Secrets of Kuala Lumpur: Things You Won’t Know If No One Told You www.audioguidemalaysia.com

Secrets of Kuala LumpurThings You Won’t Know If No One Told You

By Audio Guide Malaysia.See Kuala Lumpur Better. With Your Ears.

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Are you visiting Kuala Lumpur soon? If yes, then this e-book is created specially for you. Feel free to download it, distribute it, make copies, print it! It took a lot of time and effort to research, write and produce this... so make full use of it!

Using this e-book is a great way to get juicy bits of trivia of the amazing places you will be visiting in Kuala Lumpur.

But if you hate reading, or prefer to cast your eyes on what matters (the magnificent sights instead of this e-book), then go to www.audioguidemalaysia.com and download audio guides. Just put them into your iPod or whatever your preferred way of listening is, plug in your earphones, and start exploring!

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Why This Guide?That's the thing about travel, isn't it? You're at a spectacular

tourist site in Kuala Lumpur. You look everyhere. Somehow,

you're under-whelmed. What's the big deal about this place,

you say to yourself.

And then someone whispers into your ears. Look there. See

that dragon carving? Wonder why it has four claws instead of

five? That’s because only imperial dragons in royal courts are

allowed to have five claws.

Ah! Now it gets interesting.

Kuala Lumpur is like that. Let someone talk to you. Someone

to regale you with stories of what you're looking at. See Kuala

Lumpur better. WIth your ears. Visit Audio Guide Malaysia to

download some audio guides.

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When you're at Batu Caves... 

1. The huge golden statue is the famous Hindu god, Lord

Murugan. It is at 42.7 meters and took 3 years to construct

and was unveiled in 2006. It is the tallest Lord Murugan statue

in the world.

2. 'Batu' means 'stone'. 'Batu Caves' means 'stone caves'.

3. An Indian trader was inspired by the 'spear'-shaped

entrance of the main cave. The spear is the divine weapon

of Lord Murugan. Apparently, he saw that the entrance of

the main cave was shaped like a spear- to see that, you

might need to stretch your imagination a little.

4. It is an excruciating 272-steps climb to the top of the stairs.

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When you're at Guan Di Temple... 

1. Also known as the Kwong Siew Association temple, which is a clan association, referring to a gathering of Chinese

immigrants who had come from the same province in China. Think of it as a club for people whose ancestors came

from the same area, or a place where people with the same family name gather.

2. At the main entrance arch, look up and you will see a red fish right in the middle of the entrance arch. Strain your

eyes and you will see that the fish is actually spouting water from its mouth and balancing a giant pearl. The fish is a

symbol of prosperity in Chinese culture. This is because the word for fish in Chinese, which is 'yu', sounds like the word

for riches or abundance.

3. At the door there are two fierce looking Chinese soldiers- they are the guardians of the door and they protect the

temple from demons. Each of them holds a weapon and a pearl.

When you're at Batu Caves... 1. The huge golden statue is the famous Hindu god, Lord Murugan. It is at 42.7 meters and took 3 years to construct and was unveiled in 2006. It is the tallest Lord Murugan statue in the world.

2. 'Batu' means 'stone'. 'Batu Caves' means 'stone caves'.

3. An Indian trader was inspired by the 'spear'-shaped entrance of the main cave. The spear is the divine weapon of Lord Murugan. Apparently, he saw that the entrance of the main cave was shaped like a spear- to see that, you might need to stretch your imagination a little.

4. It is an excruciating 272-steps climb to the top of the stairs.

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4. There are also two stone lions. They are the Chinese guardian

lions, and their job is also to protect the temple from demons. Look

carefully at both and you will see that they actually strike very

different poses. Guardian lions are always made in pairs- one

female and one male. The one on the left is the female guardian

lion, and she has a cub in her paws, representing the circle of life.

The one on the right is the male guardian lion, and he has a paw

on a globe to represent his feeling the 'pulse of the earth'.

Symbolically, the female guards those who live inside, and the

male guards the structure of the temple. And if you look closely,

you can see a pearl in their mouths.

