Kuala Lumpur stories and pictures

[X Ball]

Waiters and waitresses work very long hours for very meagre pay. And customers give their orders coldly and sometimes order them around like dirt. Why don't you try and ask them 'How are you?' or 'How's your day?' and give them a smile for a change? Then wait for their reaction. Don't be surprised if you see their faces light up and break into warm smiles to brighten up your day! Don't wait to be given. Give first and see how your day can change.
Better still, work for a day as a waiter/waitress. Let us know whether you'll be so demanding of them after the experience.

I have always tried not to antagonise them coz a friend of mine who worked as a waitress told me she spat into a coffee to serve a customer who was annoying and unreasnable.

 

[ants]

Waiters and waitresses work very long hours for very meagre pay. And customers give their orders coldly and sometimes order them around like dirt. Why don't you try and ask them 'How are you?' or 'How's your day?' and give them a smile for a change? Then wait for their reaction. Don't be surprised if you see their faces light up and break into warm smiles to brighten up your day! Don't wait to be given. Give first and see how your day can change.
Better still, work for a day as a waiter/waitress. Let us know whether you'll be so demanding of them after the experience.

I often do that. Not only to waiter or waitresses. Even people from different walks of life from rich to poor. We are always working in a stressful and highly pressure environment. Pll will always treat u better if you are concerned about them.

 

[Kamen]

Waiters and waitresses work very long hours for very meagre pay. And customers give their orders coldly and sometimes order them around like dirt. Why don't you try and ask them 'How are you?' or 'How's your day?' and give them a smile for a change? Then wait for their reaction. Don't be surprised if you see their faces light up and break into warm smiles to brighten up your day! Don't wait to be given. Give first and see how your day can change.
Better still, work for a day as a waiter/waitress. Let us know whether you'll be so demanding of them after the experience.

I understand Emmanuelle's comment and also yours. But, i think the Thai waiters and waitresses are very good in greeting, smiling, etc etc. I think the Thais are also subject to cold and misbehaving customers.

 

[pjswift]

I understand Emmanuelle's comment and also yours. But, i think the Thai waiters and waitresses are very good in greeting, smiling, etc etc. I think the Thais are also subject to cold and misbehaving customers.

You have a good point.I agree the Thais are generally wonderful,regardless of customer behaviour.
What I am trying to suggest is that having 'the customer is always right' attitude may not always draw out the desired outcome.Sometimes you observe some service people, you can tell they are having a bad day beyond their control and it doesn't hurt to just ask after them to soothe their soul if not their day. When a person feels the whole world's against him, a tiny expression of warmth can give him comfort and give him hope to persevere against all odds.
I used to be rather demanding until some Wise One showed 'a sense of compassion does not hurt'.
In fact, many people are hampered from moving forward because of a lack of education. Lack of education is not due to a lack of intelligence; rather it's more a lack of opportunities.
As customers, we are in a position to influence the level of customer service.
But most of all, a little, effortless giving like a greeting can make a big difference to someone's day.

 

[cooler]

one music video on 07 WC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkAqq5ATV8w

 

[samuel882]

one music video on 07 WC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkAqq5ATV8w

Thanks for sharing.. A sweet memories of WC07

 

[robin7]

Waiters and waitresses work very long hours for very meagre pay. And customers give their orders coldly and sometimes order them around like dirt. Why don't you try and ask them 'How are you?' or 'How's your day?' and give them a smile for a change? Then wait for their reaction. Don't be surprised if you see their faces light up and break into warm smiles to brighten up your day! Don't wait to be given. Give first and see how your day can change.
Better still, work for a day as a waiter/waitress. Let us know whether you'll be so demanding of them after the experience.

What u said reminds me of my sister. She always greets the waiters and waitresses. She even greets the toll collector when paying toll. I learn from her as well.

I agreed with you that these people have already been working since early morning. Why not we first greet them? Sometimes a simple smile can make them feel better. However, some of these workers (especially Malaysian) are really "black faced" as if people owe them million bugs.

 

[X Ball]

I play seven days and eight times a week (two sessions on Sundays.)
I also hear the 'you've lost weight' comment frequently.

However, my paunch simply refuses to go away.
One old-timer told me: "the paunch is the first to come and the last to go".
But it ain't going away. :crying:
Any ideas on how I could lose my paunch?

Drink less beer or eat less rice. Both are paunchy goo goo ya, gitchy gitchy ya ya da !

 

[ctjcad]

That's..

one music video on 07 WC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkAqq5ATV8w

Thanks for sharing.. A sweet memories of WC07

..a cool link, cooler
Hmm, although, i wonder if it could be merged in either of these threads below, as it's probably more related to those threads:
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33040
http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46227

 

[ctjcad]

Kuala Lumpur "mini" pictures & stories

..alright, finally, the KL trip's pictures..phew, after more than a month, here are the pics i took of my recent trip to KL..

A bit of background abt KL/M'sia:

When a huddle of poor tin miners first stepped around mosquito-riden banks of the slimy Gombak and Klang rivers in 1857, little could they have imagined that within a century and a half, KL would have metamorphosed into one of Asia's or South East Asia's most vibrant, dynamic and compelling cities.

