We started off our free day in Kuala Lumpur by sleeping in. Since we’ve been traveling for more than 2 weeks now, it was great to stay in bed for a couple more hours than normal. We decided we were going to take today slowly and use it as a refresh day. After sleeping in, we went to the hotel gym to get in a morning workout. This was the best gym out of all of the properties because they had plenty of treadmills, machines, and free weights to choose from. After a quick shower, we decided to stay on property and go to the hotel lunch buffet where we normally have breakfast. The restaurant was called the Lemon Garden Café located in the Shangri-La Hotel. This was no ordinary buffet because it had every type of cuisine you could think of. It was interesting how the buffet represented so many different cultures from around the world with food traditionally made across Asia, India, Europe, and even in the United States. The diversity in food and the people sitting around us made it for a vibrant and exciting atmosphere. We started talking to some friends about how meals in hotel restaurants specifically in the United States looked. We questioned if they were as inclusive to our countries and the assortment of options that were available. The scale of this hotel was much different than normal, but it would be interesting to look at a hotel buffet in the future and see if they are catering to other cultures preferences. After eating way too much, we knew we still had to try some of the desserts. There was no lack of options with the amounts of desserts across the tables. One of our favorite parts was the fondue faucet where you could choose out of milk or white chocolate.
After finishing up at lunch, we decided to meet some of the rest of the group at the pool. We checked the UV index and it was at a 12! It was almost unbearable to be in the sun for more than 20 minutes. Interested to learn more we decided to do some research into the UV index and how the rays are really affecting our bodies in this type of heat. Consumer Reports states “The UV index is a way to convey the risk of sun damage by putting a number on it.” Surprisingly, the index was not developed until 1994 (Consumer Reports). The Environmental Protection Agency advises that if the index if an 8 or above to rays are very high to extreme. Thus, meaning they advise that you should seek shade and wear protective clothing. The rays are so strong at the extreme level that skin can start burn in minutes (Consumer Reports). To say the least it made sense that it was uncomfortable to sit any longer than a few minutes in the sun. The outdoor pool had an amazing view of the Kuala Lumpur tower looming above us. To continue the free day, we decided to go to the afternoon tea the hotel was offering to celebrate the Chinese New Year. After hitting the pool and rejuvenating in the steam room and sauna, we decided to indulge ourselves with the Shangri-La’s Chinese New Year special afternoon tea. The service came with your choice of a large selection of coffee, tea, or mocktail, as well as a substantial selection of sweet, savory, and scone delights. Going into this I don’t think we understood how bountiful the service would be, and our eyes were a little bigger than our stomachs. The beautiful tower of treats was supposed to be for two people, but we definitely could have shared with more! It was extremely delicious, and the combinations of flavors and fun exotic foods was a unique experience. We still are trying to figure out what exactly Ninko is. After a lovely 3 or so hours of slowly trying to get through all of the goodies, we decided that we should try and venture outside the hotel for the day, eyeing the large tower visible from our room. The Marena Kuala Lumpur Tower is a big observation deck with three or four separate deck outlooks. There were two choices for ticket purchases, the cheaper option that brings you only to the lowest observation deck (that’s still 250+meters tall), or the more expensive package that allows you to visit all three floors. As classic college students, we went for the cheaper option and figured being on the lower observation deck would still provide us with a great birds-eye view of Kuala Lumpur. However, as lovely as it was, it was a little anti-climactic and highly touristy (of course). I’m not sure I would recommend it as a Kuala Lumpur must-do, but it fit in our day perfectly and we had time to kill.
Seeing as we were so exhausted from our extremely trying day, we decided we should treat ourselves to the room service back at the hotel. Ordering lovely chicken rice and veggie dishes, as well as pesto pasta and some creme brûlée to top it off, the room service was certainly a highlight. Wheeled in with white linen table clothes, flowers, and a complimentary bread basket, we knew we made the best decision. The food was delicious, and all in all it was relatively cheap for what you were getting, so we went to bed very happy.
By Morgan Mathews & Julia Edwards
business and culture of the pacific rim 