A Weekend Away

In some ways, working overseas is similar to studying abroad. For example, I know that if I had a job in New York, I would spend most of my weekends in the City, with trips back home to New Jersey fairly often and perhaps an occasional visit to Philadelphia. Apart from that, I don’t think I would be traveling very much.

However, since there are very cheap flights from Hong Kong to scores of other Asian capitals, I have fallen into a habit of taking a short weekend trip about once a month. Back in January, I went to Manila. In February, I had that wonderful vacation in Thailand. (March was one long trip to London.) And this past weekend, for my April installment, I went to the Malaysian metropolis Kuala Lumpur.

A row of Malaysian flags outside of the National Museum

I think I’ve mentioned before how dismal Hong Kong’s weather has been since I’ve come back from London. I can’t really complain that it rains all the time, because it doesn't. I can’t even complain that it’s cold, because it's not. But it has been constantly cloudy and dark and—well—dismal. Thankfully, Kuala Lumpur was graced with at least some bright sunshine each day. And it was the first sun I'd seen in weeks. During April, Kuala Lumpur also gets a generous helping of rain each day. Usually it comes all at once, in the afternoon. And, as they say, when it rains, it pours. Still, the morning sunshine was delightful, and I didn't mind the rain one bit.

Friday night was practically a lost night for me and my friend Eric, who suggested we take the trip. What we didn’t realize when we booked our late flight was that Kuala Lumpur International Airport is actually a good hour outside the city! Even after clearing customs quickly, we still didn’t make it to our hotel until after 2am! After a quick beer and some late-night street food, we went to bed.

Up bright and early on Saturday morning, we jumped on the Kuala Lumpur Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour, a great way to cover a lot of ground in the short amount of time we had. We saw the Central Market, the Royal Palace, the National Mosque and plenty of other sights from the bus. At other spots, like Chinatown, the National Museum and Merdeka Square, we hopped off the bus to explore further.

KL's Chinatown

Over the course of the day, Eric and I began to realize just how diverse a city Kuala Lumpur is. As we explored different parts of town, we saw so many different cultures all coexisting. There are temples, mosques and churches. There are Western tourists in shorts and tank tops, Muslim women covered from head to toe and everything in between. Parts of town felt like Hong Kong, other parts were Indian-influenced and still others felt like the Middle East. It was a fascinating tableau of unimaginable variety. Just when we thought we knew what to expect next, Kuala Lumpur threw another surprise at us. We certainly learned that you can't pigeonhole this city; maybe you can with others, but definitely not with KL.

The gates to the National Palace

Of course, I had to run out of money during the trip, and my dad had to send me emergency cash via Western Union. When similar situations have arisen in other international locales, I’ve always had the easiest time locating a Western Union. But in Kuala Lumpur, it couldn’t have been more difficult. It seemed each branch I happened to find had something wrong with it. Two were offline for receiving money when I stopped in. Another, in the Post Office, could only dispense cash on weekdays. And yet another, in a bank, was only open during banking hours, which I had just missed. Luckily, I stumbled upon one near Merdeka Square—and although they were offline too, they were able to direct me to a nearby sister location that they assured me would be open. And it was—phew!

Merdeka (or Independence) Square

Just after collecting my money, the obligatory Saturday afternoon downpour started. So, we headed to Cosmo's World, an incredible indoor amusement park with an insane roller coaster that has to be seen to be believed. It includes loops, drops and spins, and basically whisks riders around the entirety of the gigantic room. It was truly a breathtaking ride—so much so that Eric and I rode the coaster three or four times!

Cosmo's World, with the incredible indoor roller coaster

Kuala Lumpur’s most internationally famous sight is, without doubt, the metallic and impressive corporate complex that houses the Petronas Towers, which held the title of world’s tallest skyscrapers from 1998 to 2004. The towers are especially striking when all lit up at night. Even if the illuminated towers had been the sole sight we had seen that weekend, I still would have rated the entire trip as completely worthwhile. They were that stunning.

