Short Walk

　　The Malaysian Airlines plane, flight MH089, arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on time. The procedure for our entry was smooth. After collecting our baggage, we followed the signboard and got on the KLIA Ekspres train, which took us to the Kuala Lumpur Central Station (KL sentral) for about 30 minutes. The designer of KLIA, KL sentral and NU sentral, which is the huge shopping mall next to KL sentral, is Mr. Kisho Kurokawa, who is a noted Japanese architect and passed away in 2007, and I didn't know the fact. I felt that his three works were highly sophisticated and state-of-the-art. We took the KL Monorail at NU sentral station and reached Bukit Nanas Station near our hotel, the Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
　　We checked in at the hotel at about 6:30 pm, but the sun was still high. We went out and walked around the hotel. My first impression on the streets was "noisy" or "prosperous" and I didn't feel uneasy with the scene. It might be due to the left-hand traffic like in Japan. I had usually suffered from jet lag for a few days on overseas trips, but I had none this time. The time difference between Malaysia and Japan is only an hour.
　　I came across a bus which you can see in the following picture. It has no roof partially and should be for sightseeing. I tried to ask someone around us how to utilize it, but my wife rejected. It must be hot on the 2nd floor of the bus without its roof and air-conditioning. I abandoned my suddenly coming-up plan.
　　One more thing. The streets looked harsh for the physically challenged. Wheelchair users would have lots of difficulties in the streets.
　　Our room was set at the side of the Petronas Twin Towers as I asked from Japan. We could see the KL Tower at the opposite side, but it was faced with the busy street and we avoided the noise. The room was calm and clean. The building looked old, but the cost performance was really good. If I have another opportunity to stay in Kuala Lumpur, I'd like to choose this hotel again.
　　Take a look at the last picture, which shows the scene from the window. Don't you feel the picture is blurred? I assumed that it's due to the mist at that time, but the answer was given from the tour guide of the Malacca Tour the next day. That was smoke pollution caused by the slash and burn agriculture in Indonesia.

(Vocabulary)
KLIA Ekspres  マレー語で　空港急行列車
slash and burn agriculture 焼畑農業

Comments

[Shiroi Tora]

That last shot was beautiful. I had assumed it was a light fog...until I read your article. Still...it adds a surreal effect to the photo.