Back Home... In Ipoh

On day 1 of the Hari Raya public holiday, we made a trip to Ipoh... a place called my hometown because there's where I was born.

But apart from being my place of birth and where my former family home was in, I'm otherwise pretty estranged from this city of delicacies, as I spent my entire life-in-school-and-beyond outside Ipoh, and hence had minimal experience being an "Ipoh girl".

Memories of my mom's humble garden at my former home

Anyway, I'm happy that I still have family members living in Ipoh, namely my aunts and my cousin. So, whenever I happen to be there, I'll pay them a visit them.

After the demise of my paternal grandmother in 2011, gone are the days when family members of all ages and from various locations used to come over and gather for lunch on Chinese New Year.

How time flies!  It's been 5 years since I had a home in Ipoh.  During this trip, I saw a number new developments, mostly comprising hotels, luxurious residences and some shopping malls... among them is AEON Station 18 which is ten minutes away from my former home by car.

My former home with new occupants today

Apart from all that, Ipoh appears largely the same as before, as I'm still able to get around without major hassles.

On a cloudy Wednesday evening...

Left: Ipoh Parade and Main Convent.

Right: Sam Tet School and the famous Tong Sui Kai (or dessert street, which opens at night) by the side, with new development called The Octagon (mixture of serviced apartment and retail outlets).

I felt a sense of proximity to my mother when I was Ipoh, because I spent a lot of my time with my mom in Ipoh after her retirement, and perhaps also because there's where her final resting place is.

On the positive side, fortunately Alvin did not suffer from car sickness this time, unlike last year. Both kids slept well and adapted generally fine as "Ipoh boys" throughout the stay.

If time permits and given a similar opportunity in the near future, I'd like to revisit more places in town, as well as meet up with more folks whom I've not met for very long in Ipoh, as well as in BG which is only 20 minutes away.  Let's look at the schedule and see how then.

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?

The Nostalgic Ride

I enjoy watching the ETS pass in front of me, for it reminds me of the good old days of travelling to Ipoh monthly. It never came across my wildest imagination that I'd no longer get to be in Ipoh anymore.

The Seremban-bound ETS passing by Bandar Tasik Selatan on one fine day...

Nowadays, I shudder whenever I come across the ETS......

I dearly miss those days when I used to take the KTM Shuttle Train and subsequently the ETS from KL to Ipoh on a monthly basis. Where mom would come over to the train station and pick me home. Such a mommy's girl.

I also fondly recall the enjoyable moments of spending time together with mom and dad at home during the weekends in Ipoh. It's the place where we had our meals together, where I used to go to places with mom... to shop, eat or simply stroll around the old streets.

Also:

1. I miss driving shortcut to Batu Gajah (BG) from Ipoh to meet my buddies during the holidays. It's been almost a year since I last met someone from there.

2. I miss some of the best food in our country that's only authentically-available in Ipoh.

3. I miss travelling to Taiping to see the Lake Gardens from Ipoh and pamper the sweet memories of my childhood with my late grandparents.

4. I miss spending my breaks with serenity and full relaxation.

5. I miss travelling by the ETS to Ipoh, not the one loaned to KTM Komuter from Sentul to Seremban and vice versa. Although I take the ERL (KLIA Transit) almost daily, it does not substitute the fun of taking the intercity train fortnightly.

6. I miss the feel of going back to my hometown. Speaking of which, I actually spent very little moment growing up in Ipoh because I was out most of the time... and

7. I miss my mother very much.

Will there come a day when moments of sweetness gradually return to life?

The Things I Miss

Among them...

1. Mom's home-cooking


2. Calico cat from the backyard.


3. Lush greenery and plants in front of the house

Dim Sum Takeaway from Foh San, Ipoh

1. Tasty egg tart from Foh San dim sum restaurant in Ipoh:

Just like my paternal grandma, I do not possess a sweet tooth by nature, i.e. I generally don't fancy sweet stuff. But with the exception of egg tarts of course. However, I suspect that the reason why I especially cherish these egg tarts from Foh San is because they are less-sweet compared to those that we usually come across, yet tasty enough to be loved by many of the loyal patrons of Foh San.

