A Cultural Night Tour in KL

Okay...so I was a little adventurous Monday night. I decided to go on one of the paid sightseeing tours in KL. This one was called, 'A Cultural Night Tour'.

My tour guide showed me around China Town and helped me bargain with the locals for a souvenir by talking in Bahasa Malayu (the National language in Malaysia).

China Town is filled with hawker stalls (street vendors) selling everything from fresh fruits & vegetables to imitations of Rolex watches & Louvie Vuitton bags. An AIESECer mentioned to me that I should be careful of pick-pocketers, since it's known that most tourists visit China Town.




Next, I visited Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. This was built in 1873 and is KL's oldest Hindu Temple. Notice how colorful it is! (This is different from all the Hindu Temples I have seen in the States which are all white.)




The last stop in the tour was at a Malaysian Restaurant near KL's Petronas Twin Towers. The restaurant was set up like a banquet hall with a stage in the front. There were so many European tourists there that were spending their vacation in KL. I was sitting at a table of all Germans. (Hi Bjorne and Karsten! I Miss You guys=).

While we feasted in Malaysian cuisine, a cultural performance began showcasing traditional Malaysian dances.



I was the first to get up on stage and volunteer to be part of the traditional "blessing of the couple". (See the picture above). I put rice in the woman's hand, then in the man's hand, next I shake his hand and the women on the floor give me a flower with a boiled egg. They said that the egg symbolizes fertility for the couple so they would have "many babies". =). Hey, that's what they said.

The dances seem fairly simple to do. So when they asked for volunteers, I again went up on stage to learn a dance!

The night was a cultural experience that showed me the three main cultures of Malaysia - Chinese, Indian, and Malay.

It was a great evening! Much more exciting than sitting at home on a Monday night.!