Japanese maple in Sg Buloh?

On the way back from Tg Malim, after sending Sakinah back to her polytechnic, we stopped over at the Sg Buloh plant nurseries located close to the old Leprosy Hospital.

It has been quite some time since we were last here. The area has changed a lot. Most noticeable was that the number of nurseries have dwindled. To make way for new developments in the area, many nursery operators have moved to new locations I was told - Subang, Damansara etc.

But the place still continue to delight me, nevertheless.

This time I came upon a plant of about 7 feet in height with foliages which seemed rather familiar the very instant I set my eyes upon it.

It was a Japanese Maple tree.

''What? A Japanese Maple tree, in Malaysia, so far away from the Land of the Rising Sun?'' I thought to myself .

So it was.

Japanese Maple, or ''irohamomiji'' as it is called in Japanese, is native to Japan, Korea and China.

It has attractive leaf shapes and wonderful red colors during autumn, so much so that it was one of my favourite subjects for autumn season photography during our three year stay in Japan.

Fancy seeing it in our own backyard.

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New F1 season begins

The Lotus Formula One's new car: The T127

With Liverpool languishing below the top four placing in the league table, and showing no signs of improving, my weekends have become all dull and nothing much to look forward to nowadays.

So, what to do?

Fear not. For the F1 season has arrived. And this season promises to be an exciting one, too.

First, Michael Schumacher, statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen, is back to rock the circuits. Secondly, my favourite McLaren team seems to have a more reliable car this season (if Lewis Hamilton himself says so, then who am I to question).

But more interestingly, there are two teams with the Malaysian connection this season.

Petronas now is the major sponsor for team Mercedes Grand Prix, with Schumacher of course, as one of its drivers.

And then there is Team Lotus F1. This team, a reincarnation of the legendary Lotus team of yesteryears, is now totally Malaysian owned and managed.

The race kicks off today at the Sakhir Circuit, Bahrain. Happy viewing.