Saturday 31st January, KL

Did too much.
But it is exciting!

First things first: a swim in the 15th storey hotel pool.

The guidebook described a charming sounding 'artists' village with craft workshops', so we trogged along sweltering car highways and through high-end mall districts (there being no other easier pedestrian access) and, well, quickly came to see that books contain many words but may not present an interpretation of reality that corresponds to our own experience or interest. The front of the complex was taken up by boutiques: the sort where coaches disgorge hordes of tourists to spend their fortunes on marvellous, modernised artisan wares at high prices. The workshops - 3 in total, all for some form of batik - were sweet but underwhelming. Most of the 'village' seemed to be empty or abandoned work spaces. There was however one gently welcoming artist of a certain age who was concocting natural inks for her 'eco-printing' studio, with barks and seeds and flowers in cauldrons above gas flames. Very earthy-witchy. We could have spent a couple of hours creating a scarf, printing with vines with leaves and blossoms for a beautiful outcome; but we didn't. Somewhat surreal was her comment that her brother and his wife had flown to the UK for the weekend for the ManU-Fulham match in Manchester. Whaaat?!

The museum of Malaysian crafts showcased a wonderful range of artisanal skills, from wood carving for ceremonial weaponry, through embroidery, instrument-making and basket weaving, to iconic kite-making. That was worth a visit, but how I would have loved to see some real craftspeople at work! Perhaps we will find this in the weeks ahead.

I could have slept the afternoon away at that point, but we had booked a "12 most Fascinating places in Kuala Lumpur Old Town" walking tour, so off we schlepped to Chinatown for some culture. It was great! Lovely to be out of the sky-scraping, sense-grabbing and soul-sucking city centre; super to hear some political, historical, religious and personal stories from Han, our retired IT-nerd turned tour guide; but don't ask me to repeat them because it's become rather a blur. I do remember how he pointed at the Merdeka 118 building, the second highest in the world, designed to portray a momentous moment in Malaysia's history. According to the records, in 1957 the first ever Prime Minister of Malaya announced Malayan independence from British colonial rule, standing with a hand raised high and shouting 'Mer-de-ka!' ('Freedom!'). The building's wonky-geometric architecture with its spike tickling the heavens is said to represent the diversity and unity of the Malaysian people, and I like it. And I remember Han's creative justification for the superfluity of 'designer' goods in the market: all apparently to do with factories manufacturing surplus in order to guarantee the fulfilment of orders. Believe him if you will: there are bargains to be had! I will certainly not forget the female muezzin's voice crying out the Adhan call to prayer. Ahhhhh ... have you ever heard this beauty?

Several places we might have been able to visit were inaccessible for visitors today, such as the GuanDi taoist temple, and the Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek mosque, which might explain why we spent so long in the Sri Maha Mariamman (Hindu) temple. That's okay: Han's tells a good tale. To complete the religious bingo card we also saw St Mary's Cathedral at the edge of the old British cricket ground. Distinct proof that cultures and faiths manage to live companionably side by side in this unusual city. (I looked up Judaism in Malaysia and was surprised at what I found. Ask Google).Read more