Bangunan Bersejarah Masjid Jamek

Dibina di pertembungan antara dua sungai.

Masjid lama di tengah pusat bandaraya Kuala Lumpur yang lebih dikenali sebagai Masjid Jamek merupakan antara masjid tertua di Kuala Lumpur yang masih berdiri kukuh sehingga ke hari ini. Lokasinya yang menarik iaitu di antara pertembungan dua sungai menjadikan ia seolah-olah berada di atas sebuah pulau kecil.

Masjid bersejarah ini didirikan sebagai sebahagian daripada kompleks asal bangunan lama yang dibina pada tahun 1909 sama juga seperti Bangunan Sultan abdul Samad berhampirannya. Manakala arkiteknya pula adalah Arthur Benison Hubback yang juga menerapkan senibina Mughal sama juga seperti bangunan-bangunan lain di serata kawasan berhampirannya.

Satu gambar lama Masjid Jamek, Kuala Lumpur

Bahagian lama (kiri) dan baru (kanan) Masjid Jamek.

Lokasinya yang menarik ditambahkan lagi dengan kemudahan pengangkutan iaitu stesyen keretapi elektrik untuk laluan Kelana Jaya mahupun Sri Petaling dan Ampang. Ini menjadikan ia lokasi yang paling mudah untuk dikunjungi. Antara tarikan-tarikan berhampiran termasuklah Jalan Masjid India, Dataran Merdeka dan juga Pasar Seni.

Masjid ini sentiasa diberikan perhatian yang cukup dengan penambahan ruang solat dan juga kemudahan-kemudahan yang lain. Ia merupakan salah satu mercu tanda penuh bersejarah bagi Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

Bahagian masuk utama masjid.

Pandangan dari sisi.

Pandangan dari bahagian atas.

Kuala Lumpur Tower

KL Tower as a landmark of Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur Tower (Menara KL) is one of the most important attractions in Kuala Lumpur which was opened to the public since July 23, 1996. It was opened by 4^th, Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on 1 October 1996. Since then, Kuala Lumpur Tower continues to be visited by many people, in addition to carrying out its original function as a telecommunications tower.

Kuala Lumpur Tower is the 4^th highest telecommunications tower in the world with a height of 421 meters. Its construction began on 6 July 1992 and was completed in 1996. The construction phases are important because it does not use pilling system instead of 50,000 cubic meters of concrete was used as its foundation.

The top part of KL Tower.

Open deck at KL Tower.

KL Tower and KLCC at night.

Aside from being a telecommunications tower, the tower also include observation deck that allows visitors to see the sights of Kuala Lumpur City from above. There is also a revolving restaurant that allows guests to dine and at the same time rotating 360 ​​degrees around the tower. It is not only a beautiful tower, but also provides beautiful view of Kuala Lumpur at night.

KL Tower also provides several other services including space held a ceremony such as corporate meetings and seminars, wedding functions, F1 simulator and few exhibitions again according to the season. There is also a variety of annual events celebrated at Kuala Lumpur Tower such as 'base jump', racing up the stairs, exhibitions, and special celebrations and so on. So you have to follow the schedule of events at Kuala Lumpur Tower if you don’t want to miss it.

The annual event at Menara KL, 'base jump'.

The latest attraction 'Sky Box'.

KL Tower at the night.

For more information about Kuala Lumpur Tower you can visit the websites of KualaLumpur Tower. Make sure you do not miss other interesting locations near the tower.

Menara Kuala Lumpur

Menara KL sebagai mercu tanda Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

Menara Kuala Lumpur merupakan antara tarikan terpenting di Kuala Lumpur yang mula dibuka kepada orang ramai sejak 23 Julai 1996. Ia dirasmikan oleh Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-4 Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad pada 1, Oktober 1996. Semenjak dari itu, Menara Kuala Lumpur terus menjadi kunjungan ramai, selain menjalankan fungsi asalnya sebagai sebuah menara telekomunikasi.

