Kuala Lumpur is south east Asia's newest capital city and the most
economically successful after Singapore. It was founded in the mid
nineteenth century by pioneers searching for tin, but has undergone huge
changes in the past 30 years, and now has a population of 1.3m. The name
means "muddy confluence" in Malay, and it is on the confluence
of the Klang and Gombak rivers.
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KL is vibrant and bustling!
"The most orderly capital city I have ever encountered"
said Adam. (Photo by CC) |
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It is one of the fastest growing cities of Asia. (CC)
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The Petronas Towers are officially the world's tallest building (at 452m)
with 88 floors. They have become a symbol of the new Malaysia (CC)
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A worms eye view of the towers, identical but the left
of the two is 5 days older thanks to the Koreans; they making a
striking sight at night! (PB, JH and CC)
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On the bridge between the two Petronas
Towers (this joins the towers at the 41st and 44nd floors!) (CC)
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Inspirational views from the Petronas (PB and JH)
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KL likes things tall! This is the Meanara KL
Tower, at 421m the 4th tallest communications tower in the world. It is
actually "higher" than the Petronas Towers, because it
stands on a hill. (CC) |
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View over the city from the KL Tower. (CC) |
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As with all large cities, moving people
and goods around is a problem and traffic management is a concern.
(CC) |
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KL has a good, cheap and convenient
monorail system, which they are trying to encourage people to use to
reduce traffic congestion; this is the entrance to one of the stations (CC) |
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Life without air-conditioning must be unbearable in
this climate in blocks of flats such as these. (RW and RGJ)
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Wash day in high density housing in Kuala Lumpur. (RW
and RGJ)
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Although there are many high rise offices,
apartments and hotels in KL, there are also many unfinished blocks;
some look as if they have been abandoned for some time. (CC) |
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One of the local industries we saw in KL;
batik is traditional way of printing onto cloth or silk (CC) |
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Another local industry is pewter; these
are workers at the Royal Selangor works. (CC) |
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The Malaysians love
football. Big screen TVs in the bars relayed UK matches, the papers
were full of latest news and results and this fan was clear about
his allegiance! (CC)
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Putrajaya is a planned new city south of
KL; this is where all the government offices are; it is being
planned to prtect the ecosystem and conserve the wetlands. (CC) |
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Muslim ladies waiting for their bus after work,
outside the mosque at Putrajaya. Putrajaya is a new city where all
the government buildings and offices are. (RW and RGJ) |
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Two young guides from the mosque at Putrajaya (a
symbol of traditional Malaysia?) with their matching camera mobile
phones. (PB and JH) |
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The mosque at Putrajaya can hold up to 10,000 people
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A reminder that shoes must be taken off before entering
the mosque (CS)
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