{"id":1127,"date":"2017-01-04T15:06:04","date_gmt":"2017-01-04T15:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taylortrip.co.uk\/?p=1127"},"modified":"2017-01-08T17:47:08","modified_gmt":"2017-01-08T17:47:08","slug":"day-58-new-years-eve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taylortrip.co.uk\/?p=1127","title":{"rendered":"Day 58. New Year’s Eve"},"content":{"rendered":"

We took breakfast in the hotel restaurant.(PNB Perdana Hotel and suites on the Park) A self service buffet with a vast assortment of food and eat as much as you want for around \u00a36.<\/p>\n

\"Sunrise\"
Sunrise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We still had tickets for the Hop on Hop off bus so caught that and went to the Butterfly Farm. This is a large garden set out around pretty waterfalls and water features. The butterfly’s fly freely. There are feeding stations for them. Some with fruit on and some with flowers that are drizzled in honey.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Butterfly Park. Kuala Lumpur.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The Butterfly Park. Kuala Lumpur.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The Butterfly Park. Kuala Lumpur.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There was a vast assortment of butterfly’s both large and small and the colours on some of them was amazing. Trying to take photos was very difficult as they closed their wings once they had landed.<\/p>\n

\"From
From the Open Top Bus. Kuala Lumpur.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We caught the bus back to the hotel. This took about an hour as the bus only goes in one direction so we had a good sightseeing tour on the way back.<\/p>\n

We popped into the 24\/7 supermarket to get some wine ready for the evening. We had forgotten that the Muslims do not drink and supermarkets do not sell anything with alcohol in it. We went over the road bridge to the big new shopping centre but there were no supermarket style shops in there. On the way back we found one of the original shopping centres in Kuala Lumpa and within found a supermarket. Tucked in a back corner was a room selling wine and beer. We bought a bottle of wine and walked back to the hotel.<\/p>\n

I had bought a new dress ready for the evening and Paul bought himself a new shirt. We were all dressed ready to go out and poured a tumbler of wine (toothbrush glasses, no wine glasses in apartment!!!!)<\/p>\n

We had prebooked a table in the restaurant downstairs in the hotel (where we go for breakfast). They had reserved our table outside and assured us of a view of the fireworks.<\/p>\n

The waitress came and asked if we would like hot water or cold water!!!!! I asked if they had any wine and was told no they did not sell alcohol. We could have tea or coffee!!! Well that didn’t start the evening too well. Fancy not asking if we would be able to drink wine with our dinner when we reserved the table. Not something you think of!!!<\/p>\n

Anyway the meal more than made up for it and the ice cold water went down a treat. On the menu was: Potato soup, Beef with mashed potato, carrots and broccoli, Waffles dripping in chocolate sauce with a scoop of ice cream.<\/p>\n

\"New
New Years Eve. Kuala Lumpur<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was 9.30pm when we finished our meal and we decided we didn’t want to sit drinking water till the fireworks at midnight. We took a stroll through the park hoping to find a bar. The park was heaving with people and the nearer we got to the centre by the dancing water fountains the more people there were. People were already occupying all the seats and were sitting two deep across the bridge. We walked down to the area where the restaurants were but it was so crowded you couldn’t get through. There was a stage set up on the side of the lake with music blaring. Big screens where placed around the park viewing the stage. People were wearing flashing head bands and bazookas were being blown. There was an amazing friendly atmosphere. We walked back higher into the park just as they opened a gateway allowing people to go into another area towards the lake edge. We went with the masses and managed to grab a seat overlooking the lake. It was now 10.30pm and on that hard damp seat is where we sat till midnight, people watching.<\/p>\n

The park was full of people from all nationalities. Just looking at the different dress cultures was interesting. There were all ages from babies to some very elderly people. The very obvious thing was that there was not a beer can to be seen. People carried the odd bottle of water but during the whole evening I only saw 2 beer cans and that was some Western students\/backpackers with a couple of cans in a carrier bag sitting on the grass chatting.<\/p>\n

The countdown began at 11.30pm with 10 minute reminders that 2017 was approaching. Just before midnight the music stopped and the audience throughout the park (and there were thousands of them) started the 10 second countdown to midnight. This was done in all sorts of languages but everyone doing the same. On the stroke of midnight the first firework went off. To our surprise this was behind us, not from the tower as we had been led to believe. We joined the mass that were leaving the lakeside and going up onto the bridge for a better view. It was a stunning firework display but even more amazing was to look behind and see thousands of mobile phones all being pointed in our direction either taking photos or videoing the fireworks.<\/p>\n

As soon as the fireworks ended people started to leave the park. I did hear the comp\u00e8re on the stage announce that the music would start again in 10 minutes and with that Old Lang Syne struck up (but sadly as much as I wanted to start the hand holding and signing, it was ignored as the crush to leave the park commenced).<\/p>\n

It was all very orderly the masses leaving still with that lovely atmosphere of people chatting and family and friends being together. Once we reached the road we saw that it was grid locked with people trying to leave. Luckily for us we only had a short walk back to the hotel.<\/p>\n

I had noticed on a previous day a bar\/restaurant down the road opposite our hotel. On the off chance we popped in and asked if we could have a drink. They hesitated because they were trying to close but very kindly agreed to let us have a pint. My goodness it was the best pint I have ever tasted. Even though the staff were clearing up they still had time to chat and ask where we came from. They kindly took some photos of us together.<\/p>\n

Once back at the hotel Paul commented on the cost of our pint…… a three course New Years Eve special meal has cost us 50R each….. one pint had cost 40R each!!!!!! But by gum it was the best beer ever.<\/p>\n

2am on January 1st 2017 and its time to go to bed. Happy New Year everyone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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