Local traditions and culture in Kuala Lumpur

2 more images

I am an avid collector of refrigerator magnets and whenever I travel, I usually buy them as part of my souvenir collections of the local area that I've visited and here in Kuala Lumpur is no different hence I bought some and you can find them everywhere especially at the assorted souvenir shops all around kuala lumpur and genting highlands area and always remember to haggle when buying the souvenir items. The refrigerator Magnets go for RM 8 to 10 depending if the ref magnet is ceramic or plastic or magnetized metal. If you're a collector too then I would suggest you buy one too.

4 more images

Like any country around the world, malaysia has a varied and numerous kinds of sweets and candies and biscuits. There are chinese and indian and indonesian influences on the various malaysian sweets and you can find them everywhere like in stores or malls or at shops and the samples of Malysian Sweets include: Rojak, several dried fruits like the dried mango or nutmeg or papaya or durian; coconut biscuits and candies, chinese inspired almond biscuits and egg rolls and many sticky rice versions of dessert. Prices vary but I would reccomend that you buy the malaysian sweets to experience them since they are available everywhere.

4 more images

malaysia has a variety of small snacks and cool drinks from western to local favorites. Local specialties include the squid balls and fish balls and shrimp balls, the exotic nasi lemak, my favorite assorted prawn and lobster crackers and a lot more. foreign food inlcude hot dogs, hamburgers, pan cakes and more. Among the drinks there are literally lots and lots of choices like the standard soft drinks, the assorted fruit juices whether concentrated or artifically flavored, the assorted kinds of hot and cold teas like teh tarik or teh c peng and ubble teas and way lot more. these snacks costs fromk between RM 1 to 5 depending on the kind and are available everywhere form stalls, hawker centers, stores, malls etc.

I visit Kuala Lumpur a lot but not resident there, so my expenses would be higher than a resident and I am sure expat (european and non european) as well as Locals would give you another view point.
I dont find KL to be a cheap place at all, especially if you are interested in good food, which is available freely but not inexpensive. looking through the prices at the supermarkets, they are comparable to Miami even for tropically produced stuff. Malaysia imports a lot of stuff, Milk for example was from Australia!
A Car is a must and the traffic is very time consuming so learn a habit of thinking or listening to soothing music.. Certainly if your wife is allowed to work that would help with the financial strain, remember 4000 MYR which is slightly over 1000 usd is only twice as much as what a shop assistant earns since they are paid around 2000 MYR. Once again it all depends upon your taste and austerity.
Having said that KL is a wonderful place. The Locals are very friendly and helpful and there is a large expat Indian community and there is a large malaysian Tamoul Community. It is an interesting place to live in Asia.
Once again I will wait for local residents or expats to give you another side of the story.

4 more images

if the 3 layered tea is of malaysian chinese origin, the teh tahrik or pulled milk tea is a malaysian indian (or singaporean indian) invention. Why is it called teh tarik? ok since the mixture is poured back and forth repeatedly between two vessels from a height, giving it a thick frothy top (also known as pulled). This process cools the process fluid (tea) to optimal drinking temperatures, and helps to thoroughly mix the tea with the condensed milk. It is also done to give the tea a better flavor. This is often compared to the decantering of toddy to improve the flavor function. Often found in Indian hawker stalls or restaurants, preparing the teh-tarik is both an art and science. they are found everywhere in Kuala Lumpur and in the whole of Malaysia wherein a small glass costs about RM 4 and a big glass at RM 7 and is available hot or cold.

4 more images

Malaysians Have lots of Hot and Cold teas and most of them are the naturally brewed kind instead of the powedered kind since malaysia has it's own tea plantations located at the Cameron Highlands in the north hence you can buy an assortment of bottled and canned Iced teas which are again naturally brewed with hardy any artificial ingredients and there are lots of brand here and one of the popular is Yeo's and a small canned iced tea drink will cost RM 1.50 at roadside stalls and is available everywhere. just my kind of drink after a hot and humid day.

4 more images

again like what I've said many times before, crackers especially the sea food kind are popular across east and southeast asia and the lobster crackers are an example although truthfully there is little lobster in the lobster crackers the the flavor is mostly arfitificial with Monosodium Glutamate or MSG added but still, these lobster crackers, like the prawn crackers are addicting! they can be just plain snacks or bar chow or even a meal on itself with lots of carbohydrates and these lobster crackers are flavorful and available everywhere and are usually in big packs that costs RM 3 to RM 5 depending on the size and brands. Try one now!

4 more images

The Malaysian Prawn Crackers are tasty. prawn crackers are a generic crackers in asia and many countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam all have their versions and I find the malaysia version to be the most savory of them all (must be the MSG or Monosodium Glutamate added since it is not illegal to use MSG in Malaysia) but still they are the best. A word of caution though, the crackers are filling so you might end up full after eating a lot. you can buy them everywhere like stores or markets or malls and they cost RM 3 for a small pack to RM 5 for a big pack so grab one now!