Trying to get my visa for China in Kuala Lumpur

The fountain with constantly changing jet patterns is a visual highlight of the KLCC park below the Petronas Twin Towers.

September 11, 2012 - Kuala Lumpur

Yesterday afternoon, I arrived in Kuala Lumpur, also called KL, from Melaka. I only wanted to stay 2 nights and try to get my visa for China, hopefully by express service, and then move on to Penang and Georgetown.

But those plans went out the window as there is no more express service at the Chinese embassy for citizens from 3rd countries without proper residence in Malaysia. So, now all I could get is a 4-day service, which means that I will have to stay here until Friday. On top of that, I will have an interview at the Chinese embassy on Sep. 12 at 10:00 a.m. In general, I am not too optimistic and have already drawn up a plan B in my head. At least, if I don't get the visa, I will only have to pay 28 Ringgit for the service of the Chinese visa agency.

I don't really like dealing with embassies as one never knows what will happen but this time it could not be avoided.

It also rained quite a bit during the day and when I left my hotel in the early afternoon, I saw some spectacular sky in the distance. I hopped onto a bus to get nearer to the center and the Petronas Twin Towers but once I arrived, the sky had gone back to normal. I strolled around the area outside, entered one of the towers but got tired of the shopping-mall feeling and proceeded to the KLCC park right below the towers.

Here are some more photographs of the day:

The Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101.

Spanning 17 acres (6.9 ha) the KLCC park offers a number of jogging and walking paths ...

... as well as a playground and a wading pool for children.

The park is a popular meeting and picture-taking point for tourists and locals, and needless to say that it is kept immaculately clean by a staff of cleaning workers.

With a height of 452 m or 1483 ft, the Petronas Twin Towers are now
the world's fourth-tallest building, surpassed by Taipei 101 in 2004,
the World Financial Center, Shanghai, China in 2008, and the Burj Khalifa
(formerly Burj Dubai), Dubai, The United Arab Emirates in 2010.