Anderson Road Shophouses

Knock down pre-war shophouse & reconstruction has been commonly practiced in Ipoh. We can hardly find an entire row of shophouse which is completely remained untouched. Just like this row along Anderson Road. However, some dismantling work is seen at these shophouses and it is carried out almost in all of this block. I am suspecting something aggressive is planned. Could it be a nice preservation project to restore all these shophouses for new business, or it may be reaching its final destination soon?

New Face of Hume Street

Without realizing that time passes so fast, demolition of the pre-war building at Hume Street has been occurring 2 years ago. The new shophouses at the same location are almost completed that appear as new face of eastern Hume Street. Although this is a completely reconstructed building, it's architecture which replicating colonial-era shophouse is well integrated to the neighbourhood. The choice of grey-scale color for the exterior also helps to preserve the appearance of New Town like a heritage district.

Driving Into The Darkness

I could remember the raining reason has been probably started since September. It rained almost everyday since then and occasionally thunder storm strikes which flooded some lower grounds. When it happens, partly or whole atmosphere would turn into a scary darkness and bombarded by continuous lightning before the downpour.

The Express Is Almost Reaching Its Destination

Remember the promise by Cititel Express to open by end of 2014? As there is only one more month to end the year, its current condition from exterior doesn't seem optimistic for delivering its promise. Anyway, the interior works could be progressing simultaneously and it may still make it just on time to open their door for welcoming the new year of 2015.

Gear Up at D'Festivo

The condominium of D'Festivo Residences at Ipoh Garden East will be another obvious landmark after MH Hotel at the North-South Expressway exit. The 22-storey building that located right beside the expressway has just begun constructing its tower block not too long ago but the progress seems promising. Despite the raining season, night work would have extended its building capacity and certainly helps in speeding the grow.

Our Next Expecting Mall

Yesterday was the official opening of Aeon Mall Taiping, which is the 4th Aeon Shopping Centre in Perak state. The next to be expected shall be this one, Aeon Mall Klebang. Being the 5th Aeon Mall in the state, it is also the only shopping mall under construction in Ipoh. Therefore it is spotlighted by the community of Ipoh, especially the northern region. Anyway, the potential problem to be worried of shall be the traffic system. As the adjacent free industrial zone is well known to be a traffic black spot. The local authorities shall proactively taking necessary actions to prevent traffic congestion at this area when the mall commence business.
 

Sun Rise in a Refreshing Morning

How many would realize there is a beautiful scene in the morning while everyone are rushing to work? If we choose to leave home a little earlier and be more relax on the way to work, we may be able to find nice sun set scene like this. However, I am not someone who is practicing the above mentioned behaviour. After taking this shot, I was one of member joining the rushing queue to work. Lol..... :)

Skyline Viewed from Ibis Style Hotel

A peaceful night scene viewed from the roof top bar of Ibis Style Hotel. Ipoh skyline at night isn't impressive at all. However, I believe it will improve in coming few years.

Haze in the City

Mid-year is always a dry season in west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A few weeks without rain would instantly bring haze to cover the atmosphere of Kinta Valley. In this view from Ipoh Parade car park, the mountain range is fading from sight and buildings at distance are seen to be blur. This has become very common in the recent decade, most probably due to increasing activities of open burning and tremendous growth of motor vehicles.

Attractive Pictures in Old Town

Ipoh had been a well known boring city with was seriously lacking of taste of art. However, situation changed when the younger generation in this city begin to deliver their creative and artistic products to the public. And many realize the city with its attractive history and beautiful heritage is a great place to grow its unique local cultural art. As simple as this printed artwork on a renovating old shophouse, though not a masterpiece of art, able to enhance liveliness of Ipoh.

Mobile LED Billboard

Getting more people to know a product or service is the ultimate aim of an advertisement. Still billboard on the street has evolved from painted or printed poster, to changeable images, and later to LED display which became popular in the recent years. It is now appear in Ipoh a truck with LED displays acting as a mobile billboard in order to maximize the effectiveness to spread product information at widest possible coverage. One day we may see the conventional advertisement at the exterior of public transport replaced by electronic screens.

Cititel Express is in Express Mode

Cititel Express is putting up a giant banner to commit its opening by end of year 2014. The construction has reached its top floor but yet there are plenty of detail works to be done before it can open to public. It seems the hotel really need to gear up to an express mode in order to hit this aggressive target. Comparatively, the progress of Cititel Express construction is certainly ahead of another major hotel project in town, Weil Hotel, which kicked off earlier than Cititel but no sign of completion in near future.

A More Energetic Ipoh Parade

The renovation of Ipoh Parade has come to an end where the brand new look of its exterior is now fixed with the new logo as well, which is more dynamic and energetic. Despite upgrading of the mall, its tenants, indeed do not change much where majority of the existing occupants remain while not many new brands turn up. Nevertheless, Ipoh Parade still successfully attracted bigger crowd as compare to its performance several years ago. We just hope there will be more choices coming into the mall to make it shopping in Ipoh Parade a delightful experience.

It Reminds Me of A Famous Building

The Syuen Hotel that I familiar with for the past twenty years is always a bulky and bloated building. However, today when I walk by from the west towards the sharpest angle of Syuen Hotel, the new signage draws me to look upwards. Suddenly I find the scene is kind of familiar which later reminds me of a famous building, the Flatiron Building of New York City. Of course this is only an illusionary angle of view. The scene would completely change at just few steps away. While back at home, I started to retrieve the archived folders of photos and get the below image of Flatiron Building which I took in 2007 during my last trip to United States.