Last day in KL - let's get down to some downtown

Next day Ksenia and I had planned to visit Little India and Chinatown in KL - so we've done it. Not as early up as planned, but still good in time. Loooks pretty similar to many asian bigger cities, you get loads of stuff to buy, meanwhile the hawkers in Malasia are not as bothering as Indonesia.

Besides fakes, perfect fakes, and maybe even original trademarked items for smallsmall $$$, it is just interesting to walk through the different streets and check out the flair and different cultures co-existing right next to each other in this city. Checked out some mosques, temples, walked by the old trainstation, the KLCC again, some more stuff. In the later evening, Torsten and Brinda had rented a bus to get the 9 travellers of us left to a place 150km north of KL. Supposed to get the best sea-food around, and it really was very tasty. Killed the rest of our enormous tiger beer bottles, we travelled a bit further to the famous fireflies. This cute little creatures rest on the river next to the jungle, and at ~ 9pm, you can rent a boat and get right next to them. This place is to be known the only one on this planet, where you can find the species which illuminates all in synch. 1000s of flies in bushes, they prepare to mate and light up their body in a 3sec interval. This is impossible to picture (on a boat, and with my camera), but you can imagine it like a gigantic christmas tree, laying right next to the shore for several douzen of kilometer up the river. Pretty cool - and no mosquito at all. I guess the boat full of japanese girlies with bare legs got all of them, har.

This has it been for us in KL so far. We left our roller-case with Brinda's (and now Torsten's) family, got our backpacks packed and got ready for departure the next early morning. Resume: KL is a nice and interesting city. The flair of the mixtured cultures, loads of money, controlled government and free capitalism results in a must-see, even though I am pretty disappointed by the prices over there. Transportation is cheap, as long as you bargain hard for cabs, or better go for the public transport / train anyway. Food is cheap, but electronics, clothes are almost as expensive as in Europe. iPods cost the same, the Playstation 3 is not even fully released, the Wii is three times more expensive then in germany (US$690), you may save some money purchasing a camera or computer components. But singapur gives you way more compensation in your shopping cart.

What was extraordinary good was the beloved community of Torsten's friends. Really lovely people, and we had lots of cool conversations. To be continued on the Wies'n at September this year - octoberfest, wir kommen.

Sunday / Monday in KualaLumpur - enjoy the rest of citylife

The rest of the group have been even able to get to paintball gaming at 10am. I didn't feel like paintballing myself, 1am breakfast felt better to be honest. This sunday afternoon Hoffi and Brinda made an appointment for us german visitors with their family for tasting Malayian fruits. This had been so great, we've got all the different fruits prepared and labelled on plates in their house. Gathered all of us around the table, we've been able to test dragon-fruit, mangosteen, jackfruit, starfruit, Rambutan, Papaya - and outside of the living room, Brindas sista stored the famous Durian, the queen of fruits. It smells so bad, and you either love it or hate it.

So we went out to their terrace, and after opening, the first girls already ran away for their life. It smells like 7 days old shit and vomit mixed, opened it looks like brain - but it seems to be tasty afterall. Please be aware that you shouldn't drink alcohol 24h after you enjoyed a big portion of it, otherwise your body will overreact to the heat it produces and you may fall apart after a pint or two already, even if you're british. If you want to check out an index, photos and more information on the fruits we had, pick the first search result I received on google.

In the night we had an appointment in another mall, the Sunway Pyramids - more nearby to Subah - for trying Steam-boat. Honestly, at least for this restaurant or my type of choices, I didn't like it at all. I am more a frying friend, even deep fried is fine - but steamed things where I had no idea of any of the items about it's origin, it all tasted like watery. Maybe I should check another place next time, but maybe follow the link mentioned above to find a good reviewed place by yourself. We still had fun with the friends of Torsten, although it we already missed Thomas and Patricia, they needed to catch their plane back to Switzerland at 11pm *sigh*.

Wedding in Malaysia, or: How to enjoy your marriage

We had a very interesting time in Kuala Lumpur. Hoffi and Brinda had been married, and all were happy and touched. After our nightmare shopping time in the Mega-Mall, both Ksenia and I have been very happy with our outfits. The schedule supposed us to appear at the catholic church at 1pm, and we've been there, all dressed up smart and beautiful. The amount of visitors was huge, there has been around 180 people to see how this beautiful couple says Yes to each other.

Before that, we've enjoyed the met, conducted by a pretty entertaining priest - however, it was catholic and lots of different religions attending. The tolerance and udnerstanding of different believers in the same environment, if it's business, churches next to mosques next to temples, people talking to each other, Malaysia is maybe the best example I know how a peaceful coexistance is possible if just everybody keeps their head and intelligence up and running.

After an hour, the formal church process was done, and everybody was quite sensitive to see how the fresh married couple got gratulated, hundreds time pictured, hugged and kissed and finally was able to get to what a marriage is supposed to be: Enjoy your time together. Torsten told me that Brinda and him may have still lots of stress and a big to-do list afterwards, as her and him are planning to move first to germany, then either the UK or Australia. If I imagine the mountain of paper-work in front of them, I already got scared in advance - hoffi, better reserve some of your fundings for a good lawyer-agency ;-) Don't run your ass off by yourself.


Everybody of us got back by an organised car to the hotel. Whilst the church was supposed to be a little more casual, the evening gala was supposed to expect us smart. We haven't changed a lot, I kept beeing in my suit I bought Zara, and Ksenia changed in a perfect and beautiful dress. This time, we haven't been so lucky with the chauffeur service. The friend of Brinda was not really aware where the Gold & Country Club is, so we drove around in KL for 2 1/2 hours in the evening and missed at least the beginning. However, slightly stressed by the highway adventure, we had some good dancing, live-music, malayian food, litres of schnaps the travellers brought with them from the duty-free (Alcohol in malaysia is so expensive) - and we all ended up in the president suite of our hotel in a smaller group. I had a couple of whisky too much, and at ~ 4:30am I fell down to accompancy sleeping Ksenia in our room at the 8th floor. A two handfull guests kept Torsten and Brinda busy till the later morning - ...

Kuala Lumpur / Hoffi's wedding

It's big-city time - and one hour before the wedding treck starts from the lobby, which gives us only few time to put an update here.

We've checked in to the Holiday Villa Hotel in Subang, in the west of Kuala Lumpur (commonly 'KL'). A troup of european friends came by to visit the marriage of Torsten Hoffmann, one of my dear friends from wallstreet:online times.

As Ksenia and I departured from Langkawi in late night day before yesterday, and with intention brought nothing of smart clothings with us, the visit in one of the gigantic shopping malls was scheduled for yesterday.
Unfortunatly, we haven't picked the upper class mall KLCC in the petronas towers, but the Mega Mall before. It has not the high density of western boutiques, which made it difficult for us to find appropriate suites and accessoires. Caused us 7 hours of our life to get all together what we need, and not extremly cheaper then in germany. I bough my whole dress in Zara for men... missing out the Boss and Armani Shop in the KLCC :(

This was pretty tiring - for the evening a socialising get-together with the family and the travelling friends was scheduled in the Pedang Cafe, up there in KLCC. Had some descent traditional malayian food, followed by a reserved area in KL's famous party location. We used the time to get to know each other, and even that the clubbing environment and people have been very interestting, noone of us stayed too long or beeing pissed- to be ready for the wedding today.

The plan is to visit the marriage at 1 - followed by a gala, then continuing in the president suite ina smaller group. Let's see what w can report back from that later :)