PORTUGUESE SUARE - MELAKA

This square is also known as 'Mini Lisbon'. Located within the Portuguese Settlement, the square is the centre of Portuguese culture in Melaka and in Malaysia.

The small kampung, or village, around the square is the heart of Melaka's Eurasian community, descended from marriages that took place between colonial Portuguese and Malays some 400 years ago.

There are occasional performances of Portuguese dances and music. There is a bulletin board at the square that lists upcoming cultural events. But even on days when there is no performance, the square is a delightful place to go to for a meal and a drink and view the sunset over the Straits of Melaka.

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MELAKA (MALACCA) - HISTORICAL CITY

Malacca (Malay: Melaka, dubbed The Historical State or Negeri Bersejarah amongst locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south. The capital is Malacca Town. This historical city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008.

Although one of the oldest Malay sultanates, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or Governor, rather than a Sultan, acts as the head of state.

The city of Melaka is divided into the new and old sections. The older part of the city is fairly compact and has many historical and cultural attractions tucked into the nooks and crannies of its narrow streets.

Much of the remnants of Melaka's glorious past lie within the Town Square and waterfront area near the river.

Just above the Town Square is St. Paul's Hill (Bukit St. Paul) which is the site of the original Portuguese fort of A'Famosa and St. Paul's Church.

There is a sign-posted heritage trail which visitors can follow to visit all the historical places in the old part of town. The new section of Melaka lies across the Melaka River and is mostly built on land reclaimed from the sea. It consists of modern shopping centres like the Mahkota Parade and is a bustling food and entertainment district.

Outside Melaka town, there are a some nice beaches, two excellent offshore islands with resorts and a golf course. The Air Keroh district is close to the North-South Expressway and has many recreational theme parks

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Getting Around Kuala Lumpur With A Rented Car

It is easy to get around Kuala Lumpur, which has a large network of buses, light commuter trains and fleet taxis. However, the traffic jams, which happen regularly, are legendary. This makes travelling by commuter trains the best option if you plan to explore the city sights during peak traffic periods. Stay away from taxis and buses during the early morning rush hours from 7.30-9pm and late evening crawl from as early as 5 till as late as 7.30pm.

Renting your own car offers you great flexibility and convenience. By paying a deposit, you can take a car, even a luxury car with wood dash to drive around and pay the corresponding rate measured daily. Cars can be rented from various agencies in the city and even in the airport.

You also have a wide range to choose from, such as compact cars to luxury sedans and large vans to 4-wheel drive vehicles. Do be warned that the locals dive rather brazenly, so be on your guard at all times.

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Taste of Malaysia - 30 Minute Meals

Malaysians are obsessed with food and it is hardly surprising that as the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur reflects this love affair with eating. You'll be able to find the entire range of Malaysian cuisine (although some, especially those from Penang, argue that what you get in KL is not the best) as well as food from around the world.

Some of the famous 30 minute meals of Malaysian food are such as nasi lemak (coconut milk steamed rice), sambal belacan (shrimp paste with pounded chilies), beef rending (dried curry) and serunding (beef floss). Satay, or barbeques meat on a stick, is originated from Malay cuisine has presence in restaurants all over the world today.

Indian food, on the other hand, has very much integrated northern Indian and southern Indian cuisines when they reach Malaysian shores. Popular for their curries, banana leaf rice and breads such as chapati, naan and roti (prata in some countries). Indian food has also been assimilated with Malay food through their mix marriages of Indian Malay. The resultant is Mamak food, which cannot be found in India, itself. Examples are like teh tarik (tea with milk), murtabak and rojak (mixture of fruits with peanut sauce).

Chinese food, like Indian food, has been assimilated with local cuisines. In China itself, Chinese are divided into so many provinces namely the Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Hainan, Teochew and so forth. In Malaysian, Cantonese food makes the most presence with its stir fry and steaming method. Chinese dishes such as dim sum, sweet and sour dishes, char siew (sweet barbecued pork),bak kut teh (herbal soup) are a few popular dishes. Steamboat or fondue is also widely available and can be a great experience.

KL has a good number of restaurants, some of them offering better food than others. The Golden Triangle, Bangsar and Midvalley, Heritage Row and some areas in Damansara and Hartamas are the usual places for people looking for a restaurant meal. Beware that most restaurants close by 10 PM, so you'll probably need to look for street food if hungry at night. the street food stalls are getting better during the late night.

