Mind-Boggling Buildings and Vineyards, Alentejo, Portugal

You don't need to be an architectural whizz to appreciate some of the world's most chic, futuristic places to spend your money, but we will leave it to the experts when it comes to actually deciding which ones are worth a visit. Publisher, Taschen, has the final word on cool in its new Architectural Now! book called Fat Shop Drink, and they shared 11 extracts with us.

Galleria Centrecity, Cheonan, South Korea
The architect: UNStudio
It is: a shopping mall

The exterior of the building creates an optical illusion with two layers of customised aluminium extrusion profiles on top of a back layer of composite aluminium cladding. Waves of colour cross the facade at night. The architects have also created a VIP Room, art centre and customerwhite service zones.

The architect: Rojkind Arquitectos
It's a: Restaurant

he project was carried out in a former house, the residential interior of which was stripped out. The client sought a Japanese interpretation that would be 'contemporary and cosmopolitan'. The unusual facade was made of two self-supporting layers of steel plates cut with a CNC machine and then handcrafted.

The architect: Hakuhodo

It is: a shop

The And Market concept was developed by Atsushi Muroi and Hattori Kimitaro for Japan's first smart phone retailer that is not part of a major mobile phone company. Customers can buy phones, accessories and applications, and benefit from various membership services, not confined to any one certain carrier both in the retail shop and on the website.

The architect: Concrete

It is: a restaurant

The IQ Creative Group decided to revive this restaurant which was a well-known fixture of Amsterdam in the 70s and 80s. referring to the Dutch tradition of putting Persian rugs on tables, they designed a floor made of Portuguese cement that tiles that recall the pattern of these rugs. In the style of a brasserie, Witteveen is both a bar and a restaurant, open all day. 

The architect: 2G arquitectos
It is: a nightclub

The Nébula or Lightcloud is a small discotheque. The space concerned served as a bar and had been completely soundproofed, allowing the architect to carry out the new design with a considerable cost saving but requiring him to respect the existing envelope to the greatest extent possible. Juan Manuel González from 2G arquitectos calls the result an 'intelligent environment of light and sound'.

Architect: David Lynch
It is: a nightclub

Silencio is located at 142 Montmartre in Paris, in an 1883 building on the site of the headquarters of the newspaper La France. The structure subsequently served as the Paul Dupont printing houses. David Lynch conceived the interior design and furniture, and even the carpets of Silencio. The basic colour scheme is a gold monochrome including a good deal of actual gold leaf.

The architect: Estudio Nómada
It is: a cafe and shop

The project is situated in two structures next to the Archive of Galicia, part of Peter Eisenman's Galician City of Culture. The architects broke through preecisting walls to link the two spaces of cafe and shop with one long, shared bar, recalling the typology of Galician village canteens.

The architect: Rizoma Arquitectura
It is: a shop

Located in the grounds of the Inhotim Contemporary Art Center, this shop is intended for the sale of plants and garden utensils. The architects explain: 'The shop is simply an open shelter to keep the products protected from the weather. It consists only of four elements: two service boxes and two walls.' Like the Oiticica restaurant, the Botanical Shop, made with concrete, wood and stone, was erected in a very brief, three-month period.

The architect: March Studio
It is: a shop

The architects say: 'The wood of choice for this store is Victorian ash, a timber grown in renewable forests across Australia. The wood was cut in a factory in Melbourne's inner-city suburb of Richmond, then each of the approximately 3,500 pieces was hand-cut, hand-sanded, sealed, and numbered according to meticulously drafted plans before being strategically packed in shipping crates.' Created in 1987 in Melbourne, Aesop markets products for the skin, hair and body, presented here on an accumulation of ash planks.

The architect: Marcio Kogan
It is: a hotel

Located in the Alentejo area of Portugal, L'And Vineyards includes a 22-suite exclusive country club hotel and a residential development. The central reception building contains a 'contemporary reinterpretation of Roman and Arabix atrium architecture', creating a generous living room, library and gift shop offering vineyard products. The central building also houses a winery, a 'wine club', an 800-square-metre spa, a courtyard restaurant and lobby lounge area.

