From New to Old

 

KL to Madrid , leaving Malaysia on route to South America.

The wealth in the east is largely built on the Chinese ability to generate riches irrespective of the country of residence . Malaysia is just one of those . They also have the ability to splurge their hard won assets . Chinese New Year is the peak for just  such expenditure . 

Despite the new year being a month away , the opportunities for spending were exuding from our local upmarket shopping mall . Cherries at euro 40 per kilo 

..Or the ultimate gift of chocolate and alcohol :this one was so heavy that it needed its own wheels for transport : the cost euro 2000  !!!!

From new world to the old , the new showing conspicuous consumption ; the old riches built on those acquired elsewhere. Madrid was the centre of the Spanish Empire , the pinacle of which was the King . So he built himself a Palace to demonstrate his , and the country’s wealth . This was the welcoming staircase , unfortunately the only part of the palace we were allowed to photo . The rest was of the same opulence , but with the residual feeling for the visitor that it was truly a guided cage . The current members of the royal family must have shared that view as they have decamped to a new abode , leaving the Palace for the tourists .  

Previous governments , not wanting to be out done by their royalty , built Ministries on the same scale ; this one was agriculture . I can’t help wondering whether the peasants voluntarily paid for this ‘

The centre of Madrid has largely retained its’ refined character. This building managed to incorporate a green wall as a way of adding modernity 

On the other hand , the Sophia Museum ,  seems to have landed from outer space .

It  looks as though some of the travellers actually stayed . This Picasso was hanging inside. ET looking for his home?

 

The museum featured works from another Spanish artist , who also pushed the bounds of what could be considered art . Salvador Dali . In that competition , I am not sure who was the winner ?

Picasso or Dali ?

I cannot leave this museum without commenting on an unusual structural feature . The lift shaft glass walls were suspended on steel bars from the roof , and tensioned by giant springs at ground level. I think the architect must have been carried away by the paintings .

However , Madrid has more ‘conventional ‘ spaces , from the bonsai trees in the Botanical gardens…this tree was 20cm tall, and 70years old !

To the house of a ‘conventional painter : Sorolla

…and the ultimate wine bar, these are all wines and beers ‘on tap’. Despite this being the capital city , it is still Spain , with all at very reasonable prices. 

 

Reach for the Sky !

An inspiration ? For :

On the stroke of midnight on August 31 , 1957 , The federal states of Malaya were granted their independence from the British Empire , over which the sun was setting very quickly ! The iconic photos of the new Prime Minister Tunuk Abdul Raman , was used by his son ( Najib )  , the then  prime minister, as the inspiration for the design of KL’s latest tallest building ; Merdeka 118 ( Well that’s according to the PR blurb   ) . The 150 m spire on the top representing the “Tunuk ‘s “ hand pointing skywards ? The cynic would say that 150 metres was necessary to ensure that the building could claim to be the tallest in Asia . It would seem that in Malaysia , each PM needs his own tallest tower . 

To pay for this latest piece of personal aggrandisement ,  Nagib , the PM launched an investment fund for the declared intent of raising monies to invest in Malaysia . The financials of the fund were managed by its’ chairman, the PM and the Finance Minister ; who were conveniently all  the same  person …..Najib . This was clearly too much of a temptation , which culminated in the transfer of USD 600 into his personal bank account . Having lost an election , Najib ended in jail, but Malaysia with a debt of USD 10 billion . This fraud was partly facilitated by the bank Goldman Sacks ; who agreed to pay USD 3.9 billion to avoid prosecution ( and their US executives from going to jail ? ). 

Well back to these towers , which was the purpose of our visit to town . The latest tower is not yet open , and the second  highest doesn’t allow the public in ; so that left the twin towers . This first viewing platform is the sky bridge that connects the two towers , that at the 54 floor . What they don’t tell you is that it is only loosely connected , as it has to cater for the towers moving independently . Two more lift rides and we are at the 82 floor , only two from the top .  There they tell you that the towers have been designed for a wind speed of 130 km per hour ; one third of that of hurricane Katrina !!!!! Our solar panels are designed for more than that . It was miraculously a clear day ,given that this is the rainy season,  and KL could be seen spread around us …; and (  the towers were still standing ) ! The view : towers and further construction , as far as the eye could see. I wonder as the world,s population growth ceases , then deconstruction will follow ? 

Twin towers …as viewed from above 

Towers , and more towers

Strange , the biggest tower now looks smaller

Firmly back on the ground , I couldn’t but marvel at the local pets , and their ability to clear up their own mess . 

And just in case one resident had his own stainless steel pooper scoopers 

An Ultimate Experience

Mmmmmm?

 This is exciting , a black envelope with the intriguing words ‘ an ultimate experience’. A present; excitement rises as I carefully open it : it demands respect . 

A quarter of a century ago, oh it really was that long ago ; a hot air ballon ride was a surprise birthday gift . On a calm cloudless day ( in Devon that was something special in itself ) we gently lifted skywards . It was a strange experience,  in that above about 100 m , I had no sensation , and thus fear, of height . I could have cheerfully jumped out , with a parachute , without any qualms . Onwards and upwards we drifted, another burst of flame from the propane burner maintaining momentum. We were now well above a small plane on its final approach into Exeter airport . It felt , and probably ‘ was a mile up . I looked at my fellow passengers , and decided I wouldn’t attempt to join ‘ the mile high ‘ club !

The next year , and still in one piece, I could be found on my birthday in the cockpit of a glider . Devon has a ridge of hills called the Blackdowns which provide a near perfect updraft for gliders . A giant pulley and long cable provide the necessary momentum for launching , from which the glider releases itself when climbing at 45 degrees . That’s a bit scary , but then it is absolute quiet . With no engine  , and flying along with the air current there is no wind noise . Perfect tranquility . Taking the joy stick with just two fingers I became  the pilot. With the reassuring words from  the professional that the no matter what , if I just let go , the glider would return to horizontal flight ; and that the right way up . 

Another year finds me skyward again , this time over Essex and in a small engined plane . After take off the real pilot handed over control to me , and I actually flew for the next hour . A great elevation from which to view all those features previously seen from  just 2 metres . Flying into cloud , I confirmed that we didn’t radar ; relying on just an infinitesimal  chance of hitting another plane . Emerging from  the cloud , there was another plane a short distance away. Thus proving the point , we didn’t hit it . 

 This year ‘s experience set off my imagination . As a cowboy in the Wild West returning to town in need of freshening up. Sitting in the chair , the barber lathers me up , and then approaches with a cut throat razor . Yes , this is a man’s barber shop , which looks as though it had been transported , not from the `Wild West ‘ , but the ‘West End “ ;and  offers the ‘Ultimate Shaving Experience “ . That with a real cut throat razor ; no safety features here! So I sat very still and just enjoyed . The final act was a facial massage . Just that . After a hair cut in Singapore , I had to stop the masseuse  from descending further than my hands ! Life is full of unexpected experiences . 

    

A city experience