“what to eat?”
Back in the day, if you didn’t know what to eat on a Saturday night you could just head to the Station Hotel. Their dinner menu on 15th October 1955 would definitely NOT leave you hungry 😉
Back in the day, if you didn’t know what to eat on a Saturday night you could just head to the Station Hotel. Their dinner menu on 15th October 1955 would definitely NOT leave you hungry 😉
No, not our website….but this beautiful icon of Ipoh is said to be turning 100 years old this year!
This special heritage building was even mentioned in the Star recently (read the article here).
The Ipoh Railway station forecourt underwent a major renovation recently and one of the first things the tourist sees when he arrives is a large round fountain area surrounded by nicely constructed boundaries which hold engraved pictures and words about the delights of Perak. I took friends down there and here is a sample of what I found. They are all as bad as each other.
This is a picture of Cunung Lang and the original colour can be seen at the top.
Now we proudly present Ipoh!
Pasir Salak!
And finally Pangkor Island.
Now I promise you that these were taken this afternoon in the bright sunshine and they have not been meddled with in PhotoShop or in any other way.
Now it is not for me to judge but I do believe that somebody in authority should ask if the money was well spent.
What do you think?
A while ago, we featured a post about the on-going ‘renovations’ of the Station Gardens. So far, we’ve heard no news about what’s going on behind those boards. Has there been any progress lately? If anyone has noticed anything, do let us know.
In the mean time, here is a 1950s picture of what the gardens used to look like. Picture by Ruth Iversen Rollitt.
Mark, of Kinta Heritage Group took these two photographs that I failed to get earlier in the week. He first posted them on Facebook, but I am sure he will not mind them being also published here. Remember these were taken this week. They need no explanation.
But the question Mark has for you is, “Does anyone know if the MBI has plans to makeover Station Square along similar lines to the pre-war original landscaping design? Has anyone seen the final design plans? Did the MBI invite public submissions as to the final design??”
Can any of our readers give him an answer?
I had a brief ride around Old Town this morning to see what was happening. I couldn’t get any photo or update on the Railway Station Gardens as they are still hidden behind tall blue fencing. However apart from the Cenotaph and the Ipoh Tree there seems to be nothing of the gardens left. Not a great welcome for the tourists in “Visit Perak Year 2012!”.
Then I wandered along the road to see the Birch Clock Tower Garden renovation. What a surprise – as although it is unlikely that anything has been done to preserve the two statuues, Justice and Fortitude from falling down (see http://ipohecho.com.my/v2/2012/03/01/ipohs-virtues-in-danger/) the tower has been repainted Black and White.
Although that may be approproiate ……… Black and white stands for mourning and cheerless occasions. For example, traditional garb for a funeral is black and white. Black for the loss, and white for their passing onto the heavens, ……… I must say I don’t like it, but then again I did not like the pink either, much preferring the 1909 odiginal version which was all-white. Clearly I am a traditionalist.
By the way, could someone suggest (again) to Datuk Bandar that he gets the clock working.
As you can see the gardens have not progressed too much either. Sigh, maybe they will be ready to celebrate the successful (?) end to our special tourism year.
We welcome your views.
Believe it or not, this is what Ipoh’s first railway station looked like in the late 1800s (before the present Taj Mahal-like structure).
Amazing isn’t it? It is interesting to note that:
“…the first section [railway construction in Perak] was an eight-mile line running between Taiping and Port Weld….[which] opened for traffic in June 1885. The construction was carried out by two divisions of Ceylon Pioneers, lent by the Government of Ceylon.
The first through passenger train from Perak was that conveying H.H. the Sultan of Perak and suite from Kuala Kangsar to Kuala Lumpur on July 17th of that year [1896] to attend the Conference of Chiefs of the Federated Malay States.”
The above quote and picture were taken from the book Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries and Resources.
Click here if you wish to see a coloured postcard and short history of Ipoh’s first railway station.
From what we’ve heard, Ipoh’s legendary Station Hotel will soon be closed.
Does anyone know more? We’d like to know the details, please…….
I do wonder what will become of the hotel once it’s closed :-O
Yes, folks! Today’s blog is a tribute to the Ipoh Tree – the picture we have here was taken (by S Y Lee) just outside the Ipoh Railway Station. Below is the plaque with an explanation.
Besides the Railway Station, the Ipoh Tree (also known as the Epu / Upas Tree) can also be found at the D R Seenivasagam Park.
Upgrade and renovation of fine building need to be tastefully done (architecturally) example the Ipoh High Court, Extension to St Michael school.
Tent structure extension to the Ipoh railway station is foreign to the resident’s architecture is to be avoided.
Hawkers in Malaysia must stop discharging waste into public drains, rivers for it promotes disease and vermins. They need to stationed in premises that discharge waste into manholes and sewerage treatment.
A recycling organisation needs to be set up to reduce waste and allow for recycle.
Thank you
Lim Peng Keang
Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia