Blog : Foto Friday - Celebrate My Country (Town)

5490 posts
10/7/2011 12:03 am

Foto Friday - Celebrate My Country (Town)

From the top:-

1. The Taiping Railway Station, built in 1885, is the first railway station in Malaya. The railway connects Taiping to Port Weld and it was built to carry tin ore to Port Weld to be sent to Penang. Before that, tin ore had to be hauled by elephants and the journey from Taiping to Port Weld took a couple of days.
2. Bukit Larut (formerly known as Maxwell Hill) is the oldest hill resort in Malaya and was founded in 1884. It is about 1250 m above sea level and reflects the colonial past with quaint bungalows and English gardens. Access is only by the resort’s Land Rovers and the photo shows the ticketing office at the foot of the hill and people waiting for the Land Rover and others hiking up the hill.
3. The Taiping Prison was built in 1879 and is also the first in Malaya. It was built because of the intense fighting between the Chinese secret societies at the tin mines during that time.
4. The Taiping Clock Tower, a Taiping landmark, is situated in the center of town along Kota Road. This was built in 1890 and was built as a fort but only a small portion of it remains. The road is named after the building as kota means fort in Malay. There used to be a bell in the tower (notice the belfry below the clock).
5. The All Saints Church is situated at the outskirts of town along Jalan Taming Sari. It is the first Anglican Church in Malaya and was founded in 1886 (consecrated in 1887) and is famous for its pipe organ. It features a timber façade and gothic architectural design.
Note: There are a number of Chinese temples and mosques in Taiping too.
6. The Taiping Market Square, built in 1884 and 1885, comprises of two markets separated by Kota Road. Both markets are 220 feet long and 60 feet wide and are built of timber with an iron roof. Meat, fish, vegetables and fruits are available here. The photo shows one market taken from the other market. At night, the hawker stalls will be filled people and these stalls used to open until morning which is why this place is called Siang Malam ( Day and night).
7. The Perak State Muzeum in Taiping is the oldest muzeum in Malaysia and was founded by Sir Hugh Low in 1883. Note the architecture.
8. The Taiping District Office is a Victorian styled office building that was built around 1897-8.
9. The Taiping Lake Gardens, established in 1880, is the first public garden in Malaya. It is situated near the town and is originally a mining site that belonged to Chung Thye Phin. The 64 hectares site has ten scenic lakes and ponds.

Lee

Live today as if it is your last
For tomorrow will soon be in the past

Hawkslayer 88M

13349 posts
10/7/2011 6:50 am

Enjoyed the pictures Lee. Brought many memories back.

Alfie...

It only takes a drop of ink to make a million people think. There are many stories.

gentleben 83M

10/7/2011 8:02 am

An excellent collage of photos and narrative, Lee. Thanks for all the information, especially for folks who have never traveled to the Indian Ocean region. I've been all through the region myself, but never made it to Malaysia.....but someday I will go. Great post, Lee.