5. On the top of the door with the blue frame, you will see 4 big

Chinese words that mean Kwong Siew Association, and you read

from right to left. Strain your eyes on the six little characters on

each side. They tell you the name of the writer and when it was

written.

6. Every year, a divine sword is brought out so that worshippers can

touch and lift this very heavy 59-kilogramme weapon for good

luck and protection. The sword is said to have special powers, and

if you lift it three times, you will be protected. Provided if you have

a pure and righteous heart.

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When you're at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple...

1. The temple resembles the human body on its back, with its head positioned towards the west and the feet

towards the east.

2. Mariamman is the goddess of rain, and she is very popular in South India. In Tamil, one of the many

languages of India, 'mari' means rain, referring to her association with rain. But 'mari' also means change,

referring to her changing forms into many other gods. She is also the god of diseases. During the summer

months in South India, in March to June, people walk miles carrying pots of water mixed with turmeric and

neem leaves to ward off illnesses like measles and chicken pox.

3. Lining up to worship Shiva, one of the main gods in the temple, are 65 statues of deities; each has a story to their own.

One of the deities was Nadaraja. After years of prayers and devotion in the jungle, Shiva finally appeared to him. But one

of Shiva's eyes was bleeding so Nadaraja plucked out the bleeding eye and replaced it with his own eye. Then the other

eye started to bleed as well, but Nadaraja could not offer his other eye or else he could see no more, so he offered his leg,

and as soon as he did that, he disappeared.

4. At the right side you will see the Navagrahas, loosely translated as the cosmic influencers. There, you will see the English

translation as Nine Planets, but in reality, it really refers to the nine markers of influence. That's why you see the sun and

moon there as well.

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When you're at the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple... 

1. The temple is sometimes known as The Green Temple.

2. On the red pillars on both sides are Chinese characters that remind the current

generation not to forget their ancestors. Chinese people remember their ancestors through

a unique tradition called ancestor worship. They would put up pictures or inscriptions about

their ancestors and offer food and joss sticks as a way to seek their blessings. It's similar to the

Catholic practice of seeking intervention from the saints, upright people who have passed

away.

3. The first thing that will strike you is the open space concept. You will realize that the

courtyard is inside the building as opposed to the outside.

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When you're at Petaling Street... 

1. Yap Ah Loy, a powerful Chinese leader opened a tapioca mill in Petaling Street where tubers from his

farms were brought to be ground into flour. This is why even till today, Petaling Street is called 'Chee Cheong

Kai' which means 'starch factory street' in the Cantonese dialect.

2. Petaling Street is famous for it's the street food. Try a local fruit called the 'air mata kucing' which means

'cat's eye', mixed with syrup and ice. 'Air mata kucing' makes a good icy drink on a hot day. Other stalls

offer a variety of Chinese pancakes, chessnuts, 'tau foo fah' which is a soy bean dessert, and a host of other

interesting Chinese street food.

3. The most important phrase to keep in mind when haggling is 'Kurang lagi!' which means, 'lower the price'.

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When you're in Masjid Jamek... 

1. Jamek, or Jumaat means Friday in the Malay language.

It is significant because prayers are held every Friday

afternoon. Prayers on Friday afternoons are as important

to Muslims as Saturdays are to Jews, and Sundays are to

Christians. Masjid, as you may have guessed, means

mosque.

2. Look out for the two red and white striped minarets.

They have small chatris or umbrella-shaped cupolas on

top. There are a large number of small chatris at the top

of the entrance and at the corners of the mosque.

3. On the minarets, speakers are placed high up and they

are used broadcast the azan, or the Muslim call to prayer.

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Like What You Read So Far? The problem is... your eyes are here, instead of on the magnificent sights in front of you.

How about letting someone read to you while you cast your eyes on what really matters:

The Sights Themselves.

Audio Guide Malaysia

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When you're at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building... 

