My KL Diary

Pavilion Christmas Event on December 16, 2023 Christmas event is on at the center stage of Pavilion

Preliminary Contest for Singer Debut in Japan @LaLaport BBCC By Ben Wada on November 25, 2023 The audition for Malaysians to debut as a singer in Japan was held at LaLaport BBCC. The event named ' Take Your Voice to Japan ' is organized by a Japanese group including composer Kenta Matsukuma. The final contest is scheduled on December 23.   Take YOur Voice to  MC declared the opening of the contest

Pavilion Christmas Tree 2023  As a sidenote, an accident happened. A branch of this tree fell on a Singaporean shopper on December 25. 

Broken Cars Display as a Terrorist Cinema Ad The display of broken cars and buildings are set in front of the entrance of MGB shopping mall, beside of LaLaport BBCC. War on Terror: KL Anarki  is the movie. Broken cars and buildings

Jakarta Malls and History Museum By Ben Wada on November 10, 2023 In the morning of November 10, I went to see two major shopping malls--Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia. The latter mall has lots of Japanese restaurants. Grand Indonesia West mall After that, I planned to visit the national museum but it was closed that day. Instead I went to the Jakarta History Museum. A Grab car ride from Grand Indonesia West mall to the museum took more than a hour despite that those facilities are not far in the map.   The museum is fun to see around. I thought the items were more varied than the museum in Singapore and Malaysia.   Entrance of Jakarta History Museum 

High-speed Train from Jakarta, Really Fast Ride on the Indonesian bullet train on November 9, 2023 A Struggle at Halim Station  Indonesia started the operation of the first bullet train in Southeast Asia on October 17, 2023. The high-speed train named Whoosh runs faster than the Japanese Shinkansen train.On hearing that, I decided to get on the train as soon as possible. And today is the day. My original plan was to take a return trip from Jakarta to Bandung. But I found it impossible because the station name is different from those city names. Halim is the name of the station for Whoosh in Jakarta, which I can find easily. This morning, I got to Halim by taking a Grab car from my hotel, in center-western area of Jakarta.  Ticket vending machines are at the center of the ground floor of the station. I tried the machine but in vain. It only accepts Indonesian QR code payment. So I went to the service window which had a long waiting queue including some agents to buy someone’s t...

Visit Jakarta in November 2023 By Ben Wada on November 9, 2023 Jakarta is a city of traffic jam This is my first time visit to Jakarta, capital of Indonesia. In my rough estimation, vehicles--cars, motorbikes, and tricycle cars-- in Jakarta are three times those in Bangkok. I can't ride a Grab bike here, though I rode it in Bangkok. Too scared. Thrilling road Overcrowded 

Halloween decoration at LaLaport BBCC 2023 Halloween decoration at LaLaport BBCC

Spider-Man Game Ad Campaign at The Starhill  The game title is Marvel's Spider-Man 2  for PlayStation 5. 

Fashion Show at LaLaport BBCC By Ben Wada on October 15, 2023 According to LaLAport BBCC official site , it is  UCSI Young Designer Showcase . A Malaysian major school with Metrojaya held a young designer competition and the fashion show. UCSI Young Designer Showcase

Junji Ito Horror House at LaLaport BBCC by Ben Wada on October 2, 2023 I visited Junji Ito Horror House at LaLaport BBCC. The attraction produced by Japanese cartoonist Junji Ito is scheduled to be there from October 5 to November 30. At around 0600 pm, I was allowed to enter the facility as a member of 5 person group, 1 young girls pair and 1 young couple other than me. I happened to lead the team on the fully dark course with a rope held by 5. Despite of not-so-long  course, I enjoyed the show very much. Some ghost actors were very good at surprising by emerging from nowhere. Shor screams the girls in my group gave were also a good sound effect.    Ticket of Horror House Junji Ito's cartoons

Thai Street Fest 2023 at LaLaport BBCC By Ben Wada on September 30, 2023 LaLaport Thai Street Fest 2023 Sept. 23 - Oct.8  You can see various Thai street food stalls in the outside street of LALAport. Performers in Thai Street Fest 2023  Eaters at Thai food stalls

Seek a UNIQLO Shop to Get to Sunway Velocity Mall By Ben Wada on September 18, 2023 A large UNIQLO shop at Bukit Bintang is under renovation for a long time. That drove me to seek another UNIQLO shop near my home, and I get to Sunway Velocity mall. LRT train ride to Maluri station which directly connected to Aeon. Then you walk several minutes to get to Sunway Velocity.    Sunway Velocity mall