To best appreciate the sight, there is SkyBar, on the 33rd floor of the Traders Hotel, just across the street from the towers. Luckily, my friend Erin had visited KL during her post-Thailand travels, and she advised me to call ahead to reserve a good table. Our windowside perch offered a stunning view of the city skyline, as you can see from the photo below, which I took on Saturday night.

The view from SkyBar

Sunday morning, before our mid-afternoon flight back to Hong Kong, Eric and I managed to fit in one last attraction that had been recommended by several of my friends who have visited KL: the Batu Caves. If you ever make it to the city, I don't think a visit would be complete with out a sidetrip here. Truly a sight to be seen, words cannot come close to describing the Batu Caves.

The caves were fascinating, ridiculous and strange all at once. I’ve never seen anything quite like them, and I don't think I'll ever forget them. Located just outside of the city, the caves include Indian temples, long staircases, huge statues, giftshops and restaurants, tourists and faithful pilgrims, men wrapped in snakes or holding lizards (that you can take photos with) and, most memorably, hundreds of curious monkeys.

Of all the memories I have of Kuala Lumpur, none is so vivid as that of the rambunctious monkeys who hold court in the Batu Caves. They are everywhere, and they are seemingly unfazed by humans. That is, at least, until you approach one of their young, which I mistakenly did. I don't think I will ever forget the mother monkey (below right) hissing and lunging towards me after I crossed some invisible line and got too close to her baby (below left).

Perhaps the most bizarre thing we encountered at the caves was an Indian family, all barefoot, carrying a palm tree up the steps to the main temple. If that wasn’t strange enough, a baby happened to be dangling inside a cloth swing hanging from the tree’s trunk. As monkeys ran amok, tourists (myself included) snapped photos and water dripped from the cave’s ceiling, the family vigilantly pushed forward until reaching the temple!

The Indian family making their way up the steps

In the end, I can say I really enjoyed my weekend in Kuala Lumpur. True, I will not be rushing back next month, but I know that when I find myself there again, I will be in a diverse and fascinating place where there are plenty of things to see and do.

The Hong Kong Culinary Scene

Although the weather has been far from ideal here since my return to Hong Kong, it’s been great going back to all of my favorite places in town. I’ve caught up with my old friends, made several new ones and certainly enjoyed working typical business hours.

Quite honestly, life has been wonderfully boring these past two weeks. Nothing terribly exciting has happened since my last post, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each day. Since I have nothing new to write about here, I figured this might be a good time to talk about one of my favorite things about Hong Kong—its dining scene. As with any international city with a diverse group of inhabitants, there is no end to the city's culinary treasures.

Still, whenever I speak with people back home, they are constantly questioning me about what I eat out here. Americans have this idea that I’m feasting on cat, dog and other domesticated animals, which, of course, couldn’t be further from the truth! In reality, Hong Kong is just as sophisticated, dining-wise, as American metropolises like New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. However, there are some unique dining opportunities that I particularly enjoy.

High on my list of dining adventures is dim sum, a very popular practice here. Dim sum literally means “to touch the heart” and families gather often to enjoy the experience. Versions of dim sum vary widely, but my favorite variety is the old-fashioned custom involving a crowded restaurant filled with noisy diners, bamboo baskets full of dumplings, and trolleys being pushed around the room by less-than-friendly old Chinese ladies. Few of these establishments are left, but fortunately there is Lin Heung Tea House on Wellington Street in Central. I try to go here as much as I can, and I always recommend it to friends. It might be the most intimidating meal you'll ever eat, but it's sure to be one of the most memorable.

The unassuming entrance to Lin Heung Tea House

The first time I went to Lin Heung Tea House, I was completely bewildered. In fact, I was so overwhelmed by the whole thing that I almost walked out! (And it only gets slightly easier on return visits.) Basically there is no hostess to seat you. You must find an empty seat at a table full of strangers and sit down. Then a man comes up to you and mutters a few words—which I never understand—and suddenly a tea cup, chopsticks and spoon appear in front of you. Before you know it, the cup is filled with tea leaves and hot water, you are handed a slip of paper and, again, you are left on your own.

