A Malaysian Photo And Travel Blog

Referring to the chart above, global bloggers LOVE KL food, lifestyle, entertainment and people.

So, I decided to search for them in KL.

I can only think of one place - Bukit Bintang in KL. Bukit Bintang is KL's premier shopping district located in the Golden Triangle. I started my exploration from Pavilion shopping centre. Pavilion mega shopping complex in Bukit Bintang, offers a magnificent and elegant shopping experience as it houses various world-class international brands and flagship stores.

The shopping complex is HUGE! A whooping 1.37 mil sq ft retail haven with 430 outlets. Definitely a shopper's paradise. I was amazed seeing so many exclusive branded shops such as Prada, Gucci, LV, Rolex, British India and many more. At first, I was snapping photos of these shops with my Nikon D60. But, in less than 10 minutes, I was stopped by a security guard. He asked me not to take anymore pictures of these shops due to security and copyright reasons. I was a bit disappointed. So, I walked to Pavilion's grand entrance.

I was blown away by the Christmas decorations. It is so beautiful! Large-sized Christmas trees were decorated with beautiful lights, garlands and ornaments. The shoppers enjoyed the vibrant Christmas atmosphere. In addition, I witnessed KL lavish lifestyle in Bukit Bintang. Ladies shoppers were strutting their authentic LV bags and precious collections of accessories. At one point, I felt awkward, underdressed and outdated with my short pants and jersey!

I was lucky. The Christmas show has just begun. I squeezed myself as close as possible to the podium for some close-up shots with my camera. It was a creative, fun and entertaining performance organized by Pavilion management for shoppers and visitors. The Christmas sing and dance show lasted for 20 minutes. I enjoyed every second of it!

After the show, I wanted to see more of Bukit Bintang. So, I took a stroll along Bintang Walk. There were tons of people. I hate crowds. I will do anything I can to avoid a crowd. But, odd enough...I enjoyed the Bintang Walk experience. I LOVE seeing Malaysian citizens from all walks of life mingling and communicating with one another. Truly 1Malaysian lifestyle.

I reached the famous Bukit Bintang zebra crossing. According to TheStar paper, the crossroads at the busy Jalan Bukit Bintang/Jalan Sultan Ismail is now implemented with Malaysia’s very own Shibuya crossing — inspired after the famous Shibuya scramble crossing in Japan, where vehicles from all directions come to a good few minutes stop to allow pedestrians to cross the intersection to get to the malls along Bukit Bintang.

I stood there for over 30 minutes to observe the brilliant idea in ACTION. Sadly, several impatient motorists go against the traffic light thus endangering the safety of the pedestrian - lousy drivers!

I crossed the road and visited some roadside bazaar. Loads of tourists were crowding the stalls looking for memorable gifts and souvenirs. I chatted with two hawkers manning the stalls. One of them is a Bangladeshi worker selling bootleg watches and sunglasses. The other one is a Malay lady selling Malaysian gifts. They told me the business has been slow for the first half of 2009. But, it is now catching up due to the school holidays. It was great talking to them. A bunch of friendly folks.

Finally, I walked for 1 km to Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang. This is a great place for cheap and delicious food. The area has since undergone a number of facelifts. Both sides of Jalan Alor are lined with endless rows of ‘mamak’ stalls, outdoor restaurants and hawker stands selling fruits, barbequed meats and hanging ducks.

Along the way, I bumped into a Bangladeshi worker. He was peeling some jackfruits. A sticky and tedious job. Next, I walked across the road and visited the famous 'Yau Char Kway' (油炸鬼) stall. 'You Tiao' or 'Yau Char Kway' sometimes known in English as Chinese cruller fried bread stick or Chinese doughnut, is a long, golden-brown, deep fried strip of dough in Chinese cuisine and is usually eaten for breakfast.

I tried out a few pieces of deep fried delicacies - including 'Ham Chin Peng', 'Ngau Lay Sou' 'Cup Chung' and 'Mah Kiok'. It was crunchy and tasty. The sesame seeds added natural flavor and aroma to the food. Simply heaven! It was wonderful seeing husband, wife and son working side-by-side. Dad was kneading the dough, son was frying and mum was selling. This simple business has been in operation for almost twenty-five years. Amazing!

Later, I visited a lady selling 'leong cha' (translation: cool herbal drink). I ordered myself a big glass of herbal drink. It was sweet, tasty and has a cooling effect. AWESOME! She has been selling the drink for over 30 years. Unbelievable! Later, I asked permission to snap some pictures. She posed for me. HORRAY!

Overall, it was a great journey. I discovered great food in Jalan Alor, amazing people in Bintang Walk and wonderful entertainment plus lifestyle in Pavilion. All in Bukit Bintang. KL Boleh! Malaysia Boleh!