It is located along Jalan Masjid India, a street where Masjid India, an Indian Mosque built in the 1863 (The oldest in Kuala Lumpur), is located.
 
Indian Muslims like to come to this place of worship.
 
Little India is a really unique place in Kuala Lumpur because it sells high quality items at low prices. It is very colourful and vibrant!

In the bazaar, which is generally open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm., you can find many interesting items mostly of the Indian and Malay culture.
 
There are brooches sold in various shapes, colours and sizes. Below are brooches in the shape of crabs! Creative.
 
Even some are in the shape of roosters and also panthers! Wow!
 
As you walk through the bazaar, you can find a stall selling old and rare Malay music albums.
 
There are many talented Henna artists in Little India who can apply Henna to your hands or feet. Muslims like to apply Henna to themselves for engagements and weddings. It usually wears off after 2 weeks.
 
You might also like to buy some bangles to match your sarees or kebayas clothes. There are just so many bangles for you to choose from!

The bangles look really shiny and fashionable!
 
They are made of different gem pieces.

Outside the bazaar, there are many more shop lots selling more Indian items. Below is a Indian boutique selling sarees, which attracted many visitors.
 
Here is another colourful boutique selling more sarees and other items.
 
Hindu worship items like Diyas (Hindu oil lamps) are also bountiful.
 
A shop selling Hindu deities.
 
If you walk further down the street, you can find many stalls selling beautiful flower garlands.

Flower garlands are used in Hindu prayers, weddings and ceremonial weddings. Ganesan, one of the workers there, making a flower garland using jasmine. They can usually be finished within 20 – 60 minutes, depending on the size and complexity of the composition of the garland.
 
They are made out of fresh flowers like roses, orchids and jasmines, and can usually last for 2 days. Their fragrant smell really melts my heart (No wonder the Hindu deities like it)!
 
Saravanaa Bhavan is one of the Indian vegetarian restaurants around. The quality of the Indian food here is really exceptional.
 
If you are hungry there are many mouth-watering multi-ethnic cuisines available for you, like Tom Yam Sea Food, Nasi Ayam, Laksa, Banana Leaf Rice, and more!
 
A stall selling ikan bakar, a well-known Malay seafood cuisine.
 
There are also shop lots selling high-quality Indian gold jewelry at reasonable prices. Here is Kopatha Thanga Maligai, one of the many shops selling gold jewelry.
 
Here is a set of gold jewelry worn in weddings. It is really gorgeous!
 
Sharul Hammed and Ameer Mydin are two of the proud workers of the shop.

Along the streets, there are many shopping complexes. Mydin is a very popular wholesale supermarket among Malaysians. It is known for selling things at wholesale prices.
 
You can shop at Wisma Haniffa…
 
Madras…
 
and Semua House too.
 
Jakel Carpet sells a variety of quality carpets at reasonable prices.
 
It was featured in TV3 in October 2009 for being the cheapest and yet high-quality carpet seller in Malaysia.

There are so many carpets for you to pick. You will be spoilt of choices!
 
Mohamed Ridhuan, a Jakel worker, showing his most favourite carpet.

The carpets are made of quality silk, viscose, polypropylene or a mixture of them. Believe me, they are very comfortable for your feet.

I especially like this carpet because it looks so red and romantic.
 
Other than carpets, Jakel also sells a variety of clothing in Wisma Jakel.

Hotels are plenty there too. This Garden City Hotel (Wisma Peerbhai) beside Wisma Jakel looks really romantic!

Nearby, you can also find the Sri Mahar Batrakaliamman Temple

Little India is a place that you should come to feel the Indian culture, food, and atmosphere.

You can stop at the Masjid Jamek LRT station (Putra or Star LRT). When you get out, look out for a lane filled with colourful stalls. That is the bazaar. Welcome to Little India! Enjoy!

In 1985, it was revamped, renovated and reopened, and became a cultural hotspot selling and displaying unique arts and crafts of Malaysia.

This February, in conjunction with Chinese New Year, it has been decorated with lanterns and plum blossoms.

When you enter the main entrance, you will see on your right the House of Silver, where silverware are displayed. The worker just happened to pose so stylishly. Haha!

On your left is the Lorong India filled with colorful saris and Indian crafts. 
 
Beautiful and high-quality saris are abound.

The Straits Chinese displays Chinese culture like cheongsams and even lanterns!
  
The Lorong Melayu displays arts and crafts related to the Malay culture.
 
There is also artwork like masks made by natives and aborigines.

These 3 zones are created in 2008. The reason these zones are made is to let us understand better the diversity and the differences of the 3 main races in Malaysia, Malay, Indians and Chinese.

If you walk further down the Lorong Melayu, you can see a fish spa where you pay just RM 5 for 10 minutes in the spa to have a “fish therapy” experience. The tourists below seemed to enjoy the sensation very much.
 
The sensation of the toothless Doctor Fish nibbling your feet can be ticklish and/or massaging. The fish are actually eating up the dead areas of your feet so that healthy skin may grow.

Below are Shirlene and Shan from Bangsar, KL, who had so much fun having the fish tickle them.
 
Other than those 3 zones, there are 2 more “lorongs”. One of them is the Lorong Kolonial, where stuff related to the time Malaysia was ruled by the British is available.
 
The other is the Lorong Kelapa, where you can buy snacks made from coconut. MMMmmmm! Of course, there are many other different types of snacks and tidbits too, like the sweet-and-sour ‘asam’ (Tamarind) sweets.
 
My most favourite candy is the Coconut candy, which is full of sweetness and coconut aroma!
 
Other than these 5 “lorongs”, there are many more booths and stores selling unique and artful crafts.

A unique booth selling only wooden craft.

A booth selling “flowerful” handbags. Surely your wife would be happy if she receives one from you!
 
Faruzzi is a shop that sells batik.  Batik is a cloth which traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique on silk, cotton, or rayon.
 
The Malay people like to wear it during formal occasions.
 
The shop below is selling songket cloth. Songket is a luxury hand-woven cloth. The Malays wear it during special ceremonial events.

This shop offers you high quality songkets.
 
These creative batik shoes are hand-made. You can get them at Batik Nusantara.
 
Do you know what the signboard of this shop is saying?

It says, “Where to go?” “Khalid Batik, Central Market”. Truly, this signboard is really unique and attractive. Malaysians are really creative and funky!

Of course, they are selling a variety of batik clothing.
 
Loh Tim Kee is a professional boutique selling traditional Chinese clothing.
 
WK Clock House is a clock specialist that can satisfy you from any type of clock, ranging from retro to modern types.

This shop had been featured on a local press too.
 
It’s really a clock wonderland!
 
Another very interesting shop is the Native Gallery, where art and crafts are handmade by natives.

I like this art piece very much.
 
There is also a shop displaying Malay, Indian and Chinese items, all in one place!

Below is Kindy, a shop selling mostly souvenirs of the Petronas Twin Towers, in various shapes and sizes, from clocks to rotating lighted-up models. 
 
A shop with Kris dagger, a traditional Malay weapon famous for their distinctive wavy blades.
 
You can easily spot the beautiful traditional Malay kites called Wau Bulans. Did you know that the Wau is on the back of our 50 sen (cent) coin?
 
There is a booth selling just insect specimens. A little boy (in light blue) was curiously pointing at them!
 
Below is a shop called Game Corner. It has many games, toys, and even massaging tools made of wood.!
 
Here is a close-up of the massaging tools. They look simple, but when I tried them, they were really effective!
 
There are also reflexology shoes to massage your feet. When you walk on it, it will massage different points on your feet, which correspond to different parts of your body. So these shoes are really beneficial.

If you think you can’t wear it all day, you can wear it 1 or 2 hours a day, especially during your evening stroll.
 
You will also have more knowledge of foot reflexology because each point is labeled with the part of the body it corresponds to.
 
The artwork on these fans are very beautiful! Don’t you feel cool when you fan yourself using these fans?
 
The Log Art gallery is my most favourite gallery in the Central Market

It is because the art pieces are very creative, beautiful,  detailed and they are made out of waste wood! “From waste to art” – What innovative motive!

Various newspapers have interviewed the artist behind these art pieces, Howard Choo. He really deserves it!

Which art piece do you wish to bring home?

Of course, Central Market remembers your stomach and has a food court selling multi-ethnic foods like laksa, curry mee, nasi lemak and “yong tau fu” (Stuffed bean curd).
 
The Central Market Annexe part of the building was launched in 2006, and has art galleries, theatre and music performance spaces, and of course, contemporary arts and craft shops.
 
The brightly coloured art pieces below belong to C.Woks Design.

Below is Nik from Ultimate Designer at the Annexe section, drawing a scene in Shah Alam.
 
Being an artist takes a lot of effort and patience because it will produce realistic and stunning results. He is still in the process of finishing the drawing. Below, he is dotting the road patiently to make it look real and detailed. He is really a great artist.
 
A collection of abstract art. How many Petronas Twin Towers can you spot below?
 
