Despite having travelled through the region on numerous occasions I hadn't previously taken the time to visit Taiping. I now know why, in Malaysia,it is referred to as The Town Of Eternal Peace. It is a real gem to be found at the end of one of those detours you're always tempted to take but don't for some reason or other.
We intended to stay for one night and have a quick peek at its host of colonial buildings. They are great to see but there is also a sense of calm and quiet and about the town and the residents that slows you down and we managed to get out three days later. The old English schools and government buildings dotted across the city easily recreate a time past for the children and myself. There are also some fabulous old Chinese shophouses that are slowly being restored. The traffic was concentrated on just a couple of streets and therefore getting around was easy and a lot less stressful.
We ventured into the Taiping Lake Gardens one morning with the mist slowly rising to expose the locals walking, jogging and completing their tai chi routines by the water's edge in the company of numerous birds and monkeys. The gardens are extensive and well used and it is easy to find a shady spot away from the rest of the world. Of course we couldn't leave without a visit to Maxwell Hill high above the town. The landrover takes approx.40 minutes to reach a viewing area a little below the summit and the journey incorporates 72 hairpin bends so it can get a little hard on your back if you're not in the front seats (which we weren't!!). We did walk on a bit further and came to the Cendol Guesthouse with a fantastic view of the city so I may return for a stay as I come back through Malaysia after Christmas.
While in Taiping we also discovered the BEST Chicken Rice restaurant in the country we think and returned there for lunch each day. It is called 'Kedai Kopi Kok Beng' and is on Jalan Kota. Just around the corner a young couple have started a pastry shop and it was also serving good snacks. There is a yum cha restaurant on Jalan Kota just up from the Panorama Hotel in the same block as The Clocktower. The yum cha's are disappearing across Malaysia as the young people are not as interested in this style of food or so the people I spoke to thought. It is also noticeable that they are generally patronised by old people who wish to drink tea and eat slowly.
Before I sign out I need to wish my class in Australia a Merry Christmas and happy summer holidays as they finish school tomorrow. All the best to the school leavers in Brod, Keith and Sophie and to Christiane and Liana who have been looking after them in my absence. There are some great handbag stores over here!!
