It's my last full day today so I took it easy by staying in Kuala Lumpur and going round the city this time. I wanted to take the hop-on and hop-off bus but it was 24RMB (student discount) which was far more than my budget. I decided to go round myself spending up to 10 for any necessary transport. I also took note to take it easy on the spicy food as my toilet trip last night kinda hurt. A non-Malay man followed me all the way to the station from my hostel and even stopped when a student approached me about his communication project. I kept looking back seeing him hovering around my presence. He stood behind me on the escalator and pretended to buy a ticket standing so closely behind me. He asked where the map was, i pointed in a dull way, pretended to browse and left. It was annoying because I had to lose him to come back up the station and I lost a lot of my time! I watched him look for me until he got bored and left. creep.
However, the locals here are extremely friendly and kind, always willing to help or keen to have a genuinely chat. At first I thought it was pervy but then I gathered it may just be so they can improve/practice their English. I gathered this soon enough not to cry every time a man smiled.
Taking the Monorail to KL Sentral, (One Direction was playing on the speakers and I was pleased for them to be honest, international artists in what less than 5 years) I waited for the B112 Bus to go the national Musuem for the Perdana Botanical Gardens - Lakes Garden Park. I caught this bus from Little India but really you can catch the bus from Pasa Seni LRT area. You can get to Pasa Seni on the GOKL free bus. I was wasting time so I spent the 2RMB instead for the train.
I waited at the bus stop for a while and the Hop-on Hop-off bus eventually came! They said it was 45Ringits to get on the bus (which is the all day price) but i had only wanted to head to botanical gardens but still 45. I got off the bus thinking they were insane in a sad way and a few moments later I was invited back on the bus to head there for free! It worked! The weather was calm as it had rained during the night so it was warm but not heated.
I stopped off the Kuala Lumpur National Museum for a educational look around. It costed 5RMB for foreign adults. There was a whole room about traditional tea from all around Asia and even Britain. An early history gallery showing three different eras; Permian era, prehistoric era and proto-historica era. It showed details about rocks in all ages; the Iron Age, Bronze Age, and Metal age. It displayed Homo Sapien remains brought by lab, cave painting and burial goods. In one earth display, it stated that South East Asia was said to be affected during the ice age. Hm
Another gallery showed the development of the Malay kingdoms and empire and trading boats made from the trunk of Batu trees.
Floor two had the Colonial era gallery and Malaysia today. The colonial era showed battle ships, armies with elephants and canons in the Portuguese, Malacca attack in 1511. They showed information on Matawang, Sabah, Sarawak, Pangkor, British intervention and warriors. The country's crops, tin dredges, communication. I could explain them but they would be too boring for you and you wouldn't come back.
I had learnt a lot going there and I'm glad I went. There was so much I was unaware of. Interestingly, after the country's liberation from the British Colonial rule in 1957, Malaysia sustained an economical development. Before then, each race (Indian, Chinese and Malayan) was divided and lived poorly. But after independence, there were the first federal elections, construction of buildings, English schools and the British Union Jack flag was lowered while the Malayan flag rose. The first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman signalled the birth of Malaysia as a free and sovereign nation - he who led the country to freedom. I was surprised the British are allowed here visa-free! However, during 1948-1960, Malaysia went through problems from communists terrorism (Malayan Emergency). Although it ended, hundreds of people died from their ruthless actions and terror acts. The country is now multi-racial. They celebrated their freedom at the stadium Merdeka (built in 1957 famous for uniting the country - togetherness) singing the national anthem and as a gift from Japan, fireworks. I felt satisfied with my time there so believed i was ready to leave.
Finally, I headed to Lake Gardens and stayed there for 2 hours as it was so beautiful! It's 257 acre used for recreation and as greenery for a part in the city. The pathway meanders through cultivated gardens and museums. They had edible gardens, herbs gardens and animal sanctuaries. One vast lake and small ones around the area. I had seen families play games together, workers cutting the grass and a couple in their wedding gowns for their wedding photos!! The man was Indian and the woman was Chinese, fantastic mix that is.
I walked to back KL Sentral station this time realising you can actually walk to the museum and the gardens from there. I was stinking hot and annoyed that I could have walked to the garden in the first place but I wouldn't have known. CIMB (office building) stands between the station and the national museum so if you walk out of the taxi entrance of the station, turn right toward CIMB, and walk around it turning left then right and cross the road, cross the bridge and walk down the stairs. Straight down turn left for the gardens or your inner right to the museum! So simple or is it?
I walked passed Pasa Seno and towards Medan Pasar then to Masjid Jamek then the Merdeka Square (Sultan Abdul Samad Building). They had a Unesco event going on and a section for celebrating women in science which was really nice. Music was played live by children and dance was performed but it was basic movements. Turn left twice, right hands in the air then turn around and shake left hip four times. The Merdeka Square was the place where the Malaysian flag was raised for the first time to replace the Union Jack. It signifies the end of British rule over Malaya and end of colonisation. Regardless of race and belief, everything came together here for big events. The 95meter flagpole is one of the tallest in the world.
I strolled around despite feeling tired with swollen feet. I sat down to rest and a spiderfly bit my leg when I thought it was just fluff so that was annoying. Anyway, it was nice to have come from the museum knowing about Merdeka Square and actually understand what the landmarks were. I walked to the nearby food street which was stupid money and watched a live performance by two Malayans singing about not listening to what people have to say about you. It was more poetry. Aggressive poetry.
It was hitting 6.30pm and I walked toward the Night Market ~ Pasar Malam (Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman) off Jalan Masjid India. I spent hours there as the street was so so so long and there were a million stalls. I watched people walk on and cookers serving their food. It was so busy but the night lights made it so colourful and joy to be there.
For dinner, i stopped at one stall that had a huge soup pot and men singing a Bob Marley tune. I ate Laksa, from Penang. It looked like udon (maybe it was) in wet lemongrass soup. It had half a boiled egg, chillies, cucumber and chopped lettuce. It was absolutely delicious for just 4RMB, my cheapest meal.
I walked back to Pasa Seni which took 20minutes and caught the GO KL Free Bus back to my hostel. It was bedtime then and I was glad.
No comments:
Post a Comment