P- 10:00 am.
G- Damn! It is so dark in here. What are we going to do with that a/c? I was freezing to death last night.
P- It was cold, but I didn't do it. It has a mind of it's own. I set it on a high number, like 21 C or something.
G- I think that is about 74 F, but it's still too cold. Tonight let's set it on 23 C or 24 C. I'm going to take a hot shower to warm up and just because we're paying a lot for a nice shower.
We left the hotel and headed for the Petronas Towers; today we were going to learn the metro system. The doorman gave us directions to supposedly, the closest metro station. We walked around, across, up 2 flights of stairs, down 1 and finally arrived at the ticket counter. After extensive consultation with the woman in the ticket booth and reading the brochure cover to cover, we determined that the Kuala Lumpur (KL) metro was a hodge podge of different lines, not well connected, and requiring you to purchase a new ticket for almost every segment in order for it to be cost effective.
P- Yes, this seems like it's going to be a pain in the ass.
We purchased a ticket to Masjid Jamek where we'd have to switch trains. As we exited the train, we heard the call to prayer, and realized that we were next to the Masjid Jamek Mosque, built 1909, and the first brick Mosque in the city. The Mosque was full and the men were spilling out onto the street all around it. We stood on the train landing and watched for a while, then exited, passing even more men, on their prayer rugs, lining the walls of the metro station.
P- Where do the women pray when the call to prayer sounds? All I see are men. WTF?
G- Beats the hell out of me. Maybe they just celebrate the call to prayer by taking off their headscarves and dancing around while the men are gone off to pray in their sexist little groups.
P- That's what I'd do. I take off all those layers of cloth too and dance around naked!
P- A hell of a lot. Come on! We still have to make our way across the street, through the traffic and find the station for the green line so we can get to KLCC which is the Petronas Towers stop.
Up more steps, down other steps and finally we caught the green line. Again we compared this system to Singapore's which had all lines meet in clean, efficient transfer stations with escalators. Finally, after an hour to go only a few miles, we reached the Petronas Towers' mall, called Suria. We purchased sandwiches and sat in front of the towers while we ate. The towers were very beautiful, drawing from Islamic Architecture, and appearing to be cut crystal. As we walked through the towers and the Suria Mall, we were amazed at the stores lining the main entrance: Gucci, Ferragamo, Cartier, Prada, Tiffany, Bally, Chanel, & Hermes. The main atrium was decorated for Christmas with several purple Christmas trees and a stage. Also, the place was packed. It was Christmas Eve, but in a country 65% Muslim, it seemed odd that the decorations and music would be so over the top for Christmas.
G- Well, you can rest easy, because I'm absolutely not getting up at 6:00 am to run that metro gauntlet, so that I can stand in line for 3 hours, to take an elevator to the 44th floor of this building. Not unless they're going to give me a million dollars when I get up there.
P- You know I'm not going to cry about that since I hate heights anyway.
G- The guidebook said that it is easy to go up the KL Tower and the view is just as good.
P- Sounds good to me.
We walked to the back of the Petronas Towers and through the park. We passed very old bayon trees with huge hanging roots. Of course I could not resist the urge to get up in them. Then we sat by the huge fountains and watched the people go by.
G- I get your point. My feet are killing me and it's not as hot here, so I'm happy just to sit and enjoy the fountain.
P- Look up there! San Francisco Steak House.
G- We should check that out; they might have a Christmas dinner.
P- What are we going to do tonight? It is Christmas Eve and I'm sure you're gonna get a little mopey because you're missing home.
G- Yeah. I've been fine, even Thanksgiving wasn't that big a deal, but you know I like my traditional Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Not that we've had that in the last 2 years, since we moved to California, but at least we ate the same foods and talked to our peeps back home.
P- I'm not excited about having rice for Christmas or Christmas Eve either.
