Kuala Lumpur
EXPLORE Chinatown / Petaling Street
DO checkout Little India Brickfields
JULIO
Our first trip to Kl was after an existential crisis in Bali and not the best. Finding a cheap flight to India on Air Asia that left through Kuala Lumpur sounded exotic enough for us to stay for a few days to explore the city we knew nothing about. We found a reasonable hotel in the city center and with the attractive name of Sunway Putra, (for which we developed an amicable jingle) and we looked forward to a few nights of luxury before the onslaught of India.
It was quite obvious from the airport alone that we were in a very strongly Islamic country. There was hardly a woman without a hijab and may of the men seemed to be glaring at Christina (who was without a head covering), either disapprovingly or like like a piece of meat for the taking. We had never experienced this kind of secular judgement or cultural disdain and it showed us an entirely new global scene that also taught us about ourselves. It was an exercise for me to remain diplomatic and not react to the blatant negative attention and stares. Although at times unpleasant, it was a highly enlightening and educational experience.
Malaysia is officially a secular country, Islam making up over 60 percent of Malaysia’s 30-million strong population; Chinese, Indians and other racial groups forming ethnic and religious minorities. At the time, the country was moving towards Sharia or hard line Islamic law and you could feel it being an outsider. After doing a little research it was interesting to to learn that many Malaysians are sentenced to re-education camps after neighbors report them to religious authorities for “un-Islamic behaviour”.
When it came time to return to accommodate our Indonesian Visa requirements we were less than thrilled to return. On the advice of a good friend that lives there, we decided to move to the Bukit Bintang area famous for its entertainment and malls which proved to be a sound advice and made for a more pleasant stay.
In fact we have nicknamed the country MALLasia due to what seems to be the national pass time of escaping the gripping heat in one of many top notch super shopping centers. The Pavillion Mall and Berjaya Times Square are world class entertainment facilities that astound and confuse the mind at how lavish a mall could possibly be and make even the most lux American shopping centers look savage in comparison.
We rented an Airbnb that was in a seedy area right of the main drag filled with gambling houses and dim sum joints which was only a short walk to the world famous street food center of Jalan Alor. We headed out first thing to explore the neighborhood and get some dinner.
The brightly lit and modern streets were teeming with people of all kinds shopping, food stalls and eateries of all kinds. Thai, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Western restaurants were everywhere and the prices so reasonable. We had read about the famous Chinese food at Wong Ah Wah and were not disappointed by there sumptuous dishes and wild chaotic street atmosphere. We learned that this was a favorite of Anthony Bourdain's and we enjoyed some of the same nuances of the street-side dining experience.
KL is a diverse mashup of Chinese, Indian, Muslim and other cultures making it great and terrible at the same time. There is a thrilling diversity while at the same time seeming painfully divided. The glory of nature and the severity of man's effect on it, perhaps well reflected in its name Kuala Lumpur meaning "muddy confluence".
Exploring Petaling Street and China town was, let's say colorful and filled with every manner of tat and knock off goods that you could possibly imagine in between street food hawkers and seedy hotels. We nearly escaped a monsoon making the pedestrian walkways and streets impassable and inundated as the loudest thunder lightning clapped up above us. We hid underneath the eves of skyscrapers and waited at the deluge before scrambling back to Bukit Bintang.
While we were there, Malaysia's elections took place voting back in long time senior politician Mahathir making him the world's eldest statesmen at 92 years old. The corruption in Malaysia's government reads like and interesting Clancyesqe tale of missing billions, Islamic fundamentalism, money laundering and the mysterious funding for the film "Wolf of Wall Street".
The next time we return to Malaysia I hope we get to explore the more remote parts like Borneo, Malacca and The Perhentians and come to know the more natural parts of its diverse terra. All in all KL is an enlightening and fascinating corner of the world to know putting into perspective the imminent emergence of the ASEAN countries and this diverse part of the planet.
The magnificent Pavillion mall in Bukit Bintang
Petaling Street in Chinatown
FOOD FACTS: KL cuisine reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population featuring Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and ethnic Bornean influences. Rice is considered the centerpiece of a meal, with everything else considered as an accompaniment, relish or side for the rice.