Yesterday afternoon, after attending an academic presentation and discussion at the National Archive at Jalan Duta then visiting an old tomb in Sentul, I suddenly felt like taking a long walk. For the record it has been a while since I felt like this what more I haven't had enough sleep the previous night and this was followed by more than 3 hours sitting in highly air-conditioned auditorium while trying to digest some heavy information on latest archeological findings coupled with history lessons.
Yessir, it has been a while since I felt like taking a long walk. There was a period when I would practically walk at least 5 km per day in the city of Kuala Lumpur, that is if I was not outstation. If I was outstation I tend to walk much much further everyday as during the period in question, I would go far into secluded places with no public transportation looking for old tombs... and during that period I didn't have my own transport. Well, I did have my big bike then as I still have it now but it tend to break down easily that I'd rather take buses or hitchike. So there...
OK. I think I did make a few walks last year but that was mostly between the area of Chow Kit up to Pertama Complex or Masjid India to Central Market.
Yesterday after visiting the said tomb in Sentul (refer to the article Makam (Tomb of) Harun Al-Rasyid, Kuala Lumpur in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) ) I asked my wife to take the car back to her office while I got out near the Jalan (street of) Sentul/Jalan Ipoh junction.
Then I walked towards Chow Kit and down Jalan Raja Laut going against the flow of its one way traffic before entering the Pertama Complex then Sogo followed by Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman into the Masjid India (Indian mosque) area where I stopped for a small cup of teh halia, tea with ginger. From there I went to the old Kuala Lumpur main mosque.
Got to do my prayers, besides this is one of my most favourite place in KL to stop by.
While the mosque is a favourite stop I tend to spent time at its right wing/verandah. Yesteday I decided to go the the left wing, perhaps my second time here in two decades.
From here one could have a good look of the river Gombak. This is a look upriver.
Those conscious of the history of KL should know outside this wing lies the place which gave rise to the name Kuala Lumpur (literarily the muddy estuary). For this is where the Gombak river (right) flows into the longer Klang river.
An upriver look of the Klang river.
When I left the mosque it was already past 4:30 pm. But I still feel like walking further south and decided to enter Central Market. It was only after coming out its southern exit then I finally decided to turn back north passing its famous outdoor pedestrian walk which is now roofed. My my... this is the first time I went to Central Market to find this part roofed. For information this pedestrian area used to be a favourite hangout place to watch street performers and buskers in my youngers days. In my later days I would stop by but rather rarely. Then it was closed for quite some time to built the roof system...
Surprisingly despite rather aching legs I still feel like I have the energy to go on walking to where I started and further more. By it was already some time past 5 and I have to meet up with the wife again by 5: 30. So I could only continue the walk up to Sogo before turning left to get to the Bank Negara Komuter (commuter train) station.
This is a view from the pedestrian crossing connecting the Taman Wahyu Komuter station to the other side of Jalan Kuching. In the background right is the limestone hill called Batu Caves famous for a long marble staircase going up into a big cave on top the hill where lies some Hindu temples. Nine days ago I brought my wife for the first time ever up into the cave. To see what its like, look at the old articles A climb up Batu Caves... and Inside Batu Caves....Back home I charted back the route taken using the programme Google Earth and its satellite pictures. I must say I was delighted to find out I have walked 6.1 km and could have gone further if not for the shortage of time. Considering the fact that I'm already past 40 years old and not in fit condition (hopefully to be rectified soon enough) for years, considering the fact that I haven't walked that far quite long, I was also surprised to find out that I was still bustling with energy and continued to be restless until well after 3 am. :]
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