KL meaning "mudly confluence" has grown with bewildering speed since the tin mining days; a growth that took on literally epic proportions after the independence and particularly in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the "Asian Tiger" economy propelled an ever-changing skyline. The speed of change has left old chinese houses and faded colonial mansions idling beside huge gleaming glass and steel towers, while food hawkers and traditional fortune tellers share the streets with bustling businessmen and guidebook toting tourists (Yes, including myself).

One of the most admirable aspects of the city is the level of tolerance displayed by its multi-ethnic cosmopolitan residents, with ethnic Malays, Chinese, Indians and Europeans all intermingling, living and working together with literally few racial problems. To many M'sians, KL is quite simply the Ibukota "Mother City" and as so it is treated with great reverence and abbreviated fondly to "KL".

One constant in KL is the climate with constantly warm daytime temperatures, balmy evenings and afternoon that are often punctuated by mild thunderstorms, usually passing quickly to leave the evenings coola nd rain free. (Yes, and i did experience that on the last day i was there, as i was abt to leave KL).

KL's harmonious ethnic diversity is one of its greatest charms and a visit to the divergent areas of the city is essential.

Some Facts:
Western Peninsula
Roughly 1.4 million people in the city
Roughly 1.9 million people in the metro area.
==========================================================
Downtown KL & Metrojaya Mall pcitures
Last pic is of the Presidential Palace and the rest, i'm sure our M'sian BCers can identify the images..

 

[ctjcad]

Royal Selangor Factory..

..went to Royal Selangor Factory, in Petaling Jaya area, as part of our tour. As a matter of fact, it was our first stop. Saw the processing plant and afterwards visited the souvenier store...Price of those tin crafts ranges from US$8 to more than US$1000..

 

[ctjcad]

Batu Caves (Goa Batu)..

..then from there, we went to the outskirts of the city to experience the Batu Caves (Goa Batu)....let me tell you guys, the picture of the stairway doesn't do justice. There were some 200+ steps all the way from bottom to the top.:crying: I, literally, had to take a 10 min. break halfway up the stairway. Once at the top, i took another nearly 30 min. break, while my tour guide driver waited "impatiently" at the bottom for me to come back down. I think the time it took to climb up was abt 15+ min. It took a bit less time going down the stairway..

 

[ctjcad]

KL Tower..

..after the long exercise up and down the stairway, our group headed to the MetroJaya mall where we were dropped off for lunch. But let me tell you guys, the trip to get there, took abt nearly 2 hrs, as we got stuck in traffic..Anyways, pictures of the mall are on the previous page..

After lunch, our group headed to visit the KL Tower to enjoy a breathtaking view from the top, as we overlooked the city of Kuala Lumpur and its metro area, in 360 degrees...It was quite a spectacular experience; too bad, though, we only stayed for a few minutes..

 

[ctjcad]

Petronas Twin Towers & Dataran Merdeka area..

..After the quick stop over at KL Tower, we continued our tour to Petronas Twin Towers. However, we only saw and enjoyed it from about 3 blocks away. Our tour guide told us, the queue line for the free admission to get into the towers and cross the bridge is so long, that we have to stand very early in the morning. Unless, if one doesn't want to pay, then one can always purchase a ticket to get in..Traffic in the area was jammed also..
From there, we concluded our short trip to the Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), where the Royal Selangor Club & Sultan Abdul Samad Building (mix of Victorian & Moorish architecture) are located. On our way, we stop briefly at the National Mosque area (last 2 pics).

 

[ctjcad]

And last few pics to share..

..here are a few more pics showing the Mid-Valley area and the hotel we stayed at. Also shown are the interior of the mall.
Followed by additional pics of Petaling Jaya area (an area which our angelatby SHOULD KNOW). And some pics of the KLIA, prior to our departure from KL...It was a memorable trip, wished if it was a bit longer, but hopefully i can visit again in the future..

Mid-Valley Hotel & inside of Mid-Valley Mall

Petaling Jaya neighborhood

KLIA's lounge area

 

[Oldhand]

Drink less beer or eat less rice. Both are paunchy goo goo ya, gitchy gitchy ya ya da !

Well, neither do I drink beer nor is rice a favourite dish.
The paunch could be a prosperity thing.

 

[ants]

Nice pics there... hope you will come to Malaysia again.

 

[azabaz_ipoh]

wow! shame on me. i have not been to those places myself. been cooped up in ipoh. glad you had a good time ctjcad.

 

[Oldhand]

Congratulations ctjcad!

Hey, you could make a living out of writing

Your travelogue truly makes for great reading.
It's objectively descriptive, funny and engaging.
And no pompous lines either
Great work, buddy!

....let me tell you guys, the picture of the stairway doesn't do justice. There were some 200+ steps all the way from bottom to the top.:crying: I, literally, had to take a 10 min. break halfway up the stairway. Once at the top, i took another nearly 30 min. break, while my tour guide driver waited "impatiently" at the bottom for me to come back down. I think the time it took to climb up was abt 15+ min.

Er, 15+ minutes is about the length of an average game

And you took a 'nearly 30 min break' after that
This is in addition to a 10 minute break in between
Gee, that's awesome stamina...

Um, is this the 'tourist'?

 

[chris-ccc]

Malaysian photos from ctjcad to share with us@BC

Petaling Jaya

Thank you for sharing your photos... ctjcad.

Yes, photos from my PJ.... they are making me feel so homesick.