EV rental car in KL By Ben Wada on September 15, 2023 I've found an EV rental car running near my worksite near KL Sentral station. PS. BUSINESS TIMES said, " Malaysia has more than 100,000 registered EVs to date[December 2023]." EV rental car 

Jurassic Park ad event at LaLaport BBCC By Ben Wada on August 24, 2023 The recent event at  LALAport BBCC  is titled ' Jurassic Park Return to Isla Nublar.' It, held in August 24 - September 12, cerebrates 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park movie. A playground for kids and several dinosaurs are set at main atrium of the mall.  Jurassic Park event at LaLaport BBCCC

Tesla ad event in Pavilion Tesla cars at center stage of Pavilion From upper level

Ultraman ad event in LaLaport BBCC By Ben Wada on June 10, 2023 Ultraman event is held at LaLaport BBCC. The details are in the LaLaport official site:  Ultraman Decker Final Tour . Ultraman large figures are set   Ultraman actors come on June 25

Visit to Bangkok in May 2023 By Ben Wada on May 4, 2023 Three Buddhist Temples Wat Arun or Temple of Dawn Wat Phra Kaew or Temple of Emerald Buddha Wat Pho or Temple of Reclining Buddha It was my first visit to Thailand.   My main aim was to visit the three Buddhist temples above. All of those three sacred places are located near the Grand Palace and you can easily see them around in a day. I am a Buddhist and naturally love to see statues of Buddha.  And in those long-standing religious facilities I was able to relax even though it was a very hot day  on May 5.  Temple of Dawn Head of reclining Buddha So-called Japanese Street, Thaniya  Another aim of the trip was to walk along the so-called Japanese Street, Thaniya. Lots of Japanese style restaurants and bars are on the street.  It was much easier for me to taste true Japanese cuisine in Bangkok than in KL, Malaysia, though I had expected that before. If you look like a Japanese person, you would ...

Michelle Yeoh's large image at Pavilion

One Piece movie ad at Lalaport BBCC BIg Luffy at the outdoor center stage in Lalaport BBCC

Wall Paintings and Reclining Buddha in Penang by Ben Wada on March 20, 2023 Wall Paintings Arts in George Town You can see lots of wall paintings in old town area in George Town of Penang, Malaysia.   Wall Paintings in Geoerge Town One of famous wall paintings in Penang Reclining Buddha at Thai Temple Going a little bit west along the coast line from center of George Town, you can reach Wat Chayamangkalaram, a Thai Buddhist Temple. 32 meter-long reclining Buddha statue is in the temple. You can relax as Buddha there. Reclining Buddha at Thai Temple in Penang

Visit to Penang in March 2023 By Ben Wada on March 19, 2023 One of the World Heritage Sites I completed the trip to the former British Straits Settlement here in Penang, as I have already visited Singapore and Melaka. The history that local people in the seaside port cities of Malay have relations with Western World made George Town in Penang and Melaka, in Malaysia, a set of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites. The British East Asia Company built a fortress on the northeast side of Penang island. With the three tiny fortresses of George Town, Malacca (Melaka) and Singapore, BEAC was a powerful figure in the Southeast Asia region, before Japanese invasion,  The fact has inspired my imagination.  So I was satisfied with being in one of the fortresses – Fort Cornwallis – and seeing seas from there. Fort Cornwallis Sea from George Town

Health Ministry Office to Pay Fine for Smoking By Ben Wada on February 23, 2023 I visited the Health Ministry Office, Pejabat Keshihatan Lambah Pantai, to pay a fine for smoking in a non-smoking area. Initially, I was told it would cost RM200 and I would get a 40% discount if it was used within a month, but it was RM150 charged at the office. No English written in the room to visit, but the officers at the gate and a Malay man who were there with the same business as mine helped me to reach the room. The trip from my home took about RM10 using a Grab car. On the way back, I walked to Pasar Seni station where you can see from the health office. Health Office near Pasar Seni In Malaysia, the designated smoking places are rare, but you can smoke tabaco on the road.  Unfortunately, I was caught smoking at just outside of my work site by Health Ministry officers, who are in no uniforms but ordinary office work cloths.   Be careful, Smokers!