Friday, January 11, 2013

A Day Out @ Cruise Putrajaya & Botanical Gardens

putrajaya morocco
The Moroccan Pavilion @ Putrajaya Botanical Gardens

On our second day in Putrajaya, we decided to check out Putrajaya Botanical Gardens and Cruise Tasik since hubby was reluctant to check out The Agriculture Heritage Park (my no1 and me would have really liked it). It was good enough that he agreed to go to the Botanical Gardens, so I didn't insist on the Agriculture Heritage Park. 

The kids spent the bigger part of the morning swimming at the hotel, so we arrived at Putrajaya Botanical Gardens at about 1.30pm (after 3 missed turns at the roundabout - hubby is so used to driving fast at the left lane and the people at Putrajaya kind of drive leisurely so best to switch to the right lane early to avoid repeated frustration at changing lanes in time) we thought that we wouldn't have to walk around that much as there is a tram service at the Botanical Gardens BUT since we arrived on the last day of the year after 1230pm the people at the ticketing counter informed us that tram tickets sale and bicycle rental service has been stopped for year end closing of accounts. (hhmm.. oookkaaayy.. aren't there ways to record this internally other than to physically stop the sale of tickets at year end?)


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The Canopy Bridge @ Putrajaya Botanical Gardens

So, we walked through the canopy bridge and then was going down the fern area when hubby said enough is enough, and asked to head straight to the Moroccan Pavillion. No more looking at plants! Err.. sigh.. okay.. the camera's battery is dying on me anyways.. so.. not many pictures of Putrajaya Botanical Gardens then.. 

botanical gardens
The Moroccan Pavilion @ Putrajaya Botanical Gardens


@ The Morroccan Pavillion, same story, tickets are not on sale after 1230pm, so yes there is someone manning the entrance but no one is allowed in. Tickets are required to enter and feast your eyes on Morroccan artifacts on display inside the Pavillion. I guess that should have been interesting.. 





Disappointed and tired from the walk around Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, we headed to the famous Putrajaya Seafood for lunch, arrived there at 2.45pm and was told that lunch orders closed at 2.30pm and we can only order drinks.. aaarrggghh... keep calm and move on..


moroccan designs


With our stomach growling, we decided to proceed to the Souq @ Putra Mosque to eat something before taking the Putrajaya Cruise. Nothing much at the food court, Hameed's Nasi Kandar, Secret Recipe, local noodle stall, Nandos and one middle eastern stall. We ate at Nandos since the middle eastern stall said they have run out of food.


putrajaya cruise
Our boat "Belimbing" for the Cruise Tasik Putrajaya


Walked a short distance to Cruise Tasik Putrajaya and was just in time for a departing boat. The boat was spacious, with glass window for maximum viewing pleasure and it was air-conditioned. The first half of the ride, the guide gives a very brief information regarding on the sights on your right / left in malay and english (some grammatical mistakes here and there). The last half of the cruise you are allowed to go out to the front or back of the boat and snap some pictures.  

Between the Botanical Gardens visit and the Tasik Putrajaya Cruise, I would say that Tasik Putrajaya Cruise is enjoyed more by my kids. It also lets you soak in the various sights of Putrajaya and let you decide which sights you think are worth visiting individually. 

Among the more memorable sights encountered during the Tasik Putrajaya Cruise are:


putrajaya sights
Putra Mosque - First sight coming out from the pier..

sri saujana bridge
Sri Saujana Bridge @ Putrajaya

Sri Gemilang Bridge @ Putrajaya - a bit off with the modern building at the background in my opinion

putrajaya attractions
Millennium Monument @ Putrajaya


putrajaya mosque
Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque @ Putrajaya

All in all, it was a nice cruise to soak in the beautiful sights of Putrajaya. Afterwards, the kids headed to the playground near the Souq to expend some energy before heading back to the hotel.



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