Ipoh with friends!

Travelling has always been a favourite past time of mine and I am always captivated by old building structures, history and scenic views. I am not a fussy traveller nor extravagant one either. I would prefer a laid back accommodations, plenty to walk, plenty to eat and plenty to see towns.

Interestingly, I must admit that travelling in Malaysia, my own backyard can be quite an expensive affair but Malaysia had so much to offer,actually. Culture, food, lifestyles, sights and sounds are truly unique but like I say, it can be quite an expensive affair. I guess, Mat Salleh dollars always wins hand down in most circumstances and poor Malaysians have to contend of being locals, I guess. I am always perplexed that these “foreign guests” gets so much attention and privileges that sometimes, I often wonder why am I spending my time travelling in my own country lest getting treated unfairly at the other end of the stick. Well, I guess, I am from the old school and die hard fan of Malaysia and Malaysian way of life.

There are still many people in Malaysia who still enjoy “serving” Malaysians and I am glad to have met up with many of them along my littered life of travels. “There is so much to offer in Malaysia” – one traveller quipped to me the other day. I smiled to the young Mat Salleh couple and went onto tell them to get to smaller towns if they really want to know how true Malaysians live. Theirs eyes lit up and egged me to tell them where to go. So, like any true blue Malaysian, I listed to them some of the places they ought to go and avoid getting their throat stuffed with exorbitant prices both in food, services and accommodation. They seemed happy enough and I am happier to share my travel experience with them.

Talking about travelling, about two weeks ago, our “Three Strand Chord” brothers ( Errol, Capt.Edwin and myself )  and our families took a trip down to Ipoh with our own “tau yu” SLing in charge of the itinerary. It was the most enjoyable and great time ever! I guess, when you travel with friends who are easy going and fun, it helps to bring out the best in every one. Travelling in the early morning was fun for the ladies and child as they get to sleep while the men folk labored mercilessly with half–opened eyes in the early morning highway ride. Anyway, a good hearty breakfast in Bidor was our reward for the early morning drive. Though Pun Chun Restaurant in Bidor can be quite an expensive affair ( It is really a place for tourist as locals won’t even be seen in this place! ), trying out the wan tan mee and duck mee can be quite an experience. I do not want to mince my words by saying that the food was nothing to shout about but it was more for the nostalgic feel of going back to the place after our many many years of travel earlier. It was like walking down memory lane this time.

After the meal, it was off to Gopeng Heritage House/Museum. This is a place that holds such a nostalgic feel for me. Rustic, lovely shellac wood panels, doors and walls including the olden feel brought a quick rush of nostalgic feeling to this old heart of mine. I have always loved that oldies feeling and seeing all the old stuff brings so much childhood memories flooding back. With great company in the Gans ( Errol, Jessica, Josephine and Jocelyn ) and Sims ( Edwin, Lorna, Lara & Ethan ) it was truly fun to visit this place and enjoy all their antics of reminiscing the olden days act. Pure classic fun!

Later, it was off to Kellie’s Castle – the unfinished and ruined mansion by the Scottish planter, Willie Kellie Smith. It is said that Kellie’s Castle is haunted and spooky but I must say personally that I did not feel anything while at that unfinished mansion. In fact, at certain places of the mansion, it is windy and cool. However, if you are at the roof top and top unprotected area, you would “strangely” have the “draw” to edge to the end and somehow drawn to leap off it ! Ok! Ok! I was just joking. I guess, “stories” are told that the spookiness comes sometime in the evening. Thereby, it is good to steer away from this place in the evening. To me, I find the structure quite interesting. The bare brick walls, the architecture and the whole construction of the building is quite interesting. Even in those times, if this mansion was completed, it would have been a real majestic mansion in a plantation such as this. I truly enjoyed the look and feel of a great mansion. After some lovely photoshoot against the shielded sun rays in the rooms and corners, it was time to move on to our next destination, Qing Xing Ling Cultural Village.

It was quite confusing at first when we reached the other entrance to the cultural village. It was later explained to us that due to the haphazard and indiscriminate parking done by tourists, local residents had complained to the local authorities of such obstruction of traffic and nuisance to the community. Thus, the cultural village was temporarily closed until they could come up with a solution to appease the nearby taman residents. So, the nearby temple parking grounds was the next best option but entrance tickets would have to be obtained from a nearby shophouse so as not to further infuriate the taman residents on its operation. It was such an inconvenience for locals like us whatmore for the foreigners. Anyway, I guess, the park caretaker would have heard these comments countless number of times before us as we saw many frustrated tourists moving away from the parking area. I guess, the cultural village team could have set up a ticketing booth near the temple to enable easier access though. Yeah, just my two sen input so as not to inconvenient the tourists/guests.

What greeted us at the main entrance was such a surprise – tricycles, bicycles , olden days bicycles, carts and olden days vehicles seemed such a pleasant surprise. Riding them are not easy at all especially with our aging bodies! Thank God for my trusty mode of travel, “ MZ 11 “ or also known as the feet! It was fun reminiscing the good old days and enjoy the scenery there.

Then it is off to Ipoh town for some food. After some slick kung fuish moves of getting tables and seats, we had chicken hor fun, char kuey teow, Ipoh custard and “tau fu fah” or soft bean curd. Then it was off to our accommodation at Canning Garden. Quiet, clean and lovely sorta colonial semi-detached house to rest our tired bodies and legs! It was really lovely and with a garden full of jasmine tree adorning the side walls on the right, the jasmine aroma permeates the entire home throughout the day. What a lovely scent indeed!

After some good rest and a good bath, we were off for dinner at Tong Sui Kai in Ipoh town. We were quite early and so the crowd had not gathered yet and we get the chance to “look-see” what we wanted to eat. I ate the recommended beef noodles while the rest had char kuey teow, fish ball mee , fried oysters, prawn crackers and a whole load of goodies. Yippeeeee…..it was great to be back in Ipoh and sampling great food there. Then we decided to go to Jaya Grocer for some shopping of goodies before heading home to sleep for the night. Boy, it was a good good sleep amidst the sweet smelling scent of jasmine.

Bright and early morning the next day, we were off to Ming Court Dim Sum to get a sample of great dim sum fare recommended by the social media and friends. The place was packed jam and again, jostling and with early morning “crazy” faces, we finally got the table we wanted and we immediately tucked into the dim sum fare – har kow, siew mai, fried stuffs, steamed buns, siew long pau, char siew pau and a load of goodies came our way. We were stuffed to the brim with what we ordered and it wasn’t an expensive fare either. We were good and we were off to some Ipoh street art and then it was off to get some tau sar peah and some other biscuits before we left Ipoh and headed to our home.

If you think our makan fest ended while we were on the way back, well, I’ve got news for you. We stopped in Dengkil R&R for Hj Samuri’s Satay Kajang. The beef and chicken satay definitely made our palate day complete. The sweet tasting and succulent beef & chicken pieces does wet our palate most indefinitely.

All in all, it was truly a nice weekend experience to see what our own country ,Malaysia, could offer to its citizen in terms of places of interest, food and people. I must say, this Malaysia of ours still holds a pretty special place in my heart. There is no place like the place we can call home – Malaysia, our home.   

My special thanks to Edwin, Lorna, Lara and Ethan ( The Sims family ), Errol, Jessica, Josphine and Jocelyn ( The Gans family ) and lastly to Soon Ling and Shwu Yuen, my beloved wife, SLing and daughter. Spending time with all of you have been a lovely experience. Thanks for your friendship and thanks for the memories etched in my heart each day with each and everyone of you!~