Menara Kuala Lumpur merupakan menara telekomunikasi ke-4 tertinggi di dunia dengan ketinggian mencapai 421 meter. Pembinaannya bermula pada 6 Julai 1992 dan siap sepenuhnya pada tahun 1996. Pembinaannya melalui beberapa fasa penting kerana ia tidak menggunakan sistem pilling sebaliknya sebanyak 50,000 meter padu konkrit digunakan sebagai tapak asasnya.

Bahagian atas Menara KL.

Deck terbuka di Menara KL.

Menara KL dan KLCC pada waktu malam.

Selain sebagai menara telekomunikasi, menara ini juga turut menyediakan dek tinjau yang membolehkan pengunjung melihat pemandangan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur dari atas. Selain itu juga terdapat restauran berputar yang membolehkan para tetamu menjamu selera dan dalam masa yang sama berputar 360 darjah mengelilingi menara tersebut. Ia bukan sahaja merupakan menara yang cantik, malah memberikan pemandangan yang menarik bagi Kuala Lumpur pada waktu malam.

Menara KL juga turut menyediakan beberapa servis yang lain antaranya termasuk ruang mengadakan upacara korperat seperti mesyuarat dan seminar, pakej majlis perkahwinan, F1 simulator dan beberapa pameran lagi mengikut musim. Selain itu juga terdapat pelbagai acara tahunan yang diraikan di Menara Kuala Lumpur seperti ‘base jump’, lumba menaiki tangga, pameran-pameran, sambutan hari istimewa dan sebagainya. Jadi anda perlu mengikuti jadual acara di Menara Kuala Lumpur sekiranya anda ingin menyertainya.

Acara tahunan di Menara KL, 'base jump'.

Antara tarikan terbaru 'Sky Box'.

Menara KL pada waktu malam.

Untuk mendapatkan maklumat lebih lanjut mengenai Menara Kuala Lumpur anda boleh melawati lawan web Menara Kuala Lumpur. Pastikan juga anda tidak terlepas beberapa lokasi menarik berhampiran dengan menara ini.

Swiftlet With Edible Nest

Aerodramus fuciphagus one of the species that produce the edible nest.

Swallow is absolutely unique, where some species from this family known of swiftlets has an edible nest (as a medicine). The higher price of swiftlets nest make it important source of income. Hence people build buildings for their nest instead of traditionally hunt them in caves.

The swiftlets nests are popular among the Chinese and gain popularity every year for its health benefits (especially for the skin). This kind of nest had been used in China since 400 years ago an prepared as bird’s nest soup.

Swiftlets nests are classified into two major classes derived from the place where the nest had been obtained (in the building) and also the nest from the caves. Nests derived from building are more easily processed and have a first-class grade. While nests collected from caves contain foreign materials such as feathers and other mainly grass. So, this bird's nest should undergo a cleaning process before being marketed.

Swallows nest in the cave wall.

Ready to use bird's nest.

Nests in boxes for sale.

Type swiftlet that produce edible bird's nest is from the type (Cistothorus platensis) which is mostly found in Southeast Asia. These swiftlets are smaller in size with the size around 11 to 12 cm and weighing 15 to 18 grams. These birds have dark brown color and color is paler on the underside. The tail is slightly forked, with long wings and small. Muzzle and legs are black.

There are six (6) sub-species of swiftlets whose nests of this kind, namely;

• A. f. platensis - sub species found in Java, Bali and western parts of the Lesser Sunda Islands.
• A. f. inexpectatus - found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, sometimes in Burma.
• A. f. dammermani - Flores Islands, known by only one specimen.
• A. f. micans - in the Lesser Sunda Islands (Sumba, Savu and Timor).
• A. f. vestitus - Sumatra and Borneo, and sometimes treated as different species Aerodramus vestitus.
• A. f. perplexus - Maratua Archipelago in the East of Borneo.

