PUTRAJAYA CITY (MALAYSIA)

Location: Putrajaya, Malaysia Total Land Area: 49 sq. km. (19 sq. mi.) Coordinates: 2.9430952°N 101.699373° Date Established: October 19, 1995 Made into Federal Territory: February 1, 2001 Time Zone: MST (UTC+8) Mean Solar Time: UTC+06:46:40 Descriptive Summary: Putrajaya dubbed as a garden and intelligent city is a planned city situated 25 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpa which serves as the federal administrative center of Malaysia wherein it became the seat of government since 1999 where originally it was in Kuala Lumpur but was relocated due to the overcrowding and congestion in the capital city. It is the third Federal Territory after Kuala Lumpur and Labuan. Putrajaya was named after the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra where in Sanskrit, the words “putra” or “putera” means “prince” or “male child,” and “jaya” means “success” or “victory.” In addition, Putrajaya is home to the world's largest roundabout, the Persiaran Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah with a diameter of 3.5 km. (2.7 miles)

For purposes of sharing, I had this trip in Putrajaya dated October 12-13, 2006 where I was based in Singapore for a total of six days travelling also to the Island of Batam in the country of Indonesia. This three-country stop was made by me after a one-year work contract from the country of Qatar. By that time, the currency exchange of one Malaysian Ringgit (RM) to Philippine Peso is 13.

Palace of Justice which is also fondly known as Istana Kehakiman

I was alone then when I had this 3-country stop and part of this was in Putrajaya. It was not difficult for me to hire a tourist guide for a fee of 120 Malaysian Ringgit (P1,560) inclusive of car and photographer’s services when I arrived in this place after an hour of bus (Rapid Bus E-1 for RM4) travel from Kuala Lumpur. Mohamed Zen, my guide in his age of 50’s then was still energetic to accompany me and take my pictures. It was funny then that I always wanted myself to appear in all the pictures Mr. Zen took. In my first stop, I was extremely stunned when Mr. Zen took me to the Palace of Justice.

The architectural design of Istana Kehakiman is one of a kind – a five-story majestic looking building that is the judiciary and a two-storey building that houses the courts and offices. Other than being the center for all legal cases and law, the Palace of Justice is used as a place for photography due to its remarkable domed minarets. In addition, its huge courtyard is frequently used as a location for national level events such as Colours of Malaysia and lots more.

The Perdana Putra – is synonymous with the executive branch of the Malaysian federal government which houses the office complex of the Prime Minister of Malaysia

It can be observed, that the modern buildings of Putrajaya have a touch of Neoclassicism, Islamic architecture and Moorish architectural designs. But what is impressive of this city was that it is so green as its master plan revealed that 38% of its area is reserved for green spaces emphasizing the enhancement of natural landscape. It has a network of open spaces and wide boulevards. Thus, records showed that its entire development is considered as one of the Southeast Asia's largest with estimated final cost of US$ 8.1 billion.

The Putra Mosque or Masjid Putra – the principal mosque of Putrajaya

The construction of Putra Mosque began in 1997 and was completed two years later. It is located next to Perdana Putra and man-made Putrajaya Lake. In front of the mosque is a large square with flagpoles flying Malaysian states' flags.

The pink-domed Putra Mosque is constructed with rose-tinted granite consists of three main functional areas - the prayer hall, the Sahn, or courtyard, and various learning facilities and function rooms. The mosque can accommodate 15,000 worshippers at any one time.

The man-made Putrajaya Lake

With such a vast area, tourists will find one day barely enough to roam around Putrajaya and enjoy its equally picturesque buildings and landscape. Boulevards are not just wide and spacious but they are grown with a variety vibrant ornamental plants and flowers. Other places of interests to visit are: Putrajaya Independence Square, Putrajaya Wetlands Park, Taman Selatan and Putrajaya Botanical Gardens - the biggest botanical garden in Malaysia, covering an area over 92 hectares

The spacious open spaces and boulevard leading to Perdana Putra

One will wonder if Putrajaya is just a center for government buildings but according to my research, its residents are comprised mainly of government servants who have been encouraged to relocate to the city through a variety of government subsidy and loan programs. The research also revealed that in 2007, the population of Putrajaya was estimated to be over 30,000.

