My Trip to Kuala Lumpur in One Post

Rather than provide extensive descriptions of what I saw in Kuala Lumpur in separate posts, I figured it would be more digestible to simply provide one brief post of my trip highlights. So, here it is.


The Petronas Twin Towers are the largest twin buildings in the world and dominate the KL skyline.  They remind me of two oversized minarets, but these minarets are beacons of capitalism towering toward the heavens, perhaps representing the religion in the 21st Century that the majority of humans really worship in their heart of hearts--though few explicitly admit it.



I stood outside this beautiful temple near Chinatown, and while I was taking this picture, unable to enter the grounds due to COVID, a man in his 30s came up to me and asked me if I wanted a tour.  I discovered it wasn't a religious temple at all.  It was the Chan She Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall.  It was built in 1906 to honor all Chinese residents of Kuala Lumpur with the last names Chan, Chun, or Tan.  It is now a place where the descendants of these original pioneers who possess one of these three names celebrate their heritage and teach their children about the old traditions from which they have sprung.  How lucky I was to receive this private viewing into the living Chan/Chun/Tan family album.  




The view of the KL Tower from my hotel's rooftop swimming pool.






Took a train trip to the northern suburbs of KL to the Batu Caves.  I was greeted by the largest statue in the world of Lord Murugan, the Tamil God of War and Victory.  After hiking up 273 colorful stairs, one reaches the massive caves where there are a couple of beautiful temples inside.








Two views of the Main Temple of the Batu Caves.





Visited the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, one of the largest self-enclosed butterfly gardens in the world.  Thousands of butterflies flutter around you in a garden that seems like it's from a dream.  








The Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia is the largest collection of Islamic Art in South East Asia. In my opinion, it is broader and more-extensive than the more-famous Islamic Art Museum in Istanbul. Everything from prayer rugs to ceramics to jewelry is on display. A magnificent testimony to the artistic inspiration that emerges from religious devotion. 











The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple can be found on the outskirts of Chinatown.  It's the oldest Hindu temple in KL and dates to the 19th Century.  It is still an active place of worship that thousands of Tamils still call their spiritual home.

Only had a 3-day weekend in KL.  Saw quite a bit, including a couple places I omitted here, but there's also plenty I missed. I am definitely planning a return visit a some point in the next year to this fascinating and enjoyable city.  

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