{"id":20620,"date":"2020-03-02T15:54:07","date_gmt":"2020-03-02T07:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stuif.com\/blog\/?p=20620"},"modified":"2025-08-03T11:45:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T03:45:34","slug":"taiping-february-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stuif.com\/blog\/?p=20620","title":{"rendered":"Taiping, 20-24 February 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a recent post<\/a>, I reported about a trip to Kuala Selangor with our UK friend Rodney. He had also never visited Taiping, my 2nd hometown.! A good reason to plan a short trip, only 3D2N, because he was flying back to UK on 24 February. A bit too short for me, so I booked 2 nights in Furama for Aric and Rodney, and two more nights for me. Therefore this report is in two parts \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started early on 20 February, because our first destination was Penang. Rodney’s longtime Malaysian partner, Keng, had passed away in the UK, a few months earlier and Rodney had brought his ashes to scatter them in the sea near Penang, where Keng was born. We had offered to help and support him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On our way North we had breakfast in Tanjung Malim. We had half-boiled eggs with ice coffee, where the ice was made of coffee in the shape of a heart, so it would not dilute the coffee, while melting. A clever trick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Traffic was smooth, we reached Penang in time to have lunch at the Taman Emas restaurant<\/a> we had visited before, with good char kuey teow and assam laksa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We continued to Teluk Bahang near the northwestern tip of Penang Island, where Aric had, with the help of a friend, booked a boat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had bought yellow and white chrysanthemum flowers to scatter with the ashes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was a simple, moving farewell ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road ends here. There used to be a restaurant here, aptly named The End of the World. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From Teluk Bahang we drove back to Taiping, where we arrived in hotel Furama around 4 pm. After a short rest we walked to the nearby Lake Gardens. Usually it rains in the afternoon in Taiping, but this time it was beautiful weather. We enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A few more pictures. Top right flowers of the Rain Trees (Samanea Saman<\/a><\/em>) that border the Lake. Bottom left the fruits of the Cannon Ball Tree, not all Taipingites may be aware that a few of these strange trees are growing in the Lake Gardens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The sunset was very nice. Look at this picture, isn’t it beautiful? The Lake Gardens are fascinating, any time of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Compare it with this video. The famous Chinese Pagoda Bridge in the Lake Gardens has been recently decorated with gaudy LED-lights. Many people are happy with it, personally I think it doesn’t go well with the atmosphere of the Lake Gardens. Feel free to comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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