and head back to the Hostel.

Since Internet here cannot handle the upload more pictures are to follow....