Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia X

Built to intimidate or celebrate? You be the judge. Ask yourself the same about Westminster Abbey in London.

This is the national mosque.

I was intimidated, not by the bad architecture, but by the man at the gate. (Don't worry, other mosques in the city are more beautiful.) An aggressive gatekeeper yelled at me as I tried to enter an area clearly labeled "Tourists" with an inviting arrow.

"CLOSED!"
"Huh?"
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
"What?"
"CLOSED! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
"This sign says I may enter."
"NO! CLOSED! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
"No. Thank you."

I walked around the man with a puzzled look. He stared at me until I was out of his sight. Nice way to welcome someone to your national mosque.