1. It was named after the reigning Sultan of Selangor at that time, Sultan Abdul Samad.

2. It was built with the 'Mahometan' style of building, also known as 'Neo-Saracenic'.

3. It is constructed entirely of brick.

4. The clock tower is sometimes known as the Big Ben of Kuala Lumpur. On 1 January 1982, the clock tower

became the venue for a historic event when the time between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and

Singapore were standardized. On December 31, 1981, at 23:30 hours local time, citizens in Peninsular Malaysia

adjusted their clocks and watches ahead by 30 minutes to match the time in East Malaysia, which was 00:00 hours

of January 1, 1982. In a blink of an eye; the Malaysian Standard Time is now +8 GMT!

5. Beneath the tower is the word 'Merdeka'. Merdeka means Independence. Every year, during Hari Merdeka or

Independence Day, thousands of spectators gather here to watch the colourful parade along the streets and

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When you're at the old National History Museum... 

1. The arches are intended to make the façade more complementary to the nearby Mogul-styled buildings.

2. The two corner domes high above are made from a precious wood called 'belian' timber, and it is said to be the

hardest wood found in East Malaysia. It is very valuable because it does not succumb to rot or insects. In fact, in

East Malaysia, it is often used to build longhouses for its superior strength and longevity. The belian timber is now

illegal to be exported.

3. During the great floods of 1926, the bank's vaults were flooded up to 1 metre above the floor. Business was

handled upstairs in the living quarters and the bank staff came to work by sampan, or wooden boats! Eventually,

millions of dollars of soggy bank notes were laid out on the field, or Padang to dry, under the watchful eye of the

police!

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When you're at Merdeka Square...

1. It is here that the immortalized proud declaration of 'Merdeka' by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia was heard

when Malaysia achieved its independence from colonial rule on 31 August 1957. Here, the Union Jack was first

lowered and replaced with the flag of Malaysia. Later the National Anthem called 'Negaraku' was played for the

very first time, heard by the peoples of a newly independent nation.

2. On a windy day, you will be able to see the flag of Malaysia, or Jalur Gemilang fluffing in the breeze. Jalur

Gemilang or Stripes of Glory is the name of the Malaysian flag

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When you're at the Royal Selangor Club... 

1. A popular drink of British officers here was the 'stengah'. 'Stengah' means 'half' in Malay, referring to half a

measure of soda water, and half of whisky, served over ice.

2. The club was nicknamed "The Spotted Dog" because two Dalmatians belonging to the wife of one of the club

founders guarded the entrance whenever they visited. The club is also sometimes referred to as "The Dog".

3. The Long Bar, a portion of the club is off limits to women even until today. Apparently, according to its club

president, men would 'drink and get very excited when they watch the games and they didn't want the ladies to

see their exuberant behaviour, hence they decided to bar women visitors from the Long Bar."

4. The club is also the birthplace of the Hash House Harriers, a world famous running club where at the end of the

run, participants are treated with icy cold beer and cigarettes.

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When you're at St. Mary's Cathedral...

1. This Anglican Church was consecrated in February 1895 and was elevated to the status of a cathedral on 8

September 1983.

2. From the inside, you will see the nave, or the centre walkway that leads to the altar, has an open-timbered roof

constructed of Malaysian merbau and seriah wood, two precious Malaysian woods.

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When You're At Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman ...

1. Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman is often mistakenly thought to be named after Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. It's actually named after Malaysia's first King, Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Tunku is an honorific, while Tuanku refers to the monarchy.

2. Among the famous patrons of the Coliseum Cafe was Somerset Maugham.

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While You're At Market Square...

1. The arty Central Market used to be a wet market.

2. Jalan Hang Kasturi was named after Hang Kasturi, one of the

five famous warriors during the time of the Malaccan Sultanate,

who was rumoured to have had an affair with one of the Sultan's

concubines. The Sultan ordered Hang Tuah, another great warrior

to kill his best friend, Hang Kasturi to prove his loyalty to him.

3. If you look carefully, the main corner of the OCBC building is not

sharp and accentuated; instead it is slightly curved.

4. The Sin Seng Nam restaurant behind Central Market used to be

called the Red House, due to the distinctive exposed red bricks.

5. The clock tower at Market Square was erected in 1937 in

honour of King George VI of Britain.

