A trip down memory lane

Now imagine you live in the city, you work in the city. Every single day you can smell the damn city. For just one weekend you are free to go somewhere, where there has nothing to do with the busy/stinky life of a city... and simply be close the the nature. No no we're not going to the beach, we are heading to the mountainous side of my country. Yes I was out of town with my family for the past weekend and a Monday =) to Kampar and Ipoh, Perak in Malaysia. I am happy to go and really glad that we changed our plan from the beach to old town Kampar.
Our family has special feelings for Kampar and Ipoh. My mother and her siblings was born and raised in Kampar until they had to move away to begin new life. Myself was born in Ipoh and spent two years of my life in Kampar being real close to my grandparents. It is the most wonderful feeling to live near them. I remember my mother telling me how sometimes my grandparents would wait for me outside the kindergarten to fetch me home. =)


This is the infamous house number 75. My grandparents had lived here I guess I can say "forever". Before my grandmother left us to go to heaven, we will always gather here to celebrate Chinese New Year. In this little house is where my mother and her six other siblings grew up!


Another view of the house. Yes the house is tiny but it's got everything you need inside =)


On our way to Kampar passing by Bernam Jaya exit. This is our major highway running from North Malaysia to South Malaysia, vice versa.


Doesn't it take your breath away? You won't get this in the city.


More mountains.

After we checked in to our hotel and refreshed ourselves. We took a tour around Kampar town. Totally brought back old memories...

Main street of Kampar.


See that temple back there. When I was about 6, my classmates would tell me stories that happened this temple. And we would sneak outta school during lunch time to come to this temple to pray. My school is next to this temple, it was just a staircase away...


I don't remember much about this bus station. But it was where my mother and her siblings went to to take buses home.


On the second day of our visit, we took local route up to Ipoh instead of taking the highway simply because we could see more. On both sides of the road we can see kampung (village), Malay style houses, lushes trees & mountains, durian stands (where people sell and eat durians), coconut trees and etc. These following photos are taken at fruit stand. We decided to swing by to get some fruits before reaching my grandparents cemetery.


These are rambutan, has clear flesh like longan, tastes sweet & a little sour, has it own fragrance. Yum.


Heay and I posing with bananas.


Erm... not too sure whats it called in English. Never tasted it either...
**I found out what this is from my boss. The name is Soursop, same family as Noni fruit. ^^


Yea this too. I got no names for it... Looks creepy I know. The green round fruit at the top hanging is called Pamelo. I can tell ya it definitely tastes better than grape fruit! ^^ TEAM PAMELO!!!! LOL.

After we visited our grandparents where they rested in peace. We found our way to this nice old lady's house in Ipoh. She is our grandpa's father's brother's wife. Tho she is at the age of 90, she speaks with wit and is very funny! Oh and she is still very alert, good memory and had the energy to entertain us for three hours straight, no afternoon nap no coffee break, nothing. =) Tho that was my first time meeting her, I am hoping it will not be the last either...

That's her sitting next to me. =)

During this trip, we obviously ate a lot and gained a few pounds but it is all worthy. If you want to see some photos of the foods, you could probably visit Heay's blog at yinkheay.blogspot.com. And now I would like to end this blog with this picture. This is what I'll always remember when I think of Kampar & Ipoh. La familia.