Kuala Lumpur - A diary
I would love to take my morning and afternoon cup of tea to the seat in the balcony and just keep looking at the magnificent view. A month into my stay, and i could still not have enough of it.
My first impression of the Far East, which i was visiting for the first time, was a memorable one. The pictures hitherto seen only in television ads seem to come alive. In fact the country is more beautiful than any advertisement can do justice to.
Kuala Lumpur welcomed me with rains. It was mid-May, and i had just arrived from Mumbai which was at its hot and humid worst. As we landed, the first surprise was the cool weather. It was raining quietly and the surroundings were serene, uplifting the mood immediately. The six hour flight fatigue was gone in a few seconds. The drive from the airport to the town was soothing to say the least. One hour of a picturesque drive only reaffirmed the earlier visuals from the airplane as it flew low over the islands in the dusk laden sky. Never had the sky shown so many colors and neither had i seen green in so many shades before. I was looking out through the window like one mesmerized...
The first thing that struck me as i sat in the rear seat of the comfortable SUV was that the roads were smooth and the drivers were not in a tearing hurry to go anywhere. I do not remember a single honk on the road or seeing someone cutting across our cab from the wrong side. From the first cab i traveled in, which brought me home from the airport, situated a good 40 kilometres from the city, to all those we took to and from various parts of the city, have had drivers who are courteous, articulate in English and ready to enlighten you about the places one ought to see as a first time visitor.
The city is gentle on one's senses. The people are mild mannered and soft spoken. The roads are not crowded during most parts of the day and walking on the pavements is a joy. Whatever i saw of the city was pleasant and it takes a lot to not stop at many places just to experience the beauty of a certain neighborhood because of something unique that catches your eye. The roads are lined with shops and with "Restorans' (restaurants) with tables spilling onto the pavements sometimes. Like the Paris cafes, these also have their own charm and a distinct Malaysian flavor. 'Teh tarik' (or the sweet milky tea poured out with a flourish) is a must-have at all times. It is exactly like the tea available in Kerala, especially at the foothills of Munnar.
The Malay cafes serve Nasi (rice) and Mee (noodles) in different combinations, with fish, chicken pork and other options and are available throughout the day. Satay which are grilled kebabs of chicken pork and beef are sold on carts , much like the ones selling Vada Pav or Pav Bhaji in Mumbai. They also have cute and curious names like Fat-One and Pretty-One !
The 'Mamak's are the round-the-clock eateries run by Malays of Indian origin. They serve the Nasi and the Mee combos as also the 'Western Food', but their speciality is the Malay-Indian food. These are the Tosais, which are dosas and they are served with a typically Malaysian chutney like preparation called 'Sambal' (not to be confused with Sambar as it is not a dal or a gravy). People enjoy their Tosais with a variety of non vegetarian combinations, chicken, beef, lamb etc. Pork is also served in certain eateries. The fusion food, (as i choose to call it) also has a variety of rotis. The Roti Canai (pronounced Chenai) is a version of the flaky and delicious Kerala Paratha and is served with dhall (chana dal), sambal, and a curry of choice. The Roti Canai is a very popular dish and these Mamaks are full of youngsters and office-goers flocking to it during the day and families in the evenings. The fact that the Mamaks are open 24 hours is testimony to their popularity, one assumes. They also serve fruit juices, cold drinks, beer and ice cream. The food is laid out in a buffet with at least 30 options of fried, grilled and curried fish, seafood, chicken, mutton, beef and pork. The prices are very reasonable and one can have a grand meal without a pinch on one's pocket.
Needless to say, the vegetarian has a limited choice of food as even the vege soups are made in chicken or beef stock...
The city is cosmopolitan in nature. Women wear the traditional Muslim chador with a flourish as the men don their caps. The middle aged are seen to wear mostly western clothes. The men and women wear chic clothes and the shoes seem to catch my attention every time. They are perfectly matched, polished to a gleam and of the latest fashion. However, it is the youth that really catch one's eye. Beautiful boys and girls (yes, beautiful boys...) are everywhere. Super-slim girls in shorts or mini-skirts showing off shapely legs are all around you in malls, in roadside cafes or the markets, making one feel fat in most surroundings. They are perfectly groomed with lovely blond flicks or with jet-black shoulder length hair and chic french manicures. The boys seem to experiment a lot with their hair and almost all appear to have very avant garde hairstyles and streaked hair. Couples who could be any age from 20 to 40 are moving around, hand in hand, and in perfect symphony.
There are moms and dads with babies, but they too appear less hassled than most parents i have seen elsewhere. The babies are mostly peacefully asleep and don't seem to be screaming much, one more similarity with Europe, where the babies look and behave like angels.
There's much more to describe and ponder over, but i guess this is enough for the present...
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