If you go up the first level of the annexe section, you will arrive at the Art House Gallery, which collects art pieces from many artists. This is the colourful design at the entrance to welcome you.

Inside is full of art and imagination!
 
This is my favourite painting that showcases an old style Chinese home.

The third floor houses the Museum of Ethnic Arts, which has 3 halls filled with about 300 rare ethnographic arts and crafts.  Some tourists love to collect these rare items very much as they really appreciate the beautifully hand crafted items and the culture of the natives.

  
 

A shirt from the Miao tribe of China worn during dance.
 
This is a very precious piece of cloth. It is an embroidered design for Chinese bridal sedan chairs. It is RM 30,000.

You can find many other native’s handicrafts too. Below are rare crafts that were crafted by the natives of Borneo.
 
Even the chairs and tables are crafted heartily!
  
This huge collection of tribal art is the heart and soul of Mr. Leonard Yiu, who has been collecting tribal art for over 20 years. He had been interviewed by the press in January 2009.

 
In conclusion, the art pieces of these natives are done with great dedication, hard work and creativity. The meanings of the designs on the art pieces are as varied as the cultures that make them. Usually their purpose for crafting them  is to fence off evil, recount notable events and clan lineages or for decoration.

On the top floor of the Central Market Annexe is the Annexe Gallery. This multi-purpose hall holds events like art exhibitions, movie screenings, workshops, music concerts, product launches, press conferences and more!

From 4 February 2010 to 21 February 2010, there was an art exhibition called “Kuala Lumpur Dreaming”. which shows how we imagine our little space in the city, find boldness in our expression and appreciate each other’s dreams.

The art piece below is made by Terry Law and the children of Agape Home. The process of making this amazing art piece has allowed children of this home connect with expressions of tangibility, freedom, choice, confidence and identity. This art work represents ethnic pluralism, shared identities and coexistence.

This art piece, “Tumpahnya”, is done by Julya Oui and Sheiko Reto. It is a depiction of the ironic, controversial, moronic and superficial happenings, events and situations in Kuala Lumpur.
 
After touring the Central Market, you can go outside to rest under the palm trees, enjoy the cooling breeze and admire the traditional Chinese-structured shop lots.
 
On Friday and Saturday, there are cultural performances on stage outside the entrance at 8:00pm – 8:30pm.

On Sunday 3pm – 4pm, there is a buskers performance.

On 27 February 2010, there will be a Chinese New Year celebration at the stage from 6pm – 11pm.
 
Central Market is truly the art and cultural centre of Kuala Lumpur. It is really one of the very precious heritage sites that all Malaysians should visit and understand our multi-ethnic history and culture.

Then and there the Spirit of 1Malaysia would be deeply rooted into out hearts and souls.

This year is the Year of the Tiger. Seen as a custodian of wealth and protector from evil, the Tiger is much admired as an icon of leadership, courage, dynamism, vitality and power.

The Chinese New Year this year is special because it shares a date with Valentines Day (Feb 14 2010), which happens only 4 times in 100 years.

The shopping malls in Malaysia are covered in vibrant decorations with the colour red, which signifies happiness, prosperity and love.

There will also be stunning and entertaining performances for everyone to enjoy.

So, come and get to know the Chinese culture by visiting these malls.

Pavilion

Official website http://www.pavilion-kl.com

Themed “Illuminate with Prosperity and Splendorous Style” this Chinese New Year, the Pavilion mall is filled with eye-catching decorations from 18 January to 28 February.

The celebration was launched by Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik on 18 January.

Coincidentally, the Pavilion was also celebrating its 2nd Anniversary, which falls on 31 January 2010.

The main hall was decorated with lots of Chinese Pine trees.
 
Pine trees are time-honoured symbols for strength and longevity due to its endurance even in the harshest weather conditions. 
 
There are many booths selling Chinese stuff. Are these real models? They are actually dough figurines by Zhang Ren Sheng.

The 3D figurines are really realistic!

Ahmad from Qatar was convinced by Zhang Ren Sheng’s figuring skill. So he got himself “dough-figured”.
 
The final result looks very satisfying and memorable!
 
Lim Chai Yin, 9, being drawn by a professional portrait painter, Li Yong Fu.

In the process of drawing the hair…

Almost done…

The final result! Really realistic! Thanks to Mr. Li Yong Fu from China.
 
Chinese shadow puppetry figures are also available.

If you like, you can buy some to entertain your children or friends.

From this table, you can understand what different Chinese symbols represent (e.g. Mandarin Duck = Happiness in Marriage).

Chinese believe some stones can bring luck and good fortune.
 
A close-up look of the stones.
 
You can get your name engraved on some of these stones too.
 
If you need to see more Chinese accessories for Chinese New Year, you can go to Tang. Here, Chinese umbrellas for real use or for decorations are for sale.
 
Are you interested to get these giant golden groundnuts for decoration?
 
Because this year is the year of the tiger, Chinese like to buy tiger models to bring good luck to their homes. Mandarin oranges and ripe limes represent gold.
 
Remember to take pictures of yourself with Chinese New Year decorations at the main entrance before you leave!

Three 16-year-old girls from SMK Puteri Ampang, Abid, Bella, Sarah (from left to right), wanted to enjoy the decorations and the atmosphere of this CNY.
 
These lanterns at the entrance are hanging beautifully. Pretty flowers are also abundant.
 
Outside the mall was decorated with beautiful Plum Blossoms, which is one of the most beloved flowers of China. The reason for this is because it blooms most vibrantly during the winter, after most other plants have shed their leaves, and before other flowers appear. They are regarded as a symbol of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
 

Sungei Wang Plaza

Official website http://www.sungeiwang.com

At the main entrance of the Sungei Wang Plaza, two beautifully crafted pavilions enclosed with red cloth draped across its rock-like structures are set to welcome visitors. Handcrafted Chinese Pines were abundant too.
 
Sungei Wang is also ushering in the year of the Tiger by putting realistic tiger models at its Center Stage with auspicious lanterns glowing beautifully.
  
Handmade pine trees fixed in a scenic background setting creates a poetic landscape found only in classic Chinese paintings.

Adjacent to the stage is a Chinese art exhibition – Chinese calligraphy, paper cutting, knotting, tea ware and many more!
  
There was a lion string puppet too! When you pull the strings, a mini lion dance will entertain your friends and family.

Enjoy an unforgettable performance of skill, flexibility and balance by China’s all-time favourite acrobats from China Oriental Art Troupe, as they perform thrilling stunts. So don’t miss out the amazing stunts there that are sure to make your jaw drop!

Urn Balancing. I hope it won’t drop!

Marvelous balancing skills! I can never do that!

Awesome agility skills! I can’t stop my jaw from dropping!

Below are the videos of the awesome feats. I’m sure you will enjoy them as much as I did.

Mid Valley Megamall

Official website http://www.midvalley.com.my

The centre court of the Mid Valley Megamall has been transformed into a lotus garden with dragonflies surrounding big huge red lotus leaves which represents luck and wealth.
 
Amidst the garden was a tall pagoda with detailed Chinese designs.

There were also lion dance performances with some acrobatics that entertained children as well as adults.

The lion dance is coming to town!

There were also artful dragon dance performances.
 
Below is the video of the lion and dragon dance performances. Enjoy!

There were also beautiful peonies for sale. They represent good fortune, romance and a happy marriage.
 
Doesn’t this tiger look real? Well, it is because it is actually designed with fur. This is really the year of the Tiger! Haha!
 

Suria KLCC

Official website http://www.suriaklcc.com.my/

At the heart of Suria KLCC, a famous landmark shopping destination just below the Petronas Twin Towers, there were vibrant decorations too, like silk peonies.
 
There was also a cute and bold little girl, Xie Niu Niu, 3, from China, who danced to the Chinese New Year themed background music.

Berjaya Times Square

Official website http://www.timessquarekl.com 

At the Berjaya Times Square, shop lots also decorated their shops with red festive decorations too to wish their customers a happy Chinese New Year!
 

At the entrance, there was a traditional rickshaw. People love to have photos taken of them sitting on the rickshaw. Wouldn’t you?

The Lower Ground Concourse was filled with beautiful ancient Chinese architecture with stylistic shone arched buildings of sloping roofs, bringing you “Memories of Glitz and Glamour”, as it is themed.
   
You will enjoy the art and craft of Chinese culture if you visit the shops there. Below is the delicate paper cuttings.

Just look at how delicate and beautiful they are!

I’m really astonished by the paper cuttings because it’s complex and concise!

I love “The Circle of Life” below most.
 
All the hard work is done by Mr. Zhang Jun Wei.
 
Below are the intricate dough figurines. They look cute and yummy to me, but it is not eatable!

Proudly done by Zhang Su Xeng.

The beautiful Chinese knotting and Tiger pillows are handmade by Tai Xue Chin. The knots act as good luck charms.
 
These pair of fish symbolizes abundance. It can brighten up your home.

