SITE VISIT
KUALA SEPETANG | IN-BETWEEN | TAIPING
DAY 1
8TH FEBRUARY, 2015 (SUNDAY)
Before reaching our destination, Taping, we have stopped at the Sekeping Kong Heng, which is in the charming old town of Ipoh. It is the latest addition to the Sekeping family of retreats and is located in a 3 storey neo-classical building which also houses a famous coffee shop of the same name on the ground floor that serves great coffee and the best local dishes in town. The environment there is so unique compared to the city I have been live in. Sekeping Kong Heng is definately the mash-up of old and new buildings. Efforts had been made to preserve the character of the existing buildings. It was such a memorable experience to visit such a place that is so perfectly built and preserved.
After having lunch in Ipoh, we continued our excursion to Taiping. We checked in in Flemington Hotel which is near to the Taiping Lake Gardens right after we reached Taiping. Later, we started our exploration in the Taiping Lake Gardens. Taiping Lake Gardens was built on top of an abandoned tin mine. It is also one of the oldest gardens in Malaysia which its main attraction is its natural beauty and serene environment.
DAY 2
9TH FEBRUARY, 2015 (MONDAY)
Second day of the excursion, it was the time to explore the fishing town, Kuala Sepetang. Kuala Sepetang was formerly known as Port Weld. It is a small fishing town by the river mouth. The people there are very friendly, easy-going and down-to-earth. Nowadays, most of the people there are old folks. Seeing the way the people live there is so much different from the hectiv lifestyle in a city like Kuala Lumpur. The people there led a easy, peaceful and relaxed lifestyle.
Besides that, the Port Weld railway station was located at the centre of Taiping. The whole railway line from here to Taiping, which was the first railway line in the Peninsular, is now dismantled, and now only the ticketing booth and the Port Weld railway signboard remain.
After exploration in Kuala Sepetang, we got the chance to explore the in-between of Taiping and Kuala Sepetang by our own. There are mostly oil palm trees and mangrove trees along the way of in-between. We even went to the mangrove forest during our exploration.
DAY 3
10H FEBRUARY, 2015 (TUESDAY)
Time really flies, here came the last day of our excursion. Before leaving Taiping, we had a brief and quick exploration in Taiping town. Taiping town is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. It is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping town is such a place full with heritage. We have paid a visit to some heritage building and sites such as Perak Museum, Clock Tower, All Saints Churches, etc. In spite of the development of Taiping town, all the heritage buildings is still under preservation. It was such a pleasure to have a chance to visit all these places. Besides all the heritage buildings, we have also visited the wet market in Taiping.
Time goes by so fast throughout the entire Taiping and Kuala Septang excursion. I have learnt how to appreciate the environment, architecture, ambience and heritage in a deeper level. It was so much fun during this excursion. All the nice places and fun moments is so unforgettable. It was indeed a cool and awesome experience to have this excursion before the official starting of the project.
"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles."
Photo credit: Fredrick Kwo
