Green trees extend their “fingers” overhead to create a cocoon from sunlight to all that pass through. Stepping lightly on the mute terracotta tiles, it feels like I’m on holiday in a European city- except for the fact that the warmth of the sun still seeps through the trees above. Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur certainly is a surprise to behold, especially considering the many treasures that lie hidden within its vast grounds.
The sight of the throng of men spilling out from the National Mosque onto the footpaths that lead to Dataran Merdeka always catches my attention as I travel the stretch on Fridays. The area is reputed to be home to not only the KL Orchid Park but also a few other interesting places. I start my discovery from just in front of the mosque, at the Hop On Hop Off bus stand. The location of the pink flag is at a bit of a blind spot so while crossing the street, I catch sight of something eye-balling me from a distance and approach curiously.
Mesmerizing spell
About 325 steps away from the National Mosque lies this relatively unknown jewel- the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. The exterior of the building boasts a balanced mixture of glass and Islamic architecture but what lies within is an amazing collection of Islamic artifacts from the world over.
Trawl the extensive sections and be mesmerised with the different sizes of Quran’s that people from days gone by have come up with. Some are as small as your thumb and need to be read with a magnifying glass! Also impressive is the intricate details of the clothes and jewellery that the management has amassed from India and China among other countries.
In addition to the three peach and blue normal domes that soar to the heavens, this museum has an inverted dome- a definitely unique feature not found anywhere else on earth. All the four seemingly fragile structures boast of intricate details within its design. The inverted dome found right at the start of the exhibition area however is the only one that tourists are allowed to photograph. Nothing else within the centre can be photographed, sadly. It would have really nice to snap some pictures of the architect models of various different mosques all around the world displayed on the top floor. Those certainly are an amazing sight to behold.
For more information on the museum’s activities, visit http://www.iamm.org.my/
KL Butterfly Park
The entrance to this park, a whopping estimate of 1725 steps away from the Islamic Arts Museum, is somewhat hidden away from prying eyes and also quite ordinary-looking. The real fun begins when you step through the mesh and enter this netted area filled with butterflies. These small creatures flit about everywhere in the area so be careful not to slap at your head or body if you feel something brush past you.
The butterflies come by in all sizes. There are some that are so teeny but there are others that are quite big in comparison. All however have one thing in common- the pretty colours that flash as they move their wings to get about. If you’re lucky, kindergarten children may visit when you’re there and it’s quite adorable to see the little kids marvelling at these precious, small insects.
The species are just so wonderful to sit back and observe as they move around the area. The national post carrier, in fact, dedicated a collector’s series of stamps just for them. The philatelic stamps can be bought at post offices- if you’d like something to remember (depending on stock availability).
The park also does have a gift shop within its grounds for tourists to browse through souvenirs to take back.
KL Bird Park
Still in a dreamy state of mind, I step out out the park and trudge almost 1040 steps towards the KL Bird Park. The slightly uphill task quickly snaps me out of my reverie and by the time I get to the Hornbill Cafe, I am a sight to behold. I am not only taking frequent swigs of water but also wiping off the steady but slow train of water coming from my forehead. One brief sit-down later and I push forward the entrance gates of the park.
That a member of the male species could be beautiful is one thought that has never crossed my mind. It, however, does pop up in my head when a peacock slowly descends the footpath at this park, the largest bird park within the region. It’s also unique because the birds here roam around freely, walking side by side with visitors too at times.
During my visit to the park, I peer up at one corner quite intently in hope that the peacock I’m watching does open up its magnificent tail. The bird, however, is in no mood to be photographed and sits quite silently in its corner. About 15 minutes later, the sound of the peacock’s cry rings clearly through the 20.9 acres that make up the park as I walk around. Visitors can come across almost all of the the 2,000 plus kinds of birds that call the park home when trawling the park’s grounds.
The daily show at 3pm is also a must-do for the park’s visitors as you get to enjoy light banter and entertainment by the parrots, eagle and cockatoo’s. Of particular interest to students or those interested to know about the life cycle of birds is the huge information center near the theatrette. Among other things, it has details on the different types of eggs the birds lay and also how to differentiate one from the other.
For more information, check out http://www.klbirdpark.com
KL Orchid Park
From across the road just outside the entrance of the bird park, the sign for the KL Orchid Park catches one’s eyes. The quick 110 steps up the rounded path needed has me stopping briefly at the ticket counter in a puzzle until I realise that there’s no entrance fee. Once I reach the top of the hill, the first thing that catches my attention is the trellises full of green plants creating a nice shade for the place’s pergola. The shady effect is something that is present throughout the walkway that leads to the wide areas where the orchids lie waiting for admirers to wonder at their beauty.
The whole effect, is indeed beautiful as the garden is where about 3,000 species of the flower call home. It’s certainly an amazing feeling to see those fragile looking flowers bending to the sweep of the winds that pass through the area. Even better still is coming early in the morning when the flowers are still laden with morning dew.
The Orchid Park is also kind of a misnomer because the area also houses more than 2,000 kinds of hibiscus within its grounds. Walk a little further from near the row of stalls selling orchids to find these varieties of the national flower in full bloom, whatever time of day it may be.
National Museum
It was surprising to find that the National Museum, a tourist attraction found along the main roads of Kuala Lumpur, could also be accessed by walking through this area. I bypass the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial (381 steps) and the guardhouse for the National Planetarium & Space Agency (266 steps from the memorial) to get to my final destination. The loud clip-clops of horses circling the area were the only sounds that broke the still of the naturally quiet surroundings of where I walk. The horses, which are used by guards around the area, can be found rounding Lake Gardens every now and then, lending an even more quaint air to the place.
The side path that needs to be accessed to get to the bridge before the National Museum is right next to the lake. Tiny yellow leaves line the tarred single-lane road which also leads to the parking area for visitors to the Planetarium. A few steps down and you’re on the bridge, making your way across to the museum, above the buzzing highway.
The first thing to see as you descend is this huge maroon locomotive at bottom of the stairwell. The compartment on display lies about 500 steps from the entrance to the National Planetarium I pass by earlier. This attraction not only houses all the different types of transportation used by Malaysians in days gone by but also holds exhibitions from time to time.
At the end of the day
All in all, I spent a whole afternoon enjoying the few limited sights that I could do within the Lake Gardens. The area not only has all the different parks that I visited to offer tourists but also the National Monument, the Royal Malaysian Police museum, the Deer Park as well as the ASEAN Sculpture Garden.
The Lake Gardens definitely offers a variety of routes for those interested in sight-seeing or even exercising within its area. I do encounter a few runners pounding the pavement furiously while walking around the area myself. The generally cool atmosphere of the area is probably thanks to the large artificial lake at the heart of the area.
It’s no wonder that this two hundred year old park remains the city’s most popular park.
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