Putrajaya

[khiemtran]

Putrajaya is Malaysia's administrative capital, a shining new planned city with lots of grand buildings and something of an oversupply of bridges.



We're here outside the Putra Mosque, ready to catch a cruise boat that will take us for a spin around the artificial lake.



Might have been fun to try one of these boats, but instead we're going in airconditioned comfort.



Besides the cruise boats, the only other traffic seems to be the police. This little flotilla was racing off at high speed, presumably on an exercise.



The crew don't seem particularly alarmed...



Our boat was one of these, a good deal slower, but quite comfortable inside.



The views aren't bad from our seats...



But they were much better once we were allowed to go outside and stand at the stern.



Since both the lake and the bridges were planned as part of the new city, they had the luxury of being able to build the bridges first, then making the lake.



No traffic snarls in this new city. In fact, very little traffic at all.



Another very impressive span. But there's still another twist...



Not all the bridges have roads leading up to the yet. This one doesn't even have a road surface on top of it.



More of the spectacular buildings by the water.



Either some sort of observation tower, or Malaysia's space programme is far more advanced than I thought.



A close-up of the tip. I think that's some sort of light at the very top.



These pontoons are actually carrying fireworks. There was an international fireworks contest on the lake shortly after we were there. No wonder the Polis were on their toes...

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

That is a LOT of fireworks. One might even say a boatload. Too bad you weren't able to stick around and see them!

How does a government ever manage to get the money to do a planned city? I know there have been others--I think Brasilia? Though, come to think of it, I think what makes it so hard to get transportation system improvements (like new train or subway lines, or highways, or what-have-you) approved and funded in existing cities is the fact that the construction and route always inconvenience residents who are already there--even if the end result is something better.

When we lived in Japan, we lived near a tiny stretch of gracious, broad road that ended abruptly in a traditional, thatched home. The owner of that property hadn't sold his land, and the rest of the road was stalled. It was weird and neat--this broad street with virtually no traffic, as it went nowhere. Eventually, after we left, the landowner died and his heirs sold the property, and the road was completed, and the area was developed. I loved that we got to be there when there were still thatched homes around. And I loved that because it's Japan, a mere mile away you had subsidized, concrete five-story housing blocks. In general, you get more juxtaposition of old and new, rich and poor in Japan than in America.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

You must have been very lucky to experience that! I remember being surprised at seeing apparently old temples and other buildings with lots of power lines and other modern amenities "spoiling" the view. It took me a while to realise the modern features weren't spoiling anything - they are from this time and the temple is from another. There is nothing inherently wrong with all different time periods co-existing.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

all different time periods co-existing.

Interesting and science-fictional when you put it that way.