But I got some bad news from a doctor today about not being able to go diving for a week due to some ear problems I’m having. I almost started to cry in his office. We have dives scheduled on the 20th and 21st, but now I will have to snorkel instead. My visit to the doctor was just one of three personal maintenance stops I’ve had in KL (saw a dentist and got new glasses too). That combined with all the diving confirms that Malaysia will be our most expensive country so far. Oh well, at least we really like it here! We’ve found most Malaysians to be very friendly and helpful. It has been somewhat common for strangers to ask us where we’re going with the intention of helping us get there (as opposed to hoping to take us somewhere to get a comission) before we even ask for help. Many people speak great English which is additionally helpful. As for KL, there is an easy to use network of public transportation within the city adding to the traveler-friendliness of the country. We visited the Petronas towers on our first day here, and have gone back to the area each day.

 view from the SkyBridge of Petronas Towers

park in KLCC, including free public waterpark!

In addition to the beautiful towers, there’s an adjacent shopping center that could be somewhere in San Jose based on the stores (Banana Republic, Gap, Coffee Bean, Starbucks, Chilis…and most surprisingly a California Pizza Kitchen) and the ethnic makeup of shoppers (lots of Chinese and Indians). We like it there for the cool AC, a nice park and fountain outside, and this great Borderesque bookstore with a huge selection of books. There are tons of designer shops, electronics stores, home décor, even a grocery store with fresh sushi in the deli. The various food courts are pretty nice too. In addition to all that, there’s a discovery museum, theatre, and art gallery ensuring that as long as you visit the Petronas area, there will be something to do. So I guess that explains why we went to hang out there three days in a row… Besides visiting Petronas, we did manage to see a few sights. I especially enjoyed visiting the hibiscus and orchid gardens within the larger botanical garden. Orchids never cease to amaze me with their structured yet playful shapes, striking colors, and range of sizes. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

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Other pics can be found in the new Flowers Album, which will be posted soon…