Which koi colour do you like?
Today's post is an entry in ABC Wednesday Round 5, the meme initiated by Denise Nesbitt
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This is also my entry for Watery Wednesday #55. To see what others have posted or to participate, click here.
On Saturday, October 3rd this year, Chinese around the world will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiu) . It is also known as Moon Cake Festival or Lantern Festival. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the chinese lunar calendar. It is the day many of us believe that the full moon will be at its biggest and brightest.
More than a month before the big day, booths are set up at shopping complexes promoting the sale of colourful lanterns and moon cakes, the 2 most important elements of this festival.
Traditional lanterns are shaped as birds, fishes, animals and mythical dragons while the modern ones follow the shapes the latest cartoons such as Ben 10, the latest craze among children here. Traditional lanterns are made of paper and uses candles while the modern ones are made of plastic and battery operated with music and movement. They are so many choices available.
Besides decorative booths at shopping complexes, local town councils, temples and resident associations organise lantern festivals at their locality encouraging mass participation on certain theme nights. It is indeed a sight to behold with families and friends coming out in full force to join in the festivities. Can you imagine how it will be with many beautiful lanterns lighting up the night?
Consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to the varieties of mooncakes available. Each mooncake can be differentiated byThe picture below is a sample of how a traditional mooncake looks like. The skin has auspicious pictures and words. Can you see the egg yolk, melon seeds and lotus paste filling inside?
It is customary to buy mooncakes as gifts to family and close friends during this season. Now this custom has extended to corporate-clients level. Mooncakes are packaged in beautifully designed gift boxes made of paper, wood or metal.
In the old days, children come out after dusk, carrying brightly coloured lanterns and have fun roaming the streets and dark corners in groups. On the main day of the festival, families will gather together to perform prayers at night i.e. after the moon is visible in the sky. Some of the offerings are mooncakes, tea, taro root or baby yam, water caltrope (leng kok), goundnuts, incense and joss sticks. After the prayer sessions, family and friends will have a good time enjoying the food amidst some chatter and laughter while children played with lighted candles and lanterns under the moonlight.
Eversince man took the first step on the moon, many of us have discontinued with the practise of praying to the full moon. Instead we hold parties, family gatherings or participate in big scale events organised by the local authorities.
Is this festival celebrated in your country?
Do you have any experience to share regarding this festival?
This is my entry for My World Tuesday Issue LI, a meme, strictly non-profit, where we have fun by showing you our world. My special thanks to the MyWorld team: Klaus Sandy , Ivar Wren , Fishing Guy and Louise. See how others view their world or to participate, click here.
Coral Hibiscus
This is a view of Kuala Lumpur's skyline taken from Lake Titiwangsa with our famous Petronas Twin Towers in the background.
Callistemon salignus( White Bottlebrush )
I was born on a periwinkle plant. Mum left me shortly after giving birth to me. At least she was wise to hide her babies under these green leaves. I was on my own since the day I came out of the egg shell. Dad? What is that? I don't even know who my mum is. Am I an orphan?
This plant is called Angelwing Jasmine (jasmine nitidum). It is a popular vine for landscaping. It can be grown as a ground cover, made to crawl on a fence or as a sprawling shrub. It can also be grown in a container. This plant is quite easy to train and prune. The flowers have a strong fragrance and it blooms the whole year through which makes me Jump with Joy. I am not telling a Joke, neither am I Jesting but I feel like Jetting away to Johannesberg next June. Okay, okay, I'm Just kidding!
Water Lettuce for Watery Wednesday
Pistia stratiotes is an aquactic plant that we grow in aquariums, garden ponds and water features. This perennial plant helps to control and reduce algae growth. Its common name is water lettuce or water cabbage. We may also see it at waterways and public ponds where if left to grow unhibited will become invasive just like a weed.
Do you have any of these plants at home or have seen it somewhere?
Today's post is an entry in ABC Wednesday Round 5, the meme initiated by Denise Nesbitt
For more information and photos, please log on to this site.
This is also my entry for Watery Wednesday #54. To see what others have posted or to participate, click here.
