In the second part of the Kuala Lumpur series, we explore the surrounding area and unexpectedly find one of the most famous local markets in KL. What we have discovered can be seen in the following article.
The first day after arriving in KL, we have entirely overslept. I guess it's around 4:00 pm as we crawl out of bed slowly. A fresh coffee, a shower and a hearty breakfast later, we are considering whether we should be lazy for the rest of the day, at the pool or rather explore in the city. We decide for the pool, to arrive in peace in KL. A few minutes later we fond us relaxing at the sunchair next to the pool. The city is at our feet, and so we think with a cocktail in hand, what we want to do tomorrow.
Chow Kit Markt
The next day, we first explore the immediate surroundings of our accommodation and look for a cozy spot for breakfast, before we move on through the streets. On foot, you often find, quite unexpectedly, the most exciting places. The roads are suddenly decorated with lanterns, and it feels like we landed in China Town.
The sudden onset of rain forces us to seek shelter, and so the small metal huts to our left are very welcome. Where are we here? Looks a bit like a market but the first huts are still empty. Anyway, we wait for the end of the passing shower and then we'll take a closer look. Luckily we do not have to wait long.
Due to the heavy rain, we trudge with our flip-flops through the muddy little streets until we finally find ourselves in the middle of a local market. There are no tourists around here, and our presence seems to amuse the dealers. They whisper a little, smile and finally invite us to taste their fresh fruits. The mangoes are fantastic and again and again, they wanted to sell us, Durian. Since we have not eaten the durian fruit yet, a little bit of it also ends up in our bag.
It's a lot of fun to get involved in the local life a bit, and before we realized it, our bags were full of fruits. I think it would have been better to shop here on the way back because now we have to carry everything around with us. Next to come is the fish and meat section. Anyone who has been to an Asian market knows what I am talking about. The pork drying in the sun, chickens, and other animals are slaughtered on site. The fish swim in buckets or lie stacked on the table (without ice of course). No hygiene office is known here, and that's precisely what has charm in a way. Finally, I know now where the meat comes from if I order "sun-dried pork" in a restaurant.
This is how it smells here either because the recent slaughter leaves its traces. Just stupid that we're still on our flip-flops. The blood spreads over the wet, muddy ground but actually, it does not matter. I become aware of again why you should take off your shoes before entering a house.
After the "wet" section comes finally the commercial part, where again a few more tourists come together. Here you will find the usual products, such as textiles, CDs, shoes, etc. If you are looking for a local bargain, you might see it here.
For us, the non-touristic part of the Chow Kit market was a lot more exciting, because we were able to dive deep into the local life. The people really made it unforgettable with their kind of easy-going nature.
After leaving the market, we were surprised by a heavy shower so that we drenched to the bone while walking back to the accommodation. Such a shower sometimes has something cleansing for body and mind. In this case, we came back with halfway clean feet to our apartment. :)
I hope you enjoyed the little excursion to the local areas. How it went further for us in KL, you will learn in the next article.
Here you will find the first article of the Kuala Lumpur series.
| camera | HTC Nova |
sunny greetings