'I was robbed of my childhood' Rape victim, 17, speaks out about five years of sexual abuse by her stepfather

A brave teenager has spoken out about the sex abuse she suffered 
at the hands of her stepfather, a leading RAF serviceman. Danii Wiblin, has waived her right to anonymity to reveal how she was repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted by Alan Harrison, 43, for more than five years. The brave 17-year-old has told how she summoned up the courage to finally go to police in January this year and hopes her story will encourage other victims of abuse to do the same.

Abused: Danii Wiblin, 17, (left) suffered five years of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather Alan Harrison (right)

Miss Wiblin, who lives near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, opened her heart after paedophile Harrison was jailed for 12 years earlier this month. He admitted 11 child sex offences, including raping his step-daughter nine times and making indecent pictures of the attacks.

The horrifying catalogue of abuse began when Harrison was stationed in Oxfordshire, before moving to RAF Honington, Suffolk.

Harrison used to give Miss Wiblin alcohol and 20 cigarettes every time they had sex, his trial at Ipswich Crown Court heard. He even bought her a sex toy and underwear, the court was told, as he bombarded the schoolgirl with texts and phone calls. Miss Wiblin, who was just 11 when the abuse began, said last night that she did not feel as though she had a childhood as a result of the abuse. 'It was taken away from me when I was 11-and-a-half,' she said.

Brave: Miss Wiblin (pictured) spoke out after Harrison was jailed for 12 years earlier this month

The teenager said she felt as though the abuse had robbed her of her innocence. 'I thought it was about time to live the remainder of my life and not let it be ruined by him,' she said.

The courageous youngster revealed that at one point she turned to drink and drugs to help her deal with the mental effects of the abuse she suffered.

'I was smoking at 11,' she said.

Miss Wiblin said that she had contacted the police about the abuse at the age of 13 but that no-one believed her.

'I felt so alone that I dropped the allegations,' she said. Miss Wiblin went back to Suffolk Police in January this year but she revealed that Harrison tried to stop her revealing the truth for a second time.

'He was texting me while I was giving my (police) interview,' she said.

Miss Wiblin is full of praise for the officers who dealt with her case, particularly PC Lindsay Poole, of Suffolk's child protection team.

'I didn't think she was going to believe what I was saying, but she couldn't tell me enough that she believed me. Then Detective Inspector Adrian Randall came into the room and said "I believe you; we all believe you".'

She said the pain she was feeling eased for that split second 'because I was believed.' 'It felt like I wasn't alone after all those years of feeling alone,' she said.

After revealing what happened to the police, she said she began to go 'downhill' emotionally and 'started to feel guilty.'

'How I managed to deal with things was to write notes to myself about my feelings,' she said. 'After a while I stopped that and was suicidal.

'I did a lot of things to hurt myself. That was the wake-up call I needed. She said she now puts all the blame 'and any thought that it was my fault - on to him and it got me through it.'

'I said on (the police) video that despite how much I hate him, I don't really hate him. I hate what he has done to me.'

As the months went on, the traumatic legacy of the abuse continued with Ms Wiblin suffering dark, terrifying moments.

New life: Miss Wiblin has waived her right to anonymity and said she wanted to tell her devastating story to give other abuse victims the confidence to report their attackers 

The teenager described having terrible nightmares which stopped her from sleeping.

'I used to scream my eyes out,' she said. 'I was on anti-depressants. I had counselling throughout the case, and then my mental state started to pick up after about three months.'

She said she feels like she has a future now and thanked PC Poole and the other people who have supported her, for helping her pull through.

'If it wasn't for Lindsay Poole and the people around me I don't think I would be here now,' she said. 'But I have got everything now, and I'm starting from scratch.'

