A Visit to Fraser's Hill - The Gap (Part 1)

1.

Last March, I made my first ever trip to Fraser's Hill which is located at 1,500m above sea level and about 105 km away north of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. It is about 2.5 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur

The gateway to Fraser's Hill is via Kuala Kubu Bharu town. Visitors who drive up are advised to fill up their vehicle petrol tank to full as there are no petrol station in Fraser's Hill. Those taking the taxi will need to make a booking for the return trip as well as there are no public transport at the hilltop.

You will pass by the Sg Selangor Dam on the way from Kuala Kubu Bharu to the Gap.

2.

Here's the restroom/washroom near the Gap which is situated at the foothills of Fraser's Hill. 

“A visit to Fraser's Hill - The Gap (Part 1) ”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on April 9th, 2013.

3. Bottle brush tree

At the restroom area, I had the chance to take some pictures of the scenery and vegetation of the area.

4.

Arachis pintoi - Pinto Peanut or Pokok Kacang Kuning growing wild on the ground.

5.

I saw a lot of  tree ferns and giant bamboo trees, some which are very tall and with big, fat stems. Occasionally we pass by an oak tree or clumps of tall bamboo orchid (Arundina graminilfola). The forest views here are spectacular.

6.

The weed, Agerantum conyzoides.

Common names: Billygoat Weed, Goat Weed, Chick Weed, White Weed

Malay name: Rumput Tahi Ayam (Chicken Dung Grass)

7.

Scientific name: Spilanthes paniculata
Synonyms: S. acemella, S. pseudo-acemella, Acemella oleracea
Family: Asteraceae
Origin: Tropical America

Common names: Toothache Plant, Peek-A-Boo, Electric Daisy
Malay name: Getang Kerabu, Subang Nenek
Other names: Phak khraat (Thai), Yari sennichi modoki (Japanese)

This is a common weed in Southeast Asia.
For additional information, refer to Seedaholic and Globinmed sites

7.

Bamboo and montane forest scenery.

8.

These are hawker stalls at the Gap area. In the old days, business was good because it was necessary to wait in line at the Gap for the different times schedule for the one way trip uphill or downhill. In the old days, the only way up and down to Fraser's Hill, was via a single very narrow and winding road called The Gap road which starts halfway from Kuala Kubu Bharu town to the summit of Fraser's Hill.

Now there are no more hassles of long queues waiting for traffic to change directions for uphill/downhill travel. A new road has been built since 2001 for separate downhill travel. It starts from Jalan Quarry after Pine Resort in Fraser's Hill which leads back to the Bentong-Kuala Kubu Bharu-Kuala Lumpur route. 

So now, you use the old Gap road for uphill travel and new road for downhill.

9.

At the Gap Gate, take the right turn for the uphill drive up to Fraser's Hill. 

10.

The red signboard reads, "Reminder - stopping between two gates are strictly prohibited".

The adjacent brown signboard is designed for tourist to take photographs. You can see a hole there to insert our head, hehe.There is a map and description of Fraser's Hill.

After this point, the temperature starts to drop significantly.Below are some photos that I took of the plants and flowers at the Gap Gate area.

11.

Sanchezia speciosa

12.

Close-up of the Sanchezia speciosa inflorescence, native plant of Peru and Ecuador.

13.

A begonia attached to a tree trunk.

14.

Mussaenda 'Dona Eva'

15.

This is the first time I see a Datura metel aka Devil's Trumpet with pale orange flowers. It is gorgeous.
Updated: This is a Brugmansia hybrid, thanks to Aaron Ang for the ID. Perhaps it is Brugmansia suaveolens?

Some useful links:
1. How to go to Fraser's Hill from Kuala Lumpur

2. Map of Fraser's Hill

Biodiversity and Conservation at KLCC Park

Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is a major tourist attraction in Malaysia. The famous Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC are both located here in its vicinity. Petronas Twin Towers was the world's tallest building from 1998-2004. It was featured in the 1999 Holywood Blockbuster movie Entrapment starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones. It was also the target for French “Spiderman” Robert Alain Philippe to scale their height of which he was fined RM 2,000 for trespass in September 2009.

