Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur was one of the ports that stands out as a surprise. There are times we go into a port with no expectations and discover a rich and diverse city such as this one. I’m not sure what I had in my mind about what I thought Kuala Lumpur (it is referred to as KL) would be, but I was definitely wrong. It is a cosmopolitan city that has a mix of skyscrapers, colonial architecture and extensive green space throughout the city.
Kuala Lumpur means “muddy estuary” and was begun in 1857 when Chinese traders set up shop here. KL gained it’s independence in 1957 and became Malaysia’s capital.
It is home to the Petronis Towers which are quite magnificent.
We got a taxi from the port into KL, which was about 1 hour away. Our taxi driver was also our tour guide and took us to some of the best sights in the city while also providing lots of information about the healthcare and education system (both free), the religious mode of the city(diverse and tolerant) and what his daily life is like.
We are slightly north of the Equator in KL so it is very hot and humid. We have not experienced the rain showers that generally occur each day and the seas remain extremely calm.
We have also been enjoying the vast array of boats that are in both the harbors and out at sea in Southeast Asia. They have more character than you can imagine and are colorful and stout. There are some that we refer to as low-riders whose decks are barely above the water line. Jeff told me the other day that I wouldn’t believe how many photos of boats he had taken.
As we came out of Singapore harbor on our way to KL, there were literally hundreds of ships parked outside the entrance to Singapore harbor. It was a surreal sight to see all these ships awaiting their turn in this incredibly busy port.
The first photo is the palace in KL. The prime ministers from each region rotate living here.
The second photo is a street scene.
The third photo in the Petronis TowersLæs mere