Last week I had the pleasure of spending just a few days in Kuala Lumpur. I had a limited time and also wanted to enjoy the facilities of the hotel as it had a good gym and there’s nothing I love more than a bath with a view.

What I found was a city that seemed defined by one iconic building, a strong Islamic identity and a love of shopping.  The Petronas towers were quite impressive close up, all shiny stainless steel and an almost art deco entrance lobby. Unfortunately a large mall is attached to the base like a 1960’s buboe. I chose not to go up the towers due to a persistent haze and patchy rain so endeavored to escape the mall (eating my first Nasi lemak and gulping down a hot mug of teh tarik on route).

On Saturday I dropped my luggage at KL central station, wanting to explore nearby Lake Gardens. I left the station and found I could not leave the area on foot as it was surrounded by highways with no clear access to the park or museums. In the end I approached from another train station. My route passed several KL landmarks including the KTM station, National mosque and Islamic Arts museum. There were very few people around and it was really quite difficult to negotiate. I ended up squeezing into the gardens through a chained gate!

Three days is not long enough to scratch the surface of a city but I I was left feeling a little disappointed by my experience. I feel like KL had a lot to offer with it’s multi-cultural heritage and fantastic food but it was difficult to navigate and I found it hard to get any real feel for what KL is about.

Upon my return my husband mentioned an Abraham Lincoln quote (in a different context but poignant none the less) that seems to sum it up.

“I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better’