KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia / 17-19 June 2011

Here's the reason why I missed much of this year's Singapore International Piano Festival. Having made a final rail trip up north to Kuala Lumpur, we could not resist doing a spot of sightseeing and shopping. If Singaporeans thought they had it good, the Malaysians can be said to have surpassed their neighbours in many other ways.

A view of Kuala Lumpur's 

Golden Triangle from the KL Tower.

A view of the Petronas Twin Towers 

from KL Tower.

The conjoint phallic symbols 

of Malaysian economic might.

Lush KLCC Park, 

the Malaysian "Central Park".

The Malaysian Philharmonic 

@ Dewan Filharmonik Petronas.

Bustling Bukit Bintang by night.

The National Monument, 

dedicated to heroes of the 

Malayan Emergency 1948-1960.

Forestry Research Institute 

of Malaysia (FRIM).