Lost in Malaysia» Petronas Twin Towers

The French Spiderman’s Climb to the Top

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:53:23 +0000

He is the world’s most accomplished urban climber. He has scaled more than 85 buildings around the globe; including, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His long list of urban climbing conquests also includes the Taipei 101 in Taiwan, the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Empire State Building in New York, and most of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, bridges, and buildings.

To avoid arrest, he usually arrives at the base of the building that will be his climbing target at dawn. Sometimes he is dressed as Spiderman. Often he is not. At times, his climbs are part of a paid commercial venture, although most are done for publicity and the personal thrill of the climbing conquest.

Alain Robert (also known as the French Spiderman) has been climbing since childhood. He is a legendary rock and urban free solo climber who has also become an accomplished motivational speaker. His urban climbs are dangerous and do not include rope or rigging. He uses only his hands, chalk, and climbing shoes. So, small protrusions in buildings, such as windows and ledges, are his climbing friends.

However, the most unusual aspect of Alain Robert is that he has been handicapped because of vertigo while climbing the earth’s most difficult rock formations and the world’s tallest buildings for the last twenty five years. He is handicapped from serious injuries that occurred from two separate falls of nearly fifty feet when he was around the age of nineteen.

His injuries were diagnosed as multiple fractures to his cranium, nose, wrists, elbows, pelvis, and heels. In addition, the French National Health Organization declared him 60% handicapped with a disease of the inner ear (vertigo). The medical prognosis was that he would never climb again. However, that dire prognosis would be proven incorrect less than twelve months later, as he resumed practicing rock climbing again.

The climbing persistence of Alain Robert would pay off several years later. Robert would be given an award for climbing at the Janssens Festival. In 1993, he achieved a world record for the most extreme solo performance in the gorge of the Verdon in the south of France. He was also given an award by the International Olympic Committee.

It was in 1994 that he began free solo climbing of the world’s tallest urban structures that would earn him the nickname of the “French Spiderman”. He recently said that his most challenging urban climb was the Sears Tower in Chicago Illinois in 1999. Fog encompassed the glass and metal of the Tower above the 90th floor making the last twenty floors of the climb dangerously slippery with moisture. However, his difficult, slow, strenuous climb ended successfully when he once again reached the top.

Last week the French Spiderman could be seen climbing urban buildings once again. This time he successfully scaled Hong Kong’s Four Seasons Hotel, a 45-story building and his third known urban climb in that city. To succeed, he had to escape Hong Kong police, which had been tipped off about a possible illegal ascent in the city. Robert used the climb to promote greater awareness and international action for the cause of global warming. He would be briefly detained by authorities after the climb before being released.

In fact, the French Spiderman has been arrested and fined more than 100 times for illegally climbing the world’s tallest urban structures during the last two decades. Last year, in China, he was jailed and then deported after making an urban climb of an 88 story skyscraper called the Jin Mao Tower. He was wearing a Spiderman suit during the climb.

Many would ask why a person would risk the extreme danger of climbing the world’s tallest structures? Alain Robert answers as follows : “I am doing it for the thrill, for that feeling of danger and freedom. This is my way of expressing myself… We set ourselves limits, but we are all strong enough to aim higher, to achieve our goals. All we have to do is find such strength within ourselves. Know how to develop it… I do think that sometimes faith can move mountains”.

A love for climbing and danger, the physical demands of endurance and dexterity, the mental strength of courage and persistence, but most of all a feeling of freedom by conquering personal boundaries and limits. All of these endearing human qualities become apparent in the French Spiderman’s climb to the top.

Live it up In Kuala Lumpur Luxury

admin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:15:22 +0000

Kuala Lumpur, the hub of Malaysia, is one of the most visited tourist destinations around the world. Situated midway down the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is near the meeting place of the Klang and Gombek rivers. It is the largest city in Malaysia with a population of over one and a half million from all of Malaysia’s several ethnic groups.

Kuala Lumpur is boarders by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and Indonesia’s Sumatra Island in the west. It possesses a year-round equatorial climate which is warm and sunny, along with abundant rainfall, particularly during the southwest monsoon from September to April. Some times a phenomenon known as the ‘haze’ occurs in this place due to the forest fires on nearby Sumatra Island which typically lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.

Kuala Lumpur has a lot to offer for tourists as well as for native people alike. Cheap and reasonable packages are available for short trips to this wonderful city. Some part of the city was renovated recently while the other parts of the city remain unchanged. This scattered modernization made the city more attractive for both the city’s modern attractions and its historical and cultural appeal. You can feel the history and culture of Kuala Lumpur from its open air markets and Chinese and Hindu temples.

