A Malaysian Photo And Travel Blog

"What is so special about Pudu Town?" you might ask. For most people, Pudu is considered one of the busiest town in KL. At night, people fear walking alone in Pudu due to widespread news of street thieves and petty thefts. According to the Malay Mail paper dated 6th July 2009 "NOBODY takes an after-dark stroll down the streets around Jalan Pudu without a heart-pounding fear of being robbed. We can now add another street to this list of unsafe places". Source: Malay Mail

Well, I wanted to see more than that. I asked myself "What does Pudu have in store for Malaysians like me?" So, I started my exploration with a different outlook of Pudu. In Pudu town, we have three historic landmarks:

Each landmark has its own story to tell. I wish to explore the deeper side of these places and find out the latest development.

The day before the trip, I was having sleepless night. I can’t stop myself from thinking and planning. My big trip is coming up! The next morning, I woke up early. I boarded a Metrobus from Jalan Ipoh to Central Market in Kuala Lumpur (KL). After that, I walked 500 m all the way to Puduraya bus station. I felt safe knowing that our police personnel were making their daily rounds. In addition, RTD officers (Road Transport Department) and traffic police were on duty ensuring smooth traffic flow along Jalan Pudu.

I spent almost one hour finding the best location to snap pictures of Puduraya building. The building is pretty much the same. The exterior of the building was recently given a new coat of paint. According to Wikipedia: The Puduraya station (Malay: Hentian Puduraya) is the main bus station terminus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was opened in 1976 by the late former Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn. Long-distance buses arrive and leave from Puduraya for all over Peninsular Malaysia, and also Thailand and Singapore. Source: Wikipedia

It was a wonderful morning with blue mackerel sky. I had a great day snapping pictures. Halfway, an express bus driver was honking at me. I looked at him and he gestured back to me. He opened the bus door and asked me to hop in. At first, I was a little hesitant to accept his offer. I do not want to be another kidnap victim. But the driver and his assistant look friendly to me. So, I climbed up the bus. He spoke to me in English.

He asked:

"How much is your camera?"

I answered:

"RM 2 500"

He asked again:

"You from Japan?"

I answered:

"NO! I'm a Malaysian"

He added:

"Your face and spectacle....you really look like Japanese!"

Well, I'm not surprised. This is the fifth time people look at me as a young Japanese traveler. LOL! We had a nice friendly chat. I told him I was finding the best possible location to take my pictures. I want to win big on a blog competition organized by the Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing. I showed them the pictures I've taken earlier. The two men exclaimed together "FU-YOH!" That’s a nice start for me! I bid them goodbye and walked into the Puduraya station.

Other than that, I saw the usual 'kutu rayau' (translation: tickets tout) scouting for potential victims. Most of them were carrying walkie talkie. I ignored them. Moments later, I was surrounded by three mean looking 'kutu rayau'. These fellas were asking all sorts of questions about me and my camera. I tried to explain to them that I'm not a reporter. I’m just looking for some photo opportunities for my blog article.

Sadly, things get worse before they get better. Two uniformed guards came and asked me not to take anymore pictures. WHAT A BUMMER! Again, I tried to explain to them...but in vain. At one point, I was a bit scared surrounded with these burly people. So, I decided to walk away. I was truly disappointed.

From Puduraya, I walked almost 1 km to Pudu Jail. Along the way, I stumbled upon the unfinished Plaza Rakyat project. WOW! This RM 1.4 billion project has been abandoned for almost 15 years! Unfinished concrete slabs and steel bars are visible from afar. What an eyesore! But, I guess things will get better from now. Our Federal Territories (FT) Minister has taken a proactive approach on this matter. Recently, I stumbled upon Raja Nong Chik's (FT Minster) blog article about this problem. Here is the Q&A between our minister with StarMetro. Source: RNC (YB Raja Nong Chik's Blog)

After that, I saw the one and only full-fledged hospital in Jalan Pudu a.k.a. Tung Shin Hospital. This hospital is previously known as Pooi Shin Thong, was founded in 1881 by Kapitan Cina Yap Kwan Seng, to provide traditional medical care for patients. Initially it was situated at Jalan Sultan, KL. In 1894 it was converted into a non-profit organization and its name was changed to Tung Shin Hospital. The hospital was then shifted to the present address. A bold expansion program for the Western Medical Department was initiated in 1985 and completed in 1989. This 10-storey block with a total built up area of 240,000 square feet has a bed capacity of 250.

Finally, I reached the busiest crossroad in KL. The weekend traffic was getting heavier by the minute. I was walking all the way from Puduraya bus station to Pudu Jail. Initially, I enjoyed this walking trip. But, the volume of traffic and the amount of CO (Carbon Monoxide) released from the vehicles were unbearable! Some buses were releasing thick black fumes from the exhaust pipe. OMG! This is no good for our fragile environment. RTD needs to do more - especially conducting spot checks to determine the level of toxic fumes released by our public vehicles. Our PM Najib has been talking a lot about cutting green gashouse gas emissions and greening Malaysia. So please take immediate action before it’s too late!

At the busy crossroad, I saw the faint blue and white building of 'Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman (translation: The Royal Malaysian Police Kuala Lumpur Contingent Headquarters). Also, I was standing right beneath the KL Monorial tracks. The Pudu station is just 500 m away.