The Seri Gemilang Bridge

Seri Gemilang Bridge has a main span of 120 metres (394 ft) long, with a 60-metre (197 ft) span at each end, for a total length of 240 metres (787 ft). There are six traffic lanes, each 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) wide. The deck level above the water is 36.75 metres (121 ft) at the centre of the bridge.

The ceremonial bridge of Seri Gemilang Bridge which connects Heritage Square with Putrajaya Convention Centre.(photo courtesy by flickr )

The photo above was not captured by me during my visit since the three skyscrapers at the background were not yet erected when I had my visit in 2006, though, Putrajaya Convention Center was already there.

Putrajaya International Convention Center Marker

Without a car, the road heading to the Putrajaya International Convention Center is quite far from the Boulevard which is considered to be the center of the city. Spacious gardens and parks awaits you in this site and you will feast with its highly splendid scenery.

The government’s administrative buildings along the Persiaran Perdana (also called boulevard)

Would you believe that Putrajaya was originally Prang Besar which was opened in 1918 as Air Hitam by the British? Its original land space was 800 acres (3.2 km2), which was later expanded to 8,000 acres (32 km2). Prang Besar later expanded and merged with its surrounding estates such as Estet Raja Alang, Estet Galloway and Estet Bukit Prang.

The Seri Wawasan Bridge (Photo courtesy by Wikipedia)

What is so impressive of Putrajaya is the fact that it has a number of bridges which span through man-made lakes and rivers that project a dramatic and breathtaking landscape not to mention that these man-made bodies of water has a cooling effect to the entire city. These bridges include: Seri Perdana Bridge, Putra Bridge, Seri Wawasan Bridge, Seri Bakti Bridge, Seri Saujana Bridge, Seri Bestari Bridge, Seri Setia Bridge, Seri Gemilang Bridge and Monorail Suspension Bridge.

HOW TO GET THERE

While I stayed in Hotel China Town 2 at Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, the following are the transport I find convenient: LRT from Pasar Seri Station to KL Central Station for RM1; Rapid Bus E-1 from KL Central to Putrajaya Central Terminal (PCT) for RM4, Bus from PCT to Masjid Putrajaya for RM1 and in going back to my hotel, I opted to have a 20-minute express train from Putrajaya to KL Center for RM9.50.

Tourists can also travel from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya by chartered cars and taxis which can be arranged by hotel attendants where they stay and rates can be negotiable. For more information and booking reservations, contact this number at +60 3-2615 8188

NOTE: Rates and expenses are no longer updated.

UGANDA WORK TRAVEL

Location: Uganda, East Africa Total Land Area: 241,038 sq. km. (146,670 sq. mi.) Elevation: Average of 1,100 from sea level (3,609 ft.) Capital City: Kampala Official Languages: English and Swahili Independence from the UK: October 9, 1962 Currency: Ugandan Shilling (USh) Time Zone: EAT (UTC+3) Calling Code: +256 Descriptive Summary: Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda takes its name from the Buganda kingdom, which encompasses a large portion of the south of the country including the capital Kampala. Beginning in the late 1800s, the area was ruled as a colony by the British, who established administrative law across the territory. Uganda gained independence from Britain on 9 October 1962.

Part of home visitation to our village bank’s clients

My VSO volunteering work in Uganda wayback June 2002 to September 2003 will always be one of my best experiences where I lived in Africa for 14 months working as a Programme Management Advisor specializing in village banking operation managing a village bank in the name of When Rains Fail Trust (WRAF).

