Kuala Lumpur: National Science Centre!

If you haven't been to the National Science Centre, or more popularly known as Pusat Sains Negara, then you're missing out on some fun! Last week, my school organized a trip and I had a great time checking out the exhibitions at Pusat Sains Negara. Granted, the place hasn't changed much since my last visit there a few years ago, but it's still a great place to check out if you have a spare hour or two! :D

The un-official entrance of Pusat Sains Negara, located at the western side of the dome-shaped building. The metal hand seems to beckon everyone to enter its doors.

Upon entering the entrance, you'll straightaway see the main souvenir shop right ahead and another smaller shop to your right. Since we came too early, we took the time to check out the knick-knacks within, which were really interesting. Maybe as interesting as the exhibition itself? ;)

Once Pusat Sains Negara officially opened at 9am, we entered its doors and stared in awe at overhead aquarium. There were hundreds of fish swimming around us! To our fascination, they swam near us every time we touched the glass barrier, making it hard to continue on our 'journey'. But it was only beginning!

There were many exhibits to go to, so we chose the ones that seemed most interesting. There was a section labeled 'Animal World', which contained many glass displays of insects, life-sized statues of tigers and even a small theater showing animal documentaries.

The staff at Pusat Sains Negara (there were many) were very friendly and cheerful.The weekly Science Show that was held every Friday was really fun! They took some volunteers from our school for the show's activities. (as you can see from the pictures below.) After the show, the staff who we called Abang 'H' even took pictures with us! :)

Next, it was an exibition about Science in our Daily Life. Aside from various mechanical displays such as pulleys, levers and cranes, there was also many electrical games, such as the ones below:

There most interesting exhibition was on the human body! There were several life-sized models of human organs that were placed with sign cards, telling funny and informative things about our body. There was even a spooky skeleton! Most of us couldn't resist taking a picture with Mr. Skeleton and saying hello. :)

Last but not least, we managed to enter the Astronomy section before we headed back to school. Aside from displays and exhibitions, there were many informative articles on how to save our earth from further damage, such as global warming. The walls of the Astronomy section were painted with colourful murals of our earth and the solar system, which I think was a great way to show young children how our solar system is arranged. There were also several models of the solar system and the stars (not life-sized, though), and my friend managed to snap a picture of us there!

Alas, all great trips must come to an end. Still, it was a great experience coming here again! :D There was so many things to do there, we never got bored. And I've only told you about the first level of the Pusat Sains Negara. (we never did have time to explore the second floor thoroughly!)

On a side note, now is the best time to go there! 'Davinci the Genius' Exhibition is taking place from 1 October 2009 to 12th January 2010, at a price of only RM20 each. So what are you waiting for? Have fun! :)

Picture credits to my digital camera and my two good friends Ira and Ira. You know who you are! ;)

Kuala Lumpur: Events during the Hols!

"Mum, I'm so bored!" has got to be the most spoken-of sentence every holiday for a teen with nothing to do. I know I've spoken it more than my fair share! ;)

Every holiday, my mum would draw up a list of things to do in order to fill up my days. This time, I'm going to list down the events and exibitions that we can go to these holidays, so that mum won't hear the dreaded phrase yet again!

Book-lovers, take note! The Big Bad Book Sale is baaaack! I went today to check out on the books and believe me, all of them were discounted at really low prices. No wonder I bought a whole stack of novels but the total was only under a hundred ringgit! I'm stocking the books for reading these holidays :)

The sale starts today (26th November) until the second of December, held at Amcorp Mall from 10am to 9pm. It was full of people eager for a bargain, so go as soon as you can! Its definitely a must go for book lovers. Believe me, you won't regret it! ;)

One play that I've been dying to watch is Teater Natrah after reading her life story in the newspapers. It tells the tragic tale of Natrah Maarof, who was a Malaysian by heart. She was raised in Malaysia by her Malay foster mother and experienced a heated custody dispute between her foster parents and her Dutch birth parents.

I hope I can get tickets when it's staged next week! It's staging at the Istana Budaya from the 30th of November to the 9th of December. All of them are starting at 8.30pm and its a play that can be enjoyed by the whole family. So book your tickets now to enjoy the play! ;)

Now to a more serious event, let's take part in the Red Carnival for World AIDS Day! World Aids Day is a global event where society takes time to recognize the issues relating to HIV/AIDS. It's really a reminder to us how we can all do our part to combat HIV/AIDS!

That's why I think it is a very important event to attend, especially for teens like me. I myself will be going this Saturday with my family. It's time we understand and take preventive measures so we don't get caught up in the dark web that's HIV/AIDS. So remember: The Red Carnival is taking place over this weekend (27 and 28th November) at Sungei Wang Plaza! Over the weekend, volunteers and performers will distribute HIV/AIDS-informative newsletters and leaflets to the public.

Informative and educational yet fun. These are the events that I'm going to partake in these holidays! What about you? :)

Kuala Lumpur: Culture and Art!

Other than the National Museum that I've mentioned in my earlier post, Kuala Lumpur is truly the place for cultural activities and events in Malaysia. It is the home to most of Malaysia's major museums, as you can read below! :P

The National Theater of Malaysia! Or as it is more popularly known, Malaysia's Istana Budaya. It is our country's main venue for all types of theater--musical theater, operetta, classical concert and opera from international and local performances. Istana Budaya has staged many international productions accompanied by our very own National Symphony Orchestra and Choir.