Although I have been to KLCC (KL Convention Centre) and Suria KLCC many times, especially during SALE time, I have only discovered KLCC Park late last year. When I visited Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, I remember lamenting how I wished our country has a beautiful park. Now, I realised how ignorant I had been in the past, as all this while we do have one. It was just that I didn't know.

KLCC Park is a beautiful landscaped garden designed by reknown Brazilian landscape architect, the late Mr Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994). It is reputed to be his last masterpiece. Roberto Burle Marx was a very talented master of gardens who wore many hats. He was painter, print maker, ecologist, naturalist, artist and musician. He is famed for imparting a sense of timelessness and perfection in his works.

A trip to KLCC Park begins with a walk down this 43 metre long elevated bridge (above). It is along this bridge that visitors get to enjoy some of the most splendid views of the magnificient Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC. This is also the most popular spot among tourists for photo shoots.

KLCC Park is spread over 50 acres (20 hectares) of land. There is also a 1.3 km jogging track laid with EPDM around the park.

When the late Roberto Burle Marx designed the park, his intention was to "leave the world a little more sensitive and a little more educated to the importance of nature".

“Biodiversity and Conservation at KLCC Park”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on August 27th, 2010.

In the design and built-up of KLCC Park, key consideration was given to environmental factors such as conservation and biodiversity.

When the Selangor Turf Club was relocated to Sg Besi in the early 1990s, a total of about 23 of the mature and rare trees were saved and transplanted on the park. When KLCC Park was launched in 1998, there were about 1,900 indigeneous trees and 66 species of palms which had been carefully selected to encourage biodiversity and provide a haven for birds and local fauna.

Scientific name: Ficus nitida

Family: Moraceae

Distribution: Southeast Asia and India

This is the Indian Laurel Tree whose habitat is found in regions with warm moist conditions and plenty of light. The signage read as follows:

• It is a small tree with a dense crown, erect branches and arial roots
• It buttresses in its natural habitat
• Fruits are small, produced in pairs from the axils of the leaves
• Flowers are found inside the fruit
• The young leaves are yellowish green and smooth
• It is commonly used as an ornamental tree for street planting, as a hedge, shaped into topiary of various forms and as an indoor potted plant.

Scientific name: Ficus elastica

Family: Moraceae

Distribution: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India

Common name: Bunuh Seteruh, Nyatu, Indian Rubber Tree

• It thrives in poor soil, epiphytes in nature, often on branches of other trees
• It belongs to the 'strangling trees' group thriving on host tree
• A largew spreading tree that grows up to 15m with long drooping branches and aerial roots developing from trunk and main branches
• Fruits are smal and yellowish green
• Flowers inside the fruits
• It was a source of rubber before the era of Hevea braziliensis, the present rubber trees
• The young leaves were eaten as salads in Indonesia
• It is commonly used as an indoor plant

Scientific name: Dillenia excelsea

Family: Dilleniaceae

Distribution: Malaysia, Indonesia

Common name: Simpoh Ungu, Purple Simpuh

• It's habitat is the lowland forest
• A medium sized tree that grows up to 25m
• The leaves are glossy green and margin slightly serrated
• Flower buds are rose red, opening to bright yellow with purple stamens and pinkish style
• The flower faces upwards
• Fruits are waxy white and later split open with red seeds.

Scientific name: Cyrtostachys renda

Family: Palmae / Arecoideae

Distribution: Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands

Common name: Lipstick Palm, Pinang Raja, Sealing Wax Palm, Red Palm

• It's habitat is the tropical peat swamp forest and river estuaries
• It is an attractive clustered palm with slender stems that grows up to 10m with a scarlet crown shaft and leaf stalks
• The flowers are small and green
• The fruits are small, egg-shaped, green ripening to black
• It is widely used for landscaping in parks, it is also a good container plant
• The aborigines made blowpipe darts from the outer wood of the stem
• Leaves of the palm were used together with other plants to ward-off earth demons when opening a new land clearing

The fruits of the indigeneous trees attract local and migratory birds. Coupled with a conducive green environment, it is hoped that this place will become an important link to the bird wildlife corridors of the region.

