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Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia
boasting a modern skyline, British colonial historical
buildings, religious sites, and eclectic shopping and dining
experiences. KL offers a fascinating glimpse of an emerging
global city in a newly industrialized economy.
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This was the view from our 19th floor apartment in the Ampang
Jelat district.
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Our view in the opposite direction took in
the modern suburbs and the forested foothills of the Selangor
mountains.
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Suria KLCC Park lies at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers.
With its lake, swimming pool and children's play area, it
is a welcome oasis in the midst of the high-rises.
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The
Masjid Jamek built in 1909 on the confluence of the Klang and
Gombak Rivers is one of KL's oldest mosques.
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Nine of the states of
Malaysia are constitutionally headed by
traditional Malay sultans. The King and Queen of Perak are world
leaders in commerce and engineering.
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Kasturi Walk with its distinctive Wau Arch is an open-air flea
market in a lane alongside the heritage Central Market.
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Bukit Bintang
is considered the trendiest district with name brand fashion
stores, high end jewellers and entertainment venues. |
There are 66 enormous shopping malls in KL.
The Pavillion Mall was impressively decorated for Christmas with
Disney-themed decor.
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Malaysia has variously been controlled by
Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial powers exploiting the
resources of gold, tin and spices. |
The railway station typifies the unique style of architecture developed
during the British Colonial period which blended Mughal, Tudor, Neo-Gothic and Grecian-Spanish
influences.
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The National
Mosque of Malaysia with its 16-pointed star design has a
capacity for 15,000 people. |
Sri Mahamariamman Temple, founded in 1873 has been an important
worship and cultural center for Indian immigrants.
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The Perdana Lake and Botanical Gardens is a large
green space in central KL with
orchid, hibiscus, bonsai topiary and herb gardens. While we were
there, we observed the filming of a Bollywood movie.
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Massive construction projects of
innovative residential and commercial buildings and a mass
transit system are rapidly transforming the cityscape. |
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The Muzium
Negara (National Museum) outlines the ethnography and history of
Malaysia with arts, crafts, musical
instruments, and Malaccan ships and weapons.
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While we were there a family festival of
traditional music and games took
place in the museum courtyard.
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The
landmark Sultan Abdul Samad building fronting
Independence Square was the secretariat and courthouse
of the British administration. |
The
Communications Tower is the tallest telecommunications
structure in Southeast Asia. It has an open-air
observation deck. |
The Petronas Towers are the iconic structure of KL. A
viewing platform on the bridge provides a panoramic
view.
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Over 250 steps lead to the Batu caves where Hindu temples and
shrines lie inside limestone caves.
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The Batu temples are covered with ornate carvings of Hindu deities.
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Different areas of the city are designated as
specialized shopping zones, here the street for Muslim fabrics
and headscarves.
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Chinatown is a vibrant market zone of
vendor stalls and hawkers, selling all sorts of merchandise.
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