My VSO Uganda Batchmates

VSO which stands for Volunteer Service Overseas is the largest international volunteer sending organization since 1958 based in London with 76 beneficiary countries. I was recruited in the Philippines by the VSO Bahaginan Organization. I had eight batch mates when I arrived in Uganda on June 21, 2002 in the names of Jamie Alan Breadmore (Canadian), Murad Ahmed Hassen (Canadian), Isha Tan (Canadian), Dr. Kate Hulbert (British), Dr. John Ellis (Irish), Ali Alidina (Canadian), Stefan Vincent Quinton Kloop (Canadian) and Dr. Alastair James Watt (British). We were then 74 foreign volunteers of different nationalities working in Uganda by that time. Our batch then was welcomed with a Barbecue Night hosted by VSO Ugand Office.

VSO Development Education Field Day Visit in Nyakalengijo Village in Kasese

Aside from my main job as a programme management village consultant, I had always attended to VSO monthly development education visits to other parts of the country to monitor the sustainability of the beneficiaries of the community and conservation development programme implemented in every locality.

The usual bonding with my village bank clients during evening tea breaks

Ugandans are very hospitable people. They gave high respect to the “Muzungus” like me. Muzungu is a term for non-black foreign volunteers working in Uganda. What I like most in Uganda is the cold climate being a land of high elevation with a weather pattern uniquely cold contributed by Lake Victoria, one of the biggest lakes in the world.

Part of my daily routine of evening walk

In Uganda, the sun usually sets at almost 7:00 P.M. and so evening walks are still provided with broad day light. The village where I live is so green and vegetables and fruits are very cheap such as: avocado, papaya, pineapple, water melon, jackfruit, banana, Irish potatoes (patatas in the Philippines), sweet potatoes (camote in the Philippines), eggplant and cabbages. Their jackfruit are huge and they have the best avocado in the world. I can still remember that few of my clients would normally give me a sack or two of avocado and huge jackfruit when they apply for a loan from our bank where they use the proceeds to buy tea leaves from tea farmers.

Clad in a Ugandan National costume

By the time, I was in Uganda their currency exchange rate to one (1) US Dollar was 2,200 Ugandan Shillings (USh). An ordinary Ugandan citizen should have at least USh100,000 for their monthly income to survive. A kilo of a beef’s meat costs USh4,000; Pork at USh5,000 and Chicken at USh8,000. In the villages, there is no water supply coming from commercialized water suppliers and so one has the option to buy it from the enterprising kids who get the water from a hill’s base coming from a spring source about 4 kilometers away for each one jerrican (water can) at USh800.

Muhwezi Amos Katubiri standing infront of my accommodation atop the hill

My work placement was based in Nyakashaka Village, Burere sub-county, Buhweju county, Bushenyi District, Uganda, East Africa. It is 7 hours bus travel from the capital city of Kampala along national tarred road and another two (2) hours taxi travel from the national road to Nyakashaka trailing a very dusty road. Dry red loose soil are blown up into the air whenever vehicles and tea trucks pass resulting for fine dust to penetrate inside leaving all the passengers red-dust covered. Taxis in Ugandan village parlance, are old five-passenger cars but which is being jam-packed with at least twelve passengers along with their cargoes with a fare of USh8,000.

My Canadian programme officer and colleagues at WRAF

I was directly reporting to my programme officer in the name of David Gamey and my Ugandan counterpart was Mr. Winnington Kano Naijuka Kekurutso (in red polo shirt in the picture). The only lady in the picture is Miss Barbara Kasange Murungi, the branch manager of the Nyakashaka branch since we had operated three branches then.

Part of the sensitization activities

The objective of VSO is to help any beneficiary community to train my counterpart and his whole team and transfer any form of knowledge and technology for sustainability. Thus, I was faced with the gargantuan task of training the village bank team in the aspects of savings generation, accounting, auditing, loans operations, personnel management, policy formulation, staff and members training and marketing. I also conducted bookkeeping training to member entrepreneurs whom we extended revolving credit fund (RCF) as “hotel” operators in the nearby villages. Hotels there are just small stores offering tea and matoke (boiled mashed banana as staple food).

