Hong Kong @ Sungai Wang

The first time I step foot on Hong Kong Island was in 2003 when I attended the International Symposium For High Altitude Traning at Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tian. When I told my friend about the trip and the place, he mention to me that Sha Tin is popular for its horse racing on weekends. However I did not have that opportunity to watch the race live even though the HKSI is just next door to the Hong Kong Turf Club. It so happen that my memories of visiting Hong Kong twice came back coincidentally when I park my car at BB Plaza rooftop car park, and that lead me to writing this post. I think there are nostalgic moments at places you have visited. 

It was my first visit to this place called HK Station, at Level 6 Sungai Wang Plaza. HK of course stands for Hong Kong. As I mention , it was just a coincidence to walk onto that floor  since I parked my car at Level 5 near the door to enter Yellow Zone and walk down the stairs, when I saw signages leading to the 6th floor. So on the way back to the car later in the evening, I decided to drop in. 

This is what the Sungai Wang website mention about the place and I copied it; "Hop up to Hong Kong Station for the latest, most contemporary teen fashion! Whether it's upbeat, flashy or plain simple chic, there is one to suit every eclectic taste.

From fashionable apparel to shoes, colourful accessories to unique collector's items, cool hang-out places to theme restaurants, Hong Kong Station offers immense selection to the young urban shoppers with more than 100 exciting retail outlets to choose from. And it's all happening at the Sixth Floor of Sungei Wang Plaza!".

Besides outlets selling apparels there is also a Karaoke (not the sleazy type) and Game Arcade. I was made to understand that the apparels are mostly imported and the price is quite competitive with Kenanga Wholesale City outlet. Here you can buy them at a cheaper retail price compared to Kenanga where you have to buy wholesale. It means you have to buy a specified number of the item if you want it cheap. Items at HK Station cater more to the younger generations and teenagers.   

As soon as you walk up the escalator you will be greeted with a collage of street facade in Hong Kong like the pictures below on either side of the walls. 

Then you can see the street names in Hong Kong on the pillar like this one below

Here is the directory of the outlets at HK Station

Decorations at public places has that Hong Kong atmosphere like the post boxes and bird cages. You might want to drop a letter inside one of these post boxes but the letter will not get to the adressee. LOL 

Tired of walking? Take a rest on the wooden bench next to the karaoke outlet and watch the birds in the cages above your head. Sit back and relax while listening the the chirping of the birds. Ooppsss.....did I say birds chirping away? I am sorry. There are no birds but just empty cages for decoration purpose only. 

Photos below are some of the outlets along the aisle at HK Station. 

 

 

 

 If you are a collector of Coca Cola bottles and items, there is a shop lot here that can cater to your needs. I saw Coke items and lots of them, mostly not found on our shores. The shop sells First Day Covers, stamps and collectible currency and coins and antiques too. 

For tourist, the following information from the Sungai Wang website can be of help if you want to visit the Mall. 

KUALA LUMPUR MONORAIL ROUTE	SUNGEI WANG PLAZA LOCATION MAP

TOURIST / TRAVEL ENQUIRIES

International Air Travel KL International Airport (Sepang) 03-8787 3894 Domestic Air Travel Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang) 03-7846 3000 / 7846 1833 Train Station KL Railway Station 03-2274 7435 Light Rail Transit Putra LRT Star LRT (Customer Service) KL Monorail 03-7625 6999 03-2698 4977 03-2273 1888 Inter-State / Singapore / Thailand Bus Services Puduraya Bus Terminal Putra Bus Terminal Pekeliling Bus Terminal 03-2070 0145 03-4043 8984 03-4043 9022 Tourist Information Malaysia Tourist Centre (MTC) 109, Jalan Ampang 03-2164 3929

You may also reach Sungei Wang Plaza by the KL Monorail direct from KL Sentral or using Ampang line and disembark Hang Tuah station and change to the monorail towards Bukit Bintang Station two stops away. KL Rapid bus service also brings you to Sungei Wang Plaza too.  Just tell your friend I wuz @ HK ........................................ No Not Hong Kong but HK Station @ Sungai Wang.......

Muzium Telekom Malaysia

I think it was my second visit to the museum located at Jalan Raja Chulan in Kuala Lumpur. But only this time I am writing this post because when I first visited it in the 90s, blog is not around yet.
The museum is open to the public daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm except on public holidays and entrance is FREE.

THE BUILDING
The musuem was built during the colonial days in 1928 to place the central battery version of main manual telephone. it was build with an undeground space and orderly floor for the installation of telecomunications facilitiesand became the main telephone office back then.
It was built with a “G” style and has internal boundary corridors with a service court. Like all other colonia buildings at that time, this double-storey building was build by carpentary according to its weights and structires. To suit the cables installation for telephonic hall at the second floor, wooden floors supported by metal crossbars were built. Glass windows were built with symmetry and dolled up to show the neo-classic style, adaptation from the 19th Century. One of the classic and unique architecture is the 8 lonia pillars between 2 towers facing Jalan Gereja.

 

Photo: The museum from Jalan Gereja. Notice the 8 lonia pillars?

HISTORY OF TELECOMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA
It began in 1870 with telegraph services linking the island of Penang, Malacca and Singapore to London via submarine cables. In 1876, the first telegraphic communication began between Taiping and Kuala Kangsar. The first telephone was installed in Kuala Lumpur in 1891and when the manual telephone exchange was built in 1928, the telephone service started to grow.
In 1938, the manual system was replaced by semi-automatic system. Telecommunications in Malaysia then entered the broadcasting era when radio station in Kenny Hill began broadcasting in 1936.
Then in 1958, the first microwave station in Bukit Nanas was completed, This allows the first national station television broadcast in 1963. Phone service moved into modern era when connection remotely dial (STD) was introduced in 1962. International direct dialing service (IDD) was introduced in 1979. Mobile phone services or ATUR 450 was introduced in 1985.
WELCOME TO THE MUSEUM

		antique phones on display VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

		Some of the exhibits VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

On the second floor visitors will be able to walk the journey through moment in time relating the growth of telecomunication in Malaysia beginning in 1874 when the telephone make its debut in Perak to the use of  internet and Skype .
ADDRESS
Muzium Telekom
Tingkat 2, Jalan Raja Chulan,
50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 603-2031 9966  Fax: 603-2031 5925
Website: www.muziumtelekom.com.my
References: Pamphlet- discovery of Telecommunications in Malaysia produced by Muzium Telekom.