The Four Faces of Kuala Lumpur

Last weekend I jumped on a 35 minute flight to Kuala Lumpur for a short weekend excursion to the capital of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is a fun and interesting microcosm of the diversity of Malaysia. From crooked cabbies to $8 cocktails, from Muslim calls to prayer in downtown to Hindu pilgrimages in craggy mountainside caves, from goats and wild monkeys in the streets to some of the world's tallest buildings- Malaysia has many sides.

Modern Kuala Lumpur

The Petronas Towers reflected in the top floor swimming pool of the "Skybar" at the Traders Hotel.

Kara, my traveling partner from Initech, and I at the Petronas Towers. Home to a huge free public water park, an enormous mosque, lush banyan trees, and a mall selling top designer lables from Hermes to Chanel.

Sunrise on the Petronas Towers. We never made it into the Skybridge between them because they only let 1400 people enter it a day, on a first come first serve basis. Doesn't make sense at all why they wouldn't just sell tickets all day on a rolling basis, like the Empire State building.

Enjoying the free public park in the middle of downtown.

Enjoying "cheap" cocktails (compaired to Singapore!)

Hindu Malaysia

A statue of the Hindu god of war, Lord Murugan, guards the Batu caves outside of Kuala Lumpur. We were lucky enough to visit one of the largest shrines outside of India, during the festival of Thaipusam. For this festival, thousands of Hindu pilgrims converge to perform Kavadi, a series of self-flagelation rituals that range from shaving their heads and carrying pots of milk up to the temple, to walking with hooks in their backs.

One pilgrim, followed by an entourage of helpers and on-lookers, rolls his way on the hot ground to the temple steps. Covered in sores from his long journey, the more pain he endures the more favor he hopes to gain.

Women sell bananas to visitors

A family of pilgrims rests at the top of the steps, their son with his head shaved as part of the ritual.

A family of pilgrims stands by a photo stand, set up to take pictures for people who can't afford cameras.


A pilgrim performs one of the most brutal kavadas - walking up to the temple with hooks in his bleeding back and an assistant to pull on the hooks to ensure as much pain as possible.

A teenage boy, crippled by polio, begs for money at the base of the temple. No one should have polio in the 21st century. Another reminder that as developed as downtown seems, we are still not in the developed world.

Muslim Malaysia

A collection of purple burkhas hangs outside the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, during the prayer hours when tourists aren't allowed inside. During tourist hours, all tourist women must wear full burkhas to enter the mosque.

A fountain outside the National Mosque

Wild Kuala Lumpur

Wild monkeys enjoy cookies that local people bring to feed them in the botanical gardens. In case you forgot you were in the tropics, wild monkeys swinging around in the trees are there to remind you.

After some time enjoying the tropical humidity of the botanical garden bird park, Kara and I relax with a beer.