Images of Ipoh

Monday Night In Greentown

2012-02-13T23:00:00.002+08:00

Greentown Business Center, one of the most congested districts in Ipoh city center during daytime, is completely different at night. After the offices & banks closed, restaurants & pubs scattered around the business center unable to attract crowd at a hot spot & create a lively atmosphere. Unless more aggressive development such as building a shopping mall, or at least a large food court on the last piece of vacant land here, else it will not surpass Ipoh Garden East (or some call it Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh), which has Kinta City Shopping Center & Tesco Hypermarket backing it up at adjacent to bring the crowd.

Good To Preserving The Tree

2012-02-12T17:54:00.006+08:00

Before construction of these new shops taking place, this probably is the last piece of land in Old Town that was covered by several huge rain trees. The empty land was used as storage of large scale metal goods. When the project began, based on Malaysia's tradition in properties development, I was thinking all those trees would be certainly eliminated. However, it surprises me when there is one survived & being considered as part of the plan. Although I still feel regret that only one, but not more, able to stand until today, it's still a good intention & good example to be adopted by other development projects. I am sure there must be suitable ways to maintain as many green plants as possible when making new buildings, if the owner & architect willing to spend a little more time to think of it.

The Round Moon

2012-02-08T18:20:00.001+08:00

Today is the 17th day of first lunar month. Normally round moon is expected on the 15th night but according to an article in newspaper, tonight the moon will be in better round shape compare to 15th night. Nevertheless, tonight's moon is really bright & charming.

Sunset Cloud

2012-02-07T18:18:00.002+08:00

The sky appeared to be colorful during sunset. Although thick clouds are forming above the city but it doesn't help to reduce the heat accumulated after a hot day. When looking at the sky in the warm atmosphere, I feel like flame is burning behind the clouds.

Old Building Resurrected

2012-02-06T18:09:00.007+08:00

After more than a month of restoration, this building which previously OUB Bank is now occupied by Chennai Silk Gallery. This building had been abandoned for many years since OUB Bank merged with UOB Bank and moved to its current Ipoh's headquarter in Greentown. This junction of Hugh Low Street meeting Belfield Street in Old Town had been many times photographed in the old times but this corner lot appearance has completely changed.

Sunset At Wing Onn Garden

2012-02-05T18:05:00.003+08:00

I find a nice scene of sunset when reaching the petrol station opposite to Wing Onn Garden. The ray from sunlight is forming a beautiful crown-like pattern in the sky.

"Angry Birds" In Couplets

2012-02-01T18:02:00.002+08:00

You may expect to see "Angry Birds" on T-shirts, bags, toy shops, balloons, etc. But it is out of my expectation to see it in new year couplets (春联). These colorful characters, no doubt, fit nicely to the Chinese auspicious colors, such as red & yellow. Therefore their existence on the couplets seems like a very harmony match.

Here I Come Again, Kledang Hill

2012-01-30T22:48:00.005+08:00

Five years, eight years? When I really recall how long have I not climbing the Kledang Hill, then only I realized it has been more than ten years. Finally I am at Kledang Hill again today. I choose not to go by the tar road but following the small path. Anyway, it has changed so much where some people had spent so much effort makng the steps to ease the climbers. However, one thing never change; it's the awesome on Ipoh city still amazing. I am not reaching the higher spot for the entire Ipoh city view, but what the southern part of Ipoh is already in sight.

MH Hotel In The Sunset

2012-01-26T22:45:00.003+08:00

MH Hotel is now the easiest recognized structure around Ipoh Garden East & Bercham. It's the tallest building right at the North Ipoh exit of North-South Expressway. However, there was very little official publicity from the hotel. Therefore many people who do not always passing by this area may not aware of the completion or even existence of MH Hotel. As seen from Bercham, the hotel is just so outstanding in the sunset.

De Garden In "CNY" Mode

2012-01-24T14:29:00.005+08:00

When I walk into De Garden, the theme color become red just to match the Chinese New Year. In the year of Dragon, beside traditional red lantern, dragon is certainly one of the most popular decoration features. Of course, plum flower is also another favorite item which you can see at home, offices, hotels, restaurants & etc.

2012 Year of Dragon

2012-01-23T18:55:00.002+08:00

Today is the first day of Chinese New Year. Welcome to the year of dragon. As Chinese believe dragon is the creature that brings luck, many are wishing 2012 to be a better year in all aspects. We can even expect a higher birth rate of Chinese baby in this year. Nevertheless, I wish all to have a happy, healthy & peaceful Dragon year!! ~~新年快樂~~

Rebuild From The Original

2012-01-22T17:25:00.005+08:00

As we know the row of shop at Clare Street has been demolished in November last year, many would feel sad of the lost of one of the heritage buildings in town. By the way, the new building to be built will looked alike the original design. However, this new building will be a 3 1/2 storey structure with a garden at its top floor. Well, since the old one cannot be retrieved anymore, let's expect something nice to appear in near future.

Rainbow During Rush Hour

2012-01-19T17:38:00.004+08:00

It's raining in the morning when everyone rushing to work. When I stuck in congested traffic, a beautiful rainbow appears in the sky. It didn't last long but just few minutes. I wonder how many of us who are rushing to work realize the existence of this nice scene in the morning.

Red Lantern At The Old Street

2012-01-18T17:43:00.003+08:00

Belfield Street at night not that lonely now. It's decorated with some red lantern for Chinese New Year which is just around the corner. Although there are not many but it makes the old street more charming at night. If the shops alongside are occupied, I believe there would be more decorations & the scene will certainly more attractive.

"Images of Ipoh" is Now 3 Years Old !!

2012-01-17T13:24:00.002+08:00

Sky Lounge

2012-01-16T23:42:00.005+08:00

It should be a nice experience to hang around at the podium roof level and have some drinks, while enjoying the scenic view from the higher spot over surrounding area of Ipoh Garden East & Bercham. Sky Lounge of MH Hotel is now offering this brand new concept to Ipoh citizens. The lounge is set to open on 18-Jan-2012 and I am sure it will be a must-go destination for many youngsters.

Kledang Hill Under The Blue Sky

2012-01-05T23:54:00.001+08:00

What a clear & bright morning in Ipoh. When looking towards Kledang Hill, trees & telecommunication towers on the hill can be seen clearly under the cloudless blue sky. Weather of recent days started shifting away from the routine where raining season seems to reach the end. There will be more sunny & warm days when closer to Chinese New Year.

Not For Parking

2012-01-04T23:45:00.002+08:00

While we have more & more cars on the road, we may have less parking space. Not only in downtown, there are some commercial blocks in residential area being a piece of hot cake. Every inch of land is so valuable and people would think of any method to secure their territory. This is seen in the busiest spot in First Garden where barriers are being setup to ensure the space reserved for a stall, although this is not an official lot assigned by city council for street business.

Kinta Riverfront Hotel In Operation

2012-01-03T23:05:00.004+08:00

After about 2 years of construction, Kinta Riverfront Hotel is finally open to public on the first day of 2012. However, the work on these buildings has not fully completed. Despite the hotel block opens for operation, the adjacent suites apartment block still under construction for final touch up. Anyway, Kinta Riverfront has change the skyline of Ipoh city & offers a new spot to accommodate the visitors. Although it's not as luxury as it's promoted, the setup is still quite presentable. And the remarkable thing is it has Ipoh's first glass view elevator where passenger can enjoy the beauty of Ipoh city when moving upwards in the hotel.

Another Great Sunset

2012-01-02T23:08:00.006+08:00

Most of the people are still enjoying the new year holiday today. However, crowd at Kinta City has reduced & congestion is not seen at the roof top car park of the mall. It's a warm day & the sky is relatively clear compared to those rainy days last week. I just able to capture the moment of beautiful sunset.

The Storm Is Approaching

2012-01-01T23:22:00.000+08:00

The first day of 2012 seems to be a rainy day in Ipoh. Sky starts getting dark since afternoon that quickly turns into storm at Kledang Range and start moving towards the heart of the valley.

Back To Bricks & Dust

2011-11-28T18:41:00.003+08:00

Finally, the building at Clare Street disappeared, leaving only bricks & dust. Old Ruby cinema at adjacent may not escape the same fate if one day it cannot serve any commercial value.

Street Artist

2011-11-27T23:36:00.002+08:00

It is not usually seen in Ipoh an artist painting on the street. Outside Kinta Heights, this man is capturing the scene of Leech Street in the morning. I am sure he still can find many other nice spots around Ipoh for painting.

Screens to Welcome Crowd

2011-11-16T22:14:00.003+08:00

With two giants of retailing landed in Station 18, this area is now a golden triangle of southern Ipoh. A brand new AEON Jusco is going to open early next year, which is just few yards away from the currently operating Tesco. Commercial units that surrounding these two malls are now of the best valued properties in town. With expected increase of traffic along Pasir Puteh Road, two LED advertising screens are being setup at two major entrances to the Station 18 commercial park.

Good Morning Ipoh

2011-11-15T19:33:00.003+08:00

An awesome scene of sun rise in the morning welcomes all Ipoh citizen to start their day in this beautiful city.

They Love Toys

2011-11-14T19:40:00.004+08:00

If you think garbage truck is not worth for any decoration, then you may be wrong this time. This team of scavenger may like toys a lot. Although being dumped by their original owners, these poor bears & dragon are now enjoying their ride around the city to serve the public.

Scene at Clare Street

2011-11-13T18:25:00.005+08:00

The scene at Clare Street is changing with this row of shop being torn down. The main structure was still intact when seen in August, but it is going down today. Looking at the broken pillars & distorted structure, I believe it will be completely demolished very soon.

The Memory Lane

2011-10-23T11:57:00.003+08:00

This Sunday flee market used to be located at Market Terrace (Tingkat Pasar) few decades ago, probably in 1970's. There were selling second-hand or used goods. Later it was moved to People's Park and stayed for many years until a landscaping project carried out there. Finally the city council relocate the flee market to Horley Street & name it as "Memory Lane". We still see crowd on Sunday like in the past but the visitor has changed; it used to be majority local Chinese but now I see there are mostly Malay & foreign workers.

Sunset at Klebang

2011-10-09T18:48:00.002+08:00

It's almost the end of a day. Sunlight refraction starts creating beautiful scene in the sky. The brightness above Kledang Range versus the soft reflection in the east which looked like an aurora. Although this is not a breathtaking scene but it's just an eye-catching moment.

Irresistible Display

2011-10-08T18:40:00.005+08:00

Found your favorite characters here? Well, this is the window display of a gift shop in Ampang, Gunung Rapat. Indeed, toys are not children's privilege but also interested to the adults, especially the game characters. Well, you know what I mean, it's the Angry Birds. This is just irresistible for me to snap & share this colorful & funny scene.

New Skyline Seen from Ipoh Padang

2011-10-02T19:01:00.002+08:00

Now it looked different when viewing from Old Town Cafe across the Ipoh Padang. In between Wisma Taiko & Islamic Bank Building, the two blocks rose from ground reaching its full height now are the Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Condominium. Ipoh city center skyline is now added with these towers which are touching the height limit of Ipoh's high rise building. When seen from a farther distance, it's clearly noticeable that Kinta Riverfront Towers are in same level with Tower Regency Hotel, sharing the crown of tallest building in Ipoh city center.

God Welcoming Ceremony

2011-09-29T18:52:00.005+08:00

This was another long working day for me. While on the way back after dinner, I found some extraordinary crowds in downtown. I realized it immediately that was the people coming to participate a God welcoming ceremony during this Nine Emperor's Celebration. Although I am born & grown in this city, I have never witness the God welcoming ceremony for the past decades. And that moment, I decided to park my car and join the crowd. As I know the ceremony begins at the Kinta River bank near Hugh Low Bridge. On my arrival, I could see the pathway to the river was lighted up by candles & joss sticks. And when the parade started march back to the temple of Tow Boh Keong, there are scenes that had been disappearing from my life for many years resumed & recall so much of my childhood memory. This is certainly a special night of mine.

Another New Tenant at Lau Ek Ching Street

2011-09-24T18:32:00.003+08:00

Busy workers are transforming these shops into a bistro. It's great to see a new tenant coming into Lau Ek Ching Street. I am sure this will make the street a more attractive place to visit. I am quite looking forward to see the outcome of restoration. Let's see what will it be several weeks later.

Stories of My Home Town

2011-09-17T18:06:00.010+08:00

We probably have heard a lot of stories about the rich & famous in Ipoh since its establishment over a century ago. Stories of tycoons in the industry of tin mining, plantation, properties & so on. Those big names also marked on our road map to commemorate their contribution to the city's development. Somehow we have a chance to hear the story of the ordinary people of Ipoh, those whom might be the girl or boy next door in our life. And the stories are just like many of our experience in the early years. Thanks to a dedicated team lead by Commander Ian Anderson, a book named "Ipoh, My Home Town" is launched today. The team, which is running the website Ipoh World, has spent years to collect information & photographs of local residents and finally edited into this book, probably the first volume of it which possibly more to come in near future. I feel so grateful to have such dedicative people who put so much effort in preserving the history of life in Ipoh. I am sure this book will touch the heart of Ipohites & people from the towns at its surrounding. The launching ceremony was held in Royal Ipoh Club. It was simple but meaningful with the speech presented by Commander Ian Anderson & Tun Lim Keng Yaik. I have got my copy right here. If you like to order the book, you can visit the website of Ipoh World.

Congratulations to the team!!

Morning With The White Coffee

2011-09-09T12:06:00.003+08:00

When first time heard about "white coffee", I believe many would have the same thought as mine in the past; is there really coffee in white color? Well, later when get to know about the real reason of calling it "white" coffee is just because the coffee bean is fried to be lighter color compare to normal bean. From knowing nothing about it until almost addicted to it, white coffee is now a must for many people in the morning, just like me :-)

Traditional Biscuit Shop, Ching Han Guan

2011-09-06T13:05:00.004+08:00

Ching Han Guan, in Cantonese "Zhong Hon Yuin" (鍾漢元) is a well known name in Ipoh as a popular traditional biscuit shop. Founded in 1949, it has been based at Hugh Low Street for more than half a century & almost every elderly Ipoh citizen knows about it. There varieties of biscuits sold here, which attract many migrated Ipoh people come back to find their familiar tasty biscuits. Despite running traditional business, Ching Han Guan is now also found in cyber world at http://www.chg.my. And a new signboard with modern design coexists with it's original main board is telling us the traditional biscuit shop is ready to enter the new era.

The Beautiful Sunset After Work

2011-09-05T00:50:00.000+08:00

It's a warm day with only little cloud in the sky. When driving to dinner after work, the colorful scenery at western mountain range chased away my tire. It has been quite some time I did not capture beautiful sunset like this.

Who Will Fix Me Back?

2011-09-04T00:30:00.000+08:00

The road sign at traffic light junction in front of Kinta City Shopping Center is being knocked down by someone. It has been laying on the road divider for some time & I don't see the relevant department come to fix it back or replace a new one. This happen everywhere in the city. Apart from road signs, street lamp is also a usual victim of road accidents.

A Hope for SPH de Silva Building

2011-09-03T19:24:00.000+08:00

As compare to the photo posted in June 2009, SPH de Silva Building has been further deteriorated today. Anyway, I find the building is recently covered at one side. Could it be some restoration work is going on? I really hope there is a new owner giving it new life & return the beauty of the building

Value of An Old Building

2011-09-02T16:10:00.003+08:00

Metal frames are installed onto the exterior of this old shophouse at Hugh Low Street. This building used to house one of the best curry noodles in town many years ago, so called Chuan Fong (泉芳). The front side of this shop was once bang by a car & collapsed its front portion. The curry noodle stall then moved to another shop at the opposite row & this building is left vacant until today. I believe the metal frame will be carrying billboard but I have no idea the shophouse will be occupied or it just used for hanging advertisement on the exterior. If the latter is true, I feel so sad where old shophouses in town become such lack of value nowadays.

Crowd At "Dim Sum" Street Again

2011-09-01T14:54:00.003+08:00

Leong Sin Nam Street, some also call it "dim sum" street, is getting crowded again. Visitor from outstation come to have Ipoh's famous Hong Kong dim sum. Three restaurants, Foh San, Yoke Fook Moon & Ming Court are making this street hub of dim sum & usually seen with traffic congestion around this area.

Flying National Flags, The 54th Independence Day

2011-08-31T02:16:00.002+08:00

Yes, today is the last day of August, and it's the 54th birthday of this nation called Malaysia. Flying flags has become a tradition to celebrate the independence day. Kinta Heigths is seen with lots of Malaysia national flag "Jalur Gemilang".

A Familiar Structure

2011-08-30T14:17:00.001+08:00

I was driving towards south and passing by Gunung Rapat. When I saw this rocket-like post & it looked so familiar. This is the same structure appears in Tasek's KFC & Pizza Hut outlet. It seems Gunung Rapat will continue with the battle of fast food, after having McDonald's, Station One, Secret Recipe, Domino's Pizza, Burger King & Old Town. Gunung Rapat, as the southern gateway to Ipoh is now growing to be another hot spot apart from Ipoh Garden, which is at the northeast.

The Shopping Craze

2011-08-29T02:22:00.002+08:00

Long holiday, what would be the most welcome activity in Ipoh? The answer is eating & shopping. Apart from enjoying tasty local food of Ipoh, spending time in shopping mall is almost a must. As there are only handful of shopping malls in Ipoh, they usually get crowded at this time. From the fully occupied car park, obviously Kinta City is one of the hottest spots attracting Ipoh citizens & visitors.

A Special Auto Show

2011-08-28T02:24:00.004+08:00

To promote the new cars, old generations are gathered to attract our eyes in an auto show. Nevertheless, it had really catch my attention while these old & nicely decorated cars lined up at the front car park at De Garden. Apart from attracting people, these old cars also help to gain potential customer's confidence on robustness of this brand

New Style of Desktop Advertising

2011-08-27T02:14:00.002+08:00

Advertising on eating shop & food court tables isn't a new idea. It used to be a piece of printed poster pasted on the table. However, it is quite limited space to advertise more details & not so flexible for updating latest post. This kind of desktop advertisement had been disappearing for some time and here come a new style, as seen in this photo. Flipping cards are placed on tables. I guess it will provide sufficient information on product or service & updating new advertisement can be done anytime.

The Leaning Wall

2011-08-24T20:47:00.002+08:00

When talking about preservation of heritage building, safety must be taken care too. Constrcution requirment at a century ago might not consider the building robustness after hundred years. We can see some buildings started to deform & leaning wall like this shoplot is usually found. Hopefully something will be done by the owner before any unwanted tragic incident happens.

Beautiful Mosque

2011-08-23T20:55:00.002+08:00

This mosque in SPPPK Housing Estate has just been renovated & looked beautiful. It is called Al-Furqan Mosque. I find it so attractive especially under the nice blue sky with clear white clouds.

Faded Paint

2011-08-22T20:43:00.002+08:00

The faded paint at this pillar probably can tell us how long the shoplot has been left vacant. While I was thinking this radio shop is no longer exist, I am surprise to find it has moved to the opposite row, which seen in background of this photo. By the way, the building occupancy is quite poor along this part of Anderson Road. The corridor always quiet day & night.

Construction Chased By Time

2011-08-21T20:39:00.004+08:00

Citizens of Ipoh are all quite concern about whether this shopping mall will complete according to schedule. Since the last post about its status in July, it seems the work is progressing smoothly & the building is now growing to more than half of its planned height. To complete & open to public by February 2012, it still need some more effort & hard work.

Balloons Under The Sun

2011-08-20T19:49:00.007+08:00

In the warm & sunny afternoon, she is walking from street to street, crossing the busiest traffic in town struggling to sell as many balloon as she can. These balloons are probably the only shade to her under the hot sun. Life is not easy, but it still goes on....

Airport Under Expansion

2011-08-19T19:15:00.006+08:00

It had been talking for years, finally work of expansion started at Ipoh's Sultan Azlan Shah Airport. Despite argument in the community of whether to move this airport to a farther location from Ipoh city center to enable the city's high rise building development & build it bigger for international flights, or to slightly expend it in the highly populated area, the government decided to proceed with the latter. To give way for renovation, more than half of the airport terminal is closed & is operating in a poor condition. Hopefully the construction can be completed soon & appear in a new look just like the picture displayed at the site. Anyway, I believe the control tower will remain unchange.

New Look In Town, Ipoh SoHo

2011-08-18T19:11:00.004+08:00

A new properties development in downtown, Ipoh SoHo by Kinta Saujana, may introduce a new concept to remain population in city center. In the past 2 decades, people are moving out from downtown seeking for more spacious living environment & avoiding congestion in the city. It had caused Ipoh city center become a dead town at night. The Ipoh SoHo project would promote a combination of living & commercial building in the heart of city. If the concept works for Ipoh, there may be more similar projects in future will copy the concept. Furthermore, current old shoplots which was designed in the same way might also be restored to accommodate needs of modern day's living & commercial style.

The Board Is Gone

2011-08-14T18:06:00.003+08:00

If you remember one of my post in April about an old board in front of Lido Cinema that used to advertise the latest showing movie, it is not gone with only the concrete pillars remained. There may be no intention to completely remove all structure because the pillars are re-painted. Perhaps a new board will be put on & it continues its mission to advertise, but not movie anymore.

More Damage Is Going On

2011-08-11T17:19:00.002+08:00

I can see the work to bring this building down is going on. Since the last photo captured in June, the roof is already removed & part of the wall is being taken away. This is now an empty structure with only the skin remains. I have no idea about its fate; will it be completely demolished or the outer surface will remain?

Back In 19th Century

2011-08-08T18:11:00.007+08:00

I was walking street to street in Old Town. Surrounding scenery is just so familiar. But if I was not glancing at this narrow alley, the side wall of this building wouldn't catch my eyes. It's front has been modified like any other ordinary modern building. But its side face seems untouched; the metal shade & the wooden window are believed to be still the original one. When I looked up, I found an amazing thing, it is the Chinese characters engraved on the top floor still remain. Immediately it reminds me about an old photo of Ipoh Leech Street, in which the characters seen at top left are what I see now. It suddenly makes me feel like back in 19th century.....

Sunny Morning at Yang Kalsom Road

2011-08-07T17:10:00.002+08:00

One of the busiest road in town, Yang Kalsom Road, is seen with long queue again in front the traffic light of Hugh Low Street junction. The weather in past one week tend to rain in the afternoon. Usually the next morning would be clear & sunny.

Lim Kopi

2011-08-05T17:57:00.005+08:00

Having coffee or tea together with toast, snacks, or oriental dishes is your favorite? Now you can enjoy it in a Lim Kopi cafe in Hugh Low Street, right at the oldest part of Ipoh ("Lim Kopi" in local Hokkien dialect means drink coffee). By keeping the building structure, the interior is made to be nostalgic but comfortable. You may really like to have your cup of coffee right here. I also heard the adjacent Oversea Building will be converted into a boutique hotel by the same owner of this cafe. What a nice idea!!

The Shining Bee Nest

2011-08-04T17:06:00.002+08:00

Lighting decoration is getting more popular nowadays. Pubs & bistros in Ipoh Garden East always keeping themselves attractive by putting on new look. Colorful running lights are now here & there in the city. This bee nest is one of my favorites.

Invasion of New Architecture

2011-08-03T17:45:00.009+08:00

I captured the last scene of 3 old shops at Treacher Street in June 2010 before it was torn down. Now there is a new building which is completely inharmony to the neighbouring old buildings under construction. Despite some restoration project in town that intend to preserve original structure, or at least its appearance, we still find many are not appreciating the value of heritage buildings.

Yau Tet Shin Road

2011-08-02T17:03:00.003+08:00

Yau Tet Shin Road was once well known as hawker street back in 1970's~80's. However, since Ipoh City Council forced to relocate street hawker in 1986, it had been quiet for some time. Except few of them moved in to shops and continue their business here, most are now based at Rainbow City hawker street. Until recent years, Yau Tet Shin Road at night back to be a popular spot for food & local product. Apart from the famous beansprout chicken restaurants, there are also restaurants of Cantonese & Teochew food. The street become so congested at night, especially weekend & holiday eve. It's a very different scene from this day time condition.

