Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (or KL as most seem to call it) was not on my original plans for my trip, but after sharing a room and befriending Jacky on my week-long tour to Tibet, he invited me to visit. I initially declined; it was bit out of my way and I didn't want to stretch my budget too thin; I'd already added Laos to my original plan, but he gave me "the face". In Asian cultures, it is rare for men to show emotion, so when he dropped the pleaing eyes as he said "But Thailand is so close!", I couldn't say no, plus, he's a great guy and Malaysia has free visas on arrival. I could think of worse things than seeing a new country as the guest of a local. It was a great decision! Jacky took me to some great places such as the lovely government buildings outside of the city; Batu Caves, a gorgeous Hindu temple set into a mountain; some great local hangouts, all but unknown to tourists, including Lookout Point at the top of a hill, giving great views of the city. As is customary, he let me pay for nothing, despite my pleas. It almost became a game of sorts. I'd sneak off to use the toilet, planning to discretely abscond the bill on the way back, only to find Jacky, using this opportunity to sneakily pay it himself. I got him once though, keeping the correct amount of the bill in pocket, then handing it over before he could open his wallet. Considering he was gracious enough to take me around and give me a place to stay, the least I could do was buy a dinner. Jacky, of course, worked during the day, so he'd drop me at the bus station on the way to work and I'd explore the city. KL is quite nice, featuring some of the best modern building I've seen. The star is of course the Petronas Twin Towers, arguably one of the most iconic skyscrapers in the world. Standing at 452 meters, it is the fifth tallest building in the world, though when built, it dethroned the Sears Tower for the top spot. It's a stunning sight, especially at night. Nearby is the Menaras Tower, sitting on top of hill, it stands above even the twin towers. With two such dizzingly high structures, so close together, twice as high as anything else in the city, they feel like Sauron and Sauruman ar looking down across the city. I went to the observation deck of the Menaras Tower (the bridge between the two Petronas towers are open, but it isn't so high) for an amazing view of the city. Besides that, I didn't see too many sights, I just walked around. I was still a bit shell-shocked by all the people and cars after living in a secluded bay with no motor vehicles for three months, so I spent a lot of my time sipping coffee and using the free wifi in the shelter of Mcdonalds. Overall, KL is a pleasant modern city. Even the old town is quite new. The people are friendly, everyone speaks English, and nobody hassled me once, which is rarity in Asia. I doubt it would hold a traveler's attention for more than a couple days, but it is a worth a visit. Of course, the highlight for was visiting an amazing friend and seeing first hand the life-style of a middle-class Malaysian.