One of the simple pleasures of travel is restfully enjoying a quiet corner, observing people. The park ground of the Blue Mosque is an idyllic place for such a low maintenance activity. The huge mosque stands beside a placid lake.
There are several areas you can enjoy your quiet moment – at a park shed with a series of fountains at either side, under a canopy of a tree – and there are plenty of huge trees around, then by the lakeside.
I noticed a blind child silently begging, his palms thrusted forward. He was almost immobile. He seemed oblivious to the people on their way to the mosque. For some reason, he looked smart in his striped shirt – one of those that stretch below the knees, like a tunic. I slowly walked past him, and then about a meter away, I turned back and gave him some ringgit – for food. Begging children have a soft spot in my heart, although I have learned never to give in Manila.
I went to the lakeside, and sat on the ground covered with grass, elevated roots and fallen leaves. The uneven sloping ground was uncomfortable so I shifted beside a shrub. Right across the lake, there is an eye-catching waiting shed topped with a golden dome. To my left, I saw the miniature bridge, under which, water flowed through. In the mid-afternoon sun, there was the gentlest of Selangor winds blowing. And it felt serene.
This is the Eye in the Sky.
"Fall, Leaves Fall"
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night's decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
- a poem by Emily Jane Bronte
A cascade of still waters and fountains (below) line the resting sheds.
Front entrance of the Blue Mosque.
Rest your weary soul...
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