KL and Singapore

I can't write much. Not enough sleep last night to type any words of wisdom, other than it's a little strange that Christmas is approaching and I am in the heat and humidity.

KL
Hmm. They look upside down. Please stand on your head now and you will get the right idea.
The local barbershop. I didn't have time for a haircut. So sad.
My bunkbeds...
More of the guesthouse.
My guesthouse. And there was an optical down below. I was just meant to stay there.
I The monorail. I love all forms of public transportation.
The old train station in KL. Pretty hard to beat that architecture.
The National mosque in KL. While I was sitting there a voice started coming from the tower. Then it started singing.
I had to get a fancy coffee. Or I was going to die. It looks better than it tasted.
View from Petronas Twin Towers sky bridge. On the 41st floor. Not for those with fears of heights. Luckily I've gotten over that problem.
Have you ever seen such a cute little toilet? (This was in KL.)

SINGAPORE
The Art Museum. It was an old something. I forgot. It's really late here! :)
Me in this silver egg piece of art. I think it's one of my more original self-portraits.
The canal in Singapore. It doesn't look very Asian.
Merry Christmas from Orchard Road, where they have miles and miles of shopping malls- it's a personal hell for me. I hate those places. I don't know who is shopping so much to keep them open. It makes me nervous.

Odd happenings

Sweltering heat and humidity welcomed me as I stepped off my Super VIP bus onto the KualaLumpur (KL) sidewalk. My first move was to avoid the touts (people trying to sell you a hotel room) and get directions to my hostel, Grocer's Inn. It's in Chinatown, right next to a streetside barbershop. Inside are yellow walls and very aged wooden furniture, in the realms of antique.

After showering and redressing in dirty clothes (I've not yet resorted to just perfume as a detergent, but that may be soon coming), I set off to see a few sights of KL. I wandered through Chinatown (stressful) and then to the Central Market, which I recognised from my previous layover visit in 2005. It's essentially a mall, but in a very cool art-deco building.

After getting disoriented a few times ( vey common in KL) I found my way to Jamek Mosque, where I donned a robe and my first head scarf and was greeted with enthusiasm by the young and old man minding the door. When I said I was from the US, the young one said, "Everything is so strong there! It's a great country." Funny coming from a Muslim, considering our issues. But it was lovely.

After the mosque, I set off to find the old train station. Looking a little lost with my map in hand, a few locals took it upon themselves to offer help and gave me the fastest route. I was about halfway there when I looked up and saw what I thought was a familiar face.

I shouted, "Mamma Mia Pizzaria!"

He turned around. It was Mateo/Mateusz (he goes by either). In a city of over 2 million, it was a strange collision... We sat on the curb a while and smoked another menthol-clove cigarette (don't worry, this is not a new habit). Then sat down for a smoothie (called "shakes" here) before walking around KL through Little India and surroundings.
Mosque... see the people "sleeping," ahem "praying" inside?
I love the mix of architecture here.
KL from the top of a hotel bar where I didn't buy a drink, but I used the bathroom! :)

Central Market, duh.