Miss Wiblin said she would eventually like to start a charity to help victims of abuse.

'Not just for sexual abuse,' she said, 'but for all [kinds of] abuse. So people have someone they can go to so they can speak about what is happening to them, and you can put them on the right path to the people they need to speak to in order to [get] help.

When she was going through her ordeal, Miss Wiblin said she did not feel she had anyone to talk to. Asked what advice she would give to other children suffering abuse, she said: 'Don't let your fear hold you back, because it was my fear that held me back.

'At the time I had thought I was alone and no-one else was going through the same thing. But if I can do it, others can do it.'

Courage: The teenager says that coming forward to report was the first step to rebuilding her life

Miss Wiblin said that others must not be afraid to speak out.

Sentencing Harrison, Judge David Goodin told him: 'You committed offences of unimaginable gravity in abusing her as you did repeatedly, sustainedly and systematically.

'This sexual activity was unprotected. It included, on occasion, the application of alcohol to ease the path to which you subjected her. It would be difficult, in my judgment, to imagine more serious offences against a little girl.'

Referring to the indecent images Harrison took of himself and Miss Wiblin together, Judge Goodin branded them 'an outrageous indignity for a little girl to deal with.'

As well as jailing him, the judge also made Harrison subject to a sexual offences prevention order without a time limit. He was also added to the sex offenders' register.

Story by: Daily Mail 

Arnold Schwarzenegger bragged ‘I’m getting me a 20-year-old honey’ after split from Maria Shriver: report omg! from Yahoo!

Arnold and Maria. (WireImage)

Arnold Schwarzenegger certainly wasn’t licking his wounds when he split from his wife of 26 years, Maria Shriver, last May after it was revealed that he had fathered a child with the family’s longtime housekeeper.

According to a new report, the former California governor actually bragged to his neighbor that the mother of his four children would likely forgive him, but if she didn’t, “I’m getting me a 20-year-old honey.”

That’s just one of the new revelations about Schwarzenegger and Shriver’s family, which he destroyed by carrying on for years with the also-married Mildred Baena, with whom he has a 14-year-old son named Joseph, born just after Shriver gave birth to the couple’s son Christopher. Newsweek reports that after the affair and love child came to light last spring, Shriver begged her husband to go into therapy with her to fix their problems. He only went to one session and refused to return, even though he knew it would cost him his marriage, according to her friends. And when Shriver, 56, did finally ask him for a divorce, Schwarzenegger, 65, shot back, “I have the money, the power, and the plane, and I will have the friends,” reveals a family member.

According to Newsweek, Shriver then asked Schwarzenegger – who will appear on “60 Minutes” on September 30 to promote his upcoming autobiography Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story – to move out of their family home in Brentwood, but he refused. Instead, she was forced to move into a hotel, where she was visited often by her children, Katherine, 22, Christina, 21, Patrick, 19, and Christopher, who have sided with their long-suffering mother. Patrick goes by the last name Shriver on Twitter and his sisters “fear that [Schwarzenegger] wants to use them as part of his campaign to rehabilitate his image,” reports Newsweek. 

Schwarzenegger and Shriver’s divorce has yet to be finalized. 

Story by Kathleen Perricone ~ OMG! Yahoo

'People should stop staring and start learning': World's ‘ugliest woman’ gives courageous interview

Lizzie Velasquez was born without any adipose tissue, meaning she does not have body fat and cannot gain weight. The 23-year-old reveals she has been bullied by strangers online. Despite this she says she would not want to look like a beautiful celebrity. She has been ridiculed, stared at in the street and called 'the world's ugliest woman' by insensitive cyber bullies. 

But, after years of misery and self doubt, Lizzie Velasquez says she can finally shrug off the hurtful comments about her looks as 'just words'. Miss Velasquez, from Austin, Texas, was born without adipose tissue - meaning she has no body fat and, despite eating up to 60 small meals a day, remains at a delicate 4.4stone (58lbs).

