DECEMBER 21-26, 2025

We took the bus from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur. The bus is cheap, luggage is included in the price and the seats are more comfortable than an airplane. The bus terminal in KL is massive, with 6 levels. It took us a while to sort out how to exit. When we left KL, we discovered it is really well organized. We had to scan our boarding pass at the gate, like at the airport, but it would not allow you to enter if it was not within a half hour of your bus.

Our hotel was located an easy 8 minute walk from NU SENTRAL. It is a huge mall and has the LRT station as well. We would walk to the mall every morning to have breakfast then take the LRT to our destination for the day.

Since it was Christmas, we decided to take a nice photo in front of a tree at the mall. Every mall we went into was decked out so elaborately for Christmas, it would put any Canadian institution to shame. I commented on that to a local lady and she said they go overboard for every holiday. She said as soon as Christmas is over, the malls will be decked out for Chinese New Year, then Valentines Day, then Ramadan, etc.

We tried to book tickets to go up the Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge. They were sold out for a few days! Thankfully we were still going to be in KL for New Year’s Eve. We booked a ticket for the 31st.

The Petonsains Discovery Centre was also sold out. We bought a ticket for the 31st, as well. More on those two places later.

We did manage to buy an immediate ticket for KLCC AQUARIUM. It had all kinds of weird fish, but the main attraction was the 90 metre (295 ft) walk-through tube. Sharks, rays and other fish swim all around and over head.

We then took a walk through KLCC PARK. It is a lush green space next to the Petronas Towers, and where we would be spending New Year’s Eve waiting for the fireworks.

Outside of SURIA KLCC mall, the high end shopping did not stop. Chanel had two very extravagant displays.

Apparently, Santa Claus cannot use his reindeer in a land with no snow, so a dump truck delivers the toys. (not really, there is still a Santa)

There was also an LED Advertising board that had videos that looked 3D. This panda looked like it was going to fall on us.

We made our way over to the MinNATURE MUSEUM. It is a miniature art gallery which focuses on Malaysia’s culture and heritage. It houses thousands of sculptures of local buildings and scenes, crafted mostly by hand but also with 3D printing. It takes 2-3 weeks to build one display.

There were miniature models of Melaka, Cameron Heights, and, of course, Kuala Lumpur. The models actually helped us orientate ourselves as to where to go and what to see.

There were personal stories on the walls that related to what we were looking at, and gave us an idea of why this particular scene was depicted.

We walked past BERJAYA TIMES SQUARE.

We had lunch at JALAN ALOR FOOD MARKET. This former Red Light district is now the go-to place for every conceivable type of local street food you have a craving for. The vibe is infectious and the food delicious.

Along the not-so-well used streets and behind all the glitz and glamour of KL, we saw how the “other half” live.

The next day we went to SRI MAHAMARIAMMAN TEMPLE. The temples were all beginning to look and feel the same, but never assume! This one had musicians. One guy played a drum with wooden tipped fingers and the other played a horn. Built in 1873, it is the oldest Hindu Temple in KL.

The GUAN TEMPLE is a Taoist Temple was founded in 1887. It served not only as a religious place, but also as kind of a courthouse where disputes could be resolved focusing on loyalty and integrity. It played a key role in maintaining local order and cohesion. It was also a free school offering Mandarin language classes and instruction in Chinese customs, which it still does today. It is regarded as the last free school of its kind in Kuala Lumpur.

JALAN PETALING is at the centre of China town. It is a street bustling with vendors selling everything from shoes to goodies. We did not buy anything, but the atmosphere was electric with locals and tourists alike bartering and haggling over prices.

CENTRAL MARKET opened in 1888. It was not as crazy as Jalan Petaling, probably because it is set in a building with proper stalls. We walked down KASTURI WALK, which is a covered, open air pedestrian walkway next to the Central Market. This walkway opened in 2011, and is the modern artsy side of the old market.

The TEXTILE MUSEUM building was built in 1905 as the headquarters for the railway. It changed occupants many times, including being the High Court Building, before becoming the Textile Museum.

This grand old building that showed us the history of textiles and traditional costumes in Malaysia, including the early ones made of tree bark.

There were other displays on the different batiks and how they are made, embroidery, embroidery with beads, weaving, and jewelry. It was a lot more interesting than we anticipated. Again, never assume what a place has to offer.

The SULTAN ABDUL SAMAD BUILDING was built in the late 1800s. It originally housed the offices of the British colonial administration, and was known simply as Government Offices. It now houses the offices of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture of Malaysia. Unfortunately, it was undergoing renovations and not open to the public.

DATARAN MERDEKA (INDEPENDENCE SQUARE) is directly across the street from the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. This swampy piece of land was used as a training ground for the police until a British diplomat, who was an avid cricketer, had it leveled to be used as a cricket green, and also as a rugby field. The green expanse was a natural location for the raising of the new and independent Malaysian flag in 1957, replacing the British Union Jack.

