Next Stop: Unknown

KL = Kuala Lumpur, Kinda Loud, Kinda Lousy…

Lonely Planet failed us in KL. Three night ‘sleeping’ above a nightclub did not make us the happiest campers, hence fewer photos than were taken than one might anticipate. Well, except for in the orchid garden. You know how Lucas gets around orchids! Chuckle.

 

Kuala Lumpur’s National Orchid Garden (Free on Saturday’s!) was a wonderful pastoral retreat in the middle of the city. Surprisingly the best variety of flowers was to be found in the orchid gift shop, rather than the grounds.

These are the same orchids as we had at our wedding!

Jenn’s favorite orchid

 

Kind of a cliché photograph, but it was the first time I’d ever seen a burgundy dragonfly.

Lucas chillin’ at one of the fountains in the Orchid Garden. Well not chillin’ exactly as it was near 90 degrees.

Ha! Have you ever seen a palm tree this short!!

We stayed in the Bukit Bintang neighborhood of  Kuala Lumpur – home to all night dance clubs (much to our dismay) and some of the best street food around (much to our delight!).

This neighborhood hot spot pumps a gentle mist of water into the air to keep their diners cool. Lucas had a local noodle dish, and I had squid… I think it was squid anyway

Lychees, Mangosteens and Rambutans… Lucas’ three loves!

272 steps to the top of the Batu Caves, a Hindu shrine to this gilded prince with a very, very ridiculously long name. The spear he holds is magical and allows him to vanquish those of impure hearts. It was given to him by his mother, quite the present, eh? Once a year a festival is held here that attracts the faithful from around the world. They come walking on shoes of nails, or covered with piercings dangling coconuts. The video we watched about the festival didn’t quite explain how pain worked into the symbolism. But, I had to close my eyes so often at the displays that maybe I just missed it. I wouldn’t be a very good Hindi.

 

I love all of the pastel colored statues that adorned this, and all Hindi, temples. The cows with big charcoal outlined, dewy eyes. The women with huge nipples, legs of a lions and tail of a peacock. The gods with four heads, or several extra sets of arms. They are so much more imaginative then any sculptures in the Western world.

This monkey is blind in his left eye!

Probably the most photographed building in KL… but we tried to find an interesting perspective!

How’s this for an interesting perspective?