4. Side trip continued: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (part 2 of 2)

A beach at Port Dickson

Malaysia is a terrific place to visit; beautiful, friendly, and very inexpensive. Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, is a bustling place, yet still manages to maintain a tropical landscape that makes it very unique. I found that the people in Malaysia were very friendly. In K.L., I rarely found the language barrier to be a burden since the city has grown so cosmopolitan and many of the former university students who are now the businessmen and women in the city were educated abroad in the U.S. and/or in the U.K. This recent trek to K.L. opened my eyes greatly. I had remembered the city as a small, curving, older place, decorated with the cultural traditions of the Muslim, Buddhist and Hindi faithful. But things had changed considerably and I found myself visiting internet cafes, Starbucks, and cosmic bowling (glow in the dark bowling with dance music blaring from the speakers). The airport changed drastically too and for a moment I thought my plane had turned around and I was back in the Hong Kong airport, both so large, open, and beautifully-designed.

The cross-cultural mix of the Malays, Chinese, and Indians made for a wonderful culinary experience as well. You will notice in my articles that I do mention food frequently, but how better to truly enjoy the traditions of the city? In K.L., there are 24-hour cafes, not just offering coffees and cakes, but curry, tandori and satay-YUM! How I miss the tastes of the roti cinai (layered bread that dip into a spicy sauce), goreng pisang ( fried bananas), and mee hoon (mini stir-fried noodles). I am sure my friends in Malaysia, who are reading this article are laughing at my misspelling of Bahasa Malayu (local language), but you get the idea.

Of course, I did get a chance to do more than eat. I actually hobbled out to see several of the "new to me" sights. Included in my mini tour were the Petronas Twin Towers, the largest twin towers in the world (as featured in the movie Entrapment) and Menara, the fourth largest tower in the world. Yes, of course, I was able to visit the Hard Rock Cafe, which is not only a restaurant but a nightclub, and Planet Hollywood. I also stopped into one of my favorite haunts, Central Market, a haven of traditional Malaysian arts and crafts...a little pricey but a great introduction to the arts of the area. Another don't miss place is Petaling Street, a hub of primarily Chinese discount vendors, selling knock-offs for unbelievable discounts, and yes, bargaining is a must!

On a short trip, I visited Port Dickson, a beach area on the west coast. I am always amazed by how unoccupied the beautiful beaches are...must be the jellyfish... smile... I also had the good fortune of taking a tour of a local TV station, TV3 with an old friend of mine who so happens to have his own interview show there. What a treat.

Reunion dinner of Seafood Steamboat with Meor and Dzalin families

I was so lucky on this trip to have been able to catch-up with so many seemingly lost friends. Thank goodness for email and for my friend Sham who insisted that I get online prior to my trip. Before leaving K.L., I shared a momentous reunion with sixty friends and their families over a dinner of seafood steamboat, a meal of fresh seafood that you cook at your table in a choice of mild or spicy soups. Are you hungry yet? I took photos galore of all my extended families. And many thanks to everyone who helped me get around (Ameng, Amir, Sham, June and Hanz) and whose homes I stayed in ( Shuk and Aimy) along with all the delightful people who took time out of their busy lives to share them with me.

It is always a sad occasion for me to leave Malaysia, but I always enjoy looking forward to the next journey there. I hope someday that you can experience all the wonders of Malaysia too!

Laura with friends Shukri and his wife, Aimy and their son, Amir

Next # 4: Side trip continues...Singapore

(to be continued...)

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