FROM LAGENDARY LANGKAWI TO CAPITAL CITY PUTRAJAYA

 Several hotels on the island of Langkawi offer choicest accommodations.  One here, wooden chalets right in the sea will give you traditional as well exclusiveness. Imagine throwing your fishing line from your veranda. while seeping tea and being surprised by your catch. You will be surprised to see how old Malay houses have been restored on the island and have become 'luxury' homes especially for foreigners and visitors.

White pristine beach exclusive to the hotel complex gives the guests the relaxation and rest they look for plus peace and quiet with the closeness of nature close by.                

BEAUTY IN ALL ITS SPLENDOR

Back in 2007 I posted a story of Putrajaya with several photos of the capital city. Since then we have visited the place quite frequently and never tire of seeing the development on going. It has also become an icon, a touristic center with busloads of local as well as foreigners arriving daily. Happily you see them clicking their cameras or framing their best frames as reminders of their visit to the city, naturally with the background of their choice. The Putra Mosque and the Prime Minister's office complex seems to be the focus right now with the panoramic view of the lakeside added in. Thanks to the tourist guides or the bus drivers who prefer to halt near the Putra Mosque area. Maybe the food kiosks nearby would allow the visitors to have their lunch or tea break. Last week I was surprised to see a group of tourists from China celebrating their stop here and at the 'Nasi Kandar' stall especially having a whale of a time enjoying size-able plates of oven fresh succulent crabs and king prawns. Perhaps our tourist industry people need to observe the culinary choice of our visitors  and as such offer the best in this direction. Whereas the other food kiosks at the mall begged to be visited the 'Nasi Kandar' server was kept busy dishing out the favorites of the visitors. 

I believe observation of the visitors especially the foreign tourists at favorite spots would help the industry in many ways. Firstly where would they like to be photographed? What became their favorite background? Did they linger there much longer than usual? Souvenirs? What are their choices? Did they have enough time, besides the food break to take in the offers at sight. e,g a boat cruise on the lake? brief walk to other spots around the area where they had stopped earlier? At Putrajaya, the show case of the nation there's plenty to see, to know and admire.


As a regular visitor to the capital city, due to the exigency  of work routine surprisingly there are many that still escape my eyes. Firstly due to its size and secondly the constant growth and development.  Nevertheless let me share, several that hit me during the recent visit.




There are more visitor friendly and like-able places to visit at Putrajaya. One would be the new 'iron' mosque and since named as 'Masjid Tunku Mizan Zainal Abidin' since it was officially opened by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong himself 11 June 2010. The  mosque and the other touristic locations at Putrajaya guarantee that it will continue to be  a tourist hub. 


We were here earlier when the international hot air - balloon was on show or when the landscaping fraternity turned one corner into a garden. I believe the residents at Putrajaya and the nearby Cyberjaya will never be short of activities planned in the twin cities through out the year.

The imposing Perbadanan Putra Jaya office that undertakes control and development of the city with an arch that extended the view from the east to the west i.e from Istana Kehakiman ( Palace of Justice) to the Tunku Mizan Mosque at its western end encapsulate the thoughts,planning and strategy that has gone into the planning of Putrajaya as our capital city. Added to that several other Ministry buildings close by deserve scrutiny and attention too. Even if you are no artist, architect, planner, developer or engineer whose work naturally called for such review the existing  development deserve a close look and our pride for the nation.  

Three flag posts stand as sentinels. From the frontage of Istana Kehakiman you focus the view right through the arch and on to the Masjid Tunku Mizan at the western end.

 It can accommodate 25,000 jemaah or more. No fans, no air conditioning points or conduits to be seen.Yet it is cooling. Many factors and strategies have gone into the building of the "Iron Mosque"  Your view is extended to the outside as no walls blocked the frontage. 

You make like to refer to  http://en.wikipedia. org/w/Tuanku_Mizan_Zainal_Abidin_Mosque. 

We were here on Friday and being early thus the empty hall. It had its share of full jemaah at prayer time however. The two, 13 meter high imposing glass walls on each side of the mihrab have scribes from the Koran: one quote from Surah 2 Al Baqarah and the other from Surah 14 Ibrahim  

The exceptional exposure of the Surah on the glass frame as photographed. You may refer to Al Baqarah (ayat) 148 - 153 for the choice and meaning whereas the other side of the mighrab refers to Surah Ibrahim (ayat)  40 - 47.

   "Istana Kehakiman'  Palace of Justice which stands at the eastern side of the extended mall to the Tunku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque at the western end. Yet another architectural structure that make up the complex.

We move from one corner to another. One moment at the legendary island of Langkawi  and the next at the capital city. Like many others due to the exigencies and nature of our work giving service in consultancy we have moments to observe and share. The contrast of nature as to design and development each makes an impact. The off- shore fishing boats basking in the twilight at Pantai Kok in Langkawi and a bowl of 'ulam' salad as you prefer with 'sambal belacan' closes with a reminder that tradition die hard.