After crossing the busy road, I finally reached Pudu Jail. At first, I walked to the main entrance of the jail. I was hoping to obtain some kind of permission to enter the prison for some exclusive shots. Unfortunately, the big wooden doors were locked. No guard in sight. So, I walked along the famous walls of Pudu Jail. The four walls of Pudu Jail were painted entirely by the prisoners who used over 2000 litre of paint to accomplish the task. The murals entitled the inmates to won a place in the Guinness Book of Records for painting the world's longest mural along the prison walls.

It was sad. The paintings were peeling and chipping away. In addition, parts of the concrete walls has broken off due to vandalism and lack of preservation. I also saw some strange looking graffiti on the walls. Interestingly, our Pudu Jail is not that big after all. I explored the entire four walls in less than 40 minutes. Also, I saw massive construction machinery at the back of the jail. The entrance is blocked. I guess some kind of renovation works are going on. But I was wrong! The jail is being demolish to make way for a new tunnel and road expansion. WOW! What a waste!

Overall, it was an insightful and memorable trip. This is my very first walking tour from Puduraya to Pudu Jail. I truly enjoyed the entire experience. Savvy travelers from abroad would LOVE to have similar guided trips. This little town in the heart of KL is definitely rich in history and deserves better attention.

Note: This article has been submitted to BOG4FT. Click this banner and VOTE for this entry. No registration required. I need your support - A Malaysian Photo & Travel Blog.

It was another HOT afternoon. A perfect day for drying the sliced crackers.

These crackers will 'stand up' by iteself under the hot sun :)

These are chunks of crackers. The machine cuts them into thin slices.

Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

I bought two big packets of fried 'keropok' (crackers). Delicious and crunchy crackers with prawn aroma.

This the first Chinese temple in Pasir Penampang. The interior of the temple resemble a cave. It was eerie, dark and creepy.

OK.....this the high priest from the second temple. We had a long............ chat.

What were we talking about? Read my story....

Halfway chatting, the high priest brought out a piece of newspaper highlighting the 'land grab' on the temple's ground. The temple caretakers later joined us. I try to understand what really happened. It's a complicated and mind boggling thing.

A unique door guardian at the second temple.

The headgear reminds me of a pirate!

Pasir Penambang was formerly a fishing village. But the fishing industry has died (long time ago).....Today, the residents are making crackers to supplement their income. During my visit, I saw loads of tourists - local and foreign.

A 'bubu' to trap fish. Now, a deco in a seafood restaurant.

Three weeks ago, I visited the fishing village in Sekinchan. It was an amazing trip! So, I decided to visit another fishing village in Pasir Penambang, Selangor. It's a small village with less than 300 residents.

Upon entering the village, I saw two Chinese temples. It was another hot afternoon. But the blue mackerel sky was AWESOME! A great day for photography.

I visited both temples. The first (at the main entrance to the village) is pretty interesting. The interior of the temple is dark and eerie - very similar to the cave temples in Ipoh, Perak.

After that, I walked 400 m to visit another temple. As usual, I was having a great time snapping pictures. Halfway, I was stopped by the temple high priest. He was half naked. He was curious upon seeking my Nikon D60 camera. I told him I needed some pictures for my blog article.

Luckily, he allowed me to take pictures. In addition, he granted me special access to the temple. AWESOME! At first, we had a brief friendly chat. Moments later, he was complaining about the land grab on the temple's ground. He brought out a folder containing newspaper clips about the land issue. Even the temple caretakers joined our conversations and poured out their grouses.

In addition, he proudly shares some articles highlighting the miracles that happened in his temple. He sounds so convincing and believable. I nodded my head.....many times. At one point, our conversation was getting nowhere. I had to say goodbye to him. I wanted to explore the fishing village.

Along the way, I stumbled upon an old Chinese lady. OMG! She was throwing a bucket full of prawns shell into the river. What the H***? A young man was standing right next to her with a big fishing net. I chatted with her. She said the prawn shells were used as baits to attract fish. Again our conversation lasted for 45 minutes. She told me the fishing industry in Pasir Penambang had 'died' a long time ago. What a BIG LETDOWN! Later, she invited me to stay until 6:30 p.m. to observe the beautiful sunset. I rejected her politely.

After that, I explored the rest of the village. Almost every household or shops in Pasir Penambang were making prawn crackers or 'keropok udang'. It's a small but profitable industry. I bought two big packets of 'keropok udang' and some freshly baked biscuits. My mom and brother LOVE IT! The crackers are crunchy and tasty. The aroma is simply heaven!

Overall, Pasir Penambang is a quiet village. Nothing to do and not much to see. But, it's a great place to savor delicious seafood and nice crackers :)

Five days ago (6th December 2009), I invited my best friend to visit Royal Selangor. She has just returned from UK. At first, she was reluctant to follow me. But she finally agreed after some coaxing from me. She was looking forward to purchase the BEST pewter products in Kuala Lumpur (KL).

I doodled some cartoons to make it fun and attractive. In addition, this calendar is illustrated with beautiful pictures of Kuala Lumpur (KL) and Putrajaya - all captured with my Nikon D60.

Download, print and send copies of this wonderful calendar to your friends and families. A perfect way to show cast our unique 1 Malaysia to the world.

Note: This calendar has been submitted to BOG4FT. Click this banner and VOTE for this entry. No registration required. I need your support - A Malaysian Photo & Travel Blog.

Recently, I’ve just concluded a global survey. I wanted to get feedbacks from global bloggers about the good and bad of Kuala Lumpur (KL). Here are the second half results processed from 52 replies. Click this link to read the full survey [GLOBAL BLOGGERS SURVEY]