You can get your name, English or Mandarin, carved on a stone.

The final result!

It belongs to 13-year-old Yao Jia Hao.
 
There was also Xuns on sale. Xuns are gobular flutes made of ceramic or clay. Let’s watch and hear Liu Fang playing it! The smaller the Xun, the higher the tune.

Consider yourself lucky if you happen to bump into the Eight Immortals at the stage, because they will be giving red packets filled with surprises, like cash vouchers. 

Exciting performances by children will surely entertain you!
 
And also other children!
 
They are really cheerful, intelligent, professional and talented girls!

The Chinese are famous for their hard work, perseverance and determination. During the Chinese New Year, the Chinese become a people of creativity. They like to associate everything that can symbolize health, wealth and longevity in order to bring hope that the future ahead is auspicious, joyful, and harmonious.

Join in the festive-inspired activities, which are ‘funtastic’ and action-packed. Remember to watch the mesmerizing dance and musical performances, earth-shaking lion dances,and jaw-dropping acrobatic performances.

Also, you can enjoy a vibrant mix of shopping offers, bringing you more excitement from life plants to festive goodies and treats.

The splendor and the ethereal beauty of the malls with intricate cultural Chinese designs will surely brighten your holiday and enhance your knowledge on the Malaysian Chinese.

So, try not to stay at home this February! Come to the malls and indulge yourself in the joy of the festive season!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Wishing everyone a hopeful and successful 2010!

Themed “1 Wilayah Persekutuan Maju dan Sejahtera” this year, the event was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on February 1 (Midnight) at the Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka).
 
Above, from left to right,

1. Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Muhyiddin bin Mohd. Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister
2. Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, First Lady of Malaysia
3. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia
4. Datin Nafesah Raja Nong Chik, Wife of Datuk Nong Chik
5. Datuk Raja Nong Chik bin Datuk Raja Zainal Abidin, Minister of the Federal Territories and Urban Well-being

Above 2 pictures by Najib Razak.

Dataran Merdeka is a famous and distinguished landmark in Malaysia, where Malaysia was granted independence on August 31 1957.
 
The 95-metre flagpole at the Independence Square is one of the tallest in the world. Wow! Whenever we see this flagpole, let us cherish the 1Malaysia spirit… unity in diversity.
 
The concept of 1Malaysia is greatly shown in this FT Day celebration because the activities includes all the difference races in Malaysia. Malaysia is really a country where different races unite and live peacefully with one another!

The Federal Territories Day’s Eve (31 January) was filled with concerts featuring local artistes, cultural presentations and fireworks at night.

Photo by Aly AsySyafiq Hashim.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the newly-established 1Malaysia Maintenance Fund (TP 1Malaysia) for maintenance of low-cost housing units and flats.

Nong Chik said in conjunction with the Federal Territories Day, his ministry will be giving out cash aid to the poor starting from this month.

“Our focus will be on the poor and this is the first time we are giving out cash aid in conjunction with FT Day,” he said.

“For example, our ministry will be allocating RM5mil to the TP 1Malaysia fund.”
 
10 million ringgit is contributed by the generous KL City Hall to the TP 1Malaysia fund.
 
The Government of Malaysia contributed 20 million to TP 1Malaysia. Wow!
 
Other companies have also contributed to the TP 1Malaysia fund.

The total amount received by TP 1Malaysia was RM 37,670,000.00 (37.67 million).
FT Cares!

The above 6 pictures by Najib Razak.

The celebration continued in the morning. The events attracted many curious and excited tourists and spectators. Were you one of the spectators too?

The events started off at 8:30am, with the KL Ride 2010, a bicycle ride which covered a distance of 13 km! It was held in conjunction with the Le Tour de Langkawi.

A very excited cyclist .
 
I think the participants below look smart with their sunglasses.

Another event that attracted a really huge crowd was the Foot Drill competition, which a total of 28 schools participated, comprising of various uniformed bodies.

It was held just next to the clock tower of the Sultan Abdul Samad building, which provided a cool shelter for the crowd in the morning.
 
Another event that attracted a lot of spectators, especially children, is the Tarik Upih (literally pull Pinang tree frond) competitions.

It is a fun traditional game in which competitors compete by pulling a Pinang frond with their partner seated on it. After reaching the finish line, they switched places and pulled their partner back to the starting point.

A girl trying to pull her partner back to the starting point. Could she make it?

Another Malay traditional game is Galah Panjang. It is played on an even ground. One team is the runners, and the other team is the taggers. The runners need to get past the taggers without being touched by them in order to win.
 
Even tourists didn’t want to miss out the exciting Galah Panjang sport!

On the big stage, there was a special event for the leaders of tomorrow – Children’s 1Malaysia Traditional Costume Fashion.

They wore clothing of the different races in Malaysia – Malays, Indians and Chinese. Some of the children even wore clothes that combined elements from multiple races! Creative!

The cute participants of the fashion show.
 
Three joyous boys.

The 1Malaysia spirit!
 
Truly, the spirit of 1Malaysia should be inculcated in children when their minds are pure and open! Friendship and harmony are precious in life. 

Every participant were given about 2 minutes to act out what they were dressed as. Here is Amirul Asyraf bin Othman as the Sultan of Malacca performing "Silat”, a Malay martial art, with a “Kris”, a traditional Malay weapon.
 
The disabled were not left out. The Malaysian Paralympic Council, Masterskill College, Welfare Depart­ment and UITM Shah Alam, had fun activities for them, like Wheelchair Basketball.
 

“It is good to let the public interact with the disabled and learn about the difficulties faced by their community,”

- Programme coordinator of the day, G. Mohan.

There were quizzes for primary school children too. The winner gets a goodie bag.
 

In the morning, people flocked to the Nestle Nesvita truck to drink some free Nesvita milk as their additional nutrition. In the hot afternoon with blazing sun, there was cold Milo for everyone! So timely! Thanks to Nestle!
 
The misty fans around kept us cool and misty!
 
So refreshing!
 
A paintball “war” was going on too! If you like the computer game “Counterstrike”, then you would love this paintball game very much!

Spectators witnessing the game with anticipation – Real action of shoot – hide – seek – shoot!

I did not miss out the opportunity to try it out too! So I tried to aim at the targets and shoot the paintball out.
 
BANG!
 
The paintball was free for everyone to try. You could get 10 shots for free.

The celebration continued with the Family Cooking Competition and a Husband and Wife make-up session. The winners for the Children’s 1Malaysia Traditional Costume Fashion Show and the Foot Drill competition were also announced later that day.

Other than all these, the Federal Territories Day celebrations this year has month-long events lined up.

On every weekend this February 2010 (except the Chinese New Year weekend), there would be events at different venues for the people.

Click here to read the list of all the events. You can also click here to go to the official website of the Ministry of the Federal Territories and Urban-wellbeing.

The Minister of the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said:

“The most important thing about this celebration is the 1Malaysia concept and activities that involve all the races.”

He was also interviewed exclusively by Bernama recently in conjunction with the Federal Territories Day.

He said that Kuala Lumpur will be adding a network of covered walkways to its landscape starting with the walkway connecting Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and the nearby Bukit Bintang commercial district. Wow! I’m looking forward to enjoying it!

He also told Bernama that getting rid of poverty in the city will be top on the list for the Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being as the government shifts its focus to help the needy in towns as well.

Other than that, he said that assistance and skills enhancement for school children will be taken care of.

As a caring minister, Raja Nong Chik said that conducted regular and informal visits to the ground to listen to the people’s problems. What a considerate minister!

He said he knows the basic problems faced by the urbanites because he has been politically involved in the Federal Territories for about 20 years.

“When I was appointed to lead the ministry, I use the 7P Philosophy to help me focus on the job,” he said.

The 7P Philosophy is made of seven aspects – development, housing, maintenance, hawkers, enforcement, public transportation and caring attitude.

As a result of this caring attitude, the minister had also expanded the scope of the Federal Territories Foundation to help the people.

He hoped that the 36th Federal Territories Day celebration would give a new spirit for the people to work closely with the ministry to improve and develop the territories while reducing political controversies.

Also, on 31 January, he and his wife, Datin Nafisah attended the pre-Chinese New Year celebration involving 150 multi-racial old folks aged between 65 and 101 from Lembah Jaya, organized by Lembah Jaya MCA division.

The senior citizens were treated to delicious brunch at Fatty Chong Restaurant in Taman Seri Sentosa, Old Klang Road.

IMAGE: Datin Nafisah chatting with the oldest citizen, Chong Kew, 101, at the celebration. (Picture by TheStar)

He said that such celebrations promoted unity among the different races in the community.

So, happy Federal Territory Day! Hope to see you at the coming events!

It has many exhibits and sections covering an area of more than 70,000 square feet. You and your child will surely enjoy it.

In this blog post I will share with you the exhibits that I think are the most interesting and exciting.

After buying the tickets, you can go to the Muzika exhibition first. It is where the science of music comes alive.

