Malaysia ... Truly Asia

Kuala Lumpur ...

Having learned from previous travel experience, during my second visit to secure and get my visa stamped on my passport, I am now equipped with the courage to look at Malaysia deeper. This time I have a clearer travel plan. I also have more time and money since everything was pre-arranged by Erasmus coordinators. Perhaps I should look not only on what kind of food the Malaysians eat, how do they spend their daily lives, how to go from one place to another, what can be seen in the city center, what to buy, what not to buy, what not to do and those things.

With the Erasmus coordinator finally arranged everything for me, I was able to gain more time to prepare and plan my next travel. What I had in mind, during those days, was to visit Legoland Malaysia. I learned that Legoland Malaysia just opened some days ago prior to my scheduled flight. If lucky, I could get a discount to be able to enter the famous toy land. We all go back to childhood days ... once in a while.I was billeted at Brisdale Hotel for two nights - scheduled to go to the Embassy of Poland for visa stamping and then I’m free. But I have three days before I could go back home. So, maybe, it was meant to be --- tourism.

A hearty meal greeted me the following morning. How nice it was eating at the penthouse level of a 3-star hotel overlooking old Kuala Lumpur. While from afar, the majestic Petronas Twin Towers and the modern business district seem to cover the horizon. The sun’s still lazy and the morning just started when food was served. It was, again, buffet-type service.

I chose a heavy meal because of a rather busy day ahead going to the Embassy. Everything went smoothly at the embassy except that the visa officer might be wondering how I made it to Erasmus Mundus. Inside the compound, I met two Filipino visa applicants. One of them working as a maid whom I met in Warsaw during the celebration of Philippine Independence day at the Philippine Embassy compound. The other one, a Filipino guy working as a tilesetter, was assigned in Poznan. I never saw him in Poland.

Before calling it a day, we went to KLCC Suria. This was my second time to see and visit KLCC Suria and Petronas Tower. I’m not so excited anymore, but, as a courtesy I want to accompany my fellow Filipino who wanted to go around. It was lunchtime and it’s time to eat. I treated myself with sumptuous Indian biryani.

I’m back at the hotel before dinner. But, since my stomach is already full, all I want is to rest the night away for tomorrow’s long travel to Johor Bahru.

It’s already dark when I went inside Brisdale entrance door. The lobby was empty except for a young beautiful girl in a not-so-long skirt. She was, I guess, in her early twenties or late teens. Then, a gentleman went out of the elevator where I was waiting and went directly to the young girl waiting for him. I forgot to get the key so I went back to the receptionist. I saw the gentleman and the girl went out to the streets as I went back to my room.

A Sidetrip on the Memories of the Past

The first time I have had an encounter with prostitute of Kuala Lumpur was during my first visit. In that 50-ringgit hostel, I woke up in the middle of the early morning. I opened the door to see three prostitutes seating and smoking.

Traveling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after securing a Polish national visa for my forthcoming exchange study in Lublin, Poland. I got myself accommodated at YMCA, perhaps the most convenient hostel I have had in the city center. The last time I was accommodated here at the city center, I ended up in a cheap (really cheap hostel) swarmed by prostitutes.

I really do not have the idea because I accepted the offer during the last minutes and because of this mistakes committed by University of Murcia who arranged my travel during the first visit to Malaysia for the visa application. I almost lose my composure. Luckily, I met a Tamil-Malaysian friend who helped me bargain for the dear cost, but, the cost allowed me to have a very small room (around the size of two single beds with a cramped toilet and without even a small window).

Outside there was an old, worn-out sofa and when I woke up in the morning to look out if it was already morning, there were three prostitutes smiling at me as if inviting for some nasty encounter. I shook my head sideways and looked out. It was already morning and I found myself some minutes later looking for food. Most of the street food outside were not acceptable to me so I ended up buying frozen sandwiches at 7-11 stores near that hostel.

The following morning, I woke up early and went directly to the penthouse restaurant. Below, I could see people walking along narrow alleys going in and out of the old market. It’s an old market, I’m sure, with the way buildings and apartments were built. There was a beautiful mosque in the middle of the Chow Kit area while traders occupy both sides of the streets. There was no need for me to go to Petronas Towers since I’ve been there before and yesterday after getting my passport stamped. Besides, the famous landmark can be seen from the penthouse restaurant.

Legoland Malaysia ...

Today, I am planning a long trip by bus to the south of Malaysia - Johore Bahru - where Legoland is located. I went directly to penthouse to eat another heavy meal complete with fruit juices, tropical fruits, two pieces of egg, lots of bread and Malaysian noodles. There were available rice, which I took advantage. This will be my last breakfast at the hotel. I still have one more night to stay. Tomorrow, I will go to KL Sentral again to position myself in going back to the airport.

After a warm shower, I went out to look around and to go to the station. It was noisy and people were selling all sorts of things. There was even an old man selling snake’s oil that promises to cure all sickness.

I went directly to the bus station. Unlike the bus station I got used to in Manila, Kuala Lumpur’s bus station is centralized, clean, neat, orderly and convenient. It was like an international airport except that the passengers will not fly by airplane but will travel the road using modern air conditioned buses.

The Malaysian government provided its citizen with a transport system that they deserved. For as long as I remember, Malaysia boasts of one of the best transport road networks in Asia connecting KL to many provinces within the peninsula and extending to its borders.

Penetrating Deep into the Malay Peninsula

From Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru was truly exciting. The priceless view of Malaysian countryside kept me accompanied throughout the journey. I can sense the slower side of Malay culture, the “bahay-kubo”-style huts typical of Malay architecture. The roads were well-maintained and superior in quality. I said so because I never remember any bumpy moments. Maybe it’s because of the modern double-decker bus. But, Malaysian road network is known for its high quality and superb construction. I read that it’s world-class and I never doubted it from then on.

From the bus station of Johor Bahru, there were no public mass transport to Legoland. Since it was still new during that time, going to Legoland required a traveler to take taxi. I have enough money, so I did. But, I guess I have to sacrifice going inside the play area since the entrance fee was very prohibitive. I simply enjoyed the day with happy people and children, ate in a fastfood restaurant, if I still remember it right, it was a Burger King.

By 4:00PM, I decided it’s time to go back to the capital city. Going back to Brisdale wasn’t that easy. At Johor Bahru station, the bus conductor got a fast one over me by forgetting to give back the change. He said that he will go back to me while he went around collecting other passenger’s fee. I waited no end until the bus driver closed the door and I never saw the conductor again. My seatmate told me about the sad reality. I told my seatmate that I will just give it to the trickster conductor. Maybe someone in his family needed the money very badly.

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur, it was already dark. It was almost 2200H in my watch. There were no metro train available. A young woman, an employee, asked me where will I go. “I’ll go back to the hotel”, I replied. She said that the only way to go back to the hotel was to take a taxi. I was sort of frustrated with the misfortune I encountered. At Johor Bahru where I lost the change of the bus fare to a trickster and again, this taxi thing. I have no choice so I flagged down a taxi.

It was already very late in the evening. The taxi driver was silent. He’s not talking or saying anything unlike in Manila where taxi drivers are talkative and we tolerate them. I never asked a question or invited conversations. The word I said was “Brisdale Hotel” and the driver nodded.

Again, I was about to frown when I noticed how beautiful Malaysian evening was. Imagine yourself riding a car without the blaring car stereo and wondering in the beauty of a night filled with stars and a full moon. The air was cool and clean because of the palm trees all over the city, well-paved road and glitters of orange lights as far as your eyes can see. I forgot how much I paid for the ride, but, I’m sure it was well worth it.