My first day off for 13 days...

We had lunch at the Coliseum Cafe and Grillroom, which has been around since 1921. Its old-fashioned quality is definitely a major asset: the white tablecloths, changed for every diner; the little white bibs that sizzle-consumers are solicitously provided with; the cute gravy boats; the faintly retro menu; the dark-panelled bar...

But the food was tasty, too. My chicken Kiev came with thyme-infused gravy (in a boat), crisp veges, a nicely dressed little salad, and neat little chips. Nigel enjoyed more sizzling New Zealand lamb than he probably ate the entire time he was in New Zealand.



From there we climbed the hot, jungly hill to the Bank Negara Museum.

This is a lovely building in its own right, with its nautilus staircase and its contrasting KL views:





I enjoyed the galleries featuring numismatics and the history of Bank Negara Malaysia. But my absolute top pick would be the top floor "Ombak" exhibition by Yusof Ghani. This is his depiction of the Aceh tsumani:



And these are from the "Faces" series:



There's a pleasant cafe on the ground floor, be it noted, which does sensational "rich soursop" juice.

Our third port of call was the Thean Hou Temple, and here we spent many hours: watching the lanterns change their appearance as the bright afternoon faded to dusk then dark; watching the people praying and photographing; and watching the electrician fixing the lights (a huge job this, and the platform-wheeler doesn't have it easy either, since this contraption's wheels behave like those of a recalcitrant supermarket trolley).











Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!