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and art centres. The back
alley of Concubine Lane for
instance used to be the spot
of rendezvous for Chinese
tycoons and their mistresses.
It is now filled with tourists
on weekends with a lot of
renovation currently in the
works to repurpose the area
while taking advantage of the
interesting story that it tells.
The railway station is also
a sight to behold. Initially
used as a hospital before the
turning of the 20th century,
Ipoh Railway Station was
designed by Arthur Beni-
son Hubback and opened
in 1935. Even though the
Majestic Hotel, which used to
be a part of the building has
been closed, the station is still
filled with people especially
on weekends, travelling by
train from across other Perak
towns and heading south
to the capital city. Another
thing worth stopping for is
the ‘ipoh’ tree which grows
right in front of the station.
It is the tree from which the city gets its
name from and the only one still standing
proudly until today.
Wall of Art
Do not forget to spot all the interesting
murals scattered across the Old Town
of Ipoh which beautifully depict local
culture and Ipoh’s original specialties. In
fact, Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic
has painted altogether eight murals
celebrating the birthplace of the white
coffee in collaboration with a local white
coffee manufacturer. The murals have
become an instant hit among travellers
who enjoy the unique postcard-worthy
photo opportunity. Most of the murals
are painted against mouldy walls with
peeled off paints which add character to
each of them.
Aside from Zacharevic, an art teacher,
Eric Lai, has also contributed seven mu-
rals at the lane in between Jalan Masjid
and Jalan Sultan Iskandar (Hugh Low
Street). Lai’s murals are more vibrant
in colour with mostly human characters
showcasing not only Ipoh’s culture but
also other Malaysian culture like Indian
dance and the popular childhood game
of hide and seek.
Aweekend in Ipoