Day 304: Ipoh

Feb 1 - Janet’s knee not doing well today, so I plan an excursion with Odette. We go to the older town center, bordering the Kinta River.

Awesome tree over the river, home to many thousands of plants growing from the branches and off of the trunk.

The Ipoh Pedang. Looks tranquil and boring now, but during WWII, the occupying Japanese made everyone come here in the morning for a ‘bowing and allegiance’ ceremony. After the liberation of Malay, in 1943, this same field was used for gathering men to fight against the Japanese elsewhere in the Army of Free India.

The Cenotaph War Memorial. This was originally emplaced to honor those fallen soldiers of WWI. Later, it also became a memorial for WWII, the fallen forced workers of the Thailand-Burma Death Railway (1943-45), the Emergency (1948-60), and the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation (1962-66).

The Ipoh Railway Station, completed in 1917, known locally as the ‘Taj Mahal of Ipoh’. Its form has changed very little in the years since its construction.

We walk to the main local bus station and catch the 35 north to Perak Cave Temple (Perak Tong). The moment we come to the main entrance, Odette notes that the last time she saw something like this was in Mongolia (2019). It does have a bit of that atmosphere, with the tray of smoldering joss sticks in the front, and the heavy scent of incense everywhere.

This cave temple complex was built by two Chinese immigrants, Chong Sen Yee and his wife, Choong Chan Yoke, starting in 1926. They discovered the cave and began constructing the temples and statues that now adorn it.

Yes, of course there is a huge golden (colored) Buddha. The walls of the cave, now smoothed, are host to many large paintings. Everyone we saw here had come to pay homage and give offerings to the statues.

Some of the great artwork on the cave walls.

Odette is captivated by what is probably a depiction of Guan Yin (Goddess of Compassion) with 18 arms.

Even the tiger got some oranges as offerings.

In the back of the cave was a steep stairway that emerged out in the back of the limestone cliff. From here was another long stairway to the top of the hill. On top were some paths and small colorful temple buildings.

A view down to the residential areas north of Ipoh.

Many insects on top of the hill, including butterflies.

The stairway going up the cliff didn’t mess around. Glad it wasn’t raining.

The Jin Chan , a three-legged frog with a coin in its mouth. Money is to be placed in its mouth for good luck. In this case, the donation box in front of it will suffice.

A giant joss stick burning away outside the entrance when we left.

Back to downtown, wait a long time for a bus on the busy road out front. Get Janet from the hotel and look for food options, in the end we opt for Chinese.

Malaysia I