Thankfully it was a smooth drive all the way to Putrajaya. It was a beautiful day as well. Deep blue sky, with only a handful of cotton white clouds floating ever so gently up in the stratosphere. The wafting fragrance of flowers can be smelled from afar. I was thrilled and excited. I cannot wait anymore! I ran all the way to the main entrance. My goodness...I'm so kiasu 怕輸!
I spent an uplifting two hours exploring Putrajaya Flower and Garden Festival a.k.a FLORIA 2010. I have no qualms about walking all over Precinct 2. But I cannot stand the HEAT from the SUN! The temperature goes over 38 °C, and you seriously cannot move or go outside for more than a few minutes without feeling the sun burning you. I got a stinging crimson dose of sunburn! My neck and face is still 'burning red'...after effects of acute sunburn. LOL! Words of advice for visitors: Bring along an umbrella.
I was lucky enough to randomly bump into PM Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak on the floral avenue in FLORIA 2010. I mean it wasn't like I expected to see him again...up close and personal. I had initially wanted to explore the 1 Malaysia themed garden. But I was stopped abruptly by two burly men with those cheap party sunglasses in Men in Black style.
With a stern voice he said:
"Tak boleh masuk sekarang. Kena tunggu Perdana Menteri tengok dulu"
(Translation: "Do not enter now. We're expecting PM")
Oh well. I proceeded to the next themed garden - the Bonsai Paradise. Halfway, I saw a big group of photographers. I know everyone will be incredibly excited to see our PM. Suddenly people started emerging from everywhere! It was packed like HELL. CRAZY!
Next, PM Najib and his entourage moved to the bonsai garden. The security personnel restrained people from pouring into the garden. I was the only guy there! So, I grabbed my camera and snapped nonstop. Note: I do not move a bit and he was just a foot away. I wanted to shake his hand but I do not want to be mistaken as one of those crazy fanatics. Looking back, I think it was kind of surreal. Imagine standing right next to The Most Powerful Man in Malaysia :)
Overall, I still prefer the inaugural floral fest in Kuala Lumpur (KL) Lake Garden - BIGGER and BETTER. FLORIA 2010 only attracted a few states, a far cry from the original event. Nevertheless, the Putrajaya Flower & Garden Festival 2010 was a sparkling, exhilarating and fun event.
Stay tuned for Part 2 - More exclusive Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 pictures!
Golden Scepter a.k.a Beehive Ginger
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:52 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/7.1, ISO Equiv.: 100
This is my favorite picture so far. I was squatting under the hot sun to capture this shot. There were plenty of people walking and darting randomly. As it turns out, it is somewhat difficult to take a good picture under these circumstances. Luckily the picture turned out great! WOHOO!
Does anyone know the name of this flower? I've seen 'orang asli' (translation: aboriginal people) selling it in Cameron Highlands. It looks like a blooming Olympic torch :) Updates: Thanks to Kayelmiumiu for helping me identify this flower.
The PM and his entourage
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:44 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
I didn't expect to see PM Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak up close and personal again. My first encounter with PM came a few months ago during National Wesak Day celebration at Buddhist Maha Vihara temple. Meeting the Prime Minister is a surreal experience that I will never forget. Definitely too good to be true!
In this picture: From left, tauke Bonsai, PM Najib, Datuk M. Saravanan (Federal Territories Deputy Minister), Tan Sri Samsudin Osman (President of Perbadanan Putrajaya) + secret service officer.
He's the one!
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:44 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
I wonder what PM Najib's thinking about in this picture?
Up close and personal
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:30 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
I was one of the few visitors at the bonsai themed garden. At first, the PM officiates the 1 Malaysia themed garden. After that, he walked to this bonsai garden with his entourage. His security personnel (dressed in blue and pink) were looking for potential trouble makers. I was just a foot away from PM Najib. I snapped like a madman. LOL!
Later, another security officer (Chinese man, not visible in this picture) warned me discreetly not to move any closer. WHAT the H***???! I was not even moving...AT ALL! LOL!
Under my umbrella
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:55 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
It's HOT HOT HOT here! Putrajaya apparently got up to 38 °C yesterday. I'm still suffering from the sting of the sun and till this moment the marks from the burns are still on my body. YIKES!
I should have brought an umbrella. But I find it very sissy to see any guy holding it :)
Hello Kitty
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 1:05 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/4.2, ISO Equiv.: 1250
A Hello Kitty made entirely with cotton. One of the many CREATIVE & CUTE cartoon characters built from flora materials. Check out my YouTube videos for more.
Orange bloom
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:58 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
I stumbled upon rows and rows of beautiful flowers at the Floral Avenue. If you are obsessed with beautiful flowers and decorative plants, this is the festival for you.
