Jubli Perak Park aka Taman Rimba

Its been almost two years now that I had changed my evening walk venue from the IWK area near my housing estate to this public park. It is right in the heart of Alor Setar town. It is surrounded by mini palaces of Sultan's Kedah consort, the Raja Muda, Raja Temenggung and mostly families of the royal family. It is also what is known as the millionaire's row in Alor Setar. The park is also part of the Royal Golf Club where a mini golf course outlined the jogging trail.

The Sultanah's personal palace

The Raja Muda of Kedah's private quarters

This two mini palaces are some of the views that we joggers and walkers enjoy as we walk/jog around the mini golf course which is just opposite these mansions. They are beautiful to look and I guess most of us will imagine a life of princes and princesses. I enjoy this view especially when you walk around this area where there is a shady section where the large trees will be blown strongly by the winds creating its own musical rhapsody. Every time I pass by this area I will just smile and let out a satisfying sigh of "Alhamdulillah". Thank you Allah.

I like this season in Kedah. Although it is scorching hot, it is also very windy. Thus, the cold wind balances the humid and hot weather. The Kedahans will refer this weather as "angin timur" with reference to the cold monsoon wind albeit very dry. You can see the clouds of dust when the winds blow over the dried grass. Some refer to this weather as "musim padi masak" as the stalks of swollen, bulging paddy stalks need the hot weather to ripen naturally. Now, instead of the lush green of rows and rows of paddy fields as far as the crows fly .... one can see unending, boundaryless fields of golden dry paddy fields. The air is dry and dusty. Hence, it is the season for coughs, fever, asthma and flu. The clinics and hospitals are always full with patients. Very soon the farmers will start harvesting and this is the time when sometimes the dust from the dried, harvested paddy fields is intolerable.

I call this season the autumn season as the large trees lining the roads will shed their leaves bare. The fallen dried leaves will fill the roads and walkways. When one walks, one can hear the crunching sound of the dried leaves. Sometimes I sympathise with the sweepers as it is an endless, thankless task. The trees will just shed more dried leaves.Then, slowly, without even the benefit of rain, the bare branches will sprout lush fresh green leaves again. The cycle never stops. It just goes on as it is meant to be. This dry, cold and humid weather will last until April or May when the rains will start to come and back to the normal Malaysian weather. And this is the weather for the sports house practice to begin ..... ;-{{

The road leading to the mini palaces. On the right is the park with its playground, reflexology walk, uneven jogging trail and areas for recreational activities such as tai chi, aerobics, takraw, etc

The walled fence is the State Administration Office (Wisma Negeri). Notice the bare-branched trees and the clear, cloudless blue sky

A month later - look at lush green fresh new leaves - even without the benefit of rain ..

I usually do 2 rounds of my walk around the mini golf course on the left which is about 1.5km per round and a round of the uneven terrain around the park. I do my walk alone and I like it as it helps me to arrange my thoughts and reflect what I have done for the day. I like to be alone with my thoughts. My zikir. My dreams. Alone but never lonely. I hardly meet anyone I know. Mornings will be full and packed with people thus I prefer to go early in the evening where there are few and regular senior walkers. After six pm, it is usually full of parents and children and the regular after office joggers and walkers.

It is not much on losing weight ( I hardly seem to lose weight anyway) but to maintain it to control my hypertension. Besides, walking fights the frustration and disappointment with whatever that is not going the way I want it to. It helps to exercise my stiff legs and although I walk much slower than I used to, the walk makes me sleep very soundly at night as I will be so tired out after a morning of work, household chores and a few rounds of my evening walk. May I be graced to continue this simple form of exercise ....