Random thoughts: A short getaway trip to Malaysia

Had a short getaway to Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, because then, my family will get to see the glitter of KL city, and the natural beauty and heritage of Ipoh town. 

I must say, I enjoyed Ipoh much more, and I kind of missed the place. When I reached the boutique RockBed hotel, my son was a bit taken aback, and asked, "are we staying here". The exterior of the building is a hugh contrast to the 5 stars hotel we lived in KL. 

But when we enter the hotel, with the manager carrying our luggage, and immediately doing my check in (he was waiting for me, I am the last guest to check in), I was impressed with the décor of the hotel, the cosy feel of the lobby and the thoughtful room design. 

The hotel room itself had a water dispenser, so there is no need to boil water or worry about warm water in the middle of the night. Not to mention how spacious it is. 

We went on to visit the cave temple, Kek Long Tong, and is awed by the natural beauty of the cave and the serene and tranquil garden that comes after it. Mirror lake is another highlight of the day.

Another hotel, weil hotel, which is well known by the locals also look not the least impressive on the facade, but house 2 top trip advisor eateries. The roasted duck is the best my son and I have eaten. 

I like the substance beyond the appearance. Maybe I am disillusioned with some of the things I had experienced. The low cost of transport and food is another attraction. 

On the last day, sitting at the lobby, looking out at the run down shop houses is already quite a wonderful experience. 

In KL, a place that leaves a deep impression is wonderland 99. There is some critical reviews on Google about the living conditions of animals, but i find the animals well taken care of, lovely and interactive. Yes, we stroke and feed several animals. The ducks, peacocks and 1 peacock actually roam free. Besides the goat enclosure, the place did not smell, and I find the space of enclosure bigger than that of Japan and comparable to Singapore. I can't say the same for the petting zoo at Ipoh though. The animals are obviously in distressed. 

The cruise ride in wonderland 99 is not a ride in water, seeing nothing, like our river safari. The captain actually stop by and feed the swans and ducks such that we can see the animals up close. 

This tour, I enjoyed the less renowned or touristy attractions. I missed Ipoh and do wish to return. 

The glitter of KL, even with the atas meal and view overlooking the twin towers, is not something I would go again