In terms of ethnicity, Malay food can be found in Jalan Masjid India, Chow Kit and Kampung Baru areas in the Tuanku Abdul Rahman district. Chinatown is the best place to search for Chinese (especially Cantonese) food, although all kinds of Chinese cuisine, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, can be found all over KL. Head to Lebuh Ampang in the City Center and Brickfields for Indian food. Bangsar has many high-end restaurants offering Western food. If you are dying for Korean food, head to Ampang Jaya. A lot of Arab and Middle Eastern restaurants have mushroomed in Bukit Bintang, Cyberjaya and Damai.

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DATARAN MERDEKA (MERDEKA SQUARE) - KL

The Dataran Merdeka (or Merdeka Square) is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was here the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957.

Since then, Dataran Merdeka has been the usual venue for the annual Hari Merdeka Parade (National Day Parade).

History
Literally Independence Square, it was formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang or simply the "Padang" and was originally the cricket green of the Selangor Club (now Royal Selangor Club).

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which grandly overlooks the Dataran Merdeka, is one of the most significant landmarks built by the British. Designed by A. C. Norman who was inspired by Indian Moghul architecture, this building was completed in 1897 and housed the Selangor State Secretariat and later the Supreme Court before being abandoned for a number of years. It now houses the Ministry of Heritage, Culture and Arts.

The Padang was officially renamed Dataran Merdeka on 1 January 1990 in conjunction of Visit Malaysia Year 1990.

Dataran Merdeka was the starting line of The Amazing Race Asia 1.

On August 31, 2007, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi shouted 'Merdeka!' on midnight celebrations, where thousands of Malaysians celebrated 50 years of nationhood

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TUGU NEGARA (NATIONAL MONUMENT) - KL

Tugu Negara, literally the "National Monument" in Malay, is a sculpture that commemorates those who died in Malaysia's struggle for freedom, principally against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Malayan Emergency , which lasted from 1948 until 1960. It is located in the Federal capital, Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Houses of Parliament is situated near the monument.

The monument depicts a group of soldiers holding the Malaysian national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, aloft. Each of the bronze figures symbolizes leadership, suffering, unity, vigilance, strength, courage and sacrifice.

Every year on July 31, Hari Pahlawan (Heroes Day), the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Prime Minister and heads of military and the police would pay their respects to the fallen heroes by laying garlands at the monument.

Design
Constructed in 1966, the monument is 15 meters (49.21 feet) tall, made of bronze and was designed by Austrian sculptor Felix de Weldon, who was also responsible for the famed USMC War Memorial in Virginia, United States.

The granite base of the monument bears the old coat of arms of Malaysia, flanked on either side by inscriptions in English with Roman script and Malay with Jawi script:

"Dedicated to the heroic fighters in the cause of peace and freedom,
May the blessing of Allah be upon them"

On 27 August 1975, the monument suffered extensive damage due to an explosion set off by a communist terrorist. It has since been restored to its original state on 11 May 1977. A fence was then erected and the complex was declared a protected area between sunset and dawn. Every day at dawn, a soldier raises the national flag and lowers it at dusk.

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PETALING STREET - KL

Petaling Street, the centre of Kuala Lumpur's original Chinatown, maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors fan out their merchandise along the street.

While you can shop for anything from gems and incense to toys and t-shirts, the true allure of this night market is in wandering about and enjoying its sights, sounds and energy. Food is plentiful here with many scrumptious varieties to choose from; some of the restaurants here have been in business for generations.

Locals flock to Petaling Street primarily for bargain accessories and great Chinese food. So, go on, be brave - head down to Petaling Street with an empty stomach and an adventurous spirit. Even if you don't spend a penny, (which will be hard!), you are guaranteed to have an amazing experience here.

At the end of Petaling Street, you can further explore the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple which dates back to 1906. The interior of this building features open courtyard pavilions, intricate carvings and paintings. On the exterior, the temple depicts elaborate glazed ceramic sculptures which grace the facade and roof ridges.

For more adventurous tourists, further down from Petaling Street is the South Indian Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. This temple is situated at Jalan Tun H.S.Lee which is within walking distance from Chinatown. Built in 1873, the temple is said to be the most ornate and elaborate Hindu temple in the country. The design and decorative features include intricate carvings of Hindu deities, gold embellishments, precious stones and hand-painted motifs. Exquisite Italian and Spanish tiles provide further ornamentation. A silver chariot housed within the premises features prominently in religious processions, transporting the statue of the deity through the city streets.

Outside the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple are stalls selling garlands and strings of sweet smelling jasmine. Additionally, the strong aroma of Chinese traditional herbs and that of freshly brewed coffee waft through the air from across the street.

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