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6. Look closely at the Old Gian Singh building. Different sections of the building were built by different owners; hence

as you run your eyes along the building, you can see how the architecture changes from left to right moving from

Dutch to English to Islamic.

7. The Oriental Building looks like a radio from the 30s.

8. Lebuh Ampang used to be called Chettiar Street. Chettiars are a south Indian caste of moneylenders. Money

lending business is so closely associated with the Chettiars that in Malaysia, if you ask someone for the money that

they owe you, they might call you a Chettiar as a joke. Look for the elusive house number 85. It's a Chettiar house.

9. Many shops at Jalan Tun H.S Lee hang feng shui mirrors to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. It was believed that

when evil spirits looked into the mirror, they will be frightened by their own image and will run away.

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10. Look carefully at the angle of Sze Ya temple. Set at an awkward angle to Jalan Tun HS Lee and Lebuh Pudu,

the temple is built according to feng shui principles.

11. In 1859, a war broke out between the Malays and the Chinese. In this conflict, Kapitan Shin Kap, the head of

Sungei Ujong, south of Kuala Lumpur, was captured by the Malays and beheaded. His death became sensational

because according to local legend, when Kapitan Shin Kap's head was chopped off, white blood flew out. The

Malays believe that the spilling of white blood indicates that the person is a saint. They begged for forgiveness and

allowed the Chinese to retrieve his body for burial. As a result of this miracle, the Chinese began worshipping him

as the deity of Chinese miners in Malaya and Kapitan Yap Ah Loy built Sze Ya temple in his honour.

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How Do You See With Your Ears?

Keep Your Eyes On What Matters. On the sights, not your guidebook.

Download audio guides from

Audio Guide Malaysia

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When you're at the National Monument (Tugu Negara)... 

1. Standing 15 metres or almost 50 feet high, it is made of bronze and was

designed by the famous Austrian sculptor Felix de Weldon. De Weldon also

sculpted the famed Iwo Jima Memorial in Virginia, United States.

2. On August 27th 1975, a communist terrorist set an explosion at the

monument and it suffered extensive damage. It was later restored and a

fence was erected around the place. This area was declared a protected

area between sunset and dawn. Everyday at dawn, a soldier raises the

national flag and lowers in at dusk.

3. Each figure symbolizes the seven virtues of the fallen heroes: leadership,

suffering, unity, vigilance, strength, courage and sacrifice.

4. The figure holding the flag is the only figure that does not hold a gun.

5. The two fallen soldiers represent two dead communists. You can

differentiate them with the hats they wear.

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While you're at the National Mosque (Masjid Negara)... 

1. If you stand far enough, the roofs look like two umbrellas- one open and one folded.

2. Many tour guides say that the 18 points on the roof symbolize the 13 states of Malaysia and the 5 pillars of Islam.

This is not true, and one of the architects has already confirmed that. However, the story still goes around among

locals and tourists alike.

3. The mosque was to symbolize the newly achieved independence and there was a proposal to name it the Tunku

Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj Mosque, to recognize the efforts of the first Prime Minister of Malaysia in achieving

independence from the British. However, the humble Tunku declined the honour. The mosque was later named

'Masjid Negara' or National Mosque

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4. Where the tourist counter is, you will see several clocks over your head. These are 'salat times' or Islamic prayer

times.

5. Since art that shows human figures is considered idolatrous, calligraphy and abstract depictions are the main

artistic expression in Islam,

6. . The construction that juts out of the wall, which is shaped like an archway is the 'mihrab', and it indicates the

'qibla', which is the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.

7. Islamic architecture is often called the 'architecture of the veil' because the beauty of these creations is often

found in the inner spaces, and is not visible from the outside.

8. The Heroes' Mausoleum is the resting place of several major political figures in Malaysia

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When You're At The Petronas Twin Towers...1. It has 88 storeys, reaching a height of 379 metres. The height of the towers is measured to the top of its structural components. The pinnacles at the top of each tower give them another 73 metres. The overall height of the towers is 452 metres, which is the official height of the Petronas Twin Towers.

