WHAT IS THERE AT OUR CAPITAL CITY?

Our return flight from Palembang Sumatra one fine day took us through Putrajaya and I had the great opportunity to capture this scene. It has always intrigued me to find what's up and around that large round-about that always take you on a spin just to get to the ministries aside it.

(Pokok Bunga Tanjung, Kenanga dan lain-lain wangian menyambut tetamu di Taman Perdana Putra)

Various scented trees the likes of 'Bunga Tanjung and Kenanga lined the paths around the garden welcoming the visitors

(Burung Murai dan Terkukuk nampaknya banyak mendiami disini)

So peaceful and safe that birds especially 'burung murai' seems to enjoy the quiet solitude plus the water sprays that come each day to keep the grass green and exclusive.

(Ada papan tanda besar tetapi tidak pula yang memberi petunjuk kepada pelawat dimana dan apa yang harus mereka lawati)

Directional poster what to see and where to go at Putrajaya is sadly missing. Visitors are at a loss once they landed at Dataran Putra near the Putrajaya Mosque. Public transportation too is a far cry from being easily accessible.

(Di Taman Putra Perdana banyak bunga-bunga asli menghiasi lamannya. Pokok bunga seperti ini ( SERKAP) biasanya menjadi kegemaran orang tua-tua kita sebelum orkid dan tanaman lain mencerubuhi laman rumah kita).

Sadly this familiar flowering shrub or foliage and its like have disappeared from the kampong scenes replaced by orchids and others. Fortunate they are still preserved for posterity

( Pandangan di dataran menghala ke satu-satunya hotel yang terletak di Putrajaya; tentu sekali laman ini bermandi cahaya pada waktu malam)

Great pathways to the monument at the other end. Here it looks towards the sole hotel in Putrajaya

(Satu lagi pemandangan dari atas bukit kecil. Jelas kelihatan jambatan indah menyeberangi tasik dekat Masjid Putrajaya.)

Another fine view from atop the hill. Here looking towards a bridge across the lake near the Putrajaya Mosque

(Satu lagi pemandangan . Yang ini mempamirkan jambatan, lebuhraya dan perumahan di Putrajaya. Kehijauan terus kekal.)

Another scenic view and this time looking towards the Putrajaya housing, bridge and highway and not surely missing the greenery.

(Pejabat Perdana Menteri jelas kelihatan. Kubahnya selaras dengan yang terdapat di Masjid Zahir Alor Star. Tak usah risau pagi ini banyak kerusi kosong.)

The onion shaped dome of the Prime Minister's office is seen at ground level here. The dome is characteristic of one at the Zahir Mosque at Alor Star. There are many empty seats today.

(Banyak binaan yang boleh menjadi sampel sekiranya kita ingin mencantkkan halaman rumah masing-masing. Pondok rihat ini dihiasi begitu menarik sekali)

A pargola or rest area, such design can be adopted to your home if you so desire. On rounds like this you can pick up many ideas,

TODAY I decided to make a brief tour of the capital city while my wife attended to some scheduled business. Each time we were at Putrajaya we circled the round-about before exiting into the intended 'parcels' either C,D, E etc on the left where the various ministries are located. The Putrajaya round-about could perhaps be the largest in the world though no one has yet claim the rightful championship. Strangely or by design you would never think it is one for its sheer turning circle. This time, it meant keeping to the right and entering the path leading to 'Istana Melawati', Hotel Shangrila' and 'Taman Perdana Putra' instead. I marveled at what greeted me. For all these years, since the capital city was first opened I never knew or ever being told of the splendor that could be unfolded when you are at the summit of the round-about.

You too have not taken the path up the hill? Then come and share with me the views and the natural setting awaiting you or any other visitor to this small enclave next to the various ministries and including the Prime Minister's office with its characteristic 'onion-shaped' dome. Pictures surely can speak louder than words.

At the time, I was in the garden setting, the gardeners and caretakers must be having their rest period. They could not be more relaxed in such settings, and no wonder some were on their hand phones chatting away. I was told over thirty persons, all from Bangladesh were tasked at keeping the grounds and the built-up areas in good order. I am told the place is visited during weekends and holidays while wedding entourage often come to capture their splendid moments in prints and movies amidst the natural settings. Round about 11.00 am I could be the only person walking around. I dare to agree that excepting Putrajaya residents hardly others realized the natural garden setting and wide open spaces there. Having captured the scenes on my Nikon some with its telephoto lens, I moved to ground level focused next to other objects.

