But this feeling of familiarity disappeared as soon as I got out of my taxi and threaded my way through the Chinatown night market to find my hotel. The sights, sounds and smells pulsated around me: Muslim women covered head to toe in black picking through piles of T-shirts, Indian street hawkers shouting out to passersby ("Miss, miss, do you want a Rolex -- it's a REAL COPY!"), the pungent aroma of barbecued duck and roasted chestnuts. I was a bit disoriented after a full day of travel and was sweating profusely by this time, but I knew within minutes that I would like this city.
After a few days of wandering through the city, I can safely say that KL is one of my favourite cities. The multitude of religions and cultures have given this city a beautiful mixture of architecture and religious monuments, cheap delicious street food and vibrant night markets and neighbourhoods. These colourful shophouses can be found everywhere in Chinatown, and this glittering mosque stands at the apex of where KL was founded in 1857 by a band of tin prospectors.
Complementing the cultural attractions is a highly efficient, prosperous city with an excellent subway and monorail system, gleaming national monuments and five star hotels. But unlike some concrete nightmares, KL's urban planners have had the foresight to incorporate beautiful old trees, patches of jungle and numerous parks in amongst all the skyscrapers so weary tourists like me can pause to rest their aching feet. Here's me soaking my tired feet in the park at the base of the famous Petronas Towers.
The best way to enjoy a city like KL is to throw away your map and simply lose yourself -- you'll come across a hidden Hindu temple, a classical British colonial building, a side street filled with vendors selling cheap curry. KL's beauty is in its seamless diversity.
No comments:
Post a Comment