Sunday, September 25, 2011

While the time away...

After that great time at the Mamak restaurant at Ampang Point I move to the old part of the city. My nephew had wanted to do some shopping at Maju Junction Mall, so I decided to tag along. While he did some shopping and getting supplies for his business I just browse along. Then decided to have some food and drink at one of the shop at the front of the mall, As this is the first time I am here I decided to try a posh looking place call the Noodle Station. I took a table outside facing the main road and ordered a Mee Mamak and Ice Lemon Tea. I then took out my iPad and ask the waiter for the WiFi password. With that I start surfing the Net while watching folks goes by.

The order came and I sat to enjoy that Mee Mamak, one of my favorite food. I felt really good to sit here in the middle of the city and enjoying the cool fresh air that comes with the breeze in the open-airspace of the place. Opposite on the other side of the road is the former Rex Cinema. In those days it was one of the cinema that show great movies when it come to Malaysia. It was always packed to capacity when it opens its door every day and night. I remember I did watch one of the great movies at that time. It was that hilarious movie entitled 'And God Must be Crazy'. As usual with this road it is always jammed with traffics that ply this road that was famously known once as Batu Road. Well it is on this street that the Japanese soldiers march when they came to take over the capital city of Malaya and occupied Malaya for three years. It must have been a terrible scene of those happening to watch then. Indeed a bitter period of our history. Well that is history now and now KL as it is popularly known is the capital city of an independence country Malaysia.

Then my nephew joins me and he ordered Chow Kweh Teow. I believe this place would be filled with youngsters enjoying their evening on this sidewalk place of happening. I remember during my youth we would hang out at such places on weekend to have a drink with friends and enjoying ourselves, careless of the happening around us. It was a great time then and I believe the youth of today does the same thing and enjoying themselves too. Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman [Batu Road] in Kuala Lumpur was the happening place during the colonial era where some of the best restaurants and bar are situated. The restaurants and bar are gone now. Today it is a place where folks go to shops to buy things that are cheaper than in the Mall. Anyway it is as crowded as ever and I still love to take a slow walk on the pathway of the old shops.

Here visitors could get a glimpse of the past where once there was no shopping mall but rows and rows of shop houses that sell almost everything that one needs. Well folks time has changed and there are a few shopping malls here now. I believe tourists would love this part of the city since nearby is the 'Little India' and 'Wisma Yakin' a shopping complex that sell  things Malay. Where one could get a taste of the fusion of culture of what made Malaysia such a unique place. This places are well-connected by the LRT and buses, so if you tourists out there who want to seen this old part of Kuala Lumpur do get there the cheaper way. Not too far from the shopping complex and shop houses is the famous Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square; The large green field opposite is the reminiscence of the British colonial era. The old Government offices and the Courthouse opposite the Merdeka Square are a good example of the great architecture then. These buildings are heritage building now and it worth a visit to see the past in one great spot of the city...

Have a nice day.

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