Since 1931

This is a very rare case of old building maintained in proper manner & displaying the original beauty of its architecture. Probably due to it's nature of business, it has to preserve the nice looking old fashion of decoration. Anyway, I believe we can learn from many Western cities that running modern business in heritage buildings and yet still attractive. A well-managed old building can be a better advertising tool rather than a ordinary billboard.

Breakfast Before Going To Work

There are not many customer in this coffee shop. Most of them are coming alone to have their breakfast before going to work. The shop has no problem to survive as there are some factories nearby.

Occupant Keep Changing

This 4-storey building is located at the junction between Pasir Puteh Road & Leong Boon Swee Road, which is right beside the traffic light. This is the the closest portion of Pasir Puteh to city center & it suppose a strategic commercial location. However, the occupants of this building had been changing several times. It was even once won the Ipoh City Council's award of building decoration several years ago. I am thinking it could be the heavy traffic that leads to no parking lot around this building that cause the difficulty in attracting customer.

Lee's Ancestral Hall of Perak

When the Chinese migrated from China to South East Asia, they experienced difficult and helpless life in this new homeland. Therefore, there were many associations formed according to the originated province or family surname to take care those from same clan. Lee is a major family surname in Chinese society and there are Lee associations around the world. This is the Lee's Ancestral Hall of Perak. There are seasonal prayers to the ancestor held in this building and I used to attend with my father when I was young. There were scholarship and bounty given away anually for the good academic achievement students.

Busy & Silent Street

One of the busiest spot in Ipoh during day time, some would call it "white coffee street" (Leech Street), where the famous Old Town White Coffee originated. Many would feel little annoyed with the traffic congestion & parking lot constraint around this area. However, it will turn into a totally different atmosphere in the evening because the few coffee shops are closed around 4pm-5pm. Leech Street becomes silent and empty throughout the night where we can hardly imagine how busy it was during day time.

Colourful Sky & Rainbow

Again a beautiful partial rainbow was seen this evening. Drizzling during the sunset brought us coller atmosphere and also colourful sky & rainbow.

A Bright Day Starting

This is a start of another day. It can be one day farther from beginning of life or one day closer to end of life; it could be a great day or a lousy day; it could be new friend found or a new enemy arises. If life ends tomorrow, what would I do now to appreciate the balance hours I have? A bright day is starting, but many are still living in darkness of their life.

Balcony Dining

Among all the pre-war shop houses I know in New Town & Old Town, there is no such design to have a balcony at first floor like this row & the row opposite to it (where I stood to capture this photo). This is so unique & owner may make full use of it for commercial or beautification purpose. Anyway some of these shops have been renovated with the balcony covered. Outdoor seating for restaurant & cafe is getting more popular nowadays. Sitting at higher spot for dining or tea break while watching traffic at below is kind of enjoyable experience. If the first floor of these shops turn into restaurant & offer seats at the balcony, I believe it can be attractive and amazing.

Lonely Corridor

During early 20th century, population of Ipoh had rapidly grown. The original town couldn't withstand anymore & the new township was extended to the east bank of Kinta River around 1908-1910. That's the Old Town & New Town we know today. However, the trend has changed since 1970's when transportation become more convenient. People started to migrate away from downtown to the suburban residential that provides larger living space. When the city's economy was badly hit during 1986 & 1997, more shops were closed down & left abandoned. The corridor once too congested with people a century ago is now empty & lonely.

Sunset When Dinner

I was having dinner nearby home & sitting at open space of this shop. Beside enjoying the better air flow out here, I was able to apperciate the beautiful sun set while waiting for my food. Despite having no better camera at that moment, but yet this scene that captured by a mobile phone camera still appeared to be nice.

A Building Like Ship

I was spending quite some time around this area of Ali Pitchay Road during my primary school time because my aunt was staying in the shop house in orange color behind this building. This building was left vacant for many years before a college & food court moved in several years ago. People normally did not walk on its corridor (several feet above the street) because it was full of bird dropping. As I remember, it was known as the Perak Rubber Association Building during that time. It is designed in a typical 1950's-60's architecture & looked like a ship sailing on land.

Elegant Shops at Lau Ek Ching Street

I was walking along Lau Ek Ching Street again. I don't really understand how could almost the entire row of shop houses which located in the heart of the city is not occupied. In fact these buildings are so elegant & attractive if well-maintained. We can see from above pictures, the first on right is recently renovated & opened as a wedding studio, that looked so beautiful & charming. Whereas at the left end of row, there is an art gallery operating that also returns the building's nice look. These are the very limited old shops that offer front yard in town. I believe it can be an ideal place for cafe, restaurant which offers outdoor dining, or simply turn these shops become a boutique hotel themed the colonial living style. "If" I am rich :-) this will be definitely mine & I can imagine how charming the street will be, especially with decorations & light effect at night.

Properties Left Abandoned

Jalan Datoh is just a few hundred-meter long road in New Town which has no intensive development over the years. There are only few rows of shop along the road & this is probably the oldest. As seen now, 2 units are already in very bad shape while others are still in use. It is always a big question to me, is Ipoh's economic status so poor that there are so many shop owners would just abandon their properties to deteriorate in this way?

Struggling to Survive

This is seen in front of a factory in the small-middle size industrial estate. Most of the factories are running in mess condition with lack of environmental care. The vacant land behind these trees might be a tin mine in the past as it is covered by white sand & consists of a lake. Although trees are planted alongside the road but some are already gone, leaving the dead trunk. Could it be a result of hazardous environment torture or other reasons? I don't think the factories owner care about it. They would rather focus on higher sales at lowest cost than trees & environment, which they believe is none of their business.