KUALA LUMPUR CITY GALLERY BUILDING was built on the edge of the square in 1898 as a printing office for government publications. It was converted to the City Gallery in 1989.

Next to the Gallery was the KUALA LUMPUR LIBRARY. It was built as another printing office in 1898, as well. It was refurbished into a library in 2019.

Across the field stood ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL. It was built in 1894. It looked small and insignificant with skyscrapers all around. Remember I said that Independence Square was once a swamp? This small church flooded 1911, 1926 and again in 1971. During the flood of 1971, only the roof could be seen. Yet it still stands and operates.

PANGGUNG BANDARAYA DBKL (CITY THEATRE) is a historical theatre hall also located on the perimeter of the Merdeka Square. Construction took place between 1896 and 1904. We were stopped by security and told we could not enter. I do not know why.

The OLD HIGH COURT BUILDING is also located next to the Square. It opened in 1915.

MASJID JAMEK SULTAN ABDUL SAMAD MOSQUE is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur. It was built in 1909 and was the principle mosque in KL, until the building of the National Mosque in 1965. We had to wait a bit for prayers to be over before we could enter.

A couple of things I have always like about mosques is their domed roofs, minarets and large expanse of prayer area, interspaced with pillars. It is so pure and simple and lovely.

Beside the Mosque, was an parasol covered area. I don’t know what it was for, except possibly for the outdoor experience of a prayer hall.

We took the metro the 13 km to BATU CAVES. Although this 400 million year old cave complex was used by indigenous people as a shelter for many years, its function as a Hindu worship site only happened in the late 1800s. The limestone caves are inside a stand alone, 325-m (1066 ft) tall baby mountain.

Walking up there were two temples on either side of the courtyard. In front was the 42.7 m (140 ft) tall statue of the Hindu god Murugan. It is the second largest statue of this diety in the world. Alas, it was covered with scaffolding and tarps so we could not see the full glory of it.

Beside the statue were the colourful 272 cement steps to take us into the cave complex.

The inside of the cave was massive. There were massive stalagmites and stalactites all over the place. It had a very Indiana Jones feel to it.

There was another set of stairs that took us up to an open top grotto surrounded by huge cliffs.

It felt like we were in the bottom of a huge well.

We went into both temples on either side of the pigeon filled courtyard. Although both were nice, the one to the left, as you face the 272 steps, was spectacular, in my opinion.

It had elaborate floor designs, each one different.

Every Hindu temple is colourful, with elaborate details. This one out-did itself. The spindles were bright and vivid. Cans of paint were in a bin outside, testifying to the recent overhaul.

The columns holding up the roof were beautifully painted. Each part of the temple had different column shapes and decorations.

Even the light fixtures were decorated.

RAMAYANNA CAVE is a bit further along, with a 15 m (49 ft) green statue of Hanuman near the entrance.

Inside, the psychedelic statues depict the Indian “Ramanyan” story. The first thing we noticed was the giant statue of a sleeping Kumbhakarna, the brother of the evil Ravana, who kidnapped Rama’s wife, Sita. The smaller characters are trying to wake him up to wage war against Rama.

The entire place was a bit too carnivalistic for my taste, with neon lights and flashing signs.

At the top of a set of stairs was the naturally formed lingam. A stalagmite that looked like a huge penis, and considered a symbol of divine generative energy. It was polished smooth with the thousands of hands that rubbed it. ok, then…. hence the carnival atmosphere, I guess.

Back in the city, the RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING was built in 1917.

Directly across the street is the RAILWAY STATION, also built in 1917. It looks newer due to its sparkling white exterior. I don’t think it was operational, as there were construction barricades in front, and I never saw a train on the tracks as we passed over the bridge.

The NATIONAL MOSQUE OF MALAYSIA ( MASJID NEGARA) was built in response to the nation’s independence. It has a capacity for 15,000 people. It sits on 13 acres of gardens. It has a 73 m (240 ft) minaret. The blue-green main roof is shaped like an umbrella, with 16 points. It was prayer time when we stopped in, so were not able to enter.

Instead, we carried on to the KUALA LUMPUR BIRD PARK. It is one of the world’s largest covered bird parks. The park houses more than 3,000 birds, representing over 200 species. About 90% are local birds and 10% were imported from other countries. We spend several hours walking through the aviaries enjoying the colourful and strange birds.

Not far away is the PERDANA BOTANICAL GARDENS. It covers 226 acres (91.6 hectares) in the heart of the city. It was the brainchild of a British State Treasurer in 1888. It has a covered canopy

ornamental trees

waterfalls

and a lake.

We zipped through the ORCHID GARDEN but skipped the BUTTERFLY GARDEN completely, because it looked like it was going to rain. We almost made it back to the hotel before we got soaked.

We went to George Town for a few days, then returned to Kuala Lumpur for New Year’s Eve.

KUALA LUMPUR – NEW YEAR’S EVE

DECEMBER 31, 2026

We returned to Kuala Lumpur especially for New Year’s Eve. We had pre-purchased tickets for the PETRONAS SKYBRIDGE for 12:00 PM. We were first taken to the 41st floor, where the SKYBRIDGE connects the two buildings. The 42nd floor is for employees and not open to the public. We only had 10 minutes to take our pictures. The view was incredible.

