Bukit Tinggi Japanese Gardens

Japanese gardens are always so soothing and this one is surprisingly located close to the top of a jungle-clad hill in Malaysia on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

At 3,500 feet above sea level on Bukit Tinggi is the Zen-inspired Japanese Village, where you can stroll along the landscaped Japanese Garden. And if you feel like it, you can rejuvenate at the Tatami Spa or participate in a tea drinking ceremony at the authentic wooden Japanese Tea House.

This Japanese Village in the middle of a tropical forest is the work of a Japanese architect, Kaio Ariizumi. Together with other experts he designed the landscape according to the ambiance of a typical Japanese village, with stoned lightings, pebbled streams and pools with koi fishes and varieties of Japanese flora.

The Japanese garden here is artistically crafted, with bonsai trees and bamboo plants, small bridge crossing with cobbled stones, pool and waterfalls – elements of nature typical of a Japanese traditional village. Crossing the small bridge there is an authentic Japanese tea house, which is covered with Japanese tatami mat and door of paper with wooden frames. Here, guests can browse the exhibit on Japanese handicrafts and participate in a Japanese-style tea drinking ceremony.

Graveyard Greenery

This old Christian graveyard in the center of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia lies overgrown and run down providing an atmospheric environment of tropical crumbling, decay. It's fascinating to explore these types of abandoned urban areas which provide opportunities for HDR photography. 
Urban exploration (often shortened as urbex or UE) is the examination of the normally unseen or off-limits parts of urban areas or industrial facilities. Urban exploration is also commonly referred to as infiltration, although some people consider infiltration to be more closely associated with the exploration of active or inhabited sites. It may also be referred to as "draining" (when exploring drains) "urban spelunking", "urban caving", or "building hacking". 

The nature of this activity presents various risks, including both physical danger and the possibility of arrest and punishment. Many, but not all, of the activities associated with urban exploration could be considered trespassing or other violations of local or regional laws, including—but not limited to—invasion of privacy and certain broadly-interpreted anti-terrorism laws.

Colmar Tropicale

Colmar Tropicale, located in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia is a replica of a collection of buildings from a north-eastern village in France dating back to the 16th Century. It's just like a picture postcard. The French themed resort was opened in July 2000 and is surrounded by lush tropical forest land. It's certainly rather strange to be in the heart of a Malaysian tropical jungle hillside and look up to see very traditional old European style architecture.