WRAF’s service car for official trips

Life in my placement has so much community exposure as we travel from one village to another to have the sensitization activities of the bank. The locals are very happy when you greet them in their Runyankore language with: “Agandi, banyabo na basebo” which means in English as “A pleasant day to you, ladies and gentlemen.” Or “Nashemererwa, munonga mononga!” which means that “I am very much pleased to be with you all!”

Another option of service vehicle

Not all roads leading to the isolated villages are passable by car. The only option to travel is to use a Yamaha 125 Single Motor Vehicle.

My English and Math students in Rwibaare Village

After five months of stay in my Ugandan placement, I realized I had so much spare time. That was the time I started to volunteer teaching English and Mathematics subject during weekends in nearby villages of Rwibaare, Kakindo and Ryamasa. Teaching was not a part of my placement pack (job description). In return, my students would usually guide me to scale the nearby mountains like the Mount Kyangenyi. Lawrence Sajja (in blue shirt in the picture) is my permanent guide.

While at the summit of Mount Kyangenyi

While I enjoyed so much my volunteering work in Uganda, I also enjoyed so much the mountain climbing and photography in my placement base. I was lucky to have such a picturesque place with a cold climate. In most cases, thick fogs can be experienced and there is zero visibility. My place is even colder compared to Sagada in the Mountain Province of the Philippines which is considered the coldest in the country.

My friends at the shoulder of Mount Nyakarangara

Mount Nyakarangara is the nearest mountain to my work placement. This is the usual place where I take my visitors for a climb like the couple Grant Gilbertson (British) and Dr. Patricia Tivadar (Romanian) and Behram Darruwala (Indian).

Aerial view of the Royal Circuit Tract at Queen Elizabeth National Park

Aside from my usual travels to the nearby villages, I also had major travels and one of the most memorable was when I visited the wilderness of the Queen Elizabeth National Park which is five hours drive away from my placement post.

The Mweya Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a natural savanna game reserve where lions, elephants, baboons, hippos, Ugandan kobs, water bucks, antelopes, buffalos, bush pigs, colobus monkeys, Egyptian goose, black-headed gonolek birds, serval cats and many others are just a common sight.

The equator marker at the Kasese District

On our way to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, we happened to pass through the equator marker located in Kasese District. The whole national park is in Kasese District.

The Speke Camp at the Bujagali Falls

I also travelled to the Bujagali Falls which is a part of the Source of the Nile River located in the town of Jinja. In the same event, I had a cruise to the Source of the Nile going to Lake Victoria and passed through an island marker where Nile River and Lake Victoria meet. In a separate occasion, I had the opportunity to have a day-long white water rafting along the Nile River and eve prior to the rafting was a Barbecue night of all the guests.

While at a Lake Bunyonyi Trip

Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest lake in Uganda which has 39 islands of which Bushara Island at area of 16 hectares is the most well developed equipped with modern facilities and lots of amenities to enjoy.

Indeed, it is worth to be A VOLUNTEER! With this, I encourage each and everyone of you to do your part in SHARING SKILLS, CHANGING LIVES of others, that is VSO’s motto.

SACRED HEART RETREAT HOUSE AND SEMINAR CENTER

Location: 1117 Quirino Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines Telephone Numbers: (02) 939-5060/69 Mobile Phone Number: (+63) 917-8688187 E-mail Address: shretreat@yahoo.com Website: www.shretreat.com Descriptive Summary: Sacred Heart Novitiate Retreat House and Seminar Center is owned and managed by the Jesuits which has been operating for 75 years already and considered to be their spiritual home and countless others opted to be in warm embrace of God’s divine presence. It has four air-conditioned rooms which can accommodate 30 to 150 people. It also has seven private rooms for individual consultations and spiritual direction. It was the Jesuit missionaries Fr. Sedeño, Fr. Sanchez along with Bro. Gallardo who inspired the creation of this spiritual home wayback in 1581.