Inside the exhibition includes a DJ section where you can scratch the disc like a DJ for a while.

The instructions will be given on a screen.

Then, you can play the air guitar. You simply hold an ‘invisible’ guitar and play it as if you were playing a real one!

It also has other 22 fun and exciting exhibits. The Muzika exhibition has been travelling around the world and has now arrived at Petrosains. It will stay until March 2010. So don’t miss it!

After that, you can go on to the Petrosains Discovery Center.

The dark ride will be the beginning of your journey, a fun and creative ride that will bring you through the rainforest of Malaysia, up to the peak of the mountain, and then into the sea. Finally, you will arrive at the Petrosains Discovery Center.

 
Below is a stick hologram at the first section of Petrosains. You can see it floating in mid-air but you cannot feel it or touch it. Amazing!

Here is a video of it.

Here is a hologram of a small toy car.

Holography is really cool! It appears to be real, but you can’t touch or grab it.

When you enter the Geotime Diorama area, you will be greeted by a giant model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. You will discover stuff that is dated more than 200 million years ago. You will get to touch, feel and discover fossils and stones, and even have a whiff of ancient air!

Here’s a realistic replica of an ancient volcano. It even emits some smoke!

You can also experience what an earthquake feels like. Just sit on the bench and let it shake you. You can set the strength of the earthquake by yourself!

At Petrosains, you feel the fun in experiencing the hurricane wind in the tube below. Ideal for a hot day, because the wind feels very cold!

Mind you, the wind in the tube is really powerful, travelling up to 128 kilometers per hour (It will mess up your hair very much)!

This is the Sparkz section where everybody, especially kids, can have fun with activities like interactive arts (below), which will react to the actions of your shadow. It seems like you are the magician in command!

One karate chop of your shadow will make the purplish wriggly jelly break apart!

The exhibit children love most at Petrosains is the grain pit, where kids, regardless of age, nationality or religion, team up so spontaneously to transfer the grains from one section to another. The spirit of 1Malaysia brightly shines in Petrosains.

Please view the video below. It’s really fun to play with the grain pit because you will help the grains travel in a non-stop cycle!

The activity that attracted me most is the Mindball, where 2 players compete using their brain waves to make the ball go into the goal of the opponent to win.

Player 1 (left), Foo Shen, and Player 2 (right), Foo Loong, are brothers from Indonesia.
Each player wears a headband around their forehead. Then they will control their minds to command the ball to go over to the opponent’s goal to win the game.

As you can see, the Alpha and Theta waves of Player 2 is very low, which means that Player 2 is more calm and focused than Player 1, so Player 2 will win the game.

The ball is going towards Player 1, which means Player 2 is winning.

Foo Loong (Player 2) is a money changer. You can understand that his work needs him to be cool and steady at all times as he deals with money. One moment of disturbed focus of his mind will cause monetary loss.

Foo Shen (Player 1), a salesman, can be very calm and focused when he is facing his clients and very unfocused during other times. So when playing mind games, Foo Loong, who is used to controlling his mind easily, will surely win.

I explained to Mr. Lim’s family (from Penang) how to play this game and encouraged them to see their mind-controlling strength. They quickly wanted to play.

The daughters competed with each other first.

Xin Li (Player 1), 9, controlled her mind better than Xin Ting (Player 2), 13, and won within 30 seconds.

Xin Li (Player 1) lost to her father (Player 2), because the girl lost confidence.

Then, Player 1, the mother, Madam Heng and Player 2, the father, Mr. Lim, were extremely cool and calm.

(Picture 1)

Finally, after 7 minutes, the daughters told their parents to finish faster. Feeling that they may not have enough time to enjoy other activities, Mr. Lim gave up mind controlling and let his wife win.

(Picture 2)

From here you can see that the brain waves of the couple suddenly changed from low, a cool mind (Picture 1), to high, a tense mind (Picture 2).

In conclusion, if you want to win in life, your mind must be calm and focused. A tense and stressful mind will usually lose because it is an unfocused mind that cannot figure out the direction and solution.

So come to Petrosains to understand your mind through this Mindball game. The machine costs about RM 70,000. So even if you come here just for this Mindball game, it is worth your time and money, in my opinion.

It is because firstly, you can see your normal brain waves. Secondly, you can try to control your mind and see how your brain waves change. You also can observe other players’ brain waves to help you understand more about the mind.

Fantastic Mindball! I enjoyed it so much!

Those are only some of the many exhibits in Petrosains. The total area of Petrosains is more than 70,000 square feet, as mentioned. So it is really big! Here is the map. You can see how many sections it has. Imagine how many exhibits and activities it provides you!

So come and see, hear, touch, smell and sense it for yourself, because that is what science is about – exploring and experimenting!

Your children will surely love it because Petrosains is designed to let them learn science in a fun, creative and exciting way.

Another Dark Ride will finish your journey. Remember to buy some souvenirs at the Xplorasi gift shop that sells science stuff. Buy them to encourage your other family members and friends who haven’t been to Petrosains to come!

The fee is really affordable. It’s only RM 12 for an adult and RM 4 for a kid!

The best thing is: by paying RM 100 (fee for 1 year), your family  (2 adults and 3 children) can become members and enjoy unlimited visits to Petrosains as well as free entries to participating Science Centres and Museums worldwide and other deals and discounts.

To know more about Petrosains, please visit their website, http://www.petrosains.com.my.

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Hi Friends. Today I want to virtually bring you to a park that I regard as heaven in my heart. It is Lembah Kiara Recreation Park. Most people call it Taman Tun Dr. Ismail park, or TTDI Park. It is just a 5-minute drive from 1 Utama Shopping Centre, and about 10-minutes from the Curve, Petaling Jaya.

To me it is the most refreshing park. It gives you the most ionic oxygen. It is because it is located below a mountain. People from all walks of life and ages love to come here and get some fresh air. I claim that the air here is the freshest in Malaysia.

The park is a favourite place for many people, especially joggers.

One path leads up to the mountain forest. The path winds through different types of trees, and at certain vantage points, you can see almost the whole park. Along the way, you can see some monkeys enjoying their food, playing with one another and taking care of their young.

It is easy to find many interesting insects if you keep an eye out on them.

When you go further along the path, you will see a thrilling suspension bridge.

From the bridge, you can have a panoramic view of the park. When you look down, you can see a wonderful man-made waterfall. Hearing the sound of the water splashing will make you forget all your troubles!

The other path goes around the lake, the streams, the waterfall, the playground and the forest. Some people walk, some people run and some people jog.

Usually when people pass by the bridge near the waterfall, they can’t but stop, admiring the waterfall or looking at the fishes in the pond.

Urban children of all ages, nations and nationalities know what are best in life – enjoying the shallow fresh and cooling stream from the mountains, which is not easily available in the modernized city.

Some bring nets or even just use their hands to catch fishes and shrimps.
Mr Chan is having fun catching fishes with his sons.

Some build sandcastles around the bank.

A handsome boy from Indonesia.

Some just enjoy playing with the water.

Others simply like to enjoy the refreshing feeling when their feet submerges into the cooling water and the sandy feeling when their feet sink into the sand.

Parents feel very happy when watching their children happily playing in the stream and showing wonderful smiles and laughter.

Wise parents would not miss the opportunity by being onlookers. They play in the stream too. Mr. Yao’s family is playing in the stream.

Children from all races and nationalities mix around together very well because they follow the examples of their parents, who mix very well with one another too.
Song Mei and her daughter, Rian (4+) from Korea making friends with Rockson (7+).

Bring your senior or disabled relatives for a walk in the park. It will be the most refreshing and relaxing treat for them.

There is a short bridge between the stream and the lake. People like to stand there to see children playing in the stream or viewing the fountain in the lake.

Children below six happily enjoy the playground instruments very much too, because it is so near to the mountain, stream and forest, which makes it more unique and enjoyable to play.

Next to the playground is a concrete floor, where you can play badminton, cycle, go rollerskating, and whatever suitable sport you can think of. In fact, there is another cement floor near the entrance too.

Opposite the playground is a blue and red cushion-like platform which absorbs the shock of impact from exercising and running.

You can do many activities there. Kids can play ball, frisbee or anything you think the platform is good for. Usually adults carry out exercise routines in the morning such as line dance, or Chinese fan dance sessions.

Guess what are they looking at?

Actually they are enjoying feeding the river terrapins, koi fish and catfish in the lake. Why don’t you bring your kids and enjoy it with them? Bring some bread to feed them. The fishes and terrapins will all crowd to the food spot and eat joyfully, so your children will enjoy feeding them very much.

If you get tired, hungry or thirsty, there is a soya bean van near the entrance selling soya bean, tau foo fah, soft drinks, and some cakes (5:30pm – 7:30pm). Hmmm! Refreshing.

The park’s landscape is also well sculpted, with palms, clumps of flowers like cannas and different types of shrubs, all of which are well kept.

