TM family day at the National Sports Complex in Shah Alam

One final piece to complete the current flow of writing for this blogspot. Continuing from the article First actual visit to the new Istana Negara

Sunday morning 22nd October 2017. Me and family went to the National Sport Complex of Shah Alam.

A family day for staffs of TM (Telekom Malaysia, the nation's main telecommunications provider) was being held. My wife is a staff.

Actually I was not in the mood of being in a crowd. But I obliged for the wife.

As it turned out I joined and enjoyed the morning's aerobics session...

Then there's of course the treats and fun for the kids. For the record this is the 1,771th article in this blogspot.

First actual visit to the new Istana Negara

Continuing from the article Checking out the Rawang-Bypass.

Late afternoon, Saturday 21st October 2017 I brought the wife and kids to a very significant destination near Damansara Heights in Kuala Lumpur.

Welcome to the Istana Negara, the national palace. It is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the royal paramount ruler of Malaysia.

This is the first time any of us has stepped foot here. This Istana Negara is a new one as it replaced the old national palace at another part of KL some 5-6 years ago if not mistaken.

The old smaller one was used since the indepence of Malaysia from British occupation in 1957. Here are pictures of the family in front of the new palace compound...

Noticing a small hill just outside the perimeter I felt like checking it out.

Only my 5-year-old youngest son followed suit. I asked him to climb first so I could keep a watch.

A view from on top. Our first visit and already we got quite superb views of the palace and surroundings...

Previously the closest we ever got to the new Istana Negara was to make a turn at the road in front.

That was to avoid a portion of the traffic jam at Jalan (road of) Duta at the foot of the hills.

To think this visit came unplanned. We were taking Jalan Duta on our way back home after attending a function in the south of KL. Suddenly I felt like making a visit and the rest followed...

Checking out the Rawang-Bypass

Continuing the train of thought storytelling from the article The new pedestrian bridge to Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur.

Thursday afternoon 19th October 2017. After spending some time at the wife's office in Rawang town I decided to check out a new development just outside town.

By using Google Map I found the closest access point to the said development. It is a small road which has been closed for some time.

Parking the car besides the entry point I continued by walking...

After 300 metres or so I arrived at the development...

Welcome to the Rawang Bypass.

Extending 7 km from Serendah north of Rawang going south towards Kuala Lumpur it is also known as the Rawang-Serendah Bypass.

Yet to be opened although looking like it is already completed it bypasses the heavy traffic which tends to plague areas around Rawang.

What is amazing it is situated largely on high grounds passing through the slopes of a large hill which the regular north-south road seeks to avoid by covering an extra 4 km or so to reach the same points.

It is also aligned to minimise intrusion into the local flora and fauna which consist mainly of a species of trees known as the Giam Kanching, 

The species is said to be available only around this hill. You can't find it anywhere else in the world. 

Because of that 3 km of the bypass consists of overhead road.  

The views around here are amazing with the overhead road going as high as 60 metres from the ground...

The new pedestrian bridge to Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur

Continuing from A niece's wedding reception at Bagan Lalang.

From Bagan Lalang we headed home after 3 pm or so. On the way we entered Kuala Lumpur city centre to check out a recent development.

The said development is situated besides the historic Sultan Abdul Samad building...

It is part of a project to beautify the nearby portion of Sungai (river of) Gombak and Sungai Klang.

For the first time as far as I could remember a pedestrian bridge has been built leading to the Masjid Jamek or main mosque of KL. I was told it was opened in conjuction of  the Malaysia independence day last 31st August...

It crosses over the Gombak river...

Seen on the right are minarets of the mosque. For the record the mosque is situated at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers.

However direct path leading to the mosque is not opened yet as a garden project at the connecting compound has not been completed.  You have to take a path to the left to reach the mosque. I could also see that there are still a number of things to be done before the River of Life project is concluded...