The Pink Mosque of Putrajaya/Where Did Everyone Go?

My final day trip from KL took me to Putrajaya, just a short train ride away. This new city is being designed as the future home of the government and administrative capital of the country. Sort of like Canberra, Australia or Brasilia, Brazil, it is a completely planned city in the middle of nowhere, designed with the plan to bring people into the area with preplanned buildings, infrastructure, etc. As of now, not many people have moved here yet, so the long, wide avenues and huge city squares were pleasantly free of people, with the exception of a few tour buses here and there. There were also no motorcycles, which was a nice change from the loud mufflers of the big cities.

The center of town sits on a peninsula of land in a man made lake, connected to a few rivers around town. Along this narrow piece of land runs a wide road, leading to a huge circular park, with the mosque on one side and the Prime Minister's office on the other, both looking stately in their conspicuous settings. This would have been a really picturesque area except that the haze was exceptionally strong that day, so the grey sky blocked out the sun for the entire day. My first stop was the mosque, notable for its pink dome and setting on the edge of the lake. I wandered around the mosque, donning an obligatory robe in order to enter the compound. Looking into the elaborate room, the details are amazing. Tiny Arabic script etched in the walls, around the door and all over add to the look, and I was soon greeted by a guide who assured me that his service was free of charge. He politely explained to me the details of the mosque, the religion, some misconceptions and answered any other random questions about the place, the call to prayer, the meaning of a few things, etc. His wonderful explanations gave a great insight into the place, and I was happy to have had him there explaining all of the details that I would have missed.

Wandering more around town, I contemplated a boat cruise around the city, a popular way to see the attractions, though I decided the hazy day wasn't that conducive to sight seeing. The city also has nine noteworthy bridges spanning the waterways, each one constructed in a different, modern style, serving as attractions in their own right. I met up with a few groups of school children eager to interview for some sort of class project where they had to collect information about tourists in the area, all excited to meet an American instead of the typical Malaysian tourists. As I walked around more, I watched the lunch crowd emerge into the streets, leaving their offices, men in full suits and women in head scarves and nice dresses and high heels. The city had a sophisticated, clean, sanitized feel to it, worthy of a capital city, and I actually wished I had more time to explore, but I soon had to return back to Kuala Lumpur, enjoying the laid-back, stately elegance of Putrajaya, and getting a nice respite from the loud, busy capital city nearby.

(The lovely pink domes of the mosque of Putrajaya.)

(Stepping over some 'recommended' guard rails, I found an incredible view of the mosque, perched beautifully on the side of the river.)

(The Prime Minister's office, up a little hill, just to the side of the mosque. The town square/circle is one of the most picturesque blocks that I have ever come across.)

(More Arabic script on the top of a mosque. For some reason, Muslims seem to like that sort of stuff.)

(1. About to check into the local hospital after being sick from local food or 2. About to enter the mosque with the robe to respect local customs. Hint: local food is way too good to ever make you sick.)

(After a very interesting description of the history of the mosque and the religion in general and its significance in Malaysia, I was allowed to see the main room where the men pray. The women pray upstairs, apparently to avoid any sort of distraction while spending time talking to God. As my guide said, you don't want to be looking at a pretty girl and thinking about getting her email address while you're supposed to be praying.)

(Me and the self timer along the banks of the river, checking out another angle of the mosque.)

(This would be an incredible picture if not for the thick haze over the city that day. Apparently the smoke from forest fires in Indonesia makes this a common occurrence in the fall, so if anyone happens to go back in the spring, let me know.)

(Some of the local businessmen and businesswomen going out to lunch. As you can see, the women mostly still wear traditional attire, which is pretty interesting to see walking down the street.)