Krazy KL!

I have made it back to the big city and Kuala Lumpur is a concrete jungle indeed. Its the biggest transition I could give myself from spending 5 luscious days in the Cameron Highlands. The drive to KL was an easy 3 1/2 hour one as the temperature rose back down to sea level.

There is so much construction of buildings, highways, condos and more in this city, but some appear half finished so I wonder if financially the economy hit such half finished construction sites. We got dropped right in the heart of Chinatown and I found my place to stay easily across the street.

I don't know if it was the heat, pollution, increased population, humidity, or hangover that has made me feel pretty rotten all day. But after checking in, I dumped my stuff and headed out to the Chinatown markets right below me to get some ethnic food that my mum makes :) and got to also speak my language again to some of the shop keepers.

Still feeling a little crook with some stomach pains, I headed out in the heat. You gotta love it when I ask for some directions at the hostel and the folks just say head to the big sky tower. With so many highways and roads here, crossing streets is pretty crazy but people do it.

I did experience one thing that I thought was so cool today. At 1:35pm while walking past one of the most beautiful mosques in Malaysia, I heard the calling of prayer and at that time, hundreds of male worshippers were heading to the mosque to pray. I was going to stop and take a photo but decided not to because a picture can't explain the feeling that I had of such incredible appreciation for culture and religion.

I headed to Merdaka Square which is lined by a big field where there is a giant tv screen that shows movies and important events to the public. A giant flag pole also symbolizes where Malaysia first flew their flag of independence in 1957.

On the way back, I walked through "Little India" and it was certainly the biggest one I have experience all through Malaysia. With the sari shops, and curry houses all around...I did feel silly at one point when I picked up this beautiful head dress which the women wear thinking it was a great pattern for a pair of shorts! :)

Tomorrow I am planning to head to the National Museum then meet up with a dear friend that lives here whom I met traveling through Vietnam. She will take me to the "Batu Caves" which is a series of caves and temples away from the city.

So now its 8:30pm and I have enjoyed a sleep in the air-conditioned room I booked and am content from skyping with some family and friends from home...I'm sad that I don't feel up to eating dinner at all the incredible hawker food stalls below me tonight, but there's always tomorrow right...?!

One interesting thing to note is that people in Malaysia have VIP McDonald's drive-thru stickers on their cars...I really have to ask my friends tomorrow that live here what that means?? Express service? cheaper food? Pretty funny I think. Again, the English language is so prevalent here...thanks to British colonization of course!