Last Train to Titiwangsa

Malaysia is a smutty schoolboy’s dream – so John is in his element.  There’s a wealth of amusing name places – Dang Wangi and Titiwangsa send John into uncontrollable outbursts – so much so that we felt we had to visit Titiwangsa on the KL Monorail just to get a feel for the place together with a picture!

It’s not just the place names, for example the shops are also a source of amusement

Business improved dramatically after the slight name change from 'Off' to 'On'

but by far the most intriguing sign is

We don’t know what sort of equipment is involved, nor its purpose but it conjures up all sorts of possibilities.

John is a little grouchy this morning as he sat up till 4am to see Everton draw with West Ham.  Breakfast in the hotel was interesting watching people make sandwiches and sneak them into bags was fascinating? The people are so brazen, plates of muffins and Danish pastries, Yoghurts and fresh fruit are all removed from the dining room presumably to provide picnic lunches.

We decided to follow the Lonely Planet walk of Chinatown  so after visiting titiwangsa we took the KL Monorail to Chinatown. We started at a Chinese temple before the walk took us past a model shop where John got very excited looking at the miniature cars and aeroplanes.  We then went up Petaling Street which is the equivalent of knock-off alley full of fake gear. The walk was quiet and enjoyable as we nosed around small shops and temples and we stopped for a bite to eat in the Central Market – Chinatown is quite low key during the day but must be fun in the evening - we will see. 

Toward the end of our walk the day became overcast and a storm threatened.  Our attention was drawn to a pet shop with all sorts of dogs housed in smallish glass fronted cages.  We came out of the shop to a deluge of rain of biblical proportions. The rain drops were the size of quails’ eggs and everyone took shelter in the shop fronts.  We had nowhere to go but a Chinese lantern shop and whilst rooting at the back found some old umbrellas.  We bought one but found it would have little effect in the monsoon as the rain was bouncing up.  The weather forecaster called this a shower.  

We managed to stop a cab and in the 6 feet between shop and cab we were soaked. The cab driver charged an exorbitant fee but I’d have happily paid double.  Heading back to the hotel we seemed to be driving in a river rather than a road.  A motorcycle disappeared into a hidden hole like the log flume at Alton Towers. Eventually, we got back to the hotel and not too wet by comparison to the poor sods we observed who were caught in the open.

Malaysia played Indonesia tonight in the final of the Suzuki Cup and all the bars were full of people watching their team.  Malaysia were 3-0 up from the first leg so were hot favourites to win the cup for the first time. There was a crowd approaching 100,000 in Jakarta for the return leg but when Malaysia took the league with a good goal against the run of play it was all over.  Indonesia won 2-1 with a couple of late goals but Malaysia won on aggregate and KL erupted.  Fans spilt out onto the streets and many on motorbikes began circling the roads flying the Malaysian flag and tooting their horns in good natured celebration.

We leave KL tomorrow for the Cameron Highlands in a taxi organised by Isarria a very friendly bell boy who guaranteed the driver as a good friend.

Still FWC - Have a good night on New Year's Eve - we'll catch up in 2011...