Among the festival's most popular events are the heliconia showcase (largest number of heliconias on exhibit), international showcase gardens (Japan, Taiwan, Britain and others), Floral Pavilion, garden bazaar, nature photography contest and batik workshops.
Picasso in the making?
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 11:46 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.6, ISO Equiv.: 200
A school children painting his floral artwork.
The Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 workshop brings together artist from around Malaysia to share their creativity and technical skills with the public. An effective way to increase public awareness and appreciation of artistic practices in Malaysia. Kudos for a job well done.
Budding artist
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 11:46 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.6, ISO Equiv.: 360
A close-up shot on a young lefty. Many believe left-handed people are creative and good at art. As a left-handed person I have to concur with that. LOL!
WOW! It's a Wau!
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 11:56 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.6, ISO Equiv.: 800
A 'wau' master from Kelantan demonstrating how to make a paper wau. He used a piece of pencil to poke some holes.
According to Go2travelMalaysia, Wau or Kite in Malay is a uniquely designed Malaysian kite that has flown since times past. It is called 'Wau' because the shape of its wing is similar to an Arabic letter (pronounced "wow"). It is a marvelous tradition inherent to the culture of the people, especially in the Eastern States of the Malaysia Peninsula. Today, the kite is still widely found in the traditionally rich states of Kelantan and Terengganu, especially during harvest time.
My masterpiece!
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 11:43 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/6.3, ISO Equiv.: 100
A kid busy making his very own 'wau' (translation: kite) from scratch. The kite-making workshop was a huge crowd puller and a favorite among kids.
Goodbye FLORIA!
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:30 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100
A couple walking along the Floral Avenue. The big white tent is the Floral Pavilion with exhibits and design from across the world.
Orchids galore
Location: FLORIA 2010, Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Date: 10th July 2010 (Saturday), 10:39 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/6.3, ISO Equiv.: 100
There are plenty of exotic tropical orchids in FLORIA 2010. The good news is you can get dirt cheap orchids from the garden bazaar. There is a specialty shop specializes in selling award winning orchid plants with gigantic blooms. AWESOME!
Last updated July 19th 2010 (6:09 p.m.)
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Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 - Directions, Getting There & Maps:
This is a thumbnail screenshot. Click link to download.
FLORIA 2010 - Venue Overall Layout (1 page, JPG File, 568kb)
By Bus
1) Take Rapid KL bus number U82 from KL Sentral to Bandar Utama
2) From Bandar Utama, change to Bus U43 to Putrajaya Sentral.
Putrajaya Sentral is the main public transportation hub of Putrajaya.
Two major bus companies are operating in Putrajaya Sentral - both Rapid KL and Nadi Putra. Rapid KL take passengers from outside of Putrajaya from places such as Bandar Utama, Serdang and Cyberjaya whereas Nadi Putra routes are confined to within Putrajaya.
By Taxis
Coupon taxis from KL Sentral to Putrajaya cost a fixed RM35. For more information, please refer to the following links:
- http://tinyurl.com/ykjovmv (Putrajaya Sentral, main transportation hub of Putrajaya)
- http://wikitravel.org/en/Putrajaya (Wikitravel article about Putrajaya)
Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 - Google Satellite Maps:
View Floria Putrajaya in a larger map
Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 - My YouTube Videos:
Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 - Contact Details, Opening Hours & Itineraries:
FLORIA is located on a 25 hectares land along the Waterfront, Precinct 2, Putrajaya. It is located directly opposite the National Registration Department or Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara building. FREE entrance.
Opening Hours & Dates:
Start Time:
Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 8:00am
End Time:
Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 10:00pm
9am – 10pm
(Monday-Thursday)
9am – 12midnight
(Friday-Sunday)
Organizer Contact Details:
Perbadanan Putrajaya,
Kompleks Perbadanan Putrajaya,
24, Persiaran Perdana, Presint 3,
62675 Putrajaya
Malaysia.
