After a long flight and few nights with little sleep we were both exhausted. Marcin slept till 12, and he got up just because I have woken him up. Our host Alexander joined us, and took us to a nearby local Indian restaurant, for him it was lunchtime, and for us only breakfast. We had nice time, chatting and getting to know our cultures. After the tasty meal Alexander went back to work, and we set off to explore the city.
Public transport in KL is very easy to use. You need tokens, or multi use cards instead of tickets. All stations and directions are clearly marked, so we never had problem in getting around the town.
When we left the restaurant it started to rain heavily, a proper pour down. We were glad that in Malaysia many pavements have roof over them. It serves two purposes: in the winter protect from the rain, and in the summer, from the scorching sun. However, when we had to cross the street we got all wet. When we arrived at our destination t it stopped raining, so we could go for a walk around the city. First we got to the Merdeka Square, where Malaysia declared its independence. Located there is also impressive Sultan Abdul Samad Building with ministry offices. Then we had a look at the Jamek Mosque, the oldest mosque in town. Next we strolled along the river and arrived at the Central Market, which greatly shows the multi-racial and multi-cultural character of the town. There we decided to eat something local, as we were both hungry. We opted for some chicken and fish, which were very good and very spicy, we were glad the lady insisted on giving us some water to drink. Then we walked along Petaling Street known as China Town, where you can eat something or buy handbags, watches, watches and some more watches, all made in China of course:)
Next we set towards Lake Gardens Park. First we couldn’t find a way to cross to the other side of motorway, and when we managed to cross, it started to rain heavily. We decided to wait at the bus stop, until the rain will ease a bit. Finally, we got to the park. It’s very nice place with many things to see, lush greenery all around, various gardens, ponds and lakes. We were surprised that so few people were there.
We left the park through the south gate and decided to visit the National Museum which is very close by. We had only one hour left before the closing time, so we just quickly skimmed through the history of Malaysia starting from the Stone Age and ending in this century.
It was getting late, so we moved towards the Twin Towers. As it was still light we went to a Chinese restaurant and ate some noodles. It took us a while, because for the first time we ate a meal using only chopsticks, good for us that we weren’t that hungry. It got quite dark by the time we finished, so we walked towards Petronas Twin Towers to see them at night. Unfortunately it was pouring down. We waited for a bit under some roof, but it wasn’t getting any better. I just prepared the camera, and we ventured into the rain. We quickly got to the best view point just behind the fountains and made a quick photo session. Petronas Towers look really good at night when all lights are on. They are impressive from the architectural point of view.
It was time to go back to our host house. The day, although bit shorter than normal, was full of new impressions, new culture, new tastes, different smells and different plants. Whole new world opened to our senses.