2. Unique-looking 'Pau'...

The way I placed these 'pau's may seem odd, especially those who choose to think in the 'unclean' way. If that's the case, so be it. But they're actually unintentionally and innocently placed this way, or else the two pau's would have been placed closer to each other. :P

I do not know the name for these 'pau's, but they're very much different from the conventional ones. It's pau skin on the outside, but the stuff within consist of "loh mai kai" (steamed glutinous rice with chicken and pork), and the dark spot on top of the pau is mushroom.

I Love ETS

I'm currently addicted to train-rides. I like the speed, comfort and good service. The ETS...

The New Babe called ETS

Friday the 13th... 13/8/2010 ~ My first ride on the new train from KL to Ipoh. Yes, the new KTM ETS has finally come into service on 12/8/2010. :P

At Platform 2, KL Sentral:

Getting There

At KL Sentral, ETS passengers are required to buy their tickets at the "ETS Counter" which is located at Level 2, opposite the Genting ticket counter. There's a lounge (with wi-fi) for passengers to comfortably wait for the trains. I managed to get a ticket for 8.30 am. About 30 minutes before departure, a stewardess came to guide passengers to the platform at Gate B.

Crowd-wise

There weren't many people taking the train at the time when I took the train, mainly due to the fact that it was during office hour on a working day. Comparatively however, I remember the KTM Shuttle Train to Ipoh being very largely occupied on similar days. It's probably due to cost factor as the tickets cost a little more those of the DMU trains.

The Trains

The promotional ETS ticket price for KL - Ipoh is currently set at RM30 per trip, while ticket price for the KL - Ipoh shuttle train is set at RM22/trip (Second Class) and RM12/trip (Economy Class). If it's the First Class coach on the train to Butterworths, a trip from KL to Ipoh is RM40. The ETS is classified as Premier Class, as indicated on the ticket. The trains are manufactured by Hyundai Rotem.

View from my seat:

Inside Coach B... there are a total of 6 coaches per train.

The train reached its top speed at 148 km/h when I took it. This picture was taken when the train reached 144 km/h. The top speed of these ETS is 160 km/h, which is reasonably fast (nb: ETS is not bullet train). I like the display of speed and time, it really reminds me of such similar screen in the plane.

Through the windows, a scene away from the concrete jungle:


At the railway station in Ipoh:
Here are my comments in a nutshell...

1. Comfort

Nice and smooth. I like the ETS for its quietness sans the sound of diesel engine. The overall train design is very pleasant.

2. Speed

The train achieved its promise travel-time at about 2 hours ++ for the Transit service.

3. Service On Board

The crews are polite, friendly and helpful. Well done. :)

4. Conclusion

I like this new service and look forward to riding the ETS more often. If possible (i.e. if cost does not matter), for every trip to Ipoh. It's like an addiction, where after taking the train once, I feel like taking it again and again.

I've heard about the proposed new price after this introductory period, at RM45.xx per trip. I've also heard about the possibility of the introduction of monthly pass for this service. Well, if it's going to be somewhere a little above RM5xx per month (the maximum that I can afford with my novice income), I seriously consider shifting back to Ipoh for good and commute to work in KL by ETS daily. I really love Ipoh very much; the food, the place and of course being my hometown. Right now at RM30 per trip, if I were to take the train daily, it will cost a handsome total of RM1,200 per month - as good as buying a house in KL.

I'm so in love... with the new trains and the fact that folks travelling to Ipoh have even more transport alternatives now.

Overdosed of Delicious "擂茶"

Food-wise, this is one of my latest addictions:


It's "擂茶" ('lei cha' in mandarin). I love this one from 'Big Tree' or "大树脚" in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh. There's more than just 'yong tau foo' at Big Tree. Only if I'm in Ipoh everyday to be surrounded by yummy food all time time!