Those who come late in the evening shouldn’t worry as the area with exercise instruments will be lighted up with spotlights and the jogging path with lamp posts.

A child is taking photographs of me taking photographs of him. Haha!

You should really come here and enjoy this wonderful and yet compact park.

There was one occasion when I was having a sore throat, then I walked leisurely on the paths from 11 am to 1 pm. I was healed on the same day.

On another occasion, my son, who was 8 years old then, was suffering from urinary track infection. Then I brought him to the park for a walk. He was healed too.

I believe it was due to the ionic air from the mountains, the refreshing environment and the beautiful scenery. It pacifies your spirit, soul and body, really!

Of course, the entrance is free!

If there were seven paradises on Earth, I will say that this park must be one of them. If you don’t believe me, come and see and feel for yourself. If you can’t feel how I feel, then at least you will still enjoy this marvelous park. It’s really ideal for a morning or an evening stroll, especially with your loved ones.

Of course, TTDI park is located within Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI). TTDI is a well-planned suburb on the border of KL city and Selangor State.

The area was named after Tun Dr Ismail, a former deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. It was developed during the 1970′s and is now well established.

It was designed to promote neighbourly interaction and there is a good community spirit that makes living there peaceful and harmonious.

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Here’s the map of the park by Google Maps.

View Larger Map

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Just a 5-minute-walk from the Petronas Twin Towers, you can arrive at Aquaria KLCC, which is located at the Concourse level of the KL Convention Centre.

Aquaria KLCC is a project initiated, developed and wholly-owned by Aquawalk Sdn Bhd. It was officially opened on 20 August 2005. Aquaria KLCC, which occupies 60,000 square feet, was designed by the New Zealand-based Marinescape Ltd, an aquarium construction and design specialist.

It is a marvelous world-class aquarium zoo that features various kinds of weird, strange, colourful and wonderful creatures that you most probably haven’t seen before, from Malaysia and around the world.

A visit to Aquaria KLCC will make you feel that you are one with the Ocean.

It will take you through a journey of discovery as well as eco-tourism, supported by the latest technologies.

You can go there via the KLCC Park and arrive at the West Entrance. The Main Entrance is at Jalan Pinang, opposite the UOA Building.

You can also go there through a tunnel located at the West of Suria KLCC below the Twin Towers.

When you step into Aquaria, one exciting event will be waiting for you. If you arrive at 11:15am or 4:00pm, you can witness the red-bellied Piranhas tearing apart a 1-foot Tilapia fish.

Mr Azhar, the guide, will tell you that the Piranha is a freshwater meat-eating fish. It has a strong sense of smell. It can smell a single drop of blood 200 litres or 2 miles away. They don’t attack humans but if they are injured, Piranhas might attack them.

Now Mr Azhar announced that if you can guess the time the Piranhas finished eating the 1-foot Tilapia fish, you will get a little reward. The hint was it was between 1 and 3 minutes, counted by a stopwatch.

Many people, especially children, were waiting for the exciting event in anticipation.

View the video below and see the Piranhas tear apart the Tilapia fish and good luck to you guessing the time!

One fish-lover commented that they should feed the piranha fish with more tilapia fish. Haha!

Then I continued my journey deep into Aquaria. Here I highlight the most interesting creatures and things I enjoyed.

1. Touch Pool

First you will reach the touch pool, where you can touch fishes like catfish, if you dare. You can also touch the horseshoe crab. But don’t worry, they won’t harm you. Feel free to feel the slimy and scaly creatures! Children would love it!

This is the horseshoe crab, but don’t worry, it won’t bite or sting, despite its ferocious appearance. But just be careful of the spikes on its sides.

2. The Highlands

After the touch pool, you’ll arrive at the highlands. People were crowding to view the creatures there.

The Red Iguana.

The River Terrapin. Can you guess where is the head?

Look at that cute pig-nosed long-necked turtle. I guess it was smiling to the viewers. Awwwww….

The rock-like Alligator Snapping Turtle.

3. Jewels of the Jungle

After that, you will enter into the mysterious “Jewels of the Jungle” section, where small insects, frogs, spiders, snakes, and other strange jungle creatures will amaze you.

The mysteriously-lighted entrance.

Do you know what insect can survive without a head? The Forest Cockroach! It’s brain is actually scattered throughout its body. If you chop off its head, it will still be as alive as it was… until it dies of thirst after a week.

Did you know that the Bumblebee Dart Frog is one of the most toxic yet tiny (5 cm) animals on Earth?

P.S. 2 micrograms (µg) of its poison can kill as much as……………..

2,200 people!

Argentine Horned Frog a.k.a. Pacman frog. I think it is very fat but cute!

If you came to this blog, I’m sure you know what the World Wide Web is. You are about to witness a true web at its most intricate design.

Next, you’ll see the cute and adorable Coatimundi. It can rotate its nose up to 60 degrees, but the most interesting aspect to me is it likes to rest on a sling, like human babies do.

4. Flooded Forest

Now you will be entering the Flooded Forest, where mangroves grow.

This unique 5.3 metre high Flooded Forest Tube tank enchants visitors with aquatic exhibits that leisurely swim within the water column up
to the treetops.

You will also be greeted by gigantic Arapaimas, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world.

Are you afraid of teeny weeny wriggling things like… worms and worse… millipedes? Here you can come and tremble with fear by seeing, touching and holding them. Do you dare to touch them? I dare!

5. The Coast

At the coast, where the land meets the sea, you can find lion fish, bamboo sharks, and other creatures that live there.

These are the eggs of the Bamboo Shark. If you look closely, you can see the yellow egg yolk and the red embryo moving.

After hatching, it will grow up like this:

Here is a human replica of the coastal areas. You can see corals and creatures from the coast.

6. Oceanarium (The climax of the journey)

Here, you will reach the climax of your journey, which is the main attraction of Aquaria KLCC, the thrilling 90-metre underwater tunnel with a moving walkway, a view only previously accessible to divers. It is the longest underwater tunnel in Malaysia.

Here you will find Sand Tiger Sharks, a Giant Blotched Fantail Ray, Giant Groupers, Turtles, Humphead Wrasses, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Guitarfish and many more!

The tunnel will really amaze you!

The ferocious-looking Sand Tiger Shark is one of the most famous exhibits in Aquaria KLCC.

Just look at those teeth!

The biggest exhibit in Aquaria is the Giant Blotched Fantail Ray

The curved panels have a de-magnifying effect of about 30% visually, so the creatures are actually 30% bigger than seen!

A Leopard/Honeycomb Stingray.

Then I saw a guitarfish, a type of ray. Its underside looks like a smiling human face! Awwww!

Some people tried to touch the creatures because they were so one with the ocean that they forgot they couldn’t.

Another visitor trying to touch the leopard stingray.

This smiling guitarfish stayed on top of the tunnel for quite a long time. Maybe it wants to say ‘hi’ to all of the visitors below.

Actually, that guitarfish looks like this on top.

A Humphead Wrasse.

A Blacktip Reef Shark.

One of the many rays in the aquarium.

This leopard-like eel is very beautiful!

What were these little fishes doing on the Sand Tiger Shark,

and the Giant Grouper?

Small fishes in the ocean are extremely useful to these huge fishes, because they help to eat off the parasites on the big fishes’ bodies and maintain their health.

Here is a video of the underwater tunnel and its fishes. View it for your enjoyment.

After you come out from the tunnel, you can take a rest. At this resting place, there are some products and services that will help you bring back your memories of your visit to Aquaria.

You can 1) Wax your hand,

2) Do a non-permanent body art tattoo,

3) Get a professional cartoon portrait of yourself by Mr. Aloy (10 minutes),

4) Get your name engraved on a grain of rice, which will be put into a pendant on a necklace (3 minutes for the whole process).

Fyna will do it for you.

You can see how she uses the finest-tipped pen to write a name on a grain of rice in seconds.

After your rest, you can continue the journey. Next stop is the Aqua Theatre, which is connected to the huge aquarium at the tunnel.

Here, you can see view the spectacular ocean reef and its inhabitants through a large acrylic window at the Aqua Theatre.

You can see the Giant Grouper here, one of the stars in Aquaria. His breathing is like talking to you. Really cute!

If you can’t find the turtles swimming in the underwater tunnel, you can see that the turtles like to swim around the Aqua Theatre the most. Perhaps they to like entertain the audiences!

A little girl was amazed to see this friendly turtle. Its size is bigger than hers.

This turtle is waving ‘Hi!’ to the audience!

You can also witness daily fish feedings as well as death-defying diving sessions with the sharks at the Aqua Theatre (at 12pm and 3pm)!

Here is a video of a daring diver feeding a Sand Tiger Shark (35 seconds).

During the Christmas season (ended on 27 December 2009), instead of the normal divers, the Scuba Santa will come and feed the fishes. This is one of the most exciting events that you couldn’t miss, especially your children.