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The vast grounds teeming with old acacia and mahogany trees

Indeed, Sacred Heart Retreat House is a place where one can have total silence and commune with his Divine Creator. The serenity of the place can give one a total retreat from the hustle-bustle cosmopolitan lifestyle. Yet, this place is still a part of Metropolitan Manila.

The main gate of Sacred Heart Novitiate Retreat House and Seminar Center

As you start your very first step while entering this tranquil place, you will feel the aura of tranquility which puts you into the state of reciprocity.

The long shady road leading to the building facilities

Mother nature abounds inside the compound and fresh air is every where. The administration building and other facilities are approximately more than kilometer from the main gate.

Spacious accommodation and house of prayer

It has several amenities such as function rooms, consultation areas and air-conditioned conference rooms for seminars, conferences and meetings.

Part of the retreat session

The house assists in facilitating reservations and contacting spiritual directors for retreat needs where there are various retreat directors, such as Jesuits, lay persons, and other religious who are available for individual and group retreats.

Part of team building activity accommodated at Richie Fernando Hall

The house also accommodates corporate team building activities. Though every year from the last Monday of October to the third week of November, the whole house is reserved for those making the thirty-day retreat, the full Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

The tree house as part of recreational venue

There are varied sports facilities available like basketball and volleyball courts, a soccer field, a tennis wall and court and a swimming pool. It also has 24-hour security services.

The Immaculate Conception Chapel

The house is equipped with six chapels and one of them is the Immaculate Concepcion Chapel. Other smaller chapels are: De la Strada, Francis Xavier, Holy Family and Saint Joseph. These chapels can accommodate smaller groups of retreatants.

The Main Chapel

The chapel above considered as the Main Chapel is housed in the other building just next to the Refectory or Mess Hall as well as the kitchen facilities. It is a chapel where I really felt the presence of God when our spiritual master facilitated the spiritual cleansing session in the name of Brother Nikki “Nix” Hipolito – a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University.

The spacious Refectory or Mess Hall

Refectory can accommodate big groups as many as 150 in one serving where retreatants and guests are served with snacks and refreshments and three meals in a day.

Part of the Administration on the left part of the picture

The huge acacia tree on the background where roots occupy a wide radius of space is a dominant sight as you park your vehicle fronting the administration office.

The favorite corner of the retreatants and visitors

Groups of retreatants and visitors would normally have their group picture taken from this statue of the Sacred Heart where the house has taken its name.

The Sacred Heart statue gleaming in all its glory at night time

I personally thank, Ma’am Letty V. Uy, the president and major stockholder of Angels Institute of Learning and Angeli Dei Schools for inviting me to join in this very meaningful retreat held in this sacred venue. She was my former superior and remained to be a highly respected friend and mentor.

HOW TO GET THERE

Refer to this link Direction to the Sacred Heart Novitiate to get the right direction.

MOUNT MALINDIG CLIMB

Location: Buenavista, Marinduque, Philippines Jump-off: Brgy. Sihi, Buenavista Coordinates: 13.2413°N; 122.0136°E Elevation: 1,157 MASL (3,876 feet) Days required / Hours to summit: 1-2 days / 4.5-5.5 hours Specs: < Minor climb, Difficulty 4/9, Trail class 1-2 Descriptive Summary: Mount Malindig is also known as Mount Malindik and Mount Marlangga which is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Municipality of Buenavista, one of the six municipalities of the island of Marinduque. The therapeutic, sulfuric springs of Malbog is one sign of this historical - if not prehistorical - volcanism. As for the name itself, Malindig, it is linguistically descriptive of the gentle slopes that characterize the mountain, as well the island's high areas.

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Our group as we reached the public pasture land of Mount Malindig

This point is a grassland where cows and carabaos are pastured by the locals. Since it is located in an elevation of approximately 700 meters above sea level, it is already a high land overlooking the neighboring towns and distant islands.