MH Hotel at Its Full Height Now

2011-08-01T19:44:00.003+08:00

From the previous post of MH Hotel on February, it is still chasing time to grow higher. Now it has reached top level for some time and interior works should be the focused task now. We should expect the grand opening by early next year, probably to catch up with the first festive holidays of Chinese New Year.

Walk At Your Own Risk

2011-07-26T19:38:00.003+08:00

This is what our local authorities can do for the citizen. If you choose to walk here, you are walking at your own risk. This kind of poor infrastructure is found everywhere in the city and I had been few times almost fell onto the road because of misstepping on these uneven tiles. There is just no accountability from the responsible department.

It Will Be Done Differently

2011-07-24T16:14:00.002+08:00

Looking at this corner unit of shoplot at junction of Theater Street & Osborne Street, the "skin" of the building is not torn down but inner structure is completely replaced. I would gladly believe this project is going to preserve the original appearance of the shop. Some owners may begin to act differently in restoration, where maintaining building surface could be value added on their properties.

Old Town Viewed From Maybank Building

2011-07-20T19:15:00.002+08:00

This is the first time I come to Maybank Building's multi storey car park to view the Old Town. Looking towards south, Kinta Heights is the most eye catching structure among other low rise buildings. Anyway, it would be sad to see there are many empty slots because of old building demolition. There are also many rebuilt structures among the old one creating inharmony appearance in Old Town.

Big "S" In The Sky

2011-07-17T15:00:00.003+08:00

Just mentioned in my last post of when would the clear sky returns, a downpour yesterday had eashed away the haze & give us back the fresh atmosphere. In the sunny & warm day, I was pumping petrol along Kuala Kangsar Road. In the great blue sky, I see this big piece of twisting itself forming an "S" shape. I can't explain how would it looked like but it just attracted me to think of a giant brush had splashed onto the sky.

Great Work Done at Lau Ek Ching Street

2011-07-16T19:59:00.002+08:00

If you remember, I have been not only once but many times mentioning about beautiful heritage buildings at Lau Ek Ching Street shall be well preserved. Today I just found another great restoration work done on one of the shoplots turning it into a beauty salon. The building after restoration looked so beautiful and I am just hoping more will be taken up by new owner or tenant & given new life.

Sunrise Behind The Gauze

2011-07-15T15:20:00.002+08:00

The hazy atmosphere has been covering Ipoh & many other cities in Peninsula Malaysia for weeks. The day looked like cloudy & the sun is clearly seen with naked eye of its round shape. Everyone just wonder when the clear sky will be back.

What's This?

2011-07-12T15:46:00.003+08:00

I was walking at the back alley of Clarke Street, there was something funny drawn my attention. I thought it was a handcuff and was wondering how could someone been cuff here. When took a closer look, I realized that it's just an old & rusty bicycle lock.

Waiting To Turn On The Screen

2011-07-10T15:32:00.002+08:00

Yes, it's another electronic advertising screen in town. Now this is targeting the driver from Cockman street by putting the screen above Eastern's Brasseries Restaurant entrance. It seems animated advertisement is now well accepted in Ipoh. I just looking forward to see the screen to be turned on.

Hazy Ipoh

2011-07-07T18:55:00.003+08:00

The warm weather has been prolonged for more than 2 weeks. Day by day we are creating polluting gases & some are still burning rubbish at open air happily without worrying the deteriorating environment. All these actions have turn into a result like this morning. This is not morning mist but haze. The city is now heavily polluted & we can hardly see the sun rise. When driving at Tasek Road, objects at far are all seen to be blur.

We Have Many Dangerous Lamp Posts

2011-07-04T19:33:00.001+08:00

Progress of Ipoh's Biggest Mall

2011-07-03T18:42:00.006+08:00

Tower Crane Retrieves

2011-07-02T19:27:00.002+08:00

Once A Popular Chair

2011-07-01T19:30:00.003+08:00

Sun Rise In The Misty Morning

2011-06-07T19:55:00.001+08:00

From a rainy morning yesterday to a misty morning today. The weather is slowly changing. The scene of sun rise is beautiful and the mountains are found to be mysterious when partially covered by clouds. Looking at the awesome scene, I always feel proud of the beautiful mountains around Ipoh.

A Rainy Monday Morning

2011-06-06T19:54:00.001+08:00

Traffic in a rainy Monday morning is getting worse when most people choose to drive to work. A long queue is seen far away from the traffic light in front of Kinta Free Trade Zone.

Landmark at Kampar Road

2011-05-31T15:04:00.003+08:00

This is a view from Gopeng Road's Impiana Hotel towards south. The scene is dominated by the condominium blocks of Damaipuri and The Store Supermarket which are the landmark buildings along Kampar Road. The residential hiding in the green trees, Chateau Garden, is one of the best living environments in Ipoh.

