A Moderate Islamic Country

Just a pleasant six hour bus ride north of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur is both an interesting and a beautiful city that should be on the itinerary for any visit to Southeast Asia.  Perhaps best known for its spectacular Petronas Twin Towers, KL, as it is affectionately known, is also a wonderful example of a welcoming capital city in a moderate Islamic country.  After checking into my hotel and purchasing my bus ticket to Georgetown for the next day I took a walking tour of the city with a fellow from Germany who I’d met on the bus.  Marten had been to KL before and was a great travel guide.

The Petronas Twin Towers

We started out with the number one attraction, the Petronas Twin Towers, which were completed in 1998.  At a height of 1,483 feet and 88 floors, the towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 when they were surpassed by Taipei 101 in Taiwan.  The towers are connected by a skybridge at the 41^st and 42^nd floors which is not actually fastened to the main tower structures.  Instead, it is designed to slide in and out of the towers when they sway during high winds to prevent the bridge from breaking.  It is truly a dazzling spectacle when all the lights are shining from the towers at night!

The National Mosque

The city was founded in 1857 where the muddy waters of the Klang and Gombak Rivers come together, and in Malay the term Kuala Lumpur means ‘muddy confluence’.  We walked past the KL Tower, another landmark pinnacle in the city, and across the river to visit the National Mosque.  This modern structure built in 1965 features a 239 feet high minaret and an umbrella shaped roof and it can accommodate 15,000 people!  Visitors can enjoy the reflecting pools and fountains outside the Mosque and are welcome to visit the interior after donning the appropriate apparel.

The Old KL Railway Station

Only a short walk from the mosque is the old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, completed in 1911 and now replaced by the newer KL Sentral Station nearby.  Commuter trains still stop at the old station, but the last real train rolled through in 2001.  The distinctive Mughal architecture (the Mughal style of India) is definitely worth a peek.  Several museums, such as the National Museum and the Islamic Arts Museum, are located nearby rounding out the important tourist attractions in this section of the city.

The Markets of Kuala Lumpur

Among the most fun and interesting aspects of Kuala Lumpur are the markets, the most notable of which is the Central Market.  This two story and thankfully now air conditioned structure was built in 1936 and has become a cultural center featuring many artists and craftsmen.  There are many other street markets and night markets throughout the city, which I found to be a lot more interesting than the modern malls.  Be sure to return for my next posting where I’ll provide a full report and review of an Awesome Accommodation in Kuala Lumpur, the Hotel Capitol.