Melaka and New Year in Kuala Lumpur

December 31, 2015

On the last day of the year, we decided to visit Melaka, a small, charming town near Kuala Lumpur. There are plenty of buses, leaving about every half hour, and the journey takes about two hours.

Melaka was once one of the most important trading ports in this part of the world, with Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Chinese influences evident here, with a strong emphasis on the latter. It's a historic town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's worth seeing; one day is definitely enough. Perhaps one of the most interesting and popular spots is Jonker Street in China Town. We decided to explore without a specific plan, just wandering along.

Of course, the journey wasn't without its adventures. We didn't know what time we'd be returning or which bus company we'd use, so we decided to buy a return ticket before we left. We didn't think twice: many people from smaller towns wanted to welcome the New Year in the capital, and all the tickets were sold out! I pictured myself stranded at the train station, but luckily, we met two Russian women who'd missed the bus. We chipped in for a taxi and managed to get back to Kuala Lumpur for a relatively reasonable price.

In the evening, we set out to explore the city. First impression: Bukit Bintang. A very popular district, but one that didn't make much of an impression on me. Crowds, noise, lots of pubs, and... a durian stand! Durian is supposedly the best fruit in the world, and the smelliest! I agree about the latter, but is it the tastiest? I decided to try it. It was awful, hard to describe the flavor; some say it tastes like rotting meat and onions. I think I agree...

With the taste of durian in my throat, I trudged up to the Petronas Towers. For the first time in a summer dress, I was about to welcome the New Year :). Along the way, we passed crowds of celebrating people; everyone was laughing, friendly, and welcoming. Practically everyone had a spray bottle of artificial snow, and they kept "snowing us." Deciding to be no worse, we also bought three cans of snow. Just before midnight, we reached the square in front of the towers. 3, 2, 1, and it was 2016. A fireworks display, and it was time to go home (to the hotel).