|     |     |  

The infamous Jalan Petaling shopping street in Chinatown, KL. This is an extremely touristy spot now. The photograph was actually taken during a very quiet time in the street - you should see it in the evening, when even the center of the street is lined with vendors' stalls and the street is packed with people. When I was here last time, they were just building the roof. With the roof, the street has turned completely into a tourist attraction. The vendors sell mostly fake watches, wallets, T-Shirts and knick-knacks of all kinds, not to forget pirate-copied DVDs (but note the blue sign just on the left edge!).

Hotels and restaurants are more expensive (compared to the value they offer) than anywhere else in Malaysia. The popular "Swiss Inn" has the advantage of being exactly in this street (though it also has an exit on the quieter Jalan Sultan), but I prefer to walk just around the corner to the Mandarin Pacific, which offers better rooms for a lower price.

But if you forgot your sunglasses at home or need a new watch, this is just the place to go. The food, though expensive, is genuine, you find all sorts of fresh fruit, and a lot of interesting places are near by.