"Where Are We Going Now?" "How About Malaysia?"

One of KL's many night markets

When Jeremy and I returned to Hong Kong after our travels in Taiwan and South Korea, we still had 10 days or so before leaving for Paris.  We initially thought of spending a week in mainland China, but the visas and plane tickets were prohibitively expensive.  Our next thought was southern Thailand (Eden and I have traveled extensively in the north), but the area was being ravaged by rain storms at the time.  Another idea was Cambodia, but we had concerns about the quality of health care in the event of an emergency (as there have been several since last July).  Ultimately, the spinning wheel landed on Malaysia, so we headed out for an eight-day journey to Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and George Town on the island of Penang.

KL skyline (photo taken from the internet)

We spent only one day in Kuala Lumpur and although it was not nearly as interesting as Melaka and Georgetown, we really enjoyed it (except for Jeremy, who did not like Malaysia because of the heat and humidity).  It's almost like Singapore without all the polish.  There aren't many must-see sights, but we had fun walking around the downtown market areas, visiting some mosques, and spending some time in the superb Islamic Arts Museum.  And we especially enjoyed eating in food courts and night markets, which offer a delicious and diverse array of culinary treats:  Chinese-style noodles and soups; Malaysian, Thai, and Indian curries; Indonesian satays; flavorful Nonya dishes (Nonya cuisine is a unique mix of Chinese and Malay influences); seafood straight from the ocean; a broad assortment of pan-Asian fried snacks; and a cornucopia of fresh tropical fruit.  As for the museum, we spent several hours exploring the exhibits and playing in the attractive courtyards and open spaces - we initially thought we'd be there only for an hour or so, but the kids didn't want to leave.

So that's it for our short but sweet stay in KL.  See you in Penang!

Talia at the Islamic Arts Museum

At the Jamek Mosque

At the National Mosque

Inside the National Mosque

Eden strikes a dramatic pose for the camera

At the Central Market

Colorful souvenir shop at the Central Market

And another one

Here are a few shots from around town

Jeremy at the Islamic Arts Museum

Looking through a window at the museum

Looking through another window at the museum

Sleeping man surrounded by durians

More from the night market near our hotel