Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia November 16-19, 2019

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. It is probably one of the most culturally diverse places that we have visited in Asia. There is a mix of Chinese, Indian, and Malay people. English is very commonly spoken in Kuala Lumpur. There are many gleaming skyscrapers and colonial architecture.

This trip was Carly's 10^th Birthday present and I paid for a very nice hotel. Carly had her own little loft and Camilla, Connor, and I had our own rooms. We also had a nice kitchen and a balcony. There was a rooftop pool with a gym and a sauna. Our hotel was located near, "Little India". There were Indian temples and shopping. We ate at many Indian restaurants there. The girls got pretty Indian dresses.

The first place we visited was The Royal Palace, Istana Negara. The architecture of the palace is extremely elegant. It is a beautiful setting with greenery and fresh flowers. Many royal banquest and celebrations are held there. Malaysia is among a few countries in the world which adapted the system of constitutional monarchy.

We visited the National Mosque. It is host to many religious ceremonies. There are many pools and fountains near the center of the complex, with many flowers. Women have to cover their arms, legs, and head to enter the mosque.

We also visited Merdeka square, which is where the Malaysian flag was first raised to symbolize independence from British rule. The buildings encircling Merdeka square include British Tudor-style buildings, and Islamic architecture.

The Petronas twin towers were once the tallest buildings in the world. They stand 452 meters. They were completed in 1998. We spent some time at KLCC park, below the towers. There is a pretty waterfall show that happens outside the park.

Our favorite part of Kuala Lumpur was the Batu Caves. It is a limestone hill with caves and temples. It is one of the most noted Hindu holy sites outside India. There is a gorgeous staircase with 204 steps. There are bats, white snakes, and blind snakes. There are many monkeys hanging out of the stairs and in the caves. We ate Ice Kacang, which is a popular Malaysian dessert.

We visited the royal Selangor factory because Malaysia has a multi-million pewter industry. They have been creating pewter articles for over a century.

We were able to see how the pewter was made and the girls got to use the machines.

Kuala Lumpur tower is a wireless communications tower where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur. We stood at the top and could see all the way to Singapore.

We also visited the zoo with macaws, tortoises, wallabys, and pythons. They allowed us to touch and feed the animals. It was an unforgettable experience. We have never been to a zoo that allows you to be so interactive with the animals.

It was extremely hard to come back to Beijing after this vacation. We really enjoyed the warmth and laid back atmosphere. We left a place that was 87 degrees to come back to a place that is 22 degrees.