We enjoyed our breakfast of paru (lung), tempe, tahu, chicken, vegies and rice with deep fried squid!. The sambal on the vegies was quite spicy. Finshed with very good Campagne bread. Of to the Art Deco Pasar Seni by taxi (RM7), to save Minuk's blisters. The Pasar Seni is an old wet market, once slated for demolition, but saved and reborn as a craft market. It is even air conditioned and has a food court so makes for a comfortable outing.
A quick turn of the stalls was enough for me, so we agred to meet again after an hour. Minuk shopped and browsed, I went looking at the architectural sites of Chinatown. This meant hunting down the distinctive shophouses, with their dutch gables or art deco stylings. Often painted in bright colours, the most spiffy usually converted to restaurants or swank shops. I had a brief look in the roofed section of Petaling Street, where the famous night market occurs each evening. Took 1 minute to be asked if I wanted a massage. I spied leather belts and bargained down from RM65 to RM15. I bought two because the guy gave me the asking price. Possibly for first sale of the day.
The side alleys leading off Jalan Petaling were lined with small restaurants, and even at 11am in the morning, business was booming. The smells from the kitchens were pretty good too. Down Jalan Tun T.S Lee, I found the impressive Sri Maha Mariamman temple, its tall gopuram richly decorated with polychrome hindu deities. It cost 20 sen to have ones shoes minded. Inside stories from hindu pantheon the are depicted in colourful murals on the walls.
I walked back through narrow alleys, past a wet market and more food stalls to return to Jalan Petaling. Thence to the so called 'Golden Triangle' (a triangular intersection (!!), and out onto Old Market Square, with its fine dutch gabled shophouses and Art Deco Clock. I eventually made my way to the banks of the Klang River, where the many domed Masjid Jamek sits at the confluence of the Gombak and the Klang. There is a project underway to beautify the waterway, which would be a great idea. Until then, many hoardings block the architectural elements of the building from best view.
It was time to make my way back to the Pasar Seni, where I met Minuk for lunch. We chose to eat at the very comfortable 1st Floor Food Court, where we tried respectively Lele Penyek, and Ayam Penyek from the Aneka penyek stall. Delicious indeed and just RM7 each.
We walked off lunch by checking out the sights of Merdeka Square, which is lined with impressive buildings from colonial days. In the south east corner, either side of Lebuah Pasar Besar are found the former Federated Malay States Railway Station and Selangor Works Department, now repurposed as the National Textile Museum and the 1896 Govermment Office. North of these fine structures, and spanning most of the eastern side of the square in the grand Sultan Abdul Samud Building. Lining the southern side of the square are the son to be reopened Music Museum, and the KL City Gallery. A shopping mall hides under the green sward of the maidan, where no doubt colonials played cricket and polo in former days. Indeed, the mock tudor Royal Selangor Club still guards the western side of the square, just north of the Kuala Lumpur City Library.
Above a raised platform stands a tall flagpole flying the Malaysian flag. It was here in 1956 that the Union Jack was lowered for the last time, upon the emergence of the newly independent Malaysia. Here it was that Tun Adbdul Razak's shout of 'Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka', was echoed by the crowds there to witness history. Mosaics portraits of the participants are arrayed around the flagpole. Rather incongruously, the Victorian fountain which once stood in the old Market Square has also been placed here.
The sun was reflected hotly off the pavement as we walked north along Jalan Raya, though some natural AC could be had from the sculpture fountain.
Back to Regalia on the LRT - passed KL Theatre and Masjid Jamek en route to station
Swim in 5th floor pool to cool off
Took a taxi RM10 to Dataran Merdeka via Kenny Hills (to avoid the trafic jams and my meter is rusak quoth Kai, the rather jolly driver.
Took photos of the illuminated buildings on the square, then walked to Jalan Petaling via Pasar Seni. The night market was disappointing. Less food than this morning, and stall after stall of the same or similar merchandise - fakes, t-shirts, leather, phone covers and some headphones.
