Taking Time to Be a Tourist In KL

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I forgot about the +1 day when calculating Ellen and her friend's arrival  from the US. So I actually arrived in KL one day before I needed to be here. In reality, it's been a good thing to have this extra day. I've been a little stressed about being a tour guide here because I don't really know KL that well. On my three previous trips, the majority of time was spent at the Suria and Pavillion Malls. going to a movie, or trying to find some Western food. So, having this extra day in the city allowed me to explore new places the way I like...slowly, without a set plan, and without having to worry about getting lost or reassuring tired and hungry companions that I know exactly how long and where (food/home/a taxi stand/a cup of coffee/an ATM) will be.

My idea of exploring a new city is to pick a "tentative" destination, use a myriad of maps and a "sixth sense" to find a walking route to that destination. I then like to explore by foot until I'm tired. When my feet start aching, then it's time to tackle the public transportation system (in this case monorail and lightrail) to get home. (Taking a taxi always seems a little like cheating even though taxis are relatively inexpensive in this part of the world.)

Today's destination was St. John's Cathedral. I like to find a churches in cities for several reasons: they offer the peace and quiet of a Sunday service in the midst of the hustle and noise of a large city, and they are often located in the historical centers of these cities so they make a great starting place for sightseeing.

As I approaced the cathedral this morning I was struck by the number of street vendors (food, used clothing, shoes, drinks, etc...) who had staked their claims on the limited free space in front of the cathedral. Malaysian women selling fried things and nasi lemak, Indian women selling second-hand clothing, men selling bottles of water, Milo, and umbrellas. 

I poked my way through the open umbrellas and tiptoed through mucky puddles, damp trash, empty water bottles, and crowded stalls to the front of the cathedral. It quickly became apparant that I would be sitting outside with the other "late" worshippers. As the rain picked up we became more friendly, huddling together under the awning. The crowd, mostly Indian and Chinese with a few tourists like myself sprinkled in, were in upbeat moods thankful for the rain trying to wash the past month's haze from the sky. Luckily the service was in English and I recognized many of the songs so it felt a little familiar.

After the service, the rain picked up so the rest of my journey was dictated by the location of Chinese shop house six-foot walkways. In otherwards, when I came to a street corner, I usually choise the direction with the most shelter from the rain. My wanderings took me to Jalan Petaling (Chinatown) where the roast duck and pork were being attacked by meat cleevers under the watchful eyes of hungry shoppers, fresh produce and fish were being grabbed up by Chinese women doing their weekly shopping, and business savvy t-shirt vendors were opening their stalls early knowing that tourists like myself would linger to avoid going back out in the rain.

Continuing on my walk I found Central Market where about 1000 Chinese men, women and children were wearing wooden Chinese sandals and participating in a "Walk-a-Thon" for a local charity. 

Thousands of tiny wooden sandals tap, tap, tapped cautiously across the slippery, wet cobblestones. Although the shoes don't look comfortable to me, they definitely keep the wearer's feet up out of the puddles.

From Central Market I took my first ride on the LRT. (Call me slow-minded but it wasn't until I got to the station where I thought I could transfer to the MR that I understand that the light rail (LRT) and the monorail (MR) are NOT different lines on the same subway system but rather completely differnt systems. They require different tokens, an exit from a station, and a walk in the rain to move from one to the other. I only wasted RM4 (about $1.20) but I gained a lot of knowledge and saw some sights along the way.

After a brief stop back at the hotel to change into better walking shoes, I hopped back on the MR where I ventured to the Lake Gardens, the National Museum, and another shopping mall for a coffee and a rest.

The best part of today was the confidence gained that  I can give a "hightlights" of KL tour to my daughter and her friend  keeping room for jetlag recovery and relaxation. Now, if the plane will just be on time...