P- Worst case scenario, there is a KFC in there and we can at least get some fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
G- That'll work if nothing else, but I want my Italian foods...... salami, red wine, olives, cheese, ham, and your potato salad. My gawd, I'd kill for that salami from Milan and the Italian goat cheese that Habib turned us on to.
P- That's not gonna happen, but let's see what we can do.
We walked back into the Cold Storage Grocery and passed a small wine display. Maybe there was hope.
P- OMG! They have some cheeses. Look!!!!!
G- What kind? Oh! They have Brie, Gruyere, Gouda, Gorgonzola........ I'm so excited!!!!!
P- And fancy crackers over here!! And that 3 in 1 coffee that was pretty good. Get a basket!!!
P- Look in the back!!!! A small wine department.
G- I'm salivating!!!! We haven't had wine since we left home. We must have wine for Christmas Eve!!
P- Did you see the tiny deli just outside the wine area that had a selection of meats and salami?
G- No!
P- Yes! Go get us some salami and I'll look at our wine options.
I selected an Italian salami and while waiting for it to be cut, read the sign on the wall just outside the wine section...............
G- Hmmmm. Good thing we're not wearing our burqas or we couldn't buy wine.
P- Do all non Muslims carry a card saying it's ok to sell them wine?
G- I don't know, but I'm glad we look like two big, white, westerners. I'd hate to have to beat someone's ass for this wine because I AM having wine and cheese tonight and gawd help the person who tries to stop me.
P- You get em baby!
We left the cold storage very excited and with 2 bags full of goodies........... Gouda & Gruyere cheeses, Italian salami, a bottle of Argentinian Pinot Noir, instant (but tasty) coffee, sesame crackers, chocolate chip cookies and milk!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because of the cold items, we decided to take a taxi, so we headed for the taxi stand in front of the towers.
Taxi driver #1 – You need taxi?
Taxi driver #1 – Where you go?
P- Olympic Hotel.
Taxi driver #1 – 25 ringgits.
P- The sign on your car says you're a metered taxi and not allowed to negotiate. I want you to use the meter.
Taxi driver #1 – No. I not take you.
P- You will not take us with the meter?
Taxi driver #1 – No. (becoming hostile)
P- Is it not far enough for you?
Taxi driver #1 – No.
P- Asshole. (we walked a little further down the line of taxis)
P- Yes.
Taxi driver #2 – Where you go?
P- Olympic Hotel. With the meter.
Taxi driver #2 – No.
P- No? Why in the hell are you sitting at the taxi stand if you do not want to drive people anywhere?
Taxi driver #2 – 20 ringgits.
P- The sign on your car says that you are not allowed to negotiate. I want the meter.
Taxi driver #2 – No. (also becoming hostile)
P- This is bullshit!
P- Why the hell are they in the taxi line? Why are they asking us if we want a taxi if they don't want to take us anywhere? And the sign says they must use the meter.
G- Shhhh! Shut up! Let it go before you get us killed. We're taking the metro.
P- Pisses me off!!! Sons of bitches!!!
G- I know muffin. They are total assholes, but we cannot do anything about it and I don't want to be killed before I eat my cheese and salami and drink my damn wine!!! Now zip it!
P- Fuckers! My milk had better not get hot!
Phyl settled down as we road the metro back to the hotel. On the 6 block walk from the metro station to the hotel we stopped at Circle K (there's one on every corner) and got an ICEE. It was still early, maybe only 6:30, but we were in for the night, so we we showered off the sweat of the day and put on our pajamas. The movie channel was playing Santa Clause 2.
Later, after it was dark, we opened the curtains to enjoy the skyline and the Petronas Towers, so beautifully lit up at night. We used Gmail to call our families and some friends. It lifted our spirits to talk to our peeps. Then we opened our wine and ate our cheese and salami. Die Hard 1 & 2 came on TV. Well, when you're desperate for something, in English, to watch, almost anything will do. We lounged on our 2 pillows each and later had milk and cookies. It wasn't our best Christmas Eve, but the evening wasn't so terrible.
