Hot air balloon event draws 250,000 people in Malaysia

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Hot air balloon event draws 250,000 people in Malaysia

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The third Malaysia Hot Air Balloon Festival opened in Putrajaya on March 17, 2011.

19 March,2011 06:11 pm

The four-day event themed on One World, One Malaysia, and One Hot Air Balloon Festival is expected draw 250,000 visitors. Aeronauts from 14 countries including Belgium, Switzerland, USA and Japan are flying their hot air balloons over Putrajaya, Malaysias administrative capital 40 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur.Putrajaya is chosen to host the festival for its not-so-dense population and beautiful landscape. Meaning success in Malay, Putrajaya symbolizes a prosperous ideal city. This smart park city is deemed to have retained the cream of Malaysian traditional heritage. At least one third of area in Putrajaya has preserved natural green, with woods, lakes and wetland, which are treasured in Malaysia.This hot air balloon was operated by Najill Black, a 54 years old aircraft captain. If it gets hotter, then the balloon will go off. If you let the air cool, then you will come down, so the difference between the top of the balloon temperature and the outside temperature gives you the lift, said the captain.During the festival, visitors could have a taste of flying in hot air balloons from 8 am to 9 pm, but those balloons are fixed with ropes so as to restrain their flying height and range.