Ipoh City

I suppose to write something about Ipoh,
but lost all the photo I saved. May be the photo was not saved correctly. Sorry, all Ipoh friends, sorry LTC.

Anyhow, I ensure you, my friends, I have fond memory of Ipoh. Ipoh is a nice place, I still remember the first day I arrived in Ipoh, as usual I wake up early, and nothing to do in the hotel. I went round the old and new city alone, at that time it was 5 am, few shops were opened and just walked alone in the city. Along the Kinta River, into DR garden, it was dark but the air was fresh. It was wonderful experience to be alone early morning in Ipoh city. I am just a crazy man walking lonely in the city, searching for the past glory of Ipoh.

I love the heritage buildings in Ipoh, it remind me of Penang. I love to look at the building and admire its architecture. Old Ipoh is an attraction to me, just sip a glass of ice cold white coffee, inside the old colonial shop house, listening to the Cantonese voices, may be eating the Hor Fun and Dim Sum at the same time........... it is Ipoh's life.

Ipoh is famous for food. Unlike Penang which is famous for hawker food, Ipoh's restaurant is good. Penang is for Nyonya, Teowchew and Hokkian food, Ipoh is for Cantonese and Hakka food. This is mainly because the early Chinese who come to Ipoh are mainly Hakka and Cantonese tin miner. They have Hakka Mee in Ipoh,which is not found in Penang. Ipoh's Hor Fun, Tauge, Taukua, soya water are the best; but I once try the Char Koay Teow in Ipoh, using the Ipoh Hor Fun, it was too soft. You cannot fry Char Koay Teow with Ipoh's Hor Fun, it just not match.

The night in Ipoh city was quite, nothing exciting , except the place with the tauge chicken. Perhaps Greentown or Ipoh Garden and other residential areas. The city itself has lost its past glory. The Huge Low Street is no longer a busy street.The name has changed to Malay name, which I have forgotten.

The first visit to Ipoh was 1970. I stay in Ipoh at the army camp near the Japanese garden, it is 1970, just after LCE examination. On the way back from Port Dickson, following an army land rover together with uncle David(who was in the army) and a young army officer. They are on the way to Taiping. We stopped at Ipoh for the night. There were not much buildings at that time, only army camp and some bungalow houses. The place has now developed into residential areas.

The picture on the right is the Cowan Street, taken just beside Jubilee Park; another forgotten landmark of Ipoh. Jubilee Park was the place I spent my night when stopped for a night while hitch hiking to Kuala Lumpur in 1972 after MCE examination. It was once a famous entertainment hub in Ipoh, but now the area was quite without activities except a shop selling Mee Rebus, Ramli Mee Rebus.

Still remember staying in Anthony Tong's house in Ipoh in 1975 , a single terrace corner house located near the railway track, and also near Kinta River. The father was the Head of state election commission. The auntie's hospitality still linger in my memory, she is a kind lady and mother. I remember her. Unfortunately I cannot locate the place when I worked in Ipoh, but got to know that Loh also know this family.

It is difficult to find the old names of the city street if you had been in Ipoh long ago, all street names had changed. The Chinese will tell you the name in Cantonese; the old Ipoh guy will tell you the old street names in English(the old colonial street names); but the younger generation will tell you the new names in Malay. But if you give an old name or even the new Malay street name to a taxi driver, the chances that he may not know the place....... Why must we changed the street names?, Are we fearful of our colonial past? Are we lacking self confidence on our independence that we must erased completely all the colonial history? History is the truth, we cannot erased them. History is a valuable intangible assets, be it good or bad history, it is the thing that attract the tourists. The old names of the street will tell the history and story of the time, not the new name.

Ipoh is beautiful, peaceful and historical place, it is potential for tourism attraction if developed properly; but the recent political development has caused some anxiety to the city.

Ipoh is quietly waiting for its fate, waiting for a new state government?

What is its next destiny? Uncertainty.....Unknown at the moment.

I pray for Ipoh, and thankful for people who help to make my stay an enjoyable one. Especially LTC, Loh, Koo, Doss and all my office mates.

I missed you, folks......