Kuala Lumpur, which translates to "Muddy Confluence" due the collection of rivers that meet throughout the city is home to a little over 7 million people when the greater area is included. It's iconic skyline - including the Petronas Twin Towers and the Menara KL Tower - is recognized around the globe. And with it's cultural mix of local and foreign residents, its a foodie, architectural, religious, and historical hotspot in this corner of the world.
In all fairness, a city this large and diverse deserves more than just a single post. Nevertheless, what follows are a collection of photos from the last few years of some of my favorite places in and around Kuala Lumpur.
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| I could fill an entire album with photos of the Petronas Towers. Daytime or evening, from the ground, the observation deck, or a rooftop restaurant terrace else in the city, these stunners are always a head-turner. |
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| Another, literal, icon. This is a massive statue of the Sri Murugan, a Hindu deity standing guard in front of the famous Batu Caves. Located a short drive from the city center, this complex features not only a temple up the 272 steps, inside of the cave, but also tours of the Dark Cave by science students from a local university. |
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| And monkeys. There are always cheeky monkeys lurking around the caves. |
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| The Sultan Adbul Samad Building, a former 1800's government building, located Merdeka Square along one side of Dataran Merdeka (ofterwise known as Merdeka Square or, translated as Independence Square). This area, near to where the Klang and Gombak Rivers converge, holds historic significance as the site of Malaysian's independence from Britain in 1957. |
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| While not the largest mosque in the city, the Masjid Wilayah is impressive and has a good set-up for tours, unlike some of the others in the city. |
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| The Ilham Gallery is one of my favorite art exhibit halls to visit. Not only is it close to where I live, but the pieces are usually all local artists, many from often under-represented demographics, such as orang asli, or refugees. |
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| This image does double duty: it is by a local artist Chia Yu Chian (1936-1991) and featured in an Ilham Gallery exhibit called Reality in early 2019; it is also depicting the Central Market building downtown, now a tourist mecca for souvenirs and local eats near China Town. |
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| The view from the top of the Melawati Ridge, a quartz mountain range on the eastern edge of Kuala Lumpur. This particular hike - Bukit Tabur - was semi- frequently closed down, but remains one of my favorites. It amazes me how quickly it is to get to nature from hustle and bustle of the city. |
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| My running has taken me to many different places, however the endless trails and potential to get lost and pop out on some unknown street make this park a favorite. For as humid as Malaysia is, you're always in good company on the trail - lots of runners, bikers, and hikers at all hours of the day. |
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| Kuala Lumpur on a clear day, in all its splendor. I took this shot out of the airplane window on the one flight that took this route over the city in daylight. A little frustrating, however, as I can see my house from here and the airport sits about an hour's drive away; too bad I didn't have a parachute handy... |
