The Good Old Days

Many things came flashing across my mind throughout the past 4 days where I spent 80% of the time on bed. The past, the present as well as the vague future. Call the future vague because there's no way of seeing it.

Among the things that had played in my mind were the good old days. Thinking of the past doesn't bring any benefit, but it surely makes me think about the things that my future child will never be able to experience. One of the most disheartening things is that, my future child will never get to physically know its maternal grandmother. Anyway, what's the point of divulging into this when my child has not even been safely born to the world yet?

Bad nostalgia apart, but out of fond memories of the good old days, lets explore some of the moments that used to be part of my life...

1. The scenary

One of the most beautiful sights in Ipoh is the "Sam Poh Tong" cave temple. Here's a building at Sam Poh Tong that resembles what's commonly found in China. The pond and rock garden are simply splendid.

2. Mid-autumn festival at home

Gone now are the days when I used to be able to celebrate the mid-autumn festival yearly at home. My mother and I loved the light up paper lanterns and put them up outside the house.

Our final mid-autumn festival together in 2010

3. So near and yet so far

This is one of my mother's workplaces... the "Klinik Desa Bemban" in Batu Gajah. A place where the local expectant mothers get their antenatal check-ups and babies get vaccinated for free. Indeed, my "kad merah" from Klinik Kesihatan Seri Kembangan reminds me of my mom's work!

Mom's former workplace, post-renovation.

4. The Kellie's Castle, a place of attraction in Batu Gajah.

Located between Batu Gajah and Gopeng, this place attracts many visitors during the holidays. Also a popular spot for pre-wedding photography.

View from the rooftop of Kellie's Castle. Limestone hills are synonymous with Ipoh and its surrounding towns.

5. Going home

A train ride of going back to Ipoh is incomplete without a countryside scene such as this:

An invigorating view of a vegetable farm away from the city

6. Plants at home

One of things I liked being at home were the sight of plants.

My mom's garden of greenery. I wish I'm able to revive something similar in the future so that my future child (if I indeed have one) will learn to appreciate the beauty of plants instead of concretes.

The blooming bougainvilleas outside my former neighbour's home...

Ixora that used to surround the side of my former home:

This all-leaves plant consists of very fine leaves and branches. It needs a lot of water and shade to sustain itself.

Sadly, I was unable to bring it along with my due to unavoidable circumstances when I was forced to shift from my former home.

7. Some typical dinner of a single-girl who's away from home

There's nothing special nor bad in what I used to have when I was away from home. But now that I haven't had outside food such as these for a long time, I think I'm beginning to miss them. Ironically so.

Rice with eggplant, minced meat and "bird's eye chili" from the “大炒”

Rice and curries... my favourite in times when I crave for spices

There are more than these, but then I usually don't take picture of all the meals I consume. :P

8. The backyard

I used to enjoy watching pigeons in the noons after lunch. One of my neighbours from the street behind my former home keeps pigeons. Some Chinese believe that pigeons bring good fortunes. And my fortunes lies in..............?

9. The Last Supper

This isn't exactly supper, but should more precisely be described as the last meal that I enjoyed with peace on the night before things suddenly happened akin to a crash of rollercoaster.

A bento takeaway from Jusco:

The stress of seeing life draining away from a person so dear was intensely high. I was stressed mostly by shock, not so much by sadness due to the personal notion that when the time comes for one to go, one has no choice but to let go. Nevertheless, having said that, it doesn't mean that sadness was absent just because I didn't cry.

10. Farewell my home, from the bottom of my heart

As an informal farewell to Ipoh, my brother and I managed to go to a few places and ate what's locally-famous while on our way back from running various errands.

The Ipoh Padang, facing my dad's alma mater, St Michael's Institution

After regaining some appetite, we managed to try these savory egg tarts at Nam Heong located on Jalan Bijeh Timah for the first and last time.

The original White Coffee at Nam Heong

Conclusion

Will what's supposedly gone, ever come back to life?