Apart from the short snorkeling trip to Perhentian Island that I took during my birthday, my September 2019 was sadly uneventful. Not only I was feeling under the weather due to the haze but I suffered severe food food poisoning that lasts for more than a week as well. But for what it’s worth, bad things don’t last and I’m glad to say that I welcomed October with good health and plenty of exciting things.
Among the exciting things that’s worth penning down is that I was given the opportunity to explore the City of Shah Alam in Selangor through the FAM Trip jointly organized by Tourism Selangor and Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) and sponsored by Concorde Hotel.
Shah Alam is beautiful city in Selangor. Frankly speaking, I’ve been living in Klang Valley for more than 17 years by now and I have yet to explore any places of interest in Shah Alam, and so this is all really an exciting experience for me.
The FAM Trip was a 2D1N program which showcased various faces of Shah Alam in conjunction with 19th anniversary of Shah Alam being installed as a City, focusing on the tourism sector based on science, art and culture. Apart from that, we were also given a chance to participate in the events hosted by MBSA on weekends and school holidays; like Shah Alam Car Free Day.
Here’s a little recap on the trip:
Day 1
Our first stop on the first day was the Community Gardens in Section 8, Shah Alam. We were given a different perspective on the City of Shah Alam, which also emphasized the agro-agriculture industry which supported the aspirations of agricultural-based product traders that made farming a source of income.
Our next stop was the Selangor International Islamic Arts Complex.
Selangor International Islamic Arts various exhibitions and calligraphy arts.
It was really interesting and unique.
And we had this opportunity to view a copy of huge handwritten Al-Quran that’s locked away in the saferoom. Cameras ars not allowed in the room, sadly I don’t have any pictures for you, but I assure you that the artefacts are really beautiful.
After visiting the Selangor International Islamic Arts Complex, we were brought to one of the largest mosques in Malaysia and the second largest in Southeast Asia, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque or better known by the locals as the “Blue Mosque”.
It’s a really beautiful mosque with unique design and intricate architecture.
The mosque is really huge.
The blue mosque can accommodate 24,000 worshippers at one time. If you are a Muslim and is in the vicinity of the mosque during your visit to Shah Alam, you might want to drop by and answer the call of prayers over here. A non Muslim but interested to visit? Don’t worry. The Mosque is tourist friendly and welcomes visitors with open arms.
The first day of our Media FAM Trip: Shah Alam Vibrant concludes with a visit to the “Showcase 19” event held at the Shah Alam Independence Square.
We were was treated to a spectacular cultural show and singing performances from a lineup of local artsists; Zamani Slam, Datin Alyah, Raja Azura, Ezad Frequently, Amylea Azizan, and many others.
And guess what, guys? Here’s yours truly putting her Kpop cardio dance practice routine to good use during Shah Alam 19th Anniversary celebration concert at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam. Yes, people. Believe it. It’s true. Whoever says I’m not a fun person obviously don’t know me well enough.
Day 2
Our second day of the trip kicks off as early as the break of dawn. We were brought to the Shah Alam Car Free Day, an event that encourages Shah Alam residents to temporarily stop the use of vehicles and participate in sports and recreational activities with their families.
I personally think that this event is a good initiative. Not only it helps to reduce vehicles on the road but encourages a healthy lifestyle as well. I managed to work out a good sweat that morning and I must say, it really feels good.
The event kicks off with the release of a relaxing road show exploring the streets of Shah Alam, followed by a variety of interesting activities.
Yours truly getting a dose of Adrenaline rush by rock climbing during the event.
Families are spotted enjoying a relaxing picnic during the event.
Mobile library was also available that morning.
Our trip ends with a visit to the modern and well-equipped Raja Tun Uda Library (PPAS) with user-friendly infrastructure such as electric car service and high-end car park building for the convenience and convenience of library visitors.
The library is a heaven for bookworms like me.
Comfy discussion area aplenty over here.
Internet facilities are free of charge, so visitors can just head over and use them.
Interactive area for both adults and children.
3D Cinema showing plenty of educational movies is available at minim charge.
6D theatre experience is a must try if you visit this library.
Training rooms spotted. The rooms are used to conduct all sorts of classes daily.
Visiting the library is definitely an eye opening experience. There’s more to the library than just books. The infrastructures are designed to enrich and empower those who frequent the place and it’s definitely something I wouldn’t mind visiting everyday.
Time was envious and our trip ended too soon. So before I end this travelogue, here’s one for the album:Vibrant Shah Alam Media FAM Trip with Tourism Selangor.
I would like to thank Tourism Selangor, Shah Alam City Council and also the Concorde Hotel Shah Alam for their support in the form of accommodation for program participants, as well as first-class hospitality. Thank you so much for the wonderful experience.