Had satay at Pasar Seni RM11 for 12 sticks - cheaper than the street stall we spied.
Walked via Pasar Seni station back to KL station and home.
A quick turn of the stalls was enough for me, so we agred to meet again after an hour. Minuk shopped and browsed, I went looking at the architectural sites of Chinatown. This meant hunting down the distinctive shophouses, with their dutch gables or art deco stylings. Often painted in bright colours, the most spiffy usually converted to restaurants or swank shops. I had a brief look in the roofed section of Petaling Street, where the famous night market occurs each evening. Took 1 minute to be asked if I wanted a massage. I spied leather belts and bargained down from RM65 to RM15. I bought two because the guy gave me the asking price. Possibly for first sale of the day.
The side alleys leading off Jalan Petaling were lined with small restaurants, and even at 11am in the morning, business was booming. The smells from the kitchens were pretty good too. Down Jalan Tun T.S Lee, I found the impressive Sri Maha Mariamman temple, its tall gopuram richly decorated with polychrome hindu deities. It cost 20 sen to have ones shoes minded. Inside stories from hindu pantheon the are depicted in colourful murals on the walls.
I walked back through narrow alleys, past a wet market and more food stalls to return to Jalan Petaling. Thence to the so called 'Golden Triangle' (a triangular intersection (!!), and out onto Old Market Square, with its fine dutch gabled shophouses and Art Deco Clock. I eventually made my way to the banks of the Klang River, where the many domed Masjid Jamek sits at the confluence of the Gombak and the Klang. There is a project underway to beautify the waterway, which would be a great idea. Until then, many hoardings block the architectural elements of the building from best view.
It was time to make my way back to the Pasar Seni, where I met Minuk for lunch. We chose to eat at the very comfortable 1st Floor Food Court, where we tried respectively Lele Penyek, and Ayam Penyek from the Aneka penyek stall. Delicious indeed and just RM7 each.
We walked off lunch by checking out the sights of Merdeka Square, which is lined with impressive buildings from colonial days. In the south east corner, either side of Lebuah Pasar Besar are found the former Federated Malay States Railway Station and Selangor Works Department, now repurposed as the National Textile Museum and the 1896 Govermment Office. North of these fine structures, and spanning most of the eastern side of the square in the grand Sultan Abdul Samud Building. Lining the southern side of the square are the son to be reopened Music Museum, and the KL City Gallery. A shopping mall hides under the green sward of the maidan, where no doubt colonials played cricket and polo in former days. Indeed, the mock tudor Royal Selangor Club still guards the western side of the square, just north of the Kuala Lumpur City Library.
Above a raised platform stands a tall flagpole flying the Malaysian flag. It was here in 1956 that the Union Jack was lowered for the last time, upon the emergence of the newly independent Malaysia. Here it was that Tun Adbdul Razak's shout of 'Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka', was echoed by the crowds there to witness history. Mosaics portraits of the participants are arrayed around the flagpole. Rather incongruously, the Victorian fountain which once stood in the old Market Square has also been placed here.
The sun was reflected hotly off the pavement as we walked north along Jalan Raya, though some natural AC could be had from the sculpture fountain.
Back to Regalia on the LRT - passed KL Theatre and Masjid Jamek en route to station
Swim in 5th floor pool to cool off
Took a taxi RM10 to Dataran Merdeka via Kenny Hills (to avoid the trafic jams and my meter is rusak quoth Kai, the rather jolly driver.
Took photos of the illuminated buildings on the square, then walked to Jalan Petaling via Pasar Seni. The night market was disappointing. Less food than this morning, and stall after stall of the same or similar merchandise - fakes, t-shirts, leather, phone covers and some headphones.
Had satay at Pasar Seni RM11 for 12 sticks - cheaper than the street stall we spied.
Walked via Pasar Seni station back to KL station and home.