2. Initially, the idea of making the towers the world's tallest building was not the plan, but right before construction,

that became a goal and the architect added the two tall cones that you see on top of the towers.

3. Tower One was built by a Korean company, while Tower Two was built by a Japanese company. Korean and

Japanese national flags were put on each building, and a friendly competition began as the flags rose higher and

higher as the towers were being built. The friendly competition was finally won by the Koreans by a thin margin.

4. The base is actually in the shape of an eight-pointed star. This is the Islamic Rub El Hizb symbol.

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5. The sky bridge is vital structural component. During high

winds, the towers can sway up to 30 centimetres, and the

bridge allows the towers to sway individually, yet remain

connected and aligned. It is the highest sky bridge in the

world.

6. The towers provided a backdrop for many Hollywood

movies; most notably in the film 'Entrapment', starring

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery.

7. The French building climber Alain Robert, nicknamed the

French Spiderman, attempted to climb the towers three

times by bare hands. The first time was on March 20th 1997,

but the police stopped him when he reached the 60th floor,

just 28 floors away from the top. He tried again exactly ten

years later on Tower Two but again was arrested by the

police when he reached the 60th floor. The third attempt

on September 1st 2009, was successful as he eluded the

police and after 1 hour and 40 minutes, managed to climb

all the way to the summit of Tower Two. He took out a flag-

not a French flag, but a Malaysian flag- and waved it from

the top.

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When You're At Thean Hou Temple... 

1. At the entrance is the Chinese deity of Marriage, or a Chinese Cupid if

you like. This celestial matchmaker is called Yue Xia Lao Ren or 'the old

man in the moon light'. Instead of using arrows like Cupid, he uses a

piece of red string that is tied to the man and the woman's feet.

2. A very unique feature of Thean Hou is the open space concept. The

courtyard is inside the building as opposed to the outside.

3. Dragons are prominent here. The highest order is the five-clawed

dragon, followed by the four-clawed and three-clawed dragon. Since

the five-clawed dragon is considered an imperial dragon in China, the

further from China a dragon went, the fewer claws it had. That's why

Korean dragons have four claws and Japanese ones have three.

4. This temple is built to honour Mazu. According to legend, she was a

real life person. When she was born, she did not cry; hence her name,

which means 'silent girl'. She had many association with the sea. One

tale tells of her wearing a bright red dress, standing on the shore during

harsh weather to guide fishing boats home.

5. 'Kau chim' or Chinese fortune sticks are a fun thing to do here.

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When you're at the Old Railway Station...

1. Big domes are prominent here. They resemble a hollow upper half of a sphere. Domes signify the vault between

heaven and the sky in Islamic architecture.

2. Below the big domes are the chatris- a flat plate that holds the dome. In fact, 'chatri' means canopy or

umbrella.

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TENG KY-GANCreator

Kygan is Malaysian and has lived here his entire life. Born in the northern state of Perak in the beautiful city of Ipoh (which he calls the centre of the universe!), he loves backpacking and has travelled the world. From the highlands of Nepal to the streets of Bangladesh to the happy cafés of Holland, his favourite method of travelling is with a pair of good walking shoes and earphones plugged in his ears, regaling him with wonderful stories of the amazing sights he is looking at.

He created Audio Guide Malaysia as he feels that many who sightsee don't really see, as their eyes are firmly fixated on their guidebooks and not on what really matters - the sights themselves. Malaysia is too beautiful to be wasted like that.

Malaysia is truly Asia - it's the entire continent in one tiny country. Beautiful people, delicious food, riotous colours and sounds - any visitor would be overwhelmed by what Malaysia has to offer.While producing these audio guides, he learned so much about his beautiful country. His top-three favourite tourist spots are the Petronas Twin Towers, Chinatown and Central Market. The local food is definitely a must as well, and he will be very upset if he finds you eating at McDonald's or sipping Starbucks.

He hopes that Audio Guide Malaysia will make your visit here more meaningful. After all, if he is still so fascinated with Malaysia even after living here close to 30 years, it will definitely be an awesome experience for you as an occasional visitor.

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