Han Chin Pet Soo is open! Book now at www.ipohworld.org/reservation
Han Chin Pet Soo is open! Book now at www.ipohworld.org/reservation

April 2009

A Visit to an Ipoh Tourist Spot!

By |2009-09-19T01:48:19+08:00April 6th, 2009|Categories: Ipoh Town|Tags: , , , , |

A friend visited the Birch Memorial Clock Tower and brought us back these pictures.

The top two are at the top of the steps as you approach the tower from the lower road. Rotting food and goodness knows what else to navigate past as you visit Ipoh’s heritage. Bottom left is the base of the tower, complete with broken bed and water bottle and the bottom right is just across the road from the mosque. What a dreadful sight for our Muslim friends as they leave their place of prayer.

Now you may not like the reason that the tower was put there in the first place – many don’t. But the fact is that the structure is 100 years old this year and represents a key bit of history for this country and its people. Nobody denies that Birch was not a good administrator, nor that he treated the Malays badly, but as they say, that is history and whatever else, it is history like this that brings in tourist dollars.

Surely the place deserves to be treated better than this!

The FMS Bar and Restaurant – Visible Progress

By |2009-04-07T08:50:02+08:00April 6th, 2009|Categories: Ipoh Town|Tags: , , , |

Most people know about FMS, the oldest bar in Malaysia which is currently under renovation. Indeed many people fear that it will never open again. However it certainly looks hopeful.

Taking the photographs from the top it appears that nothing is happening, but go round the back and you will see an amazing transformation (centre pic). The upstairs building work is virtually complete. Then, take a look at the bottom pic – the inside of the downstairs bar. Completely gutted, the new concrete floor upstairs is finished and restoration of downstairs will start soon.

The owner says he plans to reopen early 2010 and that the bar will be in traditional style reflecting its history. And the really good news is that he does not plan to change the front of the building at all, just restore

We look forward to that!

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