Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysia is about as far away from America as you can travel, and still be on this planet. I visited this beautiful country a couple of years ago, and got an opportunity to see the Petronas Towers: a pair of office towers located in the capital and largest city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

The first impression I got when I reached the foot of these towers was that they were small. In spite of their enormity, they were somehow constructed on a human scale. The amount of ground they cover is not great by modern standards.

Next I noticed the curve of the of the shiny metal strips that encase the structures. The curve and fit of their metal exteriors gave them a shining suit of armor. I could almost imagine them as a pair of arms, capable of bending at the elbows and picking up a nearby Starbucks for refreshment.

On further reflection, I found a similarity to those exotic high-voltage electric structures seen at Hoover Dam. The towers seemd electrified, or capable of conducting huge voltages. I fancied I saw a spark jump between the bases of the two towers, and travel up to the tips. I checked the sky for dark clouds.

We took some photos around the pools and parks leading up to the entrances, then went insdide to try for a trip to the observation platform bridging the towers. My friend was very persuasive with the staff, and got us into the next group headed up. We sat through a filmed presentation on Petronas, the national oil company. The Islamic star pattern of the tower floors was explained as a harmonization of culture and technology. Nice touch.

Ascending in the elevator was quick and painless. I was excited about the view we would have. The doors slid open on a vast, windowed hall called the Skybridge. At the other end of the hall was the entrance to the opposite tower. My friends hurried out with the crowd, walked halfway out, and peered down on the tops of Kuala Lumpur's many high-rise buildings. I took a few steps out, and was overwhelmed with my usual acrophobia. I was, however, able to see the vast extent of KL, spreading away to the bases of the mountains that surround the city.

All in all, a very interesting and enjoyable experience. One sad note was their implicit reminder of the loss of our own twins in New York.