Battle: Lizzie Velasquez says she has had to face being stared at and bullied because of her unusual looks

The rare condition still baffles doctors and is thought to affect just two other people worldwide. Miss Velazquez has now written a second book about her struggle to be accepted and hopes it will help others in a similar position. 

In Be Beautiful, Be You the 23-year-old college senior shares advice on being unique, how to make and keep good friends and how to deal with bullying and negativity. Speaking to Dr Drew Pinsky on Tuesday night about her experiences, Miss Velasquez said when cyber bullies first started attacking her online it was hard.

Rare: Miss Velasquez was born without any adipose tissue, meaning she has no body fat and, despite eating up to 60 small meals a day, remains at a delicate 4.4stone (58lbs)

THE SYNDROME SO RARE IT REMAINS UNDIAGNOSED

Lizzie Velasquez was born without adipose tissue, meaning she has no body fat and, despite eating up to 60 small meals a day, remains at a delicate 4.4stone (58lbs). Her syndrome is so rare that to this day it remains undiagnosed. Besides Miss Velasquez there are only two other people in the world known to suffer from the condition. The main symptom is the inability to gain weight. Miss Velasquez is also blind in one eye and has limited vision in the other.

The 23-year-old says her condition is particularly puzzling because it takes on aspects of other syndromes, including progeria. Miss Velasquez says she has the pointed nose, small mouth and ageing skin of someone with progeria but her syndrome is not though to be terminal. As she says on her website her condition is 'just one big mystery', but she remains hopeful that one day doctors will discover just what it is and how to treat it.

She told Dr Drew: 'I'm human... of course these things are going to hurt... (but) I'm not going to let those things define me.'

Eventually Miss Velasquez realised the people issuing the hurtful comments online were just cowards hiding behind a computer screen. 

'At the end of the day, these are just words,' Miss Velasquez told Dr Drew. 'If they are so proud, then they should show their face.'

When asked how she deals with being constantly stared at in the street Miss Velasquez said: 'I'm starting to want to go up to these people and introduce myself or give them my card and say, "Hi, I'm Lizzie - maybe you should stop staring and start learning".'

Miss Velasquez also revealed she does not have any desire to look like a beautiful celebrity. She said: 'I feel I'm really glad I don't look like the celebrities out there who are beautiful, because there are a lot of stereotypes attached to that. 

'People think "she's so pretty, she must be really dumb". Since I don't look like that it's better because people can get to know the real me.'

Miss Velasquez was born four weeks prematurely weighing just 2lb 10oz. Doctors found there was minimal amniotic fluid protecting her in the womb. 'They told us they had no idea how she could have survived,' Miss Velasquez's mother Rita, 45, a church secretary, said.

Dinner: Miss Velasquez says she has to eat high calorie food every 15-20 minutes to keep her energy level high 

'We had to buy dolls' clothes from the toy store because baby clothes were too big.' Doctors could not make a diagnosis so they prepared Miss Velasquez's parents for the worst.

'They told us she would never be able to walk, talk or have a normal life,' said her mother, who has two other children with Miss Velasquez's father Lupe - both children are of average height and weight. Despite the grim prognosis Miss Velasquez's brain, bones and internal organs developed normally but she was always very small.

At the age of two she was still only 15lbs - the same as the average five-month-old baby.

Born this way: Miss Velasquez, aged two, (left) and pictured a couple of years ago, right. The university student has never weighed more than 4.3stone. She went blind in one eye aged four

Born with two brown eyes, when Miss Velasquez was four the right began to cloud and change hue. Doctors then discovered she had gone blind in that eye.

'They still don't know why it happened but now I have one blue and one brown eye.' 

