The Pinay Solo Backpacker

April 2011 trip

Rugged and crowded, the local bus station situated somewhere in the heart of the not-so-known city in Perak is dominated by local passengers.  I blend in, but not the two blondes sporting their 45L branded backpacks.  I was too lazy to ask around so I figured why not follow them. I do that sometimes, especially in a touristy place.  They’re headed to Langkawi.

I stopped.

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

This isn’t my 1st time in Ipoh. In fact I just came back from Palau Pangkor.  It’s my 2nd attempt to find “my fairy tale destination” in this old bucolic province of Perak.  You know if you really want to get to see something, you have to go through hell just to see that something, right?

Or maybe, I was wrong.

First off, I’m running out of cash so I need to get some funds and according to my map the bank is like a few meters away…

Or so I thought.

Ever read the book “Why Men Don’t Listen and Girls Can’t Read Maps”?

Sometimes I am both.  Stereotypical, that is.

Ipoh is a drowsy city of Perak, Malaysia that’s splendid with old-fashioned heritage buildings and its signature good Malaysian food.  This old city was nicknamed “The Hill City” for the obvious reason – it is bounded by hills.

Walking around the heart of the city following its heritage trail is an exciting way to get to explore its vastness.  But not when you’re dead tired and bankrupt and the sky is starting to shed its tears.

Like me.

I’ve been on the road for over a week now and moving around a lot is really draining.  My heavy backpack, the bipolar weather, and some disappointments are starting to drive me nuts.

I regret not joining my Good Samaritan in Palau Pangkor, remember the old woman Ella I accidentally met in the woods?  She was headed here exactly that very same day, and she’s staying with a friend.  We left the beach the same day, but I opted to swim first than check out and get out of the town with her.  She must have left an hour before me. 

Time is precious. I wanted to savor Palau Pangkor in 60 minutes and look where it has gotten me now. I prayed I would bump into her at moment.

But there’s no miracle. We make our own miracles.

Amazing how our feet can take us anywhere.  Exhausted, I stopped walking, turned my head around and my eyes feasted on towering archaic buildings and colorful Indie boutiques.  I feel like a lost little girl dwarfed by this quaint city.

The old city with 147 heritage buildings has a flourishing blend of Asian culture.  That distinct smell of Indian spices, herbs and cuisine to the colorful and artsy sari and traditional Indian clothing on display at the shop houses brightens the street of Little India in Ipoh.

“Hi, my map says there’s a bank here, may I know how I get there from here?” I asked a Chinese looking mother wearing glasses and her wavy hair is loosely hanging on her shoulders. With her magical hands and small sweet voice, she was able to direct me to the highway with a couple of stoplights.

“Did I just cross the border? India to China?” I muttered.  You know you’re traveling alone when you start talking to yourself – a lot.

Within a few meters, it felt like being transported back in time.  Chinatown is filled with rustic shop houses, some colorful-painted with proud pastels, some pale – cream and white and mostly torn, dilapidated and forgotten.

The bank is housed in a lovely old building, another architectural heritage painted in white.  Serene and unassuming yet its massive Romanesque pillars speak of pride and power.  I went in and I can see eyes staring at the poor rugged and dirty me and my backpack.  “Grown up loves figures”, said the Little Prince.

The sky got mad for some known reason but its reasons I don’t know.  All I know is it’s getting late and my plan of finding my fairy tale castle is no longer feasible at that moment. Is it cheaper to stay in Ipoh for the night? I reached for my guidebook and searched for the closest province to find an answer.

I will ride a train in Taj Mahal and head to Penang.  That’s the plan.

The rain started pouring but I kept walking.   The vehicles filling up the streets makes the town looks busy yet the good old buildings look sad, forgotten and empty. I took a right turn to head to the train station.

In front of me is Masjid Jalan, a mosque built in 1912.  It has one minaret and a couple of protruding red orange tiered domes.

I ran to one of the tents found inside the park fronting the mosque and realized that the Birch Memorial Clock Tower is standing beside me.  It’s a square decorated tower built for J.W.W Birch, the 1st British resident of Perak, Malaysia.

After walking another few meters, I finally saw Ipoh’s Railway Station, or what the locals call their “Taj Mahal”.  The rain was so heavy that I took shelter from the massive and another beautiful stately colonial building – Ipoh Town Hall which dates back to 1914.

I was so eager to get closer to the train station.  I actually saw it on my 1st attempt to find the castle in Ipoh but didn’t know it’s the train station already.  Inspired by Moghul architecture, Ipoh Railway Station was originally built as a hospital.  To date it is the most imposing train station I’ve ever seen plus its serene color that cover its domes, pillars, and turrets.  Its manicured garden added more to its splendor.

I’m leaving Ipoh with a heavy heart, knowing I haven’t seen the castle, asking myself, “Will I ever see my fairy tale destination?”

A luxury train stopped in front of me.

Sometimes I wish life is a fairy tale maybe in my story I could ride that posh train.

At my age, I still believe in fairy tales.

Ipoh series to be continued..

This is part of my Ipoh Series and my Malaysia adventure  last April 2011.

Viewed 7290 times by 2703 viewers