Kuala Lumpur’s been quite colorful – more so than I expected with my association with it as a transit point – a stop-over, as Air Asia routes all flights through KL. I have been pleasantly surprised. In our first hour, after settling in to the most luxurious digs of our vacation – The Royale Chulan (booked on Agoda = deal) – we consulted the concierge and were directed to yet more AMAZING street food. 
This spot was called Pelita, an open-aired joint serving up Malaysian dishes of Muslim-Indian descent. It was packed - mainly families, women in full burqas; I was immediately reminded of my cultural retardation after asking if they served beer. NO. We chose by our nose – a gigantic silver platter of Tandoori chicken, bright red and tenderly tangy. Garlic naan filled with pieces the size of small cloves, burning my throat upon entry. Bright dipping sauces, fresh lime, a muddy brown bowl of steaming hot daal – > happy ginger.
We checked out the Petronis Towers, whose shiny, flickering frames we can see from the pool deck of our hotel, but neglected to climb because of the 40 MYR entrance fee (“I can see a better view from the roof of my parents’ apartment building, for free.” – Jeff Thomas). We walked Bintang road – in all its glittering contrasts, its mall of Gucci and Hermes set beside a ramshackle market of fake designer bags, whose hawkers use their lighters to show you just how real the leather is (Jeff didn’t know that real leather doesn’t burn: “I don’t think my girlfriend usually walks through fire with her wallet out.” – Jeff Thomas). We had dinner last night at a truly well executed Italian trattoria – Nero Vivo – where I had one of the best salads of my life (babycress with pumpkin tallegio and some soft cheese i forget the name of) and lamb ragout that really, really impressed. 
The city is clean, bustling, and diverse. I’ve never been anywhere with so many women in hijabs and burqas, which only shows me how many more places I need to go. The food is divine, and the people – from taxi drivers to hotel staff to street vendors are friendly and accommodating. Basically, I discovered how underrated KL is. It was well worth the two days spent there, and, given that I couldn’t get my visa renewed ( No, the Chinese consulate isn’t open on Chinese New Year … ), I might have to return to KL at the end of February for a visa run . Which doesn’t sound half bad.
