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Ain Arabia (Kuala Lumpur)

Malaysia / Kuala Lumpur / Kuala Lumpur

In the months of July, August, and September, the temperatures rise in the Middle East up to 45 - 47 degrees. That's becomes too much for the Arabs. During that time, many of them book a holiday to cooler countries, one of which is Malaysia. In that period, there are also school holidays in the Middle East. To make these people feel at home, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall has decided to created an Arab district. Modeled mainly in the Moroccan architecture, 20% of the manpower engaged was from the Middle East to ensure the authenticity of the design and work.

The literal translation of Ain Arabia is "The Eye of Arabia". Since its creation, there has been 30% increase in tourist arrivals from the Middle East in July, August, and September. There's also an Arab barber to cut hair the way Arab men like it. Not many barbers in Kuala Lumpur are good at trimming beards. Apart from the barbers shop, there are also other shops adjacent to the Fortuna Hotel; they are a mini market, a travel agency, a souvenir shop and the Hay-Al Arab Restaurant, which serves Yemeni cuisine. In addition, there are also several shops selling Arabic music CDs, VCDs, shisha pipes, tobacco, perfume oils and incense wood chips operating in the area.

Today however, Ain Arabia is seen by local people as a great waste of tax payer money. At a cost of over RM2 million, the place was completely leveled, except for one big tree and a big tea-pot and some stone benches and a commemorative arch which were put in place. The teapot was originally a water fountain but it has long since broken and no one seems bothered enough to fix it. During the day time maybe some City Hall workers can be seen resting there, but most of them are the Alam Flora (www.alamflora.com.my/) workers and some DBKL (www.dbkl.gov.my/) contractors. In the afternoons and nights the area is occupied by 'jaga keretas', foreign drug addicts, drunken youths, and scrap collectors. Most of the Middle Eastern restaurants in the area, however, have since closed down and the area has become a haunt for these rowdies. Really it is a miserable place for tourist to drop by.
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Coordinates:   3°8'50"N   101°42'36"E
This article was last modified 14 years ago