If you missed it, you can still witness the normal divers feed the fishes daily, or you can come back next year to say hi to the Scuba Santa, or you can view it on a big screen next to the Aqua Theatre. The video is below. Enjoy!

7. Weird and Wonderful

This section showcases some of the weird and wonderful creatures from the ocean.

Does this look like a rock to you?

Well, actually, it is a stonefish, if you look more closely. It’s camouflage is really effective among the rocks in the sea.

The Nautilus, has a true external shell. The form of the shell itself has fascinated naturalists, mathematicians and physicists for years. The spirally coiled, chambered shell is perfectly proportioned mathematically!

Hi friends, do you know what fish has no brain, no blood, no eye and no nervous system?

The wobbly and jelly-like Moon Jellyfish! Which actually isn’t a fish.

Jellyfish has been around for more than 650 million years which means that they outdate both dinosaurs and sharks

8. Discovery Zone

Now you will be arriving at the Discovery Zone. You can learn about Potbellied Seahorses. They have large swollen bellies.

I’m sure you haven’t seen these marvelous shrimps.

Anemone Shrimp. Doesn’t it look like the Anemone coral?

Harlequin Shrimp. Cleverly disguised as a coral, because it lives in coral reefs.

Camel-back Shrimp.

Besides frogs and toads, what other amphibians do you know?

This is a mudskipper, an amphibious fish, which can breathe oxygen through its lungs, and can crawl with its two pectoral fins. In fact, it can crawl faster than it can swim. Remember the fact that it is a fish!

Have you come across a black-coloured rambutan-like creature? Here it is! The Sea Urchin! But don’t imagine that it is a unique rambutan and eat it. Some are poisonous and can harm you!

You will be learning about endangered species, such as (from top to bottom) the Ocean Sunfish, the Angler Fish, the Barracuda and the Dugong.

The Discovery Zone also showcases the aquarium life support system, which duplicates parts of nature’s life support system.

Then you can take the escalator up to the Atlantis Gift Shop, where you can buy souvenirs. You can find a variety of exclusive aquaria merchandise ranging from fun and colourful apparel, toys, accessories and many more!

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Hi friends. Today, I would like to share with you another one of the city’s iconic towers, the Kuala Lumpur Tower/KL Tower/Menara KL.

You will see it jutting into the skyline from just about anywhere in the city. But it actually stands atop Bukit Nanas (or Pineapple Hill), a rainforest reserve right at the middle of the city.

The KL Tower/Menara Kuala Lumpur, the tallest telecommunications tower in South East Asia and the sixth tallest in the world is a majestic tower rising to the height of 421 meters.

The beginning of the construction process started on 1 October 1989 and was officially launched by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, on 1 October 1996. The whole process took 7 years.

KL Tower is the testimony of the realization of the vision of Malaysia.

The view from the base of the tower.

Also, KL Tower is the only tower in the world that is located within a 3 million-year-old rainforest.

Don’t miss out the 110-year-old Jelutong Tree at the base of the tower.

When constructing the KL Tower, the builders took special care to construct a retaining wall around this 110-year-old jelutong tree (Dyera costulata) to avoid harming it at the cost of RM430,000.
 
This is a testimony to how Malaysia works in building this beautiful tower and also working with the environment.

Now, the KL Tower Animal Zone is built around it.

You can see its base from inside the Animal Zone.
 
The ticket to visit the KL Tower observation platform for an adult is RM38, while the ticket for a child is RM28. Each ticket would also entitle you to 3 new attractions at the base of the tower.

Enjoy them before or after you go up to the observation platform. The 3 attractions are:

1. Pony Ride
   
2. F1 Simulator
   Children (10-12 years), teenagers, and adults will enjoy it!
    
3. and the KL Tower Animal Zone
   It features birds, snakes, reptiles, spiders, monkeys, raccoons, turtles, tortoises, and others.
   
   A giant iguana. You might want to see how big it is!
   
   An alligator snapping turtle.
   
   Why is it opening its mouth?
   
   Oh! It is because it is letting small fishes eat up the parasites in its mouth. Isn’t it like us brushing our teeth?
   
   An albino pigtailed macaque at the zoo, one of the rarest primate species in the world. She is the loving mother to two other pigtailed macaques (aged 1 and 7). She breastfeeds her younger child while the older one finds bugs on her body to eat.
   
   A white-eared marmoset. Its face looks like a human!
   
   It is fun to play with the monkeys when you are protected by the glass.
   
   A reticulated python can grow up to 32 feet, like the picture below.
   
   An albino American bullfrog.
   
   His sweet smiling face welcomes you! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
   
   A colourful Eastern Roselle, is an intelligent creature which can be trained to whistle a wide repertoire of tunes and may even learn to speak a few words or phrases.
   
   You can also be taken a photo with Larry, a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, rested on your shoulder or head.

   This KL Tower Animal Zone really encourages people to get close to nature and its animals.

You can also ride the thrilling flying fox. It is 50 feet above the ground and about 450 feet long. Ride it if you dare! You can buy the flying fox tickets to enjoy an adventurous ride.

A lady getting ready for the ride.

Take off! WOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Enjoying the thrilling ride. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

From Wednesday to Sunday at 11 am and 3:30 pm, there are 1-hour cultural shows.

Gamelan performance.
 
A traditional and cultural dance performance.
 
A dance performance at the amphitheatre.
 
There is a mini theatre for visitors to watch the documentary of the construction of the KL Tower.

Watching the video will touch your heart that the vision of Malaysia has been materialized through the KL Tower.

After that, you shall go into the main lobby to take the lift up to the observation platform. When you enter the main lobby, you cannot miss the sparkling seven-layer diamond-like dome on the ceiling, and also the other 3 domes at the other 3 entrances to the lobby.

These domes are actually designed in the form of Muqarnas, by Iranian craftsmen. This is indeed a magnificent work of art.

Observation Platform

Now you can finally go up to the KL Tower’s observation platform 276 meters above ground level to enjoy the panoramic view of the city! The view is really awesome!

The spectacular view of the Petronas Twin Towers on an afternoon.
 
Inside the observation platform.
 
Here is the display of the comparison of the telecommunications towers in the world. KL Tower was the 4th.
 

High-rise buildings are abundant in Kuala Lumpur.
 
Residential and low-rise areas in Kuala Lumpur. Can you spot the Istana Budaya and Batu Caves?

Here they are!

The Batu Caves is about 50 kilometres away from the KL Tower. It is a very famous Thaipusam spot in Malaysia.
 
Can you see the building with a unique blue rooftop? That is the Istana Budaya which is the National Theatre of Malaysia. It’s name literally translates to “Palace of Culture”. It plays host to local and international musical productions.

Can you see the huge lake beside it? It is the serene Tasik Titiwangsa park. The lake is where you can go canoeing, kayaking and aqua biking.

Apart from the high-rise buildings, greeneries are bountiful in Kuala Lumpur.
   
You also can see the (1) Independence Square, (2) its tallest (100 metre) flagpole in Malaysia, (3) the Royal Selangor Club, and (4) the clock tower of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building
  
In the view below, you can find a lot of famous places in Kuala Lumpur.

1. Dayabumi Building
2. National Mosque
3. Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
4. Islamic Arts Museum
5. Islamic Centre
6. KL Bird Park
7. National Planetarium
8. National Museum
9. KL Sentral

If you looked through the powerful binoculars at the KL Tower observation platform,

you could see the National Planetarium’s blue dome and its observation tower. Behind it is the National Museum.
 
Can you guess which park in KL this is?
 
It is actually the KLCC park.
 
From the KL Tower, you can actually see the clouds pouring out rain at Petaling Jaya. Truly amazing!

After the sky has cleared up, you can see the Telekom Malaysia Headquarters clearly. It is a unique sail-shaped 6-star intelligent building in Petaling Jaya.
             
Whenever you come to the KL Tower observation platform, it will give you different feelings. In the morning, afternoon or night, rainy, sunny or cloudy, the different spectacular views will invoke different feelings.

The most special feeling is in the evening, when you can watch the sunset at its most majestic display.

“When you come to the tower, don’t miss the sunset at the tower. You’re gonna fall in love with the city and you will fall in love with anyone that you bring with you. So make sure you bring the right person to fall in love.”

Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, CEO of the Kuala Lumpur Tower.

What a intelligent CEO with a great sense of humour and creativity!

While witnessing the city darken, you can see some beautiful sunsets all over the city – North, South, East, West.
 
The Petronas Twin Towers on a rainy and foggy evening. Do you feel like the mist is around you?

The Petronas Twin Towers illuminated at night.
 
Isn’t it beautiful?
 
From the above view, you can see that when the sun goes down, Kuala Lumpur magically transforms into a fairyland. The lights light up the night, making Kuala Lumpur the garden city of lights. Really glorious!

Seasons greetings from AmBank. Viewed from the KL Tower.

Just one floor above the observation platform is the revolving restaurant, Seri Angkasa. Dining there is not a must but surely a treat.