The most succesful local production staged here was certainly Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical, which opened to full house on almost all nights! I certainly hope that in the future, our Istana Budaya will be home to many other local productions such as this one. :)

Next up: The Islamic Arts Museum! It's a place where tourists flock to, even if they are non-Muslims. Housing more than seven thousand Islamic artifacts, people come there to marvel and observe ancient artifacts that can't be found anywhere else. Not only does the museum's collection consist of works from the Middle East, where Islam originated, but it also displays Southeast Asia's artifacts as well.

The museum itself shows culture by the magnificently decorated domes and intricate design of the building, inspired by Middle East designs. Located at Jalan Lembah Perdana, it resides next to the National Mosque. So if you have a day to spare, head to both these places. Not only is it educational, we can re-acquaint ourselves with our history. :)

The National Art Gallery on the other hand is located on Jalan Temerloh, neighboring the National Theater (Istana Budaya). Managed by the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Tourism of Malaysia, it was established by our very first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman himself! The picture above was taken from here. :)

The National Art Gallery showcases our artists's works in form of paintings, pottery and handicrafts. Not only is it a place where Malaysia's finest artworks are displayed, it is also a platform where aspiring and veteran artists can meet and discuss about their art. Besides Malaysian art collections, several other countries have displayed their artwork in the National Art Gallery, the most notable being the Contemporary Cuban Art and Korean Artists' Collection held this year.

Kuala Lumpur: Shopping!

Lucky enough to be living in Selangor, I've been to Kuala Lumpur many, many times before. One thing I can tell you: Kuala Lumpur is THE place to go for shopping, no matter what age you are.

There is something for everybody! From kain batik to handmade bags, paintings to embroidered cloth, everything you wish for could be found in the numerous shops dotting the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Albeit at a higher price than the norm, as it is a tourist destination after all. ;) Every time I go to KL, more often than not I'd go home with way too many shopping bags (as my dear dad would say!)

After reading up at Wikipedia (hehe) Kuala Lumpur is the retail and fashion hub for Malaysia as it has a total of 66 shopping centers! Simply, that means: Take a day off to explore the many shops in KL! You'll need the whole day just to check out Suria KLCC though. ;)

Suria KLCC is one of the most famous shopping destination in Kuala Lumpur for tourists. Even people from Selangor like me love to go there! If not for its location directly below the Petronas Twin Towers, then for its international branches of branded shops, such as Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Gap and Calvin Klein.

Oh, don't forget the food at Suria KLCC! It has many restaurants serving different cuisine--Al Marjan serves Arabian food, Spring Garden which serves Chinese food, House of Sundanese, Spice of India and our very own Malaysian dining experience at the Little Penang Cafe! :)

Central Market on the other hand is located at Jalan Hang Kasturi, a few minutes away from Petaling Street. Central Market: Malaysian Heritage was the topic for my form three Sejarah project, and I really loved going there to shop for handicrafts. :) It's really a must-go destination for tourists, as it's a landmark for Malaysian culture and heritage. The first floor mostly sells Malaysian memorablia, such as key-chains, shirts, artwork and cultural items.

When I went to Central Market, I discovered that it consists of 3 lanes: namely the Lorong Melayu, Straits Chinese and Lorong India. The purpose of these three lanes is to let the visitors have an insight of the cultural difference of the various races in Malaysia. The second floor consists of boutiques selling Malaysian batik, boasting colourful designs of the highest-quality cloth. It's really the place to go if you wish to buy gifts for friends and family. :)

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's sunshine state!

A fusion of colours dot the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, depicting a sunrise scene of Malaysia's federal state. The picture taken from here shows an aerial view of Kuala Lumpur at its grandest! :)

Kuala Lumpur, in my opinion, is one of the busiest and most progressive places in Malaysia. A place where culture and modernization mix effortlessly, enabling the citizens of Malaysia as well as tourists to carry our their lives without worry. People of different religions, different races, different backgrounds and ideals throng the streets of Kuala Lumpur, hence my nickname for KL: the sunshine state of Malaysia. Hot and humid, yet where people coexist in harmony!

The National Museum (or the Muzium Negara) is the Malaysian national museum, which is located outside Perdana Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The displays and exhibits in the museum focus on local culture, traditions, arts, crafts and local flora and fauna. As it is a very educational place to learn about our history, most schools around Malaysia make trips to the Museum Negara.

When I was in standard three my school organised a trip to Muzium Negara, and I still remember ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the exhibits with my friends. The most vivid memory was when the guide held up a samurai sword from the Japanese era and showed us the kanji (Japanese text) on the blade. It was really interesting back then to see the displays and such. Our teacher could hardly keep us from running about in the muzium, so excited were we! I wonder how it has changed since then. ;)

"a thousand race horses once spurred, forest winds once rustled,

now stands sublime the nation's summit, the twin towers, blossoms of the sky." (A.Samad Said)

Of course, I can't mention KL without mentioning this great Malaysian landmark. As everyone knows, Kuala Lumpur is home to the most well-known landmark in Malaysia, which is the Petronas Twin Towers! The tallest twin towers in the world, it's an international tourist and local destination!

I myself has been there a number of times to enjoy the gorgeous view from above. You can see the park, numerous buildings and lakes from up there! The people below look like tiny ants; that's how tall it is! :O However, think hard before going up if you're scared of heights though. ;)