KL – Batu Caves and Chinatown

Batu Caves is a very sacred and popular spot for Hindus – look it up in Google to save me having to write about it.  I decided to take the 20 minute taxi ride to see it.  The most significant things about the caves are the 272 steps to get to the entrance, and the largest statue of a particular Hindu deity in the world.

Another attraction that everyone told me about was that there were monkeys everywhere and to watch out that you didn’t have things stolen by them.  None to be seen, I’m afraid – except the two sad ones in a cage.  There were, however, a couple of fairly nondescript and tiny “temples” and a man with a big yellow python.  These girls were pretty excited about that.

The view back down to the ground, and overlooking the city wasn’t bad, and some of the architecture was OK too.  I think this place would be more interesting when the special events you can read about in Google are taking place.

An unspoken significant experience to be had at Batu Caves is being torn apart limb by limb by rabid taxi drivers fighting over who is going to take you back to your hotel.  I had to physically restrain one “gentleman” after he started to get a little over-enthusiastic.

Later that evening I decided to walk down to Chinatown.  This is like a little Bangkok, with fake everything for sale and hawkers trying everything to get your attention and business. I probably paid too much for leather Mont Blanc carry-on luggage, but I needed it and it is probably cheaper than I could get at home.  Well, I hope it is.

The food was fantastic however, and it was a lot of fun to watch the tourists go by as I ate.