Monkey Sex

Started the day off with some great sidewalk dim sum. I tried to get to the Petronas towers again, no luck. Tickets are available from 8:30AM, but because they are free, they go fast, usually booked for the whole day by 9:45. Oh well, there’s always KL tower, less frequented because it’s expensive but no lines.

Just at the edge of KL there is a big limestone outcropping which holds the Bantu Caves. In 1916 an Indian tycoon built a temple complex in the caverns. The monkeys that live there are the best part. They play, eat ketchup packets from the trash and have monkey sex. Cheeky monkeys. On the bus back to town we made friends with Ally (Alicia) from CA, living in DC, who joined us for more sightseeing. We visited the Old Railway Station, Central Market again, the National Mosque, Masjid Jamek, and KL tower. Kuala Lumpur was founded 150 years ago as a tin mining and rubber plantation town. It had a huge economic boom in the 80s and 90s which brought in a complete rebuild of the skyline. To demonstrate their economic glory KL built glandly over the last 20 years. Much of the architecture reflects their Islamic roots. This is definitely a town built to impress.

After an exhausting day of sightseeing, picture taking, eating, and getting caught in downpours, we went back to Bukit Bintang, for some much needed drinks. We really wanted to find the cool local hangout. Everyone we asked recommended Finnegan’s but that’s for tourists and we are trying to blend in. Turns out that locals KLites don’t hang out at the bars, they shop and eat. Most are Muslim, but it’s tolerant so there are bars for the expat community and the legions of tourists where we were staying. We passed up the English bars filled with English Patrons to go to the Japanese bar filled with Japanese patrons. I don’t get why people would travel that far to feel like they never left home.

I made Arthur and Ally try durian, man that stuff is gross. For my fourth meal of the day we had some authentic Thai food, which was so very good. The street we ate on had restaurants shoulder to shoulder on the sidewalk and plastic tables and chairs jutting out onto the street on both sides, with just enough space for a single car to go by. So far, in 3 days I’ve had Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, Lebanese, Burmese and Thai food. Truly Asia.