The gradual trail from the jump-off point

Starting from Brgy. Sihi is a gradual trail grown with coconut trees. In some parts, seasonal crops can be seen grown with the locals like tomatoes, string beans, rice and a few others.

Along the trail are cows grazing for their food

As we trekked towards the higher elevation, we saw cows and carabaos feeding on the rich grasses along the slopes of Mount Malindig where our guide told us that the area is really a public pasture land since nobody really owns the land.

Clearing and open area in higher elevation

This open area is really hot as there are no trees for one to cover but just the grasses. That is why, it is suggested that an overnight camping would be much better. But mind you, this is the point where we stayed longer just to capture the perfect scenery of the neighboring hills, lowlands and islands from afar.

The endless ascent in a tree-less trail

We were lucky then that at some point, we were accompanied with a sea of clouds while we were at this grazing area making our trek not so hot.

Almost there at the military outpost

It was so rewarding catching the sight of a military outpost at a distance. According to our guide, we can have a rest there but camping there is prohibited. He even told us that there was an enforced policy that going beyond the military outpost needs a permit from Camp Aguinaldo but our group was allowed to pass through it.

The military outpost

It was a relief when we arrived at the military outpost as there are structures where we got some cover – a little shanty which gave us shade while we had our lunch. We had then there our leisurely rest. It was actually a radio station base at 900 MASL with sufficient water supply, cold as such.

A group picture at the summit

After having an ample rest, we proceed with a 50-minute real semi-cardiac assaults heading towards the summit wherein we experienced a trail of mossy and closed canopy forest trek with foggy surroundings. I had this eerie and spine-chilling feeling while having the trek but I preferred to have it in complete silence in order not to scare my companions.

Since from the military outpost going to the summit is already a rain forest, our guide warned us to avoid having contact with the leaves of a poisonous plant where it will irritate one’s skin once you happen to brush it and it may last for a week. He even showed us how the tree and leaves look like.

Mossy forest at the summit

The summit view is not really rewarding as it just look liked a dead end trail. What captivated me there was the two trees juxtaposely grown with mossy canopy structure in between resembling to a dressing room in a department store.

BELOW IS A SUGGESTED ITINERARY:

Day 0

2100 Board Dalahican-bound bus from either Buendia or Cubao

Day 1

02:00 Board ferry to Mogpog port or Sta. Cruz.
06:00 ETA Marinduque, make arrangements for transportation to Buenavista.
09:00 ETA Jump-off point in Brgy. Sihi. Start trek.
11:30 ETA military outpost, 900 MASL. Lunch.
12:30 Commence summit assault.
13:30 ETA summit. It is covered with trees and there is nothing much to see.
13:45 Start descent
14:30 Back at the outpost.
16:15 ETA jump-off point. Proceed to Sta. Cruz accommodation for overnight.
18:00 Stay for overnight in Sta. Cruz and see what nightlife the place can offer.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Take Jac Liner or Jam Transit (Edsa-Kamias Terminal or LRT-Buendia Terminal) heading for Talao-Talao Port, Dalahican, Lucena City preferably the 6pm, 7pm or 8pm trips with a trip duration of 3 to 4 hours

Then, take a Roro or Ferry from Talao-Talao Port to Cawit Port of Boac (Marinduque) for 3 hours which leaves Talao-Talao Port at 12:00 Midnight or another which leaves Talao-Talao Port at 4:00 A.M. to Balanacan Port of Mogpog, Marinduque for a duration of 3 hours. Other Ferry trips are 10:00 PM, 10:00AM and 12:00 Noon.

Then, take a jeepney (for bigger group, a chartered one is highly advisable) from Balanacan Port to Brgy. Sihi in Buenavista for approximately more than 2 hours.

A climb registration is required thru the Brgy. Captain in Brgy. Sihi which serves as the jump off point to Mount Malindig.