While in PD, I stayed at the Legend Water Chalets Resort. I choose a seaview tower room instead of the much publicised water chalets. I came here for a weekday getaway and I know that I can get better deals if we can holiday during the off-peak season. What I wanted was excellent service, good relaxation and perhaps a walk by the beach in the evening or morning. A gym and swimming pool would be great for daily exercises. It should also be quite close to town so that we can drive down there for some sightseeing and also to try out some local cuisine. Friends told us that Lukut town, which is just a short distance away from PD town, has many choices of seafood restaurants. Most of all, I really wanted to see the sunset from the balcony of my hotel room.
Yes, I got what I wanted. The views from the room window and balcony were great.
This is a quiet and relaxing place. It kind of make up for the fact that the beach here is not as beautiful as Teluk Kemang beach further up. Some examples of hotels and resorts at Teluk Kemang are The Avilion water chalets, Thistle-Guoman PD Resort and Corus Paradise Resort. You can google it for more choices. Teluk Kemang is about 45 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur.
This is my entry for My World Tuesday Issue L, a meme, strictly non-profit, where we have fun by showing you our world. My special thanks to the MyWorld team: Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise. See how others view their world or to participate, click here.
Botanical name: Tristellateia AustralasiaeThis is a vigorous climber with bright yellow flowers. Each flower has 5 petals and red stamens. Leaves are ovate to lance-shaped and has a lush green colour. The flowers bloom in clusters of up to 30 flowers. Native to South East Asia, it is a woody, evergreen vine that flowers the whole year through.
Here, this shower of gold climber is planted on the ground and trained on a trelis.
This picture is my entry for Mellow Yellow Monday # 36. My grateful thanks to Drowsey Monkey for hosting this fun site. For other MYM posts around the world, please click here.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.
Along the path that leads to the beach, we came across this beautiful Thunbergia Grandiflora, growing vibrantly along the fencing. It is a giant vine with cascading pale purple flowers and large green leathery leaves. Native to India, this plant is also known as the Bengal clock vine. The flowers look like a giant morning glory. Some fat black bees were already buzzing around, busy collecting nectar for their Queen.
What would you like to do if you are at the beach on a Sunday morning?
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Areca nut, also known as the pinang or betel nut is the fruit of the Areca Catechu tree, a species of palms that grows in South Asia and the tropical Pacific.
This photo was taken at 6:44pm on September 15th, 2009 at Port Dickson.
These monkeys are born free and seen here having a great time running around, jumping from tree to tree and playing with their whole gang of old, young and baby monkeys. They inhabit the natural rainforest at the fringe of Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur. This is where the Bird Park, Butterfly Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and Deer Park is located.
This is a beautiful Ixora flower. The Ixora plant is an everygreen shrub that flowers the whole year through. It is planted as an ornamental plant or as bushes in a perimeter fencing.
The swimming pool with swaying coconut trees and beautiful surrounding greenery. Ixora bushes are planted around the swimming pool area and cafetaria nearby.
The white water lily
Besides the many species of exotic orchids on display at the Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden, there is also a beautiful pond filled to the brim with water lilies, their gorgeous purple and white blooms are a photographers delight. You may also get to see some colourful dragonflies here. This pond is set amidst lush greeneries, a water fountain and bubbling water features. Benches are placed at strategic locations for one to rest and perhaps read the newspapers or a book or just to enjoy the calm and peaceful atmosphere.
This is my entry for My World Tuesday XLVIII, a meme, strictly non-profit, where we have fun by showing you our world. My special thanks to the MyWorld team: Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise. See how others view their world or to participate, click here.
This picture is taken at Taman Orkid (Orchid Garden) Kuala Lumpur. It is located just in front of Bird Park.
These 2 monkeys seems to be sharing something. They are so engrossed with each other they didn't notice me taking a photograph of them. Maybe they are planning where to go for a weekend rendezvous on the Yahama RX-Z motorbike. How romantic.This picture was taken near the entrance to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.
The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is located on the grounds of the Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens. It is a free-flight, walk-in aviary with 60 species of local and foreign birds on display amidst a tropical rainforest environment. There is also a Hornbill Restaurant and Cafe and a souvenir shop.
The address is as follows:
920, Jalan Cenderawasih
Taman Tasik Perdana
50480 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Tel : 03 - 2272 1010
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This is also my entry for Camera Critters #76. To view other cutie friends, click here.
This blue butterfly bush is an evergreen shrub that can reach 6 - 10 feet tall. This picture is taken at The Secret Garden of 1-Utama, a rooftop garden in the sky.