(Satu lagi pemandangan pejabat Perdana Menteri. Kali ini dari sudut yang biasa di perhatikan oleh pelawat-pelawat semasa di Dataran Perdana dekat Masjid Putrajaya. Hanya nampak satu tambahan. Ada pancutan air di depannya.)

Another view of the prime Minister's office as normally seen by the large number of visitors at the Putrajaya Mosque concourse.

(Banyak sekali tiang-tiang lampu dengan pencahayaan di Putrajaya. Sentuhan pokok-pokok hijau menjadikan keseluruhan Putrajaya sebuah taman besar. Itulah keindahannya antara yang dinikmati. Tapi siapa pula menggalakkanya?)

Lamp posts galore. That's what you observe at Putrajaya. Various ferns and greens added to the colors and dynamism of this capital centre. Truly it is one large garden. But do we show that to our visitors?

(Akan ada satu lagi masjid di Putrajaya. Boleh siap untuk Ramadan tahun ini?)

Reflecting its dimension in the lake nearby. This is another mosque in the making.

(Kementeraian Pertanian dan Asas Tani. Tapi bangunannya tidak nampak melambangkan ciri-ciri pertanian)

Ministry of Agriculture but the building in no way dedicates its identity; huge and large yes.

Antara beberapa jambatan di Putrajaya. Satunya belum siap. Apa pun struktur seperti ini menjadi bahan tarikan dan pemandu pelancongan harus menarik pelancong ke sini.
Scenic bridges and structures like these should be a source of attraction to the tourists

A couple with the wife carrying a small child approached me "Excuse me what else can we see and visit around here?" They were tourists from India and had been deposited at Putrajaya Mosque by the taxi driver who ferried them from the railway terminal nearby and mentioning this was the only place to see at Putrajaya. Imagine such consoling service from those in the tourism industry. I had just discovered some of the treasures of Putrajaya and imagine my dismay when visitors got told off. Yet it could be true. Tourism counters and services as far as I know hardly exist here. Thousands flocked around the mosque concourse, mostly dropped by excursion buses. For most that's all they saw of Putrajaya. They carry homes their pix with the prime minister's building or the mosque as the background . Even if the couples could move on they could be hard put to hail a taxi or other transportation; hardly available. Neither have I seen a large billboard exposing the sights of the city, surely a bonus to visitors. A stark contrast what's available at Kuala Lumpur. Enough of such cautionary tips. Let's continue with our photo tour.

No gondola for him just a piece of plank and a friend at the top to grasp the rope if it needs be

( Gambar ini tidak perlu penjelasan. Bahayanya ada dan tidak sepatutnya berlaku di ibu kota dan pusat pentadbiran negara.)

Danger and risky against all order of safety. Do we allow it to happen here?

(Gambar terakhir menunjukkan keistimewaan di Putrajaya. Sibuk dan tiada tempat meletak kereta langsung. Nampaknya kalau ke sini harus dipandu orang, tetapi perhatian nampaknya bukan kearah mengatasi kekurangan ini tetapi menghiasi lagi apa yang sudah cantik dan indah.)

How we wish the money is spent to solve the parking problem at the Ministries rather than upgrading areas that are already classy.

No doubt there are many exciting things available at the capital city while there are others missing too especially in support of the tourism industry. Maybe the sophistication and much financial support for its development escape the humble personal approaches and care for the fellow men. Every time I hit the city I am puzzled why with all the open spaces available, there are so many vehicles parked in no incoherent order along the streets near the ministries designated with no parking signs and red cones. Couldn't this be solved in extra fast time? Parking attendants cum security checking and moving cones for parking spaces will never solve the issue. I thought cones were for clowns only. Here they dot the streets distinguishing only disorder and chaos.

Less we knock off feeling despondent because of the shortcomings above let's be enlightened by some other pointers that show three other good points that lifted my spirit for the day. They represent a theme like 'swinging in the air'