I visited Muzium Negara yesterday, which was disappointing as the first floor was undergoing renovation. Wandered around the "Colonial Era" and "Contemporary Malaysia" exhibits. Saw some random things, like half a Bellarmine jar. It was labelled as a broken Bellarmine jar found in some obscure sea and I still wonder what its significance is. Something from a Portuguese ship?The explanatory boards were done, I think, by a person who assumes nobody actually reads those things. Some of the paragraphs were unfinished, terminating mid-sentence. Glaring typos, such as "BetweeBetween," and bad grammar rendered some of the exhibits difficult to understand. Honestly, the whole place needs to be revamped by someone literate.
There were some items of interest to redeem the whole visit, though. I didn't know there are like a gazillion ways to tie a royal head-dress. The fascinating name of the Agung's destar is Dendam Tak Sudah, translated as "Unending Longing," though I can't tell if it is wrongly translated (since the museum boards have such a bad track record) or if dendam has an older meaning which means longing rather than revenge. But unending revenge sounds cooler. Dendam Tak Sudah (left) and Belalai Gajah (right) are my favourites.
After that proceeded to find my way home by the cheapest mode possible (i.e not taxi), which meant walking out to find a bus stop. With my terrible sense of direction (more like absolute lack of one), I ended up taking the overhead bridge to the Planetarium, passing by the Lake Gardens and stopping by the Tugu Negara to pay my respects to the seven cast metal warriors. Unfortunately the Planetarium was closed on Mondays, so was the National Archive., both of which I passed as well. Didn't feel like going to the Bird Park alone, though I will most certainly go one day. Busloads of tourists everywhere, so I wasn't too out of place taking my one-hour trek to the Tugu. It is situated atop a hill overlooking KL, accompanied by a three-storey high obelisk thingummy with large plates on each side embossed with obscure names, three-quarters of them British. The obelisk is surrounded by water, as is the Tugu in front of it. Iron waterlilies in the moat, which I thought rather odd-looking.
Descending via the hillside park by the Tugu, I finally found the bus stop. After a 20 minute wait, I decided that I would reach town faster than the bus (if it ever came; there were no signs to show the bus stop was still in use) and started walking, using KLCC to give me my bearings. Finally hit the Merdeka roundabout--is it called that?-- and passed through Jalan Masjid India which is like the Malay Petaling Street. I never knew such a place existed, but yeap, small market stalls and a roof overhead, selling fake accessories and makeup for the Malay market. The clothes were mostly imported silks, the kind for baju raya.
Made my way out of it, across Masjid Jamek and hit Pasar Seni, finally reaching the only bus stop I am familiar with in all of KL. Walked around in Pasar Seni. It's no longer the dingy market that I remember, stuffed corner to corner with artist's shops. Brightly lit now, with Famous Amos and Secret Recipe even, nestled between the shops that sell curious wood carvings and medicinal wooden or bone combs. Masks from Sarawak, batik from the East Coast (even Thailand, I suspect) and clocks from Europe, are available: all sorts of stuff to empty your wallets for--generally overpriced. I wandered around playing the stupid tourist eating kuih bahulu and gawking at the batik. Always fun to play the stupid tourist, except that shopkeepers continuously approach you.
Then took the bus back home. Thus ended my first KL walkabout. Wonder where I shall wander next? I do the same in Singapore all the time (generally because I get lost so often, what with my terrible sense of direction--or rather, lack of it). Would like to walk around KL more. Would do so around JB, except I can't tell which streets are safe so I can't do it alone. Heh. And will bring my notebook next time so that I can remember more details. Someone get me a camera. My handphone kept taking blurry shots...not happy. Ish.
