Rain rain go away...
by SLLiew
Taiping was once known as one of the wettest place in Malaysia - though the weather is less predictable these days.
Perhaps the frequent rains is because Taiping is located close to the Straits of Melaka and at the foothill of the Larut Hills.
It is a local joke not whether it will rain or not but what time will it rain. Apparently there was a gambling bets going amongst the local on the time when the first drop will land on the zinc roof near the market.
During the raining season, it tends to rain in the late afternoon and so often we have been caught in the rain while at the zoo or rowing the boat in the Taiping Lake.
Usually it does not rain the whole day. When it rains, it is a good time to visit the Museum, shop at the "Store" a major local supermarket or try the local food at one of the coffe shops.
British colonial legacy - red fire hydrant
by SLLiew
In Taiping, if you look out, you will see the historical and colonial legacy left behind by the British since the first English Resident came to town after helping the local Malay chief establishing peace amongst the fighting clans of immigrant Chinese tin miners to ensure that tin ore will flow uninterrupted for export.
Besides the majestic Victorian town buildings and bungalows near the Lake Garden, there is a red fire hydrant where the town first fire station was set up. It was important as many of the buildings then were wooden and fire was common before electrification.
As Taiping receives a lot of rain, getting water should not have been a problem.
Taiping Peranakan style building
by SLLiew
In Taiping, you can see many large buildings of Chinese clan and association buildings for the "sinkeh" or new comers who came from Southern China to open the tin mines or run coffee shops or sundry shops to cater for the tin miners.
Seldom you will see the "Peranakan" or "Baba Nonya" or early "Straits Settlements" style buildings commonly found in the older Chinese settlements of Penang, Melaka and Singapore.
So quite a surprise to see this beautifully restored Peranakan style building in Taiping. Taiping is historic and full of surprises.
Water lily ponds in Taiping Lake
by SLLiew
One of the beautiful sights of Taiping Lake is when the large red water lilies are in bloom.
Water lily is considered "virtuous" in Buddhist belief as this graceful bright large flower bloom from a stalk that grew from the muddy water below. Many Buddhist use the lotus flower of the water lilies for prayers and can be seen as a base of seating Goddess of Mercy or Buddha.
Along the canals on the old trunk road, you can also see this beautiful water lilies. But do not pluck them and they are cultivated by the local villagers. The lotus seeds are eaten and lotus shoots is a Chinese soup delicacy. Of course, there are many water lilies species of different colors and sizes, red, pink, yellow, white, lilac, blue.
Military Bases in Taiping
by SLLiew
You will find that Taiping is an important army base. If you are driving from Kamunting to Taiping on the hill route, you will see many "Markas Tentera" or army barracks.
Taiping is a strategic land location and was used by the invading Japanese army when they march south towards Singapore from Kelantan.
There are many colonial style military adminstrative buildings all over Taiping.
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Bus 'station' at Butterworth
Lake Gardens
The Restaurant
the wild boars feeding... courtesy nst