Miss Velasquez's case has fascinated doctors all over the world and she is part of a genetic study run by Professor Abhimanyu Garg at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Support: Miss Velasquez with her supportive family, mother Rita, father Lupe, brother Chris and sister Marima. No one else in her family has the syndrome

Professor Garg and his team now believe Miss Velasquez may have a form of Neonatal Progeroid Syndrome (NPS), which causes accelerated ageing, fat loss from the face and body, and tissue degeneration. People with PRS often have triangular and prematurely aged faces with a pointy nose. He said: 'I am aware of a small number of people that have similar conditions to Lizzie but each case is slightly different.

'We cannot predict what will happen to Lizzie in the future, as the medical community are yet to document older people with NPS.

'However Lizzie is lucky to have healthy teeth, organs and bones so the outlook is good. We will continue to study her case and learn from her.'

Miss Velasquez doesn't take medication but she relies on vitamin supplements and iron to stay healthy.  It is thought she should be able to conceive naturally without passing the condition to her children. 

Her new book is out on September 13.

Evoking memories of Diana: Kate makes first visit to mosque - and wears veil and attire like her mother-in-law wore 20 years earlier

The Duchess of Cambridge evoked memories of Princess Diana this morning as she and Prince William made their first ever visit to a mosque. Kate echoed her late mother-in-law in a pale grey dress by Beulah London with a draped head scarf. 

The ethical label is run by the couple's close friend Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs. As she stepped out of her official car the 30-year-old royal was ushered to a chair to kick off her £185 nude LK Bennett heels, displaying her stockinged feet in line with religious protocol.

In line with religious protocol: Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take their shoes off before entering the Assyakirin Mosque in the centre of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which they visited this morning on the latest stage of their tour of South-East Asia on behalf of the Queen to mark her Diamond Jubilee

          

Sensitivity: According to Islamic religious law, all visitors to mosques must remove their shoes and women must cover their hair before entering. Kate wore a pale grey dress by Beulah London with a draped head scarf. The label is run by the couple's friend Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs. She left her  £185 nude LK Bennett heels by the door

Ready to go: Prince William pulls his socks up after removing his shoes, as the Duchess rises from her seat to join him on their guided tour of the city centre mosque

The couple were visiting the Assyakirin Mosque in the centre of Kuala Lumpur, which is the biggest in Malaysia and can host 12,000 for Friday prayers. It's the royal couple's first visit to a mosque anywhere in the world.

Kate's appearance at the mosque evoked memories of Princess Diana, who displayed similar cultural sensitivity on royal visits to mosques in Egypt and Pakistan. The late Princess of Wales appeared in an almost identical outfit on a visit to an Egyptian mosque during a tour of Egypt in 1992. A royal aide said: 'It is the first time that either the Duke and Duchess have visited a mosque. They were keen to do so as it is is an important part of UK culture as well as being the predominant religion here.'

Classic look: Kate's appearance at the mosque echoed that of Princess Diana, who displayed a similar sensitivity while visiting mosques in Egypt, above, and Pakistan

Typical magnetism: Princess Diana visited the Egyptian mosque as part of a royal tour in 1002. Left, a year earlier she is all smiles, dressed in an elegant and demure green dress with a black headscarf, as she visits the great Mogul mosque of Badshahi in Lahore during a tour of Pakistan

As the royal couple climbed the steps of the mosque they were met by Imam of the mosque Ustaz Saiful, director of Islamic religious department Datuk Che Mat Bin Che Ali, chairman of the mosque Syed Abdullah, general manager of facilities Shausudin Ishak and head division development manager Datin Faudziah Ibrahim.

How do you do? The Duchess of Cambridge shakes hands with an official as she arrives for the royal couple's tour of the Malaysian mosque

William first spoke to Datuk Chemat Bin Cheali, saying: 'This is our first time in Kuala Lumpur. It's very nice isn't it.'

Meanwhile Kate made her way down the line-up, smiling and saying 'it's very nice to meet you' with each member of staff in the greeting lineup. Ms Ibrahim presented the duchess with a bouquet of flowers.

