Kuala Lumpur

We're not sure what to make of Kuala Lumpur. It is like some of the other Asian cities we have visited, and yet unlike them too. It's less sterile than Singapore, very British in some ways, but with the standard Asian scruffy overtones.

Old Rowhouses and Modern Buildings

The best part of it is the mix of populations that make it up - mostly Malay, but with significant Indian and Chinese minorities. This shows at its most enjoyable in the food. We've had a lot of meals at Cafe Kopitiam, where the menu is a big double-sided plastic A3 card with some 100 dishes to choose from, and a similar card for cold drinks (no alcohol allowed). There's rice or noodles, hot or spicy, vege or meat in a huge range of flavours and styles, and the most expensive is still under $3 NZ. Even the mall food courts, of which there are plenty, serve freshly made delicious dishes at a few dollars a pop.

The worst part of KL is that it has been turned into a car-based city, at the expense of decent footpaths. All to often the footpath shrinks away to nothing, or is blocked by columns or poles or trees, leaving little room for foot traffic. It's odd too in that the hundreds of tall buildings are not clustered together as you might expect, but are scattered about, interspersed with lovely old colonial rowhouses and vacant lots.

Jamek Masjid Mosque

The main colonial centre has many turn of the century buildings built in an Islamic style, strangely though by British architects! A very attractive area. There are also some preserved areas of native forest, somewhat like Dean's Bush in Christchurch, but on a much more grand scale.

We stayed in the Little India area, which mainly sells saris, Islamic scarves and other clothing. It's unbelievable how many shops there are selling pretty much the same stuff. Apart from the footpath issue, it's been easy getting around as everything is within a kilometre or two. Traffic is nothing compared with Bangkok or Saigon, very mild, and also pleasantly quiet.

Highlights: The bird park was well worth visiting. It had a number of huge areas under netting. A lot of water birds, a good selection of our favourite hornbills and toucans, lovely parrots and plenty more. The butterfly park is similarly a big area enclosed in mesh, with many beautiful butterflies roaming free. However the latter was seriously hot and humid, and we (and everybody else) were dripping by the time we had seen enough. It's been consistently around the 30 degree mark, all but today at least partially cloudy, and OK as long as you are not in direct sun for too long.

John has been doing client work on the laptop most days. It was well worth getting one with a little more grunt than last time's tiny little netbook. Also, Malaysia is well into internet and there are wireless spots all over the show.