Chinese New Year 2007 in Kuala Lumpur

I spent 2 years of my early life here in Kuala Lumpur. Staying mostly in TTDI and also around Sentral. So KL does not offer much surprises for me, although I love how it progresses everytime I come back here. But, always, always, its food, its Indian curries and its roadside nasi lemak remind me that the old Kuala Lumpur is alive and kicking. When I passed through customs yesterday (I love its premier lane!), I really didn't have any plan apart from getting a new business shoes, relax at a coffee shop somewhere and do some people watching. But being the nite before Chinese New Year's eve, I decided to soak some of the celebratory atmosphere and walk around all the major shopping malls in Bukit Bintang.

Red lanterns lined some of the streets around Bukit Bintang and it does genuinely feels more livelier. KL Plaza has cherry blossoms placed on mock tress outside its entrance and at its main hall. Sungei Wang Plaza has a magical garden theme going-on in its concourse level, and Berjaya Time Square has a big Cherry Blossom wishing tree and Gazaebo at its entrance.

But unlike in Hong Kong, decorative figures depicting the pig, or rather the boar, seems conspicously absent. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. Anyway, I would think most people would already have started their journey to join their family earlier in the day so the shopping malls themselves were not really crowded but there are still some people doing their last minute shopping for CNY. The CNY sale seems to offer plenty of good bargains after all. I joined in the mood and bought some shirt and trousers.

To all, enjoy a bountiful and prosperous new year. Gong Xi Fa chai.

Kuala Lumpur, 16-17Feb 2007
En route to Osaka, Japan
KLIA express to KL Sentral: RM35
Taxi to Bukit Bintang: RM20 (Should perhaps take the normal city taxi on the 2st or ground floor)
Taxi from Bukit Bintang to Sentral: RM10
Shops closed around 9.30pm. Shops close on New Year itself.
B$1 = RM2.265
I changed my money KL Sentral.