I would suggest you to come earlier in the evening so that you can witness the darkening skyline. It is very interesting to experience the twilight and also the night lights in the city. Can you see the twinkling Twin Towers?
 
After that, you can go down to the base of the tower to enjoy the illumination of the tower and the fresh and cooling breeze.

When you go out, you may see the KL Tower constantly changing colours. It is really colourful! You can view the video slideshow below (7 seconds).

The KL Tower was illuminated in red for the entire month of December 2009 in conjunction with World AIDS Day 2009, as a Mark of Hope and Support for Malaysians living with HIV. It was really beautiful and inspiring.

Malaysia Cares!

At the base of the tower, you can also dine at Rainforest Cafe,

or the d’Tandoor Restaurant.

One of the shops that grabbed my attention was Miyi Jewels, which specializes in polymer clay items. Polymer clay is unbreakable, waterproof and fungusproof. Cool! It is also very nice to touch.
 
The spirit of 1Malaysia is shown in this shop too! You can purchase a photo frame with polymer clay models of the 3 main races in Malaysia – (from left to right) Chinese, Indians and Malays.
 
KL Tower also plays host to annual events such as the International Towerthon (February), which sees competitors dash up the stairs to the top of the tower.

It also hosts international BASE (Buildings, Antennas, Spans and Earth) jumping competitions (August), where participants parachute off the top of the tower.

Here is a video of it:

In conclusion, from the panoramic view from this tower, you can see that Kuala Lumpur merges the old and new. Ultra-modern skyscrapers jostles with centuries-old minarets and spires of the many mosques.

From the KL Tower, you can really enjoy the skyline like no other.

Then you can understand why KL prides itself as a city that has managed to preserve the best of its cultural and historical heritage despite encouraging modern infrastructure and facilities.

You will see so clearly that there is a great variety of architecture styles, from the old colonial buildings, to the black-and-white tudor-style Royal Selangor Club and the Islamic-inspired designs of Menara Dayabumi and the hour glass-shaped Tabung Haji Building.

Fireworks from the KL Tower

During two great days, Malaysia’s Independence Day (Hari Merdeka) (12 am, 31st August) and New Year’s Day (12 am, 1st January), you will have the most exciting view of the fireworks in the city!

Once the clock strikes 12 am, the fireworks will be simultaneously displayed all over the city. The main fireworks are at Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), Petronas Twin Towers, Bukit Bintang, Mont Kiara, Bangsar and Mid Valley.

Don’t you feel lucky and excited that you can have the opportunity to view all these wonderful firework displays simultaneously at the KL Tower?

Below are the pictures of the awesome and splendid fireworks that lit up the city skyline on the 1st of January 2010.

1. Dataran Merdeka

Image by Effendy Rashid from NST.

2. Petronas Twin Towers

Image by Nan Yang Siang Pao.

3.Genting Highlands (Maxims Hotel)

Image by Sin Chew Daily

If you looked through the binoculars, you could see thousands and thousands of revellers that bade farewell to 2009 and rang in 2010 by partying down the last seconds of 2009 in Dataran Merdeka and Petronas Twin Towers.

Both Malaysians and foreigners from all walks of life flocked to these celebration points to enjoy the New Year Eve Concerts, multi-cultural dance troupes and other energetic performances.

You could see the people sing and dance along to the music. At the stroke of midnight, they would countdown “10, 9, 8….3, 2, 1,” and erupt in cheers and wish each other Happy New Year!

This is the most gratifying sight-seeing tower that you shall never miss! So, come and be one with the sky, only at KL Tower!

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve

Another famous attraction at the base of the KL tower is the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve. It is 1 of the 13 mega diversity primary tropical rainforest in the world, which is 3 million years old.

KL Tower becomes extraordinarily unique because it is the only tower in the world to be located within a rainforest. And the forest is in the heart of the city! These facts should excite you to visit the KL Tower and its primary tropical rainforest.

If your children long to have an adventure in the forest, this is the perfect place for them!

It is really a forest in the middle of a busy city!
 
There are tour guides to help you get to know this forest daily for free at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 4:30 pm.

When you walk into the forest, you can hear the natural and peaceful sounds of insects like the cicada. It will really soothe your soul.

Below is a tour guide, Tony, explaining that the Meraga tree (Pertusadina euryhncha, Rubiaceae) has ugly holes in order to keep insects and animals from harming it because its ugliness will distract and make its potential enemies stay away.
 
Below is the picture of the same type of tree, but this one has longer holes because it is much older.

This Permanent Reserved Forest is classified as a Lowland Dipterocarp Rainforest. You can see the thick trunk and huge roots of many trees aged over 100 years old.

The Krepal tree (Kostermansia malayana) below is found only in Malaysia.

Below is a Merawarn Batu tree (Hopea beccariana).
 
Below is a very old durian tree.
 
The 110-year-old Jelutong tree (about 150 cm in diameter) at the base of the tower compared with the 350-year-old Jelutong tree in the forest (455 cm in diameter, about 3 adults hugging it).
 
The Bird’s-nest Fern is the plant that we should know if we want to survive in the forest. It is because it contains a lot of water. Just poke the spongy roots at the base of the leaves and the water will leak out.

The Bird’s-nest Fern can grow symbiotically on trees.
 
It also can grow very big too!
 
Other than the Bird’s-nest Fern, another tree that can quench your thirst is the tarzan vine. If you break it with a knife or a karate chop, the water will come out for you. Don’t worry because it can rejoin again within a week.
 
The third tree that can save our lives is the banana tree, because we can eat its fruit and also drink its water when we break its branch.
 
The heart of the banana tree. Delicious!
 
If you want to camp, relax and listen to the sounds of nature with your friends, you can come to the camping site below.
 
The Bamboo Walk area has a lot of beautiful bamboos, especially these 85-year-old bamboos below.

Interpretative trail maps are placed at the trails to guide you. There are about 5 trails for you to explore.
 
Below is the Jelutong Trail, an adventurous trail that you shall not miss.
 
You would really enjoy your adventure on the Jelutong Trail!
 
Apart from the natural path above, there are also concrete paths. Both are perfect for hiking, walking or jogging while breathing ionic oxygen! 
 
Be sure to keep your eyes out for birds, reptiles, insects and monkeys. Can you spot a monkey below?

But no matter how cute they are, you shall not feed the monkeys.

Along the tracks, look out for special stuff like this Lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum). Can you spot it?

There it is!
 
It brought back my memories when I was completing my final year thesis on the cultivation and analysis of the Lingzhi mushroom. Lingzhi was described as “mushroom of immortality”. Because of the press’ interest, I was interviewed by them (23 November 1991, Nan Yang Siang Pao).
   
Below are some other types of mushrooms.

At the end of the Jelutong trail, there is the Wariseni Gallery, where you will find many unique wooden furniture and craft that you can admire or purchase.
 
In conclusion, Kuala Lumpur has always been a garden city as it is naturally endowed with forest – an identity that only a few cities in the world can claim.

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve is the natural, tropical and urban forest designed and built by Mother Nature. From the primitive fungi to the more developed small mammals, our urban forest is full of surprises.

The rainforest is really a precious heritage for us to enjoy:

1. Ionic oxygen for quality urban living.
2. Peaceful sight of greeneries.
3. As a platform for jungle adventure and research.

So, come to the KL Tower to enjoy the marvelous panoramic view of the garden city (Kuala Lumpur) and the experience of adventuring in the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve at the bottom of the tower.

KL Tower, the 2nd most visited tower in the world, is the tower where you can enjoy the skyline like no other!

You can get to the KL Tower with the KL Hop-on Hop-off double-decker bus or taxi.
 
Here is an aerial view of the KL Tower on Google Maps.

View Larger Map

You can visit the KL Tower’s official website here – http://www.menarakl.com.my

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Feel free to vote for my post! Highly appreciated! No registration required.

Hi! Did you sense that Christmas is in the air? Today is 24 December 2009, the Eve of Christmas. What does Christmas mean to you?

For some, it is the best time to enjoy the numerous bargains. For Christians, they might like to shop for decorations, a Christmas tree, and outfits to be worn to Christmas parties or family dinners. To all kind-hearted people, it’s a time for them to think of buying gifts for their loved ones or needy people.

Millions of Malaysians are making special trips to malls during this special season. I think we all want to enjoy the spirit of Christmas, which is, in general, the spirit of giving. We love the nice feeling of being generous and buying some gifts for others.

The decorations in the malls and the discounts make shopping even more tempting. Even if you don’t celebrate the festival, you will find yourself touring the malls to enjoy the marvelous decorations and fun activities.

Hopefully, we will all buy some gifts for our loved ones as an appreciation for our loving relationship. It doesn’t necessarily has to cost a bomb as long as you feel that the recipient will appreciate your present.

The first mall we visited was Mid Valley Megamall.

The North Court.

The Centre Court.

At the Centre Court, there is a ‘Come and Meet Santa’ charity program, started on 11 December to 25 December 2009. The project is sponsored by Foto-Shangri-La and Mid Valley Megamall.