Merdeka Square, the field where Malaysian independence was first declared, is one of the major historic attractions in Kuala Lumpur. Visitors can experience an aspect of Islamic life in Jamek Mosque and Chow Kit Market is best for shopping and dining. It is considered as the largest market in the city. You can buy silks, spices, and fresh fish which are sold by friendly local vendors.

Tourists can visit Cosmo’s World – Malaysia’s largest indoor theme park, enjoy the panoramic views from the sky bridge that extends between the Petronas Twin Towers and eavesdrop to the international music at the Backroom – the major dance club that often features globally-known DJs.

At Lake Gardens visitors can watch some of the exotic birds in their natural settings. Adventure-seeking visitors can choose the steep limestone routes at Batu Caves. Aquaria, Kuala Lumpur’s aquarium, is the best place for animal enthusiasts. It has around 5000 varieties of tropical fishes.

Merdeka Square with the world’s tallest flag pole, the Sultan Abdul Samad building, Old City Hall, The Royal Selangor Club, and St. Mary’s Cathedral are also worth visiting. Tugu Negara, the national monument for war dead, will be a major attraction for history buffs and art enthusiasts. Istana Negara, the national palace, is home to Malaysia’s constitutional monarch and this sight is also worth seeing. Seen of changing of guards ceremony from the main gate of the palace will be an enchanting experience for the visitors and natives alike.

Visitors can enjoy a fantastic nightlife in Kuala Lumpur. The Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the home of well-known Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, is an enchanting evening spot. Istana Budaya is best for watching play and for dinning you can go to China Town, Little Indian, and Golden Triangle areas. You can taste either of traditional Chinese, North Indian, and Tamil cuisine. Bukit Bintang is considered as the largest shopping district in Kuala Lumpur. You can also spend time in Central Market and Chinatown for shopping purpose.

Superb accommodation facilities are available in Kuala Lumpur, the versatile capital of Malaysia. Availability of good accommodation in the city made it a favorite destination among the travelers. Visitors can enjoy excellent sightseeing, entertainment, nightlife and accommodation with high facilities. Charming scenery, eye-catching skyscrapers, striking tropical gardens and numerous traditional buildings are what lure each tourist often comes across in this city.

In addition to it, the friendly nature of the native people makes the tourists happy and makes their trip even more comfortable and enjoyable. You can barely defy your appeal to go for endless shopping avenues, varied culture, tasty local foods and fascinating theme parks. The most important thing that each and every visitors search for is the facility for accommodation. In Kuala Lumpur you never face any problem in getting a good accommodation facility because it is filled with quite comfortable hotels and they include diversity of accommodations at rates which suits to your budget.

Klcc – the Domain Housing All Human Needs

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:03:28 +0000

It would not be an exaggeration if one said that “Kuala Lumpur City Center” (KLCC) is another capital in the capital of Malaysia. It is truly a majestic complex integrated with massive shopping destinations, restaurants and other number of entertainment affiliations. It was opened on the 31 of August in 1999 locating in Ampang district affiliating to, the once world’s tallest structure, the Petronas twin towers.

The Kuala Lumpur city center project was operated in an area of 39.5 hectare including many commercial elements such as office blocks, five star hotels, children’s entertainment parks, and apartments with restaurants in order to cover all the aspects of people’s needs.

A main feature of the KLCC is the Suria KLCC which is a massive shopping destination including many elements for entertainment, dining and bureaus. As a main aspect offered for entertainment, the “Aquaria” is a noteworthy mention that provides exceptional fun-filled moments during the whole day. In the aquarium, the tourists are taken on moving walkways under the deep sea, and the ones who dare to dive in the shark inhabited waters will have an ultimately audacious experience.

More over for nature lovers, KLCC grants the only option for have a pleasant time in the man-maid urban sanctuary in the tropical land area of 50 acres at the center of KLCC. It is comprised with a symphony fountain, jogging track, children’s playground along with a large swimming pool and many more. Further more the hottest Hollywood blockbusters and other new movies of all over the world could be enjoyed in the huge “TGV Cineplex” providing over 2400 seats with outstanding projections, sound and hall designs.

After the sunset the whole KLCC domain turns into a paradise of night-time entertainment. It is during this time most people gather around the area after hectic working hours and all the clubs and pubs scatter along the main streets in Ampang, Pinang and Sultan Ismail attracting uncountable visitors for unlimited fun.

Like all the other amendments, a number of elegant hotels and other accommodation resources are also located in KLCC, adding much more to the value of visiting. They include some of the best Kuala Lumpur serviced apartments such as Ascott Serviced Apartments, welcoming guests with visitor-friendly packages to offer modern facilities in luxury atmosphere.