The couple then sat down to sign the guest book, with Kate giggling to William 'I should get this right' before she put pen to paper.

As they were guided in to the main prayer area, both were full of questions. William was overheard asking 'So is this where everyone gathers? When is your biggest service? How many people gather here?' When he was told as up to 12,000 on Fridays, he exclaimed: 'Wow. So many!'

Kate spent most of her time talking to Ms Ibrahim. 'It's so peaceful in here,' she commented. They spoke for a good five or six minutes, starting on the subject of the architecture and calligraphy in the main prayer room. 'It's really amazing,' Kate said.

When Ms Ibrahim mentioned a mosque in Istanbul which was a former church (called the Sophia Mosque), Kate expressed a lot of interest: 'Have you been to Istanbul? I'd love to go.

'I've heard of the Sophia but I've never been. You're lucky to have been twice. I would really love to go some day. It looks amazing.'

When Ms Ibrahim mentioned that she had been to Edinburgh University for her undergrad and masters, Kate said 'Oh wow, really? Well it's very cold there compared to here,' and the two both covered their mouths giggling.

They then spoke of Prince Charles' interest in Islamic architecture and how Kate had learned from him. 

'Both Kate and William had done their research,' Ms Ibrahim later told reporters. 'They knew a lot about Islamic architecture.

'The Duchess really appreciated how everything comes together at the mosque - how we include the architecture, the calligraphy, the comfort and the prayer all in to the one procedure.

'It all links together. She really appreciated that.

'When went to the outer prayer area [which is covered with a glass roof] I explained how we had exposed the skyline to show the Petronas Twin Towers.

'I explained that there is a lot of the senses here and that these elements help those praying focus better and if you are feeling uncomfortable or bored you can look up and see the beautiful towers. 'She laughed when I said that.'

Learning experience: During their tour of the mosque, the first they have visited together, both the prince and his wife were full of questions

Well researched: The duchess spent most of the time during the tour speaking to the mosque's head division development manager Datin Faudziah Ibrahim

Both William and Kate were attentive and eager to learn more about the mosque, which had gone under a $10.2million renovation in 2009 to double capacity from 6,000 to 12,000.

'Well the fans keep it nice and cool,' William joked with one of the mosque members who pointed out the dozens of fans in the area.

Kate said 'it's all so impressive' while one of the guides told her of their plans for another extension. Before ending their 20 minute visit, William and Kate watched men of the mosque washing their hands and feet and were explained the meaning behind it.

They then sat down at their original starting point to put their shoes back on and leave. 'Mine are easy,' Kate said to William as struggled to get his right foot in.

Modern outlook: The Palace said the royal couple were keen to visit a mosque as Islam is an important part of UK culture and the main religion in Malaysia

Always a gentleman: Prince William hands his wife her shoes and she slips back into them after the conclusion to their mosque tour

Miss Ibrahim added after their departure: 'It was an honour to meet them. I was so impressed at how much they knew about Islamic architecture. They really knew their stuff.

'Catherine asked me so many questions that I struggle to even remember them all now. She really liked it when I spoke about how families come together during Ramadan.

'I told her that I often have a lot of family visiting and we will make the most of this area. Do some shopping, go and pray together, then maybe go to the park… She really liked that.

'She said family is very important.

'The Duchess looked beautiful and very appropriate in her outfit. It was a great choice.'

Imam Che Mat Bin Che Ali added: 'They were the perfect guests. William said he wished he could stay longer to see the people arriving for the Friday prayers. 'It is one of the busiest days and we usually reach capacity.' Afterwards the couple attended a colourful cultural performance at the Kuala Lumpur Central Park, Kate having shed her veil to show her hair tied back.