Although formerly the swiftlets nest were collected primarily from caves, now people start to build a nest’s house to facilitate the process of collecting the nest (besides it is more clean - because the bird’s nest containing less foreign material). Sometimes these buildings built in the center of small town that can be somehow disturbing for public.

What makes the price nest swiftlets expensive are the needs to be put everything in right conditions because the building used as home nest should meet the needs of swifts such as; lighting, humidity and temperature are equal as conditions in the cave. So the conditions in the building need to be a little bit dark, with humidity between 89% to 90% and a temperature between 28 ° C to 30 ° C.

Swiftlet's nest soup.

Bird's nests has been cleared.

Nest's building at Baan Laem, Phetchaburi, Thailand.

Since these swiftlets are species native to Southeast Asia, the countries producing the famous bird's nest is Indonesia, known as higher quality producer. Thailand produced a relatively thick nest and requires longer soaking or cooking time. Malaysia also produce nests containing more feathers (Feather Prime swiflet) and has a slightly lower price, but it is used for food industries. Vietnam produces the best bird's nest but have a very limited supply.

So it is a little bit about the swiftlets that produce edible nest. As this article merely provides basic information only, you’re encouraged to visit the swiftlets farms or attending any courses on the swiftlets farming techniques.

Kirikane, Japanese Fine Art Made of Gold

Kehalusan seni "Kirikane" diterapkan pada pinggan kaca ini.

Kirikane (截金), the Japanese art using thin sheet of gold pieces that are rarely heard. This art brought from outside of Alexandria is said to come as part of ancient Egypt around the 3rd century BC. But this art in Japan was brought from China as part of Buddhist art decorations for statues and paintings.

Maybe you have not heard about it because in Japan this art is re-introduced since Kirikane got less attention previously. Kirikane art is not easy to master by everyone because it is not only uses materials such as gold, silver and platinum, but the pieces of precious metals that are used are very thin and difficult to handle without skill and patience.

This art was brought to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and examples can still be seen to this day such as Tamamushino Zushi at Horyuji Temple. This art is very popular around the 11th century up to 14. It was then almost disappeared due to the lack of decoration of Buddhist art in Japan.

Best applied Kirikane techniques.

Ball container with Kirikane.

Akane Yamamoto expressing Kirikane through art glass.

Today this art is given a new style, although some still retained its original art on a small scale. Through the efforts of activists of the new generation of Japanese art, Kirikane been used for larger media covers wider range of decorations. Among the famous Kirikane artists is Akane Yamamoto, one of successful artist who bring back Kirikane globally with "Kirikane Glass" she'd produced.

Although Akane using new media in the production of "Kirikane Glass" design, she still displays the characteristics of original Kirikane through traditional pieces of sheet metal that is used, it is the fine shapes of lines, diamonds, triangles, squares and geometric as on the classic Kirikane. Anyway, with the use of glass, Akane highlights this art through deeper dimension.

Beside her, the other artists are also using Kirikane according to their inclination for this art can be used with various media. Just Kirikane art has a distinctive shape that can be observed easily through the piece of sheet metal that it’s used.

The classical usage of Kirikane in Buddhist Art.

It can also be used on many other items.

Wooden box decorated with Kirikane.

This art needs to be done with high accuracy as the precious metal pieces used very thin. It requires very careful handling to ensure that the work done to produce a final result as desired.

• Usually two types of metal sheets used in the decoration consist of gold, silver and platinum. These plates have to undergo a heating process (with its own technique) to attach to one another to increase thickness.
• These pieces will be cut using a bamboo knife (metal blade cannot be used) over cutting board that covered with buckskin - to produce a good cutting.
• It subsequently attached using adhesive (from seaweed, funori and ' hide glue ', Mikawa) on items to be decorated with Kirikane.

  

Looking at the results of the Kirikane, then you will definitely agree that it should be preserved as a legacy for the next generation. Although it is less known compared to other Japanese cultural arts, but it has a very high value in describing the cultural wealth of Japan and this telling us that every art in every culture too are just as precious as Kirikane and need to be preserved.