KTM ETS Spotted

Voila... On my way to Ipoh recently, I spotted a few sets of new KTM ETS while bypassing KTM Workshop in Batu Gajah. The train that I was travelling in was on the move while I took these photos, so they're not as clear as I've intended them to be:

Long & cool!

New train sets at the workshop

KTM had earlier stated that these new trains will come into service for "KL-Ipoh" & "Ipoh-KL" in April 2010. However, a few weeks back, it said "June 2010". I really wonder. In any event, trips from KL - Ipoh and vice versa should be interesting once these trains come into service. :) However, I have a feeling that it won't be so soon.... typical :(

Dining in Ipoh

It's been a really long time since I had time to blog. It's good in a way, because it means I either have no time to rant (because my blog consists mostly of rants and reminiscences) or that I'm too happily occupied with work (really?). :P

Here's a little update on what's in Ipoh recently. I was back for the new year, and the week after.

Ipoh & I - An Introduction
Although I'm born in Ipoh and my home address is somewhere in "31650 Ipoh" (yes, exactly in the city of Ipoh), I'm actually a stranger to Ipoh. I've never studied in Ipoh before, and I used to spend only 30% of my time there over the weekend when I was younger. It's only in Dec 2003 that my family are officially back in Ipoh for good.

Each time a new friend asks "where are you from", I'd just tell the fact (Ipoh), but deep inside, I hardly consider myself "Ipoh-girl". Physically yes, but not at heart. The only factor that attaches me to Ipoh is the fact that my family lives there and my home is there. Speaking of home, again, I question how often am I there to call it my home as in the place where I grow up. The worst thing is that I know where to go for nice dim sum in KL, but not knowing the number 1 dim sum in the whole of Malaysia - right in Ipoh itself. So near and yet so far.

An Instance of Being a Stranger to My Own Hometown
Call me "ignorant about Ipoh" despite being somewhat "Ipoh girl". Prior to watching 'Ah Xian' food documentary on Astro AEC, I had no idea that the most famous dim sum is found in Ipoh. Jalan Leong Sin Nam, no, I had no idea where the place is until I became a regular user of Google Map. Oh, it's near Excelsior Hotel.

The Breakfast Place
I was rejoicing and excited when I unintentionally discovered the new Foh San dim sum restaurant at Jalan Leong Sin Nam. The place is big, beautifully-renovated and looks really nice! So nice that I couldn't help resist taking pictures as if I were not from Ipoh.

The front entrance... nice!







One of the windows at the first floor:

Roaring business...


Delicious egg tarts at the takeaway counter:

Another view inside:

As to whether I've dined in at Foh San, the answer is "no". In any famous dim sum restaurant, the key to getting a seat is to be there very early in the morning. That's what I was told. So, this is the place that I've been looking for all my life, and I've finally found it almost 27 years down the line.

Since I only discovered Foh San at about 10.30 am that day, there's no way of finding a place to sit in the restaurant, in light of the school holiday and weekend when the restaurant was full of customers. And thus, my mom decided to take away a few varieties of dim sum. At home, I was totally fascinated by the tastiness of every single piece of the dim sum - from the 'siu mai', 'ha kao', 'char siu pao', to the egg tart. They're as addictive as what I'm already addicted to - my all-time favourite sushi. Now, I've become a fan of Foh San's dim sum too.

Walking Around

Syuen Hotel from side way...

The Dinner Place
Here's another local Chinese restaurant that I went in for the first time... Tuck Kee in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh.


The interior looks nice... I didn't know that until I went in. The restaurant looks so-so on the outside, but the inside is cosy and generally has all the pretty decors of a Chinese restaurant.

This was pictured on Chinese New Year's eve when the staff were busy preparing to open the restaurant for reunion dinner. Nowadays, there are quite a number of people who choose the convenience to dine out for reunion dinner as opposed to cooking big scale at home. The food there are generally good and very reasonably-priced.