johnsunter.com - The adventures of an ordinary person...

Having seen the Petronas towers, I decided to explore the rest of Kuala Lumpur. It was very warm and humid throughout the day and I had to keep drinking water constantly.

Menara Kuala Lumpur (popularly known as the KL Tower).

This telecommunications tower rises above the Bukit Nanas.

I didn't have enough time to go up in the tower, but I read that it has one of the fastest lifts in the world.

Many people think it is taller than the Petronas Towers.

This is a natural illusion that occurs because the KL Tower was built on a hill.

Whilst wandering around the tower I spent some time in the Bukit Nanas forest recreational Park.

I thought it was cool the way there was a rainforest and jungle you could walk around, right in the middle of a city centre.

I followed the 3 short educational walks there, which show all kinds of plants and animals.

I was really looking forward to it. I was sorry to leave the Jungle and the Ocean behind me, but sometimes the city can be just as exciting.

Right next door to the Bukit Nana were 2 very old and distinguished Schools, the Convent Bukit Nanas and St John's institution.

I continued walking and found this row of old Colonial houses.

I head for Merdeka (Independence) Square.

On the left is the Royal Selangor club founded for colonials to drink stengah (whisky soda in the long bar). Times have changed and today it is frequented mostly by lawyers although women are still forbidden from entering the long bar.

The Field in the centre of the picture is the Padang (it means field in Malaysian).

In 1892 when administrators recruited based on skill at Cricket, Ernest Birch was stationed in Kuala Lumpur.

He dried out the field outside the Selangor club and started organising matches. Cricket on the Padang has been an institution ever since.

Also in Merdeka square, is this flagpole.

At 95 metres, it is the 2nd tallest flagpole in the world (the tallest flagpole is one I saw in Aqaba, Jordan.

Still in Dataran Merdeka on the other side of Jalan Raja is the Sultan Abdul Samad building.

Prior to the building of the Petronas towers, this was the "must see" sight of Kuala Lumpur.

Built in 1897 as the supreme court (a role it still performs today) and built over 3 years, an entire factory had to be built, to supply to bricks to construct it.

The Klang/Gombak river convergence. It was here that Chinese coolies originally began prospecting for tin and arguably where the City of Kuala Lumpur Began.

It forms one "point" of the Golden Triangle.

In the background, is the Jamek Mosque.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a very good picture of the Mosque.

Built in 1909 by Arthur Benison Hubback (also responsible for the Old KL Railways station, featured later).

It was the City's first brick mosque and the first in the Federal Territory to sport an onion-shaped dome.

The old Clock tower at old market square.

Built to commemorate the coronation of King GEorge VI in 1937, it features an art deco "sunburst" at its base.

I head into Chinatown. The Chinese community makes up %40 of the residents of Kuala Lumpur.

The famous Petaling Street.

Inside is one of the city's oldest traditional "wet" produce markets.

As with all Chinese shops, the sales staff were very dignified and polite and didn't mither or hassle me as is common in other parts of the world.

I headed towards the Petaling Street Bazaar and bought a couple of presents and stuff like that (and the ubiquitous miniature of the Petronas towers).

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Jalan Tun HS Lee.

This street has temples from many different faiths represented on it.

My favourite was this, the Sri Maha Mariamman, the most famous Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur.

The Gopuram (gateway tower) rises 23 metres above the ground and has hundreds of carvings of Hindu Deities on it.

The story of Kuala Lumpur is never complete without the mention of Yap Ah Loy, a Hakka immigrant who arrived in Malaysia aged only 17.

Nominated community leader of the Coolies (Kapitan Cina) he rebuilt the City at least 3 times.

He was mayor, police chief, property developer, judge, tax collector, opium den operator, casino owner and brothel keeper (he also ran a hospital and prison) all rolled into one.

A Chinese account of him said "He was not very big or tall but when he spoke his voice was sonorous. His temper was like fire and he had the strength of an elephant".

He was said to have been able to lift 60kg with his hands stretched forwards.

This small street, is all that remains of his empire (its the shortest road in town, only 80m long).

The old railway station. Designed in the Mughal style, its as photogenic today as in 1911 when it was completed.

Inside there are loads of old trains and stuff like that to look at, but sadly it just looks rundown.

The only trains that stop here now are luxurious trains traveling to Singapore and Bangkok.

Inside the Railway hotel which would have once housed kings and prime ministers is now a backpacker hostel.

Rundown and derelict, the once proud Majestic hotel across the road from the station, was the largest hotel in the City and comparable to Raffles in Singapore.

Whilst I had to admire the amazing new buildings and parks in Kuala Lumpur, I couldn't help feeling the its heritage was being "let go".

Bangunan KTM Berhad (the headquarters of the Malaysian Railway) across the road from the station.

It features various architectural motifs such as Mughal minarets, large Gothic windows and ancient Greek column.

Unlike the station the inside has been completely refurbished. It survived a bombing in WW2 and a fire in 1969.

Merdeka Stadium where Malaysian Independence was declared on the 30th August 1957 (it was especially built for the occasion).

The image of the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, punching the air and shouting "Merdeka" seven times is one that is familiar to every Malaysian

It was also the place where Muhammad Ali and Joe Bugner fought for 27 rounds during their 1975 boxing match.

Whirlwind tour of Kuala Lumpur and I get to stand in front of the Petronas towers (2/2).