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<\/a><\/p>\nAt the Taiping station my THS (Taiping Heritage Society) friend Tung Lay Chun was waiting for me. She had arranged a (preview) visit to the new Telegraph Museum, but first she showed me the work going on at the future Botanical Garden of Taiping. A botanical garden in Taiping? It was the first time I heard about it<\/p>\n
In this Google Earth map I have sketched, with a red contour, the location of the proposed Botanical Garden. The green markers indicate existing buildings and points of interest. As you see, it is a huge project, compare it with the size of the Lake Gardens<\/p>\n
The banner suggests that the Taiping Town Council (MPT) is responsible for the project and I was told that funding is by the Federal Government. RM 10 million for the first phase!<\/p>\n Here is a plan of the garden. The supervisor, a nice Malay lady, explained a bit about the garden<\/p>\n According to a signboard, the first phase should be completed in November 2018, but when I look at the present situation, I wonder whether that is feasible. Here are some pictures.<\/p>\n A large parking lot, they must expect many visitors<\/p>\n To be honest, I have my reservations about the\u00a0 project. Penang has its famous Botanical Gardens<\/a> (1884), Taiping its equally famous Zoo<\/a>\u00a0(1961), the oldest in Malaysia. Why create another botanical garden in Taiping?\u00a0 Will\u00a0 Penang follow with another Zoo? A friend said that it may be better to have a Botanical Garden there than buildings and condos and of course I agree, but the money could also be used to upgrade\/beautify\/renovate Maxwell Hill and its heritage bungalows.<\/p>\n After this visit it was time for lunch. Nasi Arab, delicious!<\/p>\n The Telegraph Museum is not yet open to the public, but the friendly supervisor Athira didn’t mind showing us around. Most of the exhibits are already there, but they are still working on the explanatory notes.<\/p>\n It is apt that Taiping has been chosen as the location for a telegraph museum, as the first telegraph line was opened in 1874 between the Deputy Resident in Taiping and the Residency in Kuala Kangsar. The building, housing the museum, was built in 1884 by the department of Posts and Telegraph and has been beautifully renovated. In the beginning it was also the post office.<\/p>\n Here I am standing in front of the museum, in the left picture with a mail coach and in the right one with\u00a0 Athira (in black) and three interns, who are helping her.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n