A City of Our Own Part II: Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, or more affectionately known as KL, is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. It has all the ingredients synonymous with a metropolitan city; skyscrapers, mega shopping malls, excellent public transportation network and happening nightlife. Home to approximately 1.8 million people today, KL, like Malaysia, is known for its impressive mix of cultural values from the major religions of the country. This is where age-old tradition blends in with the fine touch of modern lifestyle.

As a kid, I was raised in the vicinity of KL or what we would call the Klang Valley. Then I did part of my high school years at Victoria Institution, tucked right in the heart of KL. It was my first real experience living life in the city. I still remember back then when we used to walk along Jalan Hang Tuah to Plaza Imbi passing by construction sites where now lies the monorail tracks and Berjaya Times Square shopping mall. Brings back memories for sure.

My second and more formal city experience came during my diploma days at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia located just a stone’s throw away from the ever-so-famous Petronas Twin Towers. It was the time when I had the chance to discover some of the finest local delicacies around town, and ultimately turned me into an avid foodie.

Talk about the mouth-watering cheese naan and tadoori down in Little India, the juicy Hainanese chicken rice at Bukit Bintang and the best authentic Thai tom yum in the streets of Kampung Baru. And who can even forget the coveted nasi lemak Kampung Baru? In addition, it’s fairly easy to find Iranian, Japanese and Italian restaurants to name a few, if you’re in for some fine international delights.

Life in KL like any big city, is fast-paced. It is one of those places where you get the impression that every person is planning to get something done quickly, unless you’re a tourist of course. Being one of the economic powerhouse of the nation, KL has the highest employment-population ratio among all states. It is an ideal city to expand your career prospects whilst enjoying yourself at the same time.

Talking about enjoying yourself, the array of entertainment and leisure activities offered by the city is endless. For the performing art lovers, a visit to Istana Budaya is a must. It is Malaysia’s state of the art cultural centre staging some of the most notable productions of musical theatre, opera and classical concert. And as an added bonus, the National Art Gallery is located right next door. My most memorable visit was a few years ago when they had an exhibition about the musical instruments of Malaysia combined with a guitar festival. It was super awesome!

Ranging from spectacular cultural show, to fun-filled day with the family at the theme park, to sizzling nightlife for the trendy urbanites, there’s surely something for everyone here.

KL is also a centre stage for the nation’s events calendar. On some occasion, the city could easily get twice as crowded although not for long. The best example I could think of is the nation’s highly-anticipated Year End Sale that takes place well, towards the end of the year. If you don’t mind getting stuck in standstill traffic for hours and super-crowded shopping malls, rest assured you are in for an ultimate shopping experience.

On the other hand, there were also times when the city turned into a ghost town, literally speaking. During the festive season especially Hari Raya Puasa, majority of the city inhabitants took some time off to visit friends and family outside of the city. This sudden change quickly puts the city in a more laid-back mood and makes moving around feels like a walk in the park. If you’re feeling old-school artistic, this is definitely the perfect time to hang around the city with camera in your hands.

I have always considered myself a city guy. KL is no stranger to me. It is my favorite place to have close within reach.

(gorgeous photography by obliviouslysin, Afiq Rostam, digitalwerk, jo.sau and Sacha Fernandez)