It was a random decision to visit Ipoh during the recent trip to Kuala Lumpur. After all, it is the motto of mine to step on the ground of any parts of Malaysia if possible and whenever convenient.
As for my first impression from the moment I reached Ipoh railway station and while we were on our way to the hotel, were the old buildings each time we passes by, the heritage that left behind since 1890s and earlier as well. I was impressed and always love the heritage of a little town or in a city that we are unable to see a lot in our usual day.
Ipoh Railway Station being one of the oldest railway in Malaysia. Honestly, it was a bit spooky, but keeping it running their operation, it's a good job. Out of our expectation, it was Visit Ipoh Year and a lot of tourists and locals visited Ipoh this time of the year and especially during the weekend. We were there during week days, so we were fine with the crowd!
Avoiding us from missing our train on Saturday, the day we planned to reach KL before the wedding dinner, we purchased our return tickets before we left the railway station. And guess what? I have booked our hotel online and surprisingly without being noticed that we were actually staying at one of the recommended and most convenient place to indulge Ipoh food!
And for the 3 days 2 nights, we ate a lot of Ipoh "must eat", from "Nga Choi Gai" (Tau Geh & steamed Chicken) to the first Ipoh White Coffee kopitiam, even the original coffee shop for famous Old Town Cafe.
We did enjoy our food trail and additional journey to Kampar and sight seeing, we had one of the best woman driver ("Kakak", meaning sister in local dialect) we met in town! She was a kind Malay woman that brought us and introduced us some of the famous Malay Nasi Kanja and she knew where to visit and to eat for Chinese like us.
The first meal in Ipoh. Settled ourselves at the hotel after we reached the hotel at more or less 2.00pm. Waze to direct us to nearby recommendations and we visited "Lou Wong Kei" 老黄记. Tender steamed chicken meat and crunchy "taugeh", Ipoh has been always well known with their "short and fat" taugeh, should be because of their water originated, just to let you know they are proud of it!
In fact, we met a few women from KL driving all the way to Penang and passed by Ipoh just to have a bowl of the oldest waterfall bean curd 泉水豆腐花 and continue their journey again. Had a quick talk with them since two group of us were the earliest standing in front of the shop.
Ipoh is about what again? Famous chicken, taugeh and Hor Fun that we had daily in Ipoh. What else when I was back to KL, I have avoided myself to eat chicken! LOL.
And the list goes on with our food trail exploration. Full list with "Ipoh must eat" from me will be up after sorting. :)
The breakfast. A typical Malaysian Chinese breakfast. The noodles. Ipoh also well know with the stuffed meat varieties. And we were too early to wake up and we had our breakfast two blocks away from our hotel, in a coffee shop. Out of expectation, we had the bowl of noodles which the stall owner was being interviewed by one of the local newspaper! Recommendation on them and it was really tasty!
新源隆 (Sin Yoon Loong) The first white coffee. We walked near 25 minutes from the place we were staying to the old town of Ipoh, shall I say main town of Ipoh. A busy place during the day and quiet place during the night.
15 more minutes till the shop close and we were there to taste the original, not the instant one that we had now. It was really good. The one which carried the brand of "Old Town" just located at the opposite of Sin Yoon Loong named "Nam Heong White Coffee" 南香 taste delicious too, far different with the instant pack from the supermarket.
The Old Bar. We took a lot of photos when we saw this old bar. It looks really old and more over an old town. Gosh.
Concubine Lane of Ipoh. 怡保二奶巷。 There were a number of wall art in Ipoh and we also did a street art searching for some of the famous one, all the street arts are any where and the more will be drawn especially at the main town of Ipoh.
The Cold. Many of the shop owner, young and old keeps recommending us to have a try with "Snow Beer" 雪花啤酒 at Concubine Lane and we had it during the first evening in Ipoh before we walk back to our hotel. The lady surprised to see you again after we met her earlier in the afternoon and we have not left that area for quit a while, we had a walk nearby and we went back for three mugs (there were three of us). I like Snow Beer and we all likes it!
Other than Snow Beer, Ipoh night life is totally different from us in KK. Ipoh night life are watching movies and hang out with family and friends at "Dessert Street" (Tong Shui Gai) 糖水街, very simple night life for normal people. There were night clubs too, just to let you know. ;)
Back to the Malay women who drove us all the way from Ipoh to Kampar. 2 and half hours ride.
We went to the famous restaurant for "Paper Wrap Chicken" 纸包鸡, unfortunately all sold out and we pulled a bit of the person in charge leg to make her introduced us another one around there. So, that's how it looks below. Two type of Paper Wrap Chicken, Curry chicken or Herbs.
The Temple. Perak with majority Chinese, non the less there were a number of temples at the state. We were being told that the temple at Kampar town is a temple that believed by many and miracles happen too. The rain started when we stepped in to the temple, it's like the raining welcoming us there, it's pouring rain. Oh my.
Kellie's Castle. Kakak want us to see more during our trip and she brought us here, a castle. The love to his wife.
Ipoh Kek Lok Shi. Back in Ipoh and during the same day we went to Kampar. I begged the security to let us in when the time strike 5.00pm, one that i admire about Ipoh, the people. There are so many kind and friendly people, except for the old man Uber driver that we met at Concubine Lane.
From a small city of Kota Kinabalu to visit Ipoh, it was such a long journey. We took almost six hours to arrive and when we said we were from Sabah, they were surprised and asked a lot. One Indian that approached us and had a long talk while we were standing nearby his shop and the same person that laughed us when we took our crazy photos with streets art at the lane opposite before the day.
Well, we do enjoy our Ipoh trip and that's #MyTravelAdventure. To see the life of another Malaysian.
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