Mornings in KL are mild, and this one’s no different. In the early hours of daylight, KL doesn't have the hum of the already restless Manila crowd. I chose to wallow under the comfort of my sheets until 8:30, but buffet breakfast at the Beltif (included in my Agoda booking) was to halt at 10.
Having that in mind, I was already at the restaurant at 9 AM feasting
on nasi lemak, beans, sausage, fried egg, bihon (thin noodle dish), a piece of bread
with pineapple jam spread over, and grape juice. Though not exactly fit for a
king, it wasn't for pauper either.
Breakfast, for me, is an essential meal because that’s
where I gather enough energy to spend the rest of my daytime activity with.
Besides, these inclusive breakfast buffets save me lunch money. Meanwhile,
weather outside was bed weather. Should I take a walk? Nah.
Went up my room and took my post-prandial nap,
just waiting for check-out time.
By mid-day, I've packed my bag and braved the downpour towards Alor
Street where, at the far end, stood Hotel Nova, with its 14 floors of inviting
accommodations. I was assigned room 606 which, to my surprise, had walls painted with a demure
purple. Have you ever been inside a purple room before? I haven’t, and this was
fit for 80’s singer Prince (“Purple Rain”, anyone?)
The interiors of Hotel Nova were tastefully conceptualized with
paintings of a sleeping child hanging on the wall. The light fixtures had “Zzzzzz….” written suggestively. With enough
space to accommodate another extra bed, I was pleased with my room. It was
homey and conducive for a relaxing stay. What I liked most was this ledge-cum-bench
strategically placed beside the wide glass windows. It was the perfect place to
watch people by, allowing myself the luxury of cogitating while drying myself after getting drenched by the afternoon rain.
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| My very purple room at 606. |
Later that afternoon, I found myself on a leisurely stroll towards
Bukit Bintang with no specific plan in mind until I realized that Pavilion’s
Golden Screen Cinema was hosting a European Film Festival. I've no places to go. I've long dismissed
my touristy demeanor in KL; the city already feels like second home, overtaking
Bangkok.
That evening, I survived another movie marathon: Netherland’s “The Perfect Match” follows a lonely
artist and retired teacher’s (Jan DeCleir) search for romance through an online
website and the arrival of a new maid Alena (Maria Popistasu), a beautiful but
disastrous house help. Romania’s “Exchange”
(Schimb Valutar) is about Emil, a family man who decides to sell his house and
car so he could finance an Australian visa application in Bulgaria. Trouble is,
he lost all his money from a scam artist and couldn't afford to come home to
his family. Finally, in France’s “A Distant Neighborhood”, a middle-aged
gentleman revisits his childhood town which he hasn't set foot in years. His
homecoming turns mystical when he finds himself transformed into his 14 year
old self. What would you change if you could live your life again?
Watching foreign films is an experience that parallels with my travels
because they take me to strange lands and open my mind to cultures far removed
from my existence. “Exchange” was particularly interesting because this was
shown at the Cine Europa Filmfest in
Manila in 2011, but I wasn't able to catch it.
Like most Romanian flicks, it mirrors the state of a struggling nation; social
realism on celluloid, if you will. Watching a foreign film in a foreign land is like finding a glove that snugly
fits your hands on a slow and chilly night.
On the eve of a long flight, I was finally ready to fly again.
This is the Eye in the Sky!
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| Movie Marathon at the Pavilion's European Film Festival |
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| Some shops lining Bukit Bintang (above and below) |
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| I saw this lit archway at the far end of Bukit Bintang which should be perfect for Miss Megan Young, the newly crowned Miss World (below). |
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| Miss Megan Young, Philippines' pride is Miss World 2013 |
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| Lot 10 is one of KL's high end malls right in the heart of Bukit Bintang. |
