Kuala Lumpur

A dear friend of mine came down to KL over the weekend with some friends. They are from Singapore, and I managed to catch them on Saturday despite their hectic schedule :P

When I'm in Singapore, I told them that despite the fact that both Malaysia & Singapore are very similar, I feel like an outsider when I'm down in Singapore. I dont know why, or perhaps its all just in my head, I feel different, from the way I talk, walk and dress. Fortunately, when these guys are here in KL, I think they blend in well. Or at least, I dont feel intimidated or anything. Hehe

So, for the first time, I asked them, as Singaporean, what they feel when they are down in KL. And I like to share two particular points that they mentioned:

1) KL are different than Singapore in terms of infrastructure. They note that it is fascinating to see amist of a row of old shoplots, there is a huge tall modern building sandwiched between it.

Which is quite interesting, cause I've been down to Singapore and Brisbane, and usually in a city, all the new buildings are new and structured. But here in KL, its like rojak, and I mean it in a good way. I've never noticed it before, but when they mentioned it, it is unique to see that blend in KL's building, the old and the new, both combined together in its own unique way. Something I believe we all take for granted, something that we KLites see everyday and dont really give a second thought to it, but to someone who is new here, would find it fascinating. Interesting indeed.

2) We later had dinner (or rather, I had dinner!) at Tmn Midah's pasar malam. Apparently, in Singapore, there is no "mobile steamboat" and colourful and dazzling(!!) bras and panties are not sold cheaply and openly there!

It seems that pasar malams in Singapore floats around their neighbourhood. Instead of a weekly affair (unlike us where the pasar malam are open on fixed places each day of the week), it sort of floats around (i stand corrected!) the neighbourhood for a few weeks before ALL of the stalls moved to another location where they will be operating for another few weeks. So, this goes on and on. The only disadvantage I see is that its sort of difficult to gauge where the pasar malam is going to be. And while they do serve tidbits and food in their pasar malam, its food variety is not as much as us, where we literally can get our dinner there.

And they dont have mobile steamboat, a white van that carries the usual steamboat stuff in a satay stick and then you just dip it into a hot boiling soup and voila, its cooked and you can eat it, standing up. Its one of my favourites really, when I go pasar malam. Perhaps with all the sauce dripping and the mess, that is why they dont have it down in Sing? :P

And RM10 for 3 fire-engine-red bras being sold openly is not found in Singapore pasar malam too!

All in all, its quite interesting for me. Indeed, I enjoyed being able to share these unique KL experience with them. It helps me see things that we sometimes take for granted. Suddenly, I am able to understand what it means when they say "a vibrant place full of culture and customs". Wah, kembang liao.

I guess, many a times, it takes outsiders to remind us of the good things we have and enjoyed.