Then we were taken to the 82nd floor, where the view was even more incredible. This is the same view from higher up.

We could see directly across to the top of the other tower. Don’t go if you are afraid of heights!

After the towers tour, we went to PETRONSAINS, THE DISCOVERY CENTRE, where we also had a pre-purchased ticket. It is a science and technology museum that is owned and operated by a subsidiary of the Malaysian oil and gas conglomerate Petronas. It is located inside SURIA KLCC MALL.

First of all, we took a ride in a capsule that took us through the cycle of energy throughout the ages, starting with the discovery of fire to our modern day information highway. It was all very well done, and drove home the realization that everyone must do their part to save the planet. Science and technology are there to assist us, but we must all do our small part.

We then entered the actual museum, which was so much fun and informative. There were silly games that explained the science and physics of how these simple, everyday things work. It explained things from magnetic forces to space technology.

Pierre kept telling me this was for kids. I kept telling him that I am a kid (at heart) and I was learning things in a way I wish I had in school. I wish I had spent more time there.

We stopped at the food court for a late lunch. We got conflicting information as to whether there would be fireworks at the Towers. As we ate our lunch we started talking to some gentlemen at the next table. When they got up to leave I noticed their lanyards said “Events Staff”. I asked “what events”. They said they were in charge of the fireworks. Well, I guess that settled that doubt. They told us where to stand to get the best view, and said we were lucky to have arrived early as the mall was going to close soon so as to limit the number of people. They recommended we secure a spot immediately. It was only 17:00.

As it turned out, it was raining quite hard and most people were coming back inside the building. We flipped up our umbrellas and secured a spot, not where they said to stand, but on some cement bleachers nearby. I am glad we did, because we had to wait for 5 hours and standing would have gotten a bit much. Also, we had an excellent view of the towers. Little did we know at the time that every hour the towers changed colours. They started white, then blue,

then pink, green and back to white.

The live entertainment started shortly after we sat down. There were big name Malaysian artists. We did not know who they were, but the crowds went wild when they were announced. Just because we had never heard of them in Canada does not mean that they were not amazing performers. One singer in particular was outstanding. There were singers, musicians, traditional drummers, and LED dancers to name a few. The fountains in the lake spouted off colourful jets of water in time to the music.

Lasers shone lights and colourful patterns onto the mall and surrounding buildings in a dance, also in time to the music. It was magical, amazing, breathtaking.

There were hundreds of thousands of people all taking in the show.

At midnight, the towers had the last 10 seconds counted down with numbers on the towers. At the stroke of midnight the fireworks went off behind us. We could barely see them through the trees. It did not matter. The towers were putting on a show! The colour changes they were putting on was mesmerizing. They blinked off and on, changed colours, changed shapes. I was gobsmacked!

And then it was time to get back to our hotel. What a gong-show!

The LRT is a cheap mode of transportation.  But it could use some tweeting.  We had to buy a token, like a poker chip, from a machine where you chose your destination then paid according to distance. We tapped it to gain access to the boarding area then deposited it into the scanner upon departure. It all seemed to work fine, until New Years Eve. 

We wanted to buy a return token.  We were told we had to buy a return token at the other end.  We failed to buy one when we disembarked, mainly because the departure area does not have those machines.  In hindsight, we should have taken the time to go back around to get them. After the celebrations, hundreds of thousands of people were cramming, pushing and shoving their way to get to the token machines. There was no queueing, no regard for who was there first, it was animalistic mayhem.  After a 45 minute wait to make it to the front, we were standing right in front of the machine when someone reached under my arm and started tapping in his destination.  He got his token and I proceeded to make myself large to prevent another sneaky person, when the machine quit.  People behind us were pushing and shoving so hard I can see how people get crushed to death in such cases.  Thankfully Pierre stood a head taller and weights 80 pounds more than the locals.  He stood like a cement pillar.  We were shouting back that the machine quit. Finally, I behaved like a local and bullied my way to the machine beside me.  Even though I bullied in, those that were already waiting clapped and cheered when I got my tokens.  I think they felt sorry for me.  They heard us yelling that the machine quit and saw the sweat pouring off Pierre’s head.  There was even water running down the walls, it was so hot and humid with the mass of bodies. After I got our tokens we squeezed upstream through the mass of bodies to our platform.  

It took us an hour just to buy a stupid token. The trains only ran until 2:00 AM.  I am sure some people were stranded waiting to buy a token.  How simple it would be for them to implement the tap and go system.  Tap your credit card on the turnstile as you enter, then tap again when you get off.  They know where you got on and off to charge you accordingly.  Most countries have that system. 

The metro was normally pleasant and even has some underground passage ways that are incredibly beautiful.

Some train cars are for Ladies Only. But that night was meyhem!

We relaxed the next day to prepare for our bus journey to Cameron Highlands.