While working in KL, I met up with my old mate and photojournalist, Pein Lee. We spent a few night’s chomping on braised pig’s ears at local eateries, and propping up the bar at Sam’s, chatting about photography, future projects, and the Malaysia’s current political malaise, until kicking out time. Pein’s talk is as direct as his images. I told him I was going to shoot the Petronas Twin Towers the next night. After the groans of disapproval had died down he said “There’s more to KL than all that shiny shit over there,” or words to that effect. And indeed there is…but I still can’t resist photographing the lofty monuments to Mahathir’s ego. As day turns to night and it lights up, it’s totally surreal.

You can check out Pein’s work here https://www.facebook.com/thepein

A post is long overdue. To be honest I have a huge backlog of web-worthy images as the past few months have been spent completing three new books on Cambodia and Thailand for my publisher, John Beaufoy. More on these when they hit the shelves of Asia Books and elsewhere in October.

More recently, I spent a little time in Malaysia before fleeing when the annual choking haze arrived courtesy of Indonesia which still believe that rainforest doesn’t look as nice as a palm oil plantation.

With its ethnic mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese, Kuala Lumpur is a microcosm of all things Asian. Affectionately known as KL, it is one most  cosmopolitan cities in the region and a fabulous destination for a rewarding short break. What’s more, KL is just a two hour flight from Bangkok.

In KL, there are few places more colourful than Masjid India, the city’s textile district.

The vibrant area is the place for fabrics, bargain clothing, Indian knick-knacks, and good cheap eats. I spent a pleasant afternoon wandering around collecting colour-saturated moments with my camera.

There’ll be more on my KL exploits over the next few days as I gradually wade through the files and get them processed.

Just a quick posting of a Buddha image snapped in a small Chinese temple tucked away down a side street in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

I really enjoyed being back Kuala Lumpur again last week. Although I wouldn’t want to live there because it lacks the energy and chaos that I so love about Bangkok, I am still very fond of it. This is because 16 years ago it was my first experience of Asia. Over the years I’ve made many return visits and it has been interesting to watch the city evolve. Much of the change has fortunately been for the better .

KL has an interesting mix of colonial-era and contemporary architecture infused with elements of Islamic design.

Many of the older buildings such as the one that now houses the National Textile Museum have been beautifully restored. At night they are lit up and the park opposite is a pleasant place to sit admire the buildings and changing colours.

A short walk away a vibrant Indian district is home to excellent ‘bannana leaf’ restaurants where you can get some superb southern Indian food. Here the old shophouses are overshadowed by towering office blocks .

Fortunately not all of the city has had a facelift and there are plenty of nicely textured street scenes to capture.

I took a quick trip to Malaysia last weekend to attend a lecture and demonstration by a couple of Japanese ceramic artists at Universiti Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam. I was there about 16 years ago for a couple of months as part of an artists’ cultural exchange so it was good to return and catch up with old friends. It also looks like I’ll be back sooner that I thought as I was kindly invited to give a lecture at the university and at the Perak campus based on my book, The Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia. The last time I did this was at the prestigious Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taipei a couple of years ago, and more recently at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

Shah Alam, which is about 25 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur or KL, is known for the enormous Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, more commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque. Inside and out, it’s an impressive structure and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of photographing it, even if it meant rising at 5 .a.m. and walking a couple of clicks in order to be there for sunrise. And what better reason to take advantage of the so-called ‘blue hour’ at dusk and take some long exposure shots…

If I am not mistaken, this is the largest mosque in South East Asia. The blue and white dome rises over 100 metres and there at four towering 140 metre minarets. Although you are not supposed to photograph inside, a nice old gent overseeing proceedings at the mosque didn’t seem to object, as long as I didn’t stray into the ladies zone.

There’s more shots in the Malaysia Gallery. I’ll post shots from KL in a day or two.

I’ve just returned from a brief visit to Kuala Lumpur, one of my favourites among the more developed cities in Asia.

With its ethnic mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese, Kuala Lumpur is a microcosm of all things Asian. Affectionately known as KL, it is one of the most colourful and cosmopolitan cities in the region and a fabulous destination for a rewarding short break. What’s more, KL is just a two hour flight from Bangkok.

Although I did manage to spend a day wandering around photographing a few streets scenes, the main purpose  of my visit was to capture strong images of the Petronas Twin Towers, something I have neglected to do on previous trips. It is 15 years since the spectacular building was completed. Rising 450 metres above the streets KL, the 88 floors of glass and gleaming stainless steel proudly declare Malaysia’s entry into the developed world.

Dominating the city, the Petronas Twin Towers is KL’s most popular attraction but visitors can only gain access to the skybridge that links the two towers at the 41^st and 42^nd floors. Tickets are limited to 1,700 visitors each day and queues start early, so it can be more trouble than it’s worth. In truth the towers are best viewed from a distance and at night.

To enjoy this truly spectacular sight head to SkyBar on the 33^rd floor of the Traders Hotel at around 6.30 p.m., just before the spectacular building lights up. This breezy pool bar overlooks the towers and is a fabulous place to take in the view while enjoying a signature lemongrass martini cocktail or a glass of wine with tasty finger food. To be sure of a the best view, you can book cabana-style seating by calling +603 2332-9888.

If you are heading for KL, I highly recommend the Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, a contemporary city centre hotel popular with business and leisure travellers. Traders offer 571 stylishly rooms and suites in the heart of the city, just opposite the Petronas Twin Towers. It is also has two excellent restaurants, and the fabulous SkyBar where guests and visitors can enjoy intoxicating views of the towers.

All but the last image were taken at dusk using a long exposure which has given them a somewhat surreal edge. Very little post-processing was done. You can see more images in the Portfolio section.