Peter Doornbos’s Trip to KL after 32 Years.

I was fortunate enough to be sent to KL on business from my home in Sydney. It was an opportunity I was Very thankful for as I haven’t been back in the 32 years since we left from my school days there. I sent three Days in Singapore, and flew to KL in the evening of Wednesday the 8^th of February 2006. I arrived in the dark Which was frustrating as I was straining to see anything I could recognise from the teksi from KL Sentral to my Hotel, the Impiana, which used to be the Holiday Inn completed around 1973. The following day, I awoke early due to jet lag and excitement of seeing something I might be familiar with. I forgot it gets light late in KL so I did a lot of walking in the dark before breakfast, but I did walk from the Hotel past the Petronas Towers which are in an area now called KLCC (KL City Centre). Yes, the city centre is now located on the site of the old race track. Anyway, I got to the intersection of Ampang and Tun Abdul Razak (Jalan Pekeliling) and recognised the old Taman Ampang Shopping centre, and then Found my old house. Tony Storey got a good picture of it last year that he in KL, but now it is surrounded by a wire fence and seems to be set for Demolition, as even when I came back during the day it was all closed up and gate locked.

The client I was working with was located in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, which is now given to a lot of high rise buildings. Connie, couldn’t figure out where your house would have been. Probably around where we went for lunch at the Japanese place. Thursday and Friday were all business, but on Friday evening I went straight to Bukit Bintang as I had to buy a camera for someone. I saw the Federal which is now dwarfed of course, and went into the lobby, it all felt very familiar. There are a few huge shopping centres there, Time Square, Sungai Wang, and another which can’t remember the name of which was 6 floors of just computer stuff. Amazing! It started to rain while I was in Bukit Bintang, but as usual cleared in no time, and I then walked down Bukit Bintang until I got to the gates of the Golf Club, I took a few photos, and then walked from there to my old house just past the Ampang/Tun Abdul Razak(Jalan Pekeliling) intersection. As I said the gates were still shut up during the day.

The following day Saturday, planned to do a heap of walking. I got up and started by taking the lift up from the bottom car park level of the Old Hilton (now Crowne Plaza). The lobby and bar areas were pretty much as I remembered them. In fact I could almost taste the Singapore Sling (almost, breakfast might be pushing it a little, I had a long day ahead of me after all). I then walked down to where I knew the Merlin must be, and it was there now named Concorde. The lobby area seemed to have undergone a recent paint job, and I recognised where we used to go into the “Tomorrow” night club. I then reach Jalan Ampang and followed it round the hill until I got to the Old Jalan Campbell intersection. I recognised the AIA building, where the doctors used to be. On walking down Jalan Campbell I was imagining the outside eating stalls, which regrettably are no longer there. It was a mix of old and new. Some very new buildings, and some original shops. On reaching the corner of Campbell and Batu Rd, I saw the old Odeon Cinema was still there, although looking quite tired. I then headed down Batu towards the Padang, and once again some of the old stuff was still there, and some had been replaced. The old Bata(for those of us not able to afford real Adidas) shop, and next door the A & W. Shame it was early morning as I always recall their chocolate malt shakes were great. At the end of Batu Road I found there was a monorail crossing down the middle above Jalan Parlimen. There was some sort of kids soccer carnival happening in the Padang and the road in front of the government buildings. I turned right and headed for the Bank Negara round about, and headed up toward the old school. It felt very familiar at that point, and I continued up to Jalan Maxwell, now renamed of course. About a 100 yards up I recognised the old driveway, which had a security gate in front of it, but luckily open and unattended. The first part of the drive had not changed, but of course the school has now been demolished and been rebuilt as and Art Academy or some such thing, and therefore the turn you used to do to the right at the top of the drive is now fenced off. I stood there for quite some time trying to place everything in my mind, and it felt quite weird. I continued along Jalan Maxwell skirting the new art academy, until I got down to the playing fields. Nothing seems to have changed there, I sat on the concrete spectator seats on the Lake Garden side. From there I walked back by the Masjid Negara, and then the old railway station which looked fairly tired. I went from there into China Town. Jalan Petalling is now got a very high cover over it so it is sort of an indoor outdoor type feeling. Still plenty going on down there, lots of bargains to be had.

On the Friday evening I caught up with Randy Edge in his new Bar located behind the OSK building, just of Jalan Ampang. He has been going for a couple of months now, and seems very happy. We certainly had a few laughs.

I also caught up with Alfie Eu, and we reminisced over a tiger beer or 5 on the terrace of the RSGC. Very pleasant. He is doing well and looking very healthy on it.

A short, well maybe not, introduction, but enjoy the pictures.

Click on the Camera to proceed.