Telephone : 603 8887 7137
Fax : 603 8887 5034
Official portal: http://www.ppj.gov.my/putrajayafloria/floria.html
FLORIA 2010 - Complete schedule of activities and programmes (15 pages, PDF File, 142kb)
Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 - Things To Do/See (180 Activities):
- Society and growers of heliconia, orchid, bonsai (annual showcase garden)
- Corporate, PBT & NGO showcase garden
- International showcase garden (Japan, Taiwan, Britain and others)
- School and university garden
- Floral Pavilion
- Garden bazaar
- Exhibition and garden talks
- Nature photography contest
- Watercolour competition
- Batik and wau making workshops
- Wayang kuilit (shadow puppet theater) performances
- Cultural shows (including dikir barat)
- Graffiti demonstration
- Laman Seni featuring arts and crafts
- Garden design competition
- Garden talks and demonstrations
Putrajaya FLORIA 2010 - Read More/Useful Links:
- http://tinyurl.com/2ar4zgl (All my articles on Putrajaya FLORIA 2010)
- http://www.ppj.gov.my/putrajayafloria/floria.html (Official portal of FLORIA 2010)
- http://tinyurl.com/2dakseb (Floral creations in Putrajaya a feast for the eyes, TheStar)
- http://tinyurl.com/29agzoj (More than 500,000 visitors expected at Floria Putrajaya 2010, The Star)
- http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/5flora/Article/ (Floral festival blossoms in Putrajaya, NST)
- http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/People_Passionforflora/Article/ (People: Passion for flora, NST)
flower power?? wow i super like that picture!! i start snapping pictures since last year i guess... and am going to snap more in the future.. they are just too beautiful :) wish to have something different species of flora there in latin america :) hehehe well PM is very active nowadays in taking part these kind of events :) =p, glad it's your second time(or for us through your blog) seeing him XD haha
the first picture is awesome i like the colors and nice set of pics
after looking at ur pics, im heading down to putra jaya this sat!
the petals of the first flower look really thick. & who's umbrella was it that u took - love the angle of that shot! i might be dropping by this sunday....
Nice photos series, very colorful!
38°C... it was so hot...
I think after the watching the world cup final everybody were so tired and sleepy on the next working day...
I stumbled across Prince William while I was walking around St James's! He was quickly followed by his bodyguards... Didn't even get the chance to say hi! Ha ha...
You should come to London to see the Chelsea Show. It's the best flower show in the world! I've only been there once, it's very, very expensive and the tickets are very hard to get hold of.
You can do a Google Image or Flckr search to find out more about the flower show.
Do you know the name of the plant in your first photo? Is it a Bromeliad?
The umbrella shot is beautiful! By looking at this shot, it feels so cool and pleasant although it was hot and humid out. The fest must have all the tropical flowers so that they can survive under the harsh sun~~
fufu,
I also like your work very much!
Perhaps I was lucky to met him twice. LOL! I didn't expect that...AT ALL :)
Philippine Travel Guide,
Hi and welcome to my photo and travel blog! Thanks for your kind words :)
May,
Remember to share with us!
lechua
The gigantic umbrella is a prop. I found it at one of the many gardens. It looks like a Chinese funeral umbrella. LOL!
Rafael,
Thanks!
londoncaller,
WOW! Prince William??? Awesome! I was surprised to see PM Najib again. Just lucky I guess. In the right place at the right time.
I've heard so much about Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Chelsea Flower Show a.k.a The Great Spring Show. It's definitely bigger and better than FLORIA 2010. Definitely a must see! Thanks for sharing!
Um....Bromeliad is the 'star burst' red flower. I've published another picture of this torch-like flower in Part 2 - full version :)
Micki,
Thanks!
There were loads of tropical plants on the outdoor showcase garden.
Cheers to all!
the name of the olympic torch is actually zingiber spectabile 'Golden Sceptor'. It's a member of the the Ginger Family.
Kayelmiumiu,
Thanks for the wonderful help!
Cheers!
Ya.. a man holding an umbrella is absolutely sissy unless he's holding it for his girlfriend or family.
You visited most of the Malaysia's events, didn't you? So passionate and hardworking. The hot weather in Malaysia just make me feel lazy.
I bumped into Datuk Mahathir many years ago in Jalan Bukit Bintang. He was walking towards my direction and passed next to me shoulder to shoulder with smiling face. But I think I would be happier if it was Lionel Messi, wahaha... but back then he was a nobody.
As usual, love all your photos!
No problem. If you want to learn a little more about the flowers you saw in Floria then visit my flickr site : http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayel_miu_miu/
Cheers.
Shelyn,
I'm just curious - like to see more of Malaysia :)
I also bumped into Dr. M many years ago. He was browsing some books at Kinokuniya bookstore in Lot 10.
Kayelmiumiu,
Hey, thanks for sharing the link!
WOW! Beautiful pictures!!! The Pisang Jantung a.k.a Heart of the Banana is AWESOME!
Cheers!
Oh! Those flowers caught my attention. It seems you have a great flower gardens. How I wish I could have a cool garden like yours. Keep it up!
vitton
There will be same flower show in London in May. The Chelsea flower show that attacts hundeds of people. The big part from the tickets are already sold also some of the attenders already rent an apartmnet London around the place where the event will be held.