Crowd pleasers: The Duke and Duchess are met by crowds of royal fans as they arrive for their walkabout at Kuala Lumpur City Centre park

Exotic: Surrounded by dignitaries and beautifully dressed dancers, the royal couple inch their way past crowds

Pressing the flesh: Kate shakes hands with a well-wisher

Everyone wants a picture: Members of the public train hundreds of cameras on the duke and duchess as they attend a cultural event at the park

Mobbed: Kate looks a little unnerved but her husband keeps smiling as they are surrounded by well-wishers. Crowds of more than 10,000 turned out to catch a glimpse of the royal couple

The couple were met by screaming crowds of more than 10,000 at the nearby park, which sits in the shadow of the city's Petronas Twin Towers - the world's tallest skyscrapers until they were surpassed by Taipei 101 in 2004. Families had been waiting in the 30C heat since 7am to meet the Duke and Duchess, and many were squashed up against railings by the heaving mass of people behind them.

They had brought Union flags, flowers, banners saying 'Welcome' and 'We love you Kate and William', and some had even written the Duchess letters or brought Royal Wedding magazines for the couple to sign. 

Carnival atmosphere: As the duke and duchess wandered around the Kuala Lumpur park they were treated to a colourful cultural performance

Well coiffed: Kate shed her veil on arrival at the city centre park to reveal her hair tied back in an elegant knot

Here, have this: The Duchess of Cambridge meets well-wishers and appears to give away flowers as she walks past the crowds

School friends Ella Morris, seven, Amelia Thesiger, seven, and her sister Izzy, 10, who all go to International Alice Smith School, spoke to Kate. The duchess asked them: 'Are you squashed?'

Amelia and Izzy's mother Jo Thesiger said: 'We got down here early because the girls were so exited to see them.  

'She was so lovely in the flesh, really pretty.'

The couple walked round a circle-shaped area of the park, where they stopped to watch colourful performances by traditional Malaysian musicians, dancers and a fashion show showcasing the work of Malaysian designers. Kate said of one musician playing a string instrument: 'They must have really strong fingers.' Turning to William she said: 'You should have a go', but the Duke declined to join in.

Showcase: The couple walked round a circle-shaped area of the park, where they stopped to watch colourful performances by traditional Malaysian musicians, dancers and a fashion show showcasing the work of Malaysian designers

The British contingent: Ex-pats advertise their presence with Union flag umbrellas as they await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Royal duties: Prince William eagerly shakes hands with well-wishers fans snap photos in their mobile phones and pocket cameras

On their way round they made a beeline for a girl with a Welsh flag. Elin Howells, 14, is originally from Anglesey but has lived in Kuala Lumpur with her parents Chris and Fiona for eight years. 

She was so excited to see the royal couple she was shaking after their meeting. 'They saw my flag and came over and said "Bore Da" which is "Good Morning" in Welsh,' she said. 

'They asked us which part of Wales we were from and when we said Anglesey they said "Oh, the same place as us".

'It was unbelievable to see them, they were so lovely.'

The couple also stopped to talk to a group of expats including Lynn Maitland, 40, originally from Aberdeen.  'They were asking us who we were and we told them we're expat wives,' Mrs Maitland said.

'William said, "I like it that your husbands are all at work and you are here". 

'I was surprised at how tall he was in the flesh. Kate was beautiful. She said she was finding it awfully hot.'

Urban: The park sits in the shadow of Kuala Lumpur's famous Petronas Twin Towers which were, until 2004, the world's tallest skyscrapers

Flowers for a princess: At the end of the walkabout, Kate is handed a bouquet of flowers by children, including two girl guides

At the end of the walkabout the Duke and Duchess were presented with flowers from children including two girl guides. Cerys Howells, 10, said: 'I gave Kate a scarf and she said I could keep it.

'When I said it was for her she asked me if I had a spare and when I said I did she said "Thank you very much".'

Later there was a security incident when a local Malay fan tried to get into the couple's car to take a picture of them as they prepared to leave the park. The man was bundled away by police and handcuffed.

Story by:   Rebecca ENGLiSH, Royal Correspondent in Kuala Lumpur