This week it is the morning glory's turn to do a skywatch! It has managed to climb over the telephone pole and now towering over the tapioca plant beside it. Other plants all cannot compete with this morning glory. You don't call it a morning glory for nothing, do you? So, my dear morning glory, how's the view up there?
This is the giant Amazon water lily, the Victoria Amazonica. Under a project headed by the distinguised botanist and researcher, Dr. Francis Ng, we now have our very own giant water lily at the water lily pond on ground floor, Rainforest area of 1-Utama Shopping Centre.
The Giant Amazon Water Lily was discovered growing naturally in hidden ponds and lagoons deep in the forest tributaries of the Amazon River, in Central Brazil in 1801. Its imense leaves are the largest of all known living aquatic plants. In its natural habitat, its leaves exceed 6 ft in diameter and it is so strong that it can support the weight of a well-balanced adult.
The largest water lily in the world, Victoria Amazonica is named after Queen Victoria of England. The flowers, almost 1 ft in diameter, open as pure white blooms in the evenings and releases a strong fragrance to attract the scarab beetles for pollination. It closes and the beetle is trapped in it. It will open again the next evening, setting the beetle free. On the second day, the petals are a deep pink and emits no scent. By night, it would have closed for the last time and the flower will wither off.
Lemang is a traditional delicacy available especially during the current Hari Raya Aidil Fitri season. Lemang is popular in Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia. It is made of glutinuos rice and coconut milk (santan) baked in bamboo tubes over a charcoal or wood fire. Young banana leaves are used to line the bamboo before the rice and santan mixture is poured in. Salt is also added according to taste. Cooking lemang takes around 3 to 4 hours.
Look at the amount of firewood needed by the store owner to make enough lemang to cater to his customers. Usually this stall is opened for 1 month during the festive season.
Lemang is usually served with rendang. Rendang is made from beef, chicken or mutton. The meat is cooked in coconut milk, shreded coconut and spices such as ginger, tumeric, galangal, chilli and lemon grass.
This is my entry for My World Tuesday, a meme, strictly non-profit, where we have fun by showing you our world. My special thanks to the MyWorld team: Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy and Louise. See how others view their world or to participate, click here.
Aged picture of dragonfly resting on a dried palm leaf
Original picture
How do we attract butterflies to our homes and gardens?
It is not beautiful and bright flowers that attract dragonflies. It is water and the ponds. Dragonflies rely on water throughout their life cyce. Their babies, or nymph live underwater for months and years before emerging as adult dragonflies. Nymphs feed on mosquito larva and other small fishes and tadpoles. Adult dragonflies are carnivors. They hunt for prey near water and lay their eggs in water or on plants near to water. If you have a pond or a stream nearby, you will be able to see dragonflies in the late evenings. If you wish to attract dragonflies to your home or garden, build a pond, even a small one will do. Water plants will provide places for them to perch.
The first picture is my entry for Monochrome Maniacs. My grateful thanks to Aileni for hosting this wonderful site. For other MM posts around the world, please click here.
The second picture is my entry for Mellow Yellow Monday # 34. My grateful thanks to Drowsey Monkey for hosting this fun site. For other MYM posts around the world, please click here.
Kelab Raman Putra Malaysia (KRPM) is a golf and country club located at Bukit Raman Putra, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia. It is just about 25km or 30 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur city centre.
This 36 hole golf course spreads over 279 acres of land. 
This golf course is designed by a cabinet minister of Malaysia, the late Tun Abdul Gafar Baba. Have you come across another golf course that is designed by a government minister?
It was officially declared opened by our king, Seri Paduka Yang Di-Pertuan Agung Sultan Azlan Muhibuddin Shah in January 1993.
KPRM is a course built from a palm oil plantation, its natural landscape is further enhanced by undulating terrain, picturesque lakes and greenery.
Raman Putra Golf Club has a built-up area of 10,600 sq ft. It has a 2 storey building with a Banquet Hall on the upper level that can accommodate up to 600 people. It also houses the Putra Café & Golfer Terrace and a Mixed Lounge complete with a private karaoke room that serves selected fine wines and liquors. There is also a card room, children room, gym room, reading room cum library and a snooker room here.
For outdoor activities besides golf, there is a swimming pool and facilities for table tennis, tennis, badminton and basketball.
The garden is well maintained with a variety of flowering plants, plams and trees. The above is a picture of the bright red canna flower.
Some pretty tiny yellow portulaca grandiflora flowers.