Pretty soon, you notice the trolleys being pushed around. With your slip of paper in hand, you chase down a trolley, lift the tops of the bamboo baskets to see what’s inside and point to the basket (or baskets) you want. The lady behind the cart will stamp your slip of paper depending on what you choose, and at the end of your meal, the stamps are added up to determine the final price.

Hustle and bustle inside the restaurant

Honestly I don’t think I ever could have done it by myself that first time. Luckily, seeing my distress, a friendly, middle-aged Chinese lady named Sheena sat me down at her table, explained the way things worked and even suggested the best items on the trolleys! Thank God for her or I surely would have missed out on the whole thing.

Of course, there are other restaurants in Hong Kong that serve dim sum off of English menus. You are seated by a hostess, and there is no intimidation (or trolley) involved, but these places are nowhere near as fun as Lin Heung Tea House.

Another facet of the dining scene in Hong Kong that I love is Super Mondays, a two-for-one deal at dozens of restaurants each Monday night. Basically, for every entrée ordered, a second entrée is given for free. It’s a reasonably-priced way to try a new restaurant and a great start to the week! And you can choose from tons of different options and cuisines: popular steakhouses, a typical French café, wonderful seafood places, upscale Italian trattorias, a casual Mexican spot (where I happen to be eating tonight) and several others. The only problem is that Super Mondays is very popular among the expats in Hong Kong, so it’s wise to book your table early to avoid being turned away as a walk-in.

Perhaps Hong Kong's most bizarre restaurant is Modern Toilet, an Asian chain that, food-wise, is similar to Ruby Tuesday or T.G.I. Friday's but has a decorative emphasis on toilets, showers and other bathroom-related items. My friend Maddie, a Villanova '09 graduate, sent me an article about the restaurant way before I even left home, and one Saturday night I tried it out with my roommates. Basically, each guest sits on a (lid-down) toilet, with shower nozzles overhead. Underneath each transparent glass table are porcelain sinks.

Not your typical dining room

At Modern Toilet, drinks comes in mini ceramic urinals and most dishes are served in their own personal toilet or bathtub, as you can see in the photo below. While the food isn't exactly sensational, the—What is the proper word?—unique—ambiance makes for a memorable meal anyway. If you've ever imagined what it would be like to dine in a public restroom, this place might be the closest you will ever come.

With my roommates at Modern Toilet

And as if sitting on a toilet, eating out of a bathtub and drinking from a urinal weren't enough to emphasize such a bizarre theme, Modern Toilet's chefs opt to take things completely over the top with dessert, throwing any attempt at subtlety to the wind! If the whole thing weren't so amusing, it would probably be downright disgusting. But in the end, chocolate ice cream is always delicious, isn't it?

Dessert at Modern Toilet...need I say more

Somehow, even with terrible service and passable food, the novelty of Modern Toilet keeps bringing in the crowds. Of all the potential descriptions (repulsive? vulgar? offensive?) it remains for me—ineffably and indelibly—charming. I know I will be back again, especially if I have friends visiting who have never seen anything like it before.

Of course, all your American chains are here in Hong Kong as well. You'll find Burger Kings and McDonald’s galore; there are Pizza Huts and California Pizza Kitchens to spare; and count on seeing Pret-a-Mangers and Starbucks on every corner. There is even a 24-hour wannabe-diner called the Flying Pan, which serves omelets, eggs Benedict and other American favorites. While it’s not quite authentic, it still does the job when I feel a craving for a good New Jersey-style breakfast no matter what time of day!

There are more exotic choices too—I’ve already written about the delicious snake soup I enjoyed back in January—but rest assured that Hong Kong is a modern city full of dining options to suit all tastes, adventurous and mundane. The possibilities are endless, but it’s such fun to attempt to try them all!