Finally It Is Gone

2011-05-29T14:12:00.002+08:00

In 2-May-2009, I asked how long would this corner abandoned shophouse would stand. The last image I captured on it would be its side view in 11-March-2011 post. It seemed the badly damaged building had stood for 2 more years before being torn down by the city council recently. The Ipoh City Council shall be criticized as it plans to further demolish over 60 units of old building in town rather than putting additional effort to get the owners to refurbish or renovate it. I personally have a feeling that the Malaysian government is trying very hard to wipe out the historical buildings existed since the colonial era, perhaps an effort to deny the history of colonization.

The End of A Busy Day

2011-05-27T21:45:00.003+08:00

Although this is a Friday, it's a busy day for me. Apart from the heavy work load, the warm & humid weather at the valley also tear off a lot of my energy. When everything start settled down, darkness already covered the city & lights are on under the sunset.

Palace Restaurant

2011-05-26T12:32:00.003+08:00

Palace Restaurant in Excelsior Hotel has been one of the well known Chinese restaurants in town. Despite tough competition in catering industry nowadays, the restaurant has gone through more than 2 decades. Wedding dinner is probably the most popular function for this restaurant and having such a dinner in hotel in those old days was considered grand & luxury. But with aggressive improvement in other local Chinese restaurants, luxurious is no longer Palace's advantage but it is even falling behind now. However the survival a restaurant should very much relies on the quality of food & service.

Excessive Floor Space

2011-05-25T00:02:00.003+08:00

There are many shop lots in Ipoh having only ground floor occupied but vacant above. This is not only found in housing estates but even the most popular commercial areas such Ipoh Garden East & Greentown. Despite low occupancy rate, there are still many more construction projects coming up with more floor space created to be excessive. The trend of properties is kind of not healthy nowadays.

Oil Painting in the Morning Sky

2011-05-24T12:59:00.002+08:00

As I always believe nature is the greatest artist. It creates the most beautiful & amazing artwork at a particular time and we have to appreciate as it just last for few minutes before faded away. This morning I was attracted by the pattern in the sky that looked like an oil painting. Although I can't tell what this pattern is but the colorful appearance simply caught my heart.

Before It's Gone

2011-05-23T18:11:00.003+08:00

This row of shop at Clarke Street (beside ex Ruby Cinema) is being isolated. It makes me worry that it will be tron down very soon. The right most unit was still intact when it was captured in my snap shot of hanging street light on 3-May-2011. But today its roof tiles & windows are gone. Look like it will go missing any time from now. I can see the 5 shops were designed as one block and the center unit was added with special decorative features. As I glance through the front doors & windows, some inner structures have been brought down and I believe it is not just renovation but a complete rebuild project. What a waste to have a historical piece in the city going disappear. Before it's gone, I can only capture its last moment as an image to be remembered in coming days.

Football Match at Ipoh Padang

2011-05-22T16:05:00.004+08:00

Ipoh Padang is a popular place for big event in the city, such as New Year celebration, outdoor concert, road show and sport events like cricket & football. I was passing by Ipoh Padang yesterday and got to know there were football matches here. It continues this morning & I just stop by watching for a while. Looks like this is a competition. Ipoh Padang is big enough to fit 2 football court & there were 2 matches running at the same time.

It's PC Fair Again

2011-05-21T18:30:00.005+08:00

Yes, it's PC Fair again! This IT show organized by The National ICT Association of Malaysia, PIKOM, is getting more popular now and there are 3 rounds in a year being carried in major cities nationwide. The fair landed in Ipoh Indera Mulia Indoor Stadium & this 3-day event started on Friday. Despite the congestion seen today, I believe the crowd still not reach its peak but it should hit in Sunday.

The Two Towers Are Level

2011-05-20T22:02:00.004+08:00

When the service apartment block reached top level early this year, the hotel adjacent to it was still at beginning stage of construction. After five months of intensive work, the 19-storey hotel is now also reaching its top and at same level with the apartment block. Somehow due to the location, these two towers though with highest floor count, still do not dominate the city skyline.

The Red 1931

2011-05-19T15:49:00.004+08:00

My last post about this shophouse was 19-July-2010. The 1931 built shophouse is now painted in red matching the tenant, Red Boutique. Despite the good will of giving the building a new coat, I believe it can be done better if different color is painted to outline the decorative pattern & sculpture on top.

Empty Eyesore Building

2011-05-18T20:40:00.004+08:00

Almost everyone in Ipoh knows this eyesore building at Cockman Street. It's a product of early 1990's where economy was picking up and new buildings & supermarkets were mushrooming. Ocean Supermarket was a big name at that time and it landed at Ipoh in this building. An office block is built on top of the 5-storey supermarket. An 11-storey car park is attached and this should be the tallest multi storey car park in Ipoh. However, the building was not well accepted and has low occupancy rate since it's completion. It is architecturally poor and with its age reaching almost 20 years, it's now an eyesore to the city skyline.