The following is a list of trees with proper labels at KLCC Park:

1. Cassia Trees
• 
  
  Pink Cassia aka Javanese Cassia / Apple Blossom Cassia (Cassia javanica)
• 
  
  Yellow Cassia (Cassia spectabilis)
• 
  
  Golden Showy Cassia aka Devils Finger (Cassia floribunda/Senna floribunda)
• 
  
  Golden Shower Tree aka Indian Laburnum (Cassia fistula)
2. 
   
   Purple Simpuh Tree (Dillenia excelsa)
3. 
   
   Indian Laurel Tree (Ficus nitida) 
4. 
   
   Butter Fruit Tree / Buah Salat / Buah Mentega (Diospyros blancoi)
5. 
   
   Elephant's Apple / Simpoh India Tree (Dillenia indica)
6. 
   
   Camphor / Kapur Tree (Dryobalanops aromatica)
7. 
   
   Rambutan Fruit Tree (Nephelium lappaceum) aka Tico Berry
8. 
   
   Indian Rubber Tree / Bunuh Seteruh / Nyatu (Ficus elastica)
9. 
   
   Orange Champaca / Chempaka Merah Tree (Michelia champaca)
10. 
    
    Ylang-Ylang / Kenaga Tree (Canaga odorata)
11. 
    
    Gebang / Ibas / Buri Palm (Corypha utan)
12. 
    
    Red Palm / Lipstick Palm / Sealing Wax Palm / Pinang Raja (Cyrtostachys renda)
13. 
    
    Jenaris / Tulang Daing Tree (Milletia atopurpurea)
14. 
    
    Mempari Tree (Pongamia pinnata)
15. 
    
    Yellow Saraca / Gapis Tree (Saraca taipingensis / Saraca cauliflora)

* Click on the links to visit my post about this tree.

Walking around the park at certain areas, I saw different types of birds feeding on some fruits high up in the trees. Some are black or brown and some are quite colourful. I saw sunbirds, magpies, pigeons, sparrows, mynas and starlings. Some of the more colourful ones, I don't know their names. How I wish I had a DSLR camera to capture these beautiful birds.

I also notice that bald-headed mynas are getting more and more popular around cities here. Do you know what causes this phenomenon? I mean, do they get bald as a result of fighting among themselves or due to the polluted environment?

This view is taken from the Children's Pool area. This pair of dolphins and a whale sculpture is one of the ornamental water features of Lake Symphony which is programmed to feature water fountain displays following a Symphony Overture sequence at regular intervals.

The Lake Symphony fountains are scheduled to be on from 12 noon to 2:00pm and 6.00pm to 11.00pm on weekdays and from 10.00am till midnight on weekends and public holidays.

The park is equiped with various amenities such as shelters, benches, rest areas, drinking fountains and public toilets at convenient locations. There is also a Children's Playground next to the Children's Pool.

The Children's Pool opening hours are as follows:
Tuesday  to Fridays 10:00am to 7:30pm
Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays 10:00am to 9:30pm
It is closed for maintenance on Mondays if it is not a public or school holidays.

During school holidays, the pool is opened throughout the week.

You can find beautiful yellow cassia trees at the end of the elevated bridge and also at the children's pool.

The Children's Playground has been laid with EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Deine Modified) Rubber, a child-safe material. Hence, eating, drinking and smoking are strictly prohibited here.

This is a patch of Arachis pintoi which is a vigorous creeper with bright yellow flowers that bloom in the morning. This species is a popular ornamental ground cover for gardens here. In Malay, it is called 'pokok kacang kuning'.

Finally, I end my post here with another view of the Petronas Twin Towers in the background behind the Yellow Cassia trees of KLCC Park.

I would like to dedicate this post to Sihame from Belgium who visited Malaysia early this year. She wrote to me asking about the beautiful Lipstick Palms (Cyrtostachys renda) of KLCC Park.

Sihame, WELCOME TO MALAYSIA!    I hope you will visit my country again.
Welkom ! (Dutch), Bienvenu ! (French), Willkomen ! (German)

This is my entry for Fertilizer Friday, the link is here.
For Today's Flowers, the link is here.
For My World Tuesday, the link is here.