If you pay RM10, you and your whole family will get to be photographed with Santa on a beautifully decorated stage. The clothes are provided. The photo, a present and a balloon will be given to you.

Your RM10 will be donated to the Stepping Stones Home in Taman Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur. The photo session on 24th and 25th December are 12:30pm-1:30pm, 4:30pm-5:30pm and 6pm-7pm.

You and your family will be dressed and photographed like this.

The photo will be given to you.

Come and join the program! Lines and lines of people were having fun joining this charity program. Hope you’ll be one of them.

Then we went to the center of KL City. The first mall we visited was Berjaya Times Square. The photos below are its Christmas decorations.

I befriended a Saudi Arabian, Ahmad, and his sister, Marsha, who were visiting here too. Marsha is studying in University Malaya, a Master in Physics. Ahmad is a Bachelor in Economics.

Below is an Iranian man, Ali, who attracted people’s attention because he was wearing a cute Christmas hat.

You can have fun being a snowman too!

Hope that we all will remember the spirit of Christmas, which is the spirit of giving, regardless of race and religion. Then the world will become a peaceful place for all to enjoy.

Next, we went to Plaza Low Yat. Here’s the entrance.

Plaza Low Yat and the street.

Plaza Low Yat is Malaysia’s largest IT lifestyle mall. Below are Choy Hui and Christine promoting HTC mobile phones and accessories.

Opposite Plaza Low Yat is BB (Bukit Bintaing) Park. It is very well decorated too. Below is Edward at his Beer Garden stall.

My son and two employees, Grace and Glory, from Outback Steakhouse, BB Park. The branches are also available in Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore. Perhaps you can enjoy your dinner here during this Christmas season.

Then we went to Bintang Walk street. Below is a statue performer. Would you like to take a photo with him?

Mr. Chan and his family has enjoyed the oppurtunity.

Sungei Wang is one of the oldest and famous shopping malls in KL City.

The stage was icily decorated. You almost can feel the cool breeze with swans swimming around.

An Iranian, Alaeddin, and his daughter, Kiana, was also enjoying the cooling scenery. He is a computer science student from UTM (Technology University of Malaysia).

Then we went to the most (in my opinion) beautifully, expensively and thoughtfully decorated mall, the Pavilion.

Side view

In front of the entrance, there was a fountain that constantly changed colours.

People were having fun taking photos in front of the row of snowy Christmas trees.

The reindeers and the sleigh were lighted up with twinkling lights for people to enjoy and take photographs with.

Mr. Basid and his family from Malacca also posed in front of the reindeers. I asked him whether they have visited the Midvalley Megamall. They hadn’t.

Then I told them to do so because it was so fun to join the ‘Come and Meet Santa’ charity program. For RM10, the whole family will be dressed up for the photograph session. What an opportunity to be photographed together and also doing a kind thing for the Stepping Stones Home.

Below is Selvi and her family from Penang. I asked them when they were going home. They said the next day (24th December 2009). I tried to persuade her to stay until 27 because there will be an open house event jointly organized by many churches in the Klang valley from 2pm to 6pm to promote the spirit of 1Malaysia. If you come too, you can enjoy all the exciting events with the spirit of peace and joy.

There was event that attracted a big audience: A musical band. We stood there to enjoy the music for a while.

Suddenly, an 8-year-old girl came in and danced to the music. Her name is Terene.

Her mother said Terene dared to dance in front of a big crowd because they are a friend to the guitarist, Nor Muhammad. What a joy she has brought to everybody during this Christmas season.

View the video below. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the music and her dancing (2 mins).

The crowd shouted and clapped for her, especially Norma (left) and Wani.

Berjaya Times Square, Sungei Wang Plaza, Plaza Low Yat and the Pavilion are located in this part of KL City called the Golden Triangle.

The Golden Triangle is Kuala Lumpur’s commercial, shopping and entertainment hub and is actually a collection of areas that encompasses a number of major streets.

Three major roads – Jalan Imbi, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Raja Chulan provide the boundaries that form the Golden Triangle in KL. The Golden Triangle is where many towering skyscrapers, shopping malls and world-class hotels are located.

Below is the Golden Triangle. You can drag around it to explore the area.

View Larger Map

The last place we visited was China Town in Petaling Street. China Town is always full of life.

A multi-ethnic youth group were sitting in front of a hotel and caroling leisurely.

Some shops that sell Christmas items are decorated ‘Christmasly’ too.

My son and I were happy and satisfied with our tour. We have bought some presents for our loved ones and friends.

Hopefully, for everybody, shopping during Christmas will be about the joys of giving than anything else.

It’s not only about giving monetary presents but also giving your time and love for your loved ones, or perhaps some needy people too.

So, tour around the Federal Territories malls during this Christmas season and make new friends with people from different races. You can feel that you can easily enjoy friendship with everybody when Christmas is in the air.

If you want to know more about the shopping malls that I mentioned, you can visit their websites below.

Mid Valley
Berjaya Times Square
Plaza Low Yat
Sungei Wang
Pavilion

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The Royal Selangor Club (RSC) has been a Kuala Lumpur landmark since 1884. It is the nation’s most renowned and respected sports and social institution.

It celebrated its 125th Anniversary and also the 25th Anniversary of the Sultan of Selangor’s royal patronage with pomp and ceremony on Dec 20.

Today, 20 December 2009, in front of the Royal Selangor Clubhouse, which is the Dataran Merdeka (or Independence Square), its 125th Anniversary was greatly celebrated.

The Independence Square is a very prominent symbolic landmark. It was here that Malaya (now Malaysia) was officially granted Independence on 31 August 1957. It is probably the most photographed place in the city. The square hosts the annual Independence Day and the New Year’s Day celebrations.

At 3 pm, the Royal Malaysian Police Band (PDRM), which is acknowledged as one of the best bands in the world, was getting ready for their performance as the first event.

Eva, one of the Chinese tourists from Shanghai I befriended, was excited to hear about the event too.

At 3:30pm, the long waited performance started.

Please view the video below for a part of their amazing music (1 min). I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss it! Mind you, it’s truly one of the world’s best.

After that, another band, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall Brass Band, performed too.

The Malaysian Royal Police Band (PDRM) and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall were indeed two important elements at the celebration as a recognition of their strong link and lasting relationship with the club since 1884.

For the whole afternoon, varied and colourful activities were held. But in this post, I would like to share with you the most entertaining moments.

Now, the Royal Malaysian Mounted Police rode their horses onto the field. They displayed their skills of controlling the horses.

One of the tough skills they displayed was crossing each other’s ways in a line, shown in the video below. If the riders were not 100% skillful, the horses would collide with one another. They also rode in circles.
Suddenly…! One horse was not used to the new environment so it dropped the master and ran away!

It was because the horse was in tension. I was so worried that it would run into the crowd and hurt them. I think you would feel the same too.

Luckily, according to the MC, the horse would not do so. Instead, it will go and find its master. Amazing. Please view the video below if you want to have a glimpse of the horse running amok.

Next, the mounting police jumped over some obstacles riding their horses. They also jumped over a ring of fire.

It was followed by tent pegging (using a spear to spear, pick up a wooden fire tent peg nailed to the ground.) individually and in a group. Really exciting! Loud applauses were heard. Won’t you clap for them too?

Video below (30 seconds).

Then, these four gorgeous bikers did some marvelous bike ramp jumps.

First, they jumped over the ramp and landed on the field. Then they jumped through a ring. Fantastic! Video below (22 seconds).

Then, something unexpected and funny happened. A clown, riding on a mini motorbike, tried to jump through the ring but failed… What happened next?

A little boy (about 2 years old) who sat next to me shouted in tension. Then I told him the clown actually purposely did it, according to the MC.

Please watch this fun moment! (24 seconds).

Now, the most exciting event was going to happen. 16 people lied down on the field.

Two clowns came over. One lied down as the 17th person on the field.

Another one hid under the ramp to show (pretend?) that the event frightened him.

I asked the people beside me whether they would volunteer to lie down there, as the MC challenged. They said they would not. Would you dare to?

Now everybody was in tension. We all waited for some time. Finally the moment came…….

Then another exciting moment arrived. Seven Kancil cars lined up for the bikers to jump over. Were they successful? Guess what was the action of the 2-year-old boy next to me?

Please watch the video below (40 seconds) of the jump over the 17 people and also the jump over the 7 cars.

Finally, many vintage cars paraded for everyone to see. They were driven by the club’s sport section members with children of Sunbeams Home as their honored passengers. Here is a slideshow of them (31 seconds). Those who love vintage cars will surely be delighted.

Of course, there were other activities carried out by the Royal Selangor Club member’s too, like line dancing, female rugby, and children soccer.

The Klang Valley denizens and visitors were really happy and satisfied attending this 125th Anniversary bash of RSC. I am. I think you are too!

If you want to know more about RSC, please visit their website, http://rscweb.my.