How ironic is this? It is a beautiful day today and I am not in the mood at all to be out and about exploring KL. We arrived on the morning of Sun, July 25th. Since we arrived, I have been exploring KL by taking the shuttle from the hotel to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) and taking the trains and walking everywhere. I think I have seen almost all of KL at this point. I did not, however, get to some of the sites that I thought I would want to do whilst here. But to be honest, I am perfectly happy sitting in the cool room powered by the A/C and being online and occasionally sitting out on the porch to enjoy the warmth and looking out at the apartment buildings and the man-made lake that our room overlooks. The hotel is nice enough, but the service is NOT good and the food pretty much sucks. It is a called Mines Wellness Hotel and Spa, but nothing here says wellness that's for sure. It's actually quite funny, I think. Anyway, Nelson, Warren's friend here in Malaysia, will stop by the hotel shortly. I think he is surprised that I am not out. Frankly, I am surprised that I'm okay with sitting here on my vacation -- imagine that! I usually like to be out relishing all that a place has to offer and experiencing everything I can until about midnight and come back to the hotel to crash. Times sure have changed and I am okay with it.
KL is an interesting city in a different way. It feels so weird to see women donning their burkas daily irregardless of how hot it is. I find it so oppressive towards women. I think it keeps them further imprisoned in this Muslim society where women are clearly regarded below men and appear to be properties of their husbands. Talk about stripping away their sense of identity and any form of self expression. And I'm not buying this bullshit about how women have to cover themselves as to reduce the desires of other men. What kind of society are we living in anyway? I don't know... maybe it is I, who is ignorant, and need to hear how it makes women feel to wear burkas. Although I'm sure if I talked to the women they will most likely not voice their opinions or they probably feel it is just what they are expected to do; thereby, having accepted it. And I may get some justifications or a list of pros as to why wearing burkas in public is a good thing. But I still think that if I hear positives and no negatives it would be their way of making sense of their situation and making it okay. It would be like a child who would blame themselves for the abuse inflicted by their parents, because after-all it is easier to think that one is unlovable than to believe that one could be unloved. Maybe I'm wrong. I just know that I did not like the feeling I got as we entered the airport. The men greeted Brent with "Good morning, Sir" and no greetings for me, as I am, but a woman. When we approached the immigration dude, he of course took Brent's passport although I had place mine down first. Again, maybe I am just a little sensitive to sexism, racism, ageism, etc.
I do have to say that I'm glad that I got to experience KL. When Brent first asked me if I would come out here with him while he worked I was somewhat hesitant, but I figured I'd come out and be open to being here so I can spend time with him. I've had a good time exploring the city taking the trains and walking all over. I've loved walking into different neighborhoods and smelling the different aromas and tasting the different flavors of the various areas.
My first day was an adventure in itself. I arrived at KLCC and immediately went into Suria KLCC mall to get to the HSBC ATM. I initially took out 150 ringgit and decided that I should take an additional 130 ringgit, but instead took out 1300! So I decided that I would go to the HSBC bank to deposit the money. I took the train to the Dang Wangi station and walked all the way down to the Bukit Bintang area, which I later realized that the walk took longer because I took the train. But I just went with what the woman in the mall said I should do....actually she said I should transfer trains so I can get dropped off in the Bukit Bintang area, but I chose to walk instead so it was my choice. But all was good I got to see the Kuala Lumpur tower on the way down.
So I almost got ripped off at the KLCC train station. The tix cost $1.30 and I gave them 50 ringgit and I got back 70 sen. I just took it and when I got down to the platform I realized something was wrong so went back upstairs to clear things up. When I tried to explain to the security guy there, his first couple replies were, "never mind, where are you going?" I finally told him where I was going, but told him that I didn't feel he understood me and repeated myself in a different way. I was then brought to the window and he translated for me. The guy there finally gave me about 45 ringgit back and said, "ma'am you forgot to take your money". Yeah, right I forgot to take it because I was only given 70 sen back. Anyway, I went back and asked him how much the tix was and that I still wasn't given the correct amount. So he finally handed me the correct change. I was shocked that they were trying to cheat me and after they were found out they still tried to cheat me -- unbelievable or believable from the perspective that they are just trying to make some extra cash at the expense of the unwary tourist.
So Bukit Bintang is the area to be if you're into shopping because there were some big ass malls there, along with the big hotels scattered all around -- among them the Ritz-Carlton. Anyway when I got to HSBC I was told that I could not deposit the money because I didn't have a Malaysian account. Hahahaha! Oh well... I got to experience the area. So I had to go to a money changer place and do an exchange and got back about $406.
Anyway, I walked my way back to KLCC and saw the Petronas Towers, which were amazing!! I also had some pretty good noodle soup at a Japanese place in the mall of all places.... it was spicy just the way I like it. :-) So by about a quarter till 4 I decided to make my way down to wait for the shuttle. Waited there and at about 4:10 I saw the shuttle just drive by. "Well that's great", I thought. I decided to get a cab back and asked the driver to turn the meter on, which he did. He then started to complain about how bad traffic was and that the cost be 90 or 100 ringgit, but that he could offer a fixed rate. After I saw the the meter was close to 50 and we hadn't even left the city, I agreed to his fixed price of 80 ringgit -- I knew that was too high. I made conversation about the Ganesh in his cab and started talking about the Hinduism and then recounted the story about the train people trying to rip me off in hopes that it would get him to think about his own actions. I guess it worked because he dropped the price down to 60 ringgit and I still felt it was too high, but didn't know what would be reasonable so I paid it.
I arrived at the same time as the shuttle and I decided to have a chat with the driver. I told him that I waited for him and that he left me. He proceeded to yell and the guy from the bell desk had to come to help. I was asked if I could speak Chinese, but of course I can't so the shuttle driver spoke in Malay and the Bell desk dude translated for him. Basically the shuttle driver got so intense and finally said, "if you want to complain then go ahead" and threw his hands up and walked away very angry. I remained calm and thought, "OMG this is not that serious, dude". I told the dude at the Bell desk that I am not going to complain, but just wanted to let him know what had happened. Anyway, that was my day....all a part of the experience I say. I had a great day!! :-)
I would write more about the other days, but I'm all writed out! I know writed is not a word, but it is today. :-)