Timah House

2011-05-17T19:54:00.003+08:00

This is a 6-storey building at Belfield Street. Although not a significantly large building but what has drawn my attention since I was young is the glass wall. It is called Timah House, I have no idea who own it and what the building occupies for. Anyway, back in 30 years ago, glass wall building is only seen in other major cities. And Timah House's partial glass wall was simply a pioneer of Ipoh's architecture in 1980's. I still remember among my brothers and friends we called it "the glass building" (玻璃楼).

The Thompson Flora Tropika

2011-05-16T13:07:00.002+08:00

The Thompson Flora Tropika is probably the most expensive luxurios residential project in Ipoh nowadays. It was unimaginable to have residence costs above million in this city few years back. But now a bungalow in The Thompson Flora Tropika could cost multi millions. Being located at the heart of Ipoh's most luxurious residential area, Polo Ground and Tiger Lane (Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah), The Thompson is born to be fabulous & exclusive.

Usual Queue During Weekend

2011-05-15T19:45:00.003+08:00

Shopping is probably one of the most popular activities of Malaysian. Unlike Kuala Lumpur & Penang, Ipoh has only few shopping malls where these places are always congested during weekend. And the traffic leading to these malls would also packed by cars. Just like this road, Jalan Merpati of Ipoh Garden. It will always seen with long queue heading to Kinta City Shopping Center. I am sure the residents along this road are getting quite annoyed with the heavy traffic right in front of their doorstep.

Paragon City Hotel

2011-05-14T14:43:00.003+08:00

When driving along Kampung Simee Road, you won't find difficult to spot Paragon City Hotel. It is an outstanding 6-storey building among the low rise residential houses of Simee & Star Park. It's location is quite a nice choice to serve customer whom like to gain instant access to Ipoh Garden, Canning Garden, Simee, Fair Park & Kepayang Village. Of course, it still compete with nearby budget hotels such as De Hotel and Fair Park Hotel. Anyway, the hotel should be pretty well accepted as I observe its car park is always busy. To know more detail, you may check out the following information.

Paragon City Hotel Ipoh
No.1, Jalan Dato Haji Megat Khas, Taman Bandaraya Utama, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Tel.: +605-545 0900
Fax: +605-545 1900
Website: http://www.paragoncityhotel-ipoh.com

Amazing Scene In The Sky

2011-05-13T22:40:00.004+08:00

This is an amazing scene during sunset which is rarely occur above Ipoh. With the sunlight refraction, the rounded shape clouds are highlighted. I stop myself at road side to capture these photos at different zooming and I can see many people are pointing their sight upwards enjoying this beautiful scene. It lasts about 15 minutes before the shine faded away.

Hanging Clothes Like in the Past

2011-05-12T19:35:00.005+08:00

When the downtown was still packed with residents back in mid 20th century, most windows at upper floors were always seen with hanging clothes. Living space was so limited & building design was not meant for comfortability. Furthermore, the growing population added pressure to the capacity of downtown shophouses and the building was fully utilized for all kind of living purpose. Therefore, window become the best place to dry clothes. Nowadays most shophouses in town are used for business & commercial. Even there are residents, the population density is far lower & space become sufficient. The scenery like this one at Lau Ek Ching Street is rarely seen.

Decorative Lamp of The Bar

2011-05-10T19:34:00.004+08:00

An old shop house at Cowan Street has been converted into a bar. The renovation work was nicely done where the beauty of old building is very much preserved while new features are added on. One of it is the decorative street lamp stood at a small front yard. I like the simple but neat decoration of the bar and its color. It may looked even more charming at night when the lights are on.

Embedded Post Boxes

2011-05-08T19:26:00.003+08:00

New technology has changed modern people lifestyle so much in a relatively short time. Nowadays post office handles many other transactions such as bill payments than only mails. The post boxes outside of the post office may not receive as many mail as in the past. Communication with people at distance no longer relies on paper mail but through electronic devices.

Morning in Pengkalan

2011-05-06T19:23:00.001+08:00

It's already more than a month since I back to work in Pengkalan. Although it's at another side of the city from previous work place, the morning scene still charming & attractive. Moving from north to south boundary of Ipoh, despite facing heavier traffic on the way to work, the most I enjoy is to experience the life in this city.

Scene at Cockman Street North

2011-05-04T14:05:00.004+08:00

Cockman Street is starting for the junction with Chamberlain Road at south and crossing two trunk roads of the city, Hugh Low Low Street & Brewster Road, ends at north junction with Anderson Road. Along the street, the two most happening spots are sections near Central Market & old cinemas at north side. Although the cinemas are no longer exist and replaced by restaurant & retail shop, but the supermarket, shopping complex & fast food restaurants around here still attracting crowd, especially foreign workers during weekend.

Another Old Hanging Street Light

2011-05-03T16:31:00.003+08:00

I was thinking there is no other old hanging street light elsewhere in Ipoh, as mentioned in November 16 last year. But when I come to Lau Ek Ching Street, I am quite surprise to see a functioning hanging street light. There are two near the junction to Clarke Street but only one of it lighted up. This scene may looked quite similar to Ipoh's old days as I got the street light matching to an old shophouse at background which its appearance seems very little changed.