Playing the role of a Kuala Lumpur Tourist

Posted by Little Clouds of Thought on April 28, 2016

We sometimes take for granted the city we live in especially when we're busy commuting to and from work. Also, every time we think of a holiday, we would rather think of getting out of the city or country but it doesn't have to be so. I took half a day off yesterday to have a short evening tour of Kuala Lumpur, riding on the Hop-On Hop-Off coach.

My journey started at the Malaysia Tourist Centre (MATIC), Jalan Ampang. I joined a group of fellow bloggers and students from the University of Manitoba, Canada who were in Malaysia on a study trip.

We left at 4pm and our first stop was to the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery. We passed the Klang river en route. The Klang river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km in length.

To increase economic viability of the area, master planning and beautification works will be carried out along a 10.7 km stretch along the Klang and Gombak River corridor. Significant landmarks in the area include Dataran Merdeka, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad and Masjid Jamek. Plans to have cafes along the river is in place and I'm really looking forward to this development.

From top left, clockwise: Ms J, our tour guide, The Klang River, The Kuala Lumpur City Gallery and the Music Museum.


	The vision of River of Life, Kuala Lumpur.	Photo credit: http://etp.pemandu.gov.my

What I love most about Kuala Lumpur (besides the food) are the heritage buildings in the heart of the city, mostly found around Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square). I find the architecture details so intricate and it brings me back to a time before skyscrapers were built.

Merdeka Square is located in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was here that the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag was hoisted for the first time at midnight on 31 August 1957.

The Textile Museum, Kuala Lumpur

The Music Museum, Kuala Lumpur

Our tour included RM5 tickets into the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery. The highlight of the gallery is the spectacular Kuala Lumpur City Model, measuring an incredible 40ft x 50ft, which showcases the city’s past, present and future through advance multimedia projection mapping on the model, the first of its kind in South East Asia.

Inside the KL City Gallery

The local daily The Malay Mail started of as the Selangor Journal

Old Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur City Gallery is part of the ARCH group's vision in promoting the country's heritage and culture. Andrew J. K. Lee, the Founder of ARCH, is a man who greatly inspires innovation. This is what led him to acquire his skills in architectural modelling. Today, ARCH is one of the largest model-making companies in Asia.

Andrew documented and created the first guided Kuala Lumpur Walks & Tours Map and established Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, a true reflection of his appreciation towards the city. This inspired him on to create the iconic I LOVE KL structure and The Spectacular City Model Show.

We then hopped back onto the bus (I grabbed the chance to sit on the open upper deck to enjoy the evening breeze) and made our way to Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan a 15-minute ride away in the building rush hour traffic.

The beautiful Masjid Wilayah. Photo credit: travelmalaysiaguide.com

The mosque is heavily influenced by the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Turkey, with a combination of traditional Malay and Middle East design elements. Its centrepiece on top of the main prayer hall is made up of not just one, but several domes comprising a main dome on top, half domes underneath it and a number of smaller domes around it. A total of 22 domes adorn the mosque’s rooftop.

More than just a mosque, Masjid Wilayah is also a community, research and educational complex, equipped with a host of facilities such as a meeting room, a seminar room, a library, a multi-purpose hall and accommodation.

Our first wefie (Sorry, Nannie, for cutting your smile off!)

We stayed on the bus outside the mosque in a short stopover and proceeded to Batu Caves. It started to drizzle so we made our way down to the lower deck. We reached Batu Caves about 30-minutes later.

Batu Caves is a an iconic and popular tourist attraction in Selangor. Site of a Hindu temple and shrine, Batu Caves attracts thousands of worshippers and tourists, especially during the annual Hindu festival, Thaipusam.

A limestone outcrop located just north of Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves has three main caves featuring temples and Hindu shrines. Its main attraction is the large statue of the Hindu God at the entrance, besides a steep 272 climb up its steps to finally view the stunning skyline of the city centre. I didn't climb the stairs as a) I've not had any exercise since January b) I wasn't in the mood to sweat buckets before our dinner at KL Tower.

Monkeys frolic around the caves, and it is a popular spot for rock climbing enthusiasts. Paintings and scenes of Hindu Gods can also be seen in the Ramayana Cave.

We waited for the rest of the group to complete their climb in 45 minutes then headed to KL Tower where we were to have our dinner at Flavours of Malaysia.

We were famished by the time we reached KL Tower but had enough energy left to take some awesome photos.

KL Tower

The KL Tower is a 421m high telecommunications and broadcasting tower which actually appears to be taller than the Petronas Towers, because it is built on a hill. Amidst the city of Kuala Lumpur, stands the Menara Kuala Lumpur at 515m above sea level.

It was 7.30pm when we had a dinner which comprised of two satay sticks, nasi impit, nasi lemak, cucumber slices, fried noodles and some sweet desserts. We were then entertained by an Orang Asli group.

The lead performer playing a flute using his nose!

With our tummies filled, we were then brought up the Observation Deck which is located at 276 meters above ground level offering spectacular views of the city lights.

There are super powerful binoculars at the Observation Deck offering different view of the city so if you're staying or working somewhere where you have a view of the KL Tower, please note that you can be watched. No hanky panky without the curtains drawn closed! I could see people in their offices in buildings located about a kilometer away!

A last shot as we left KL Tower

The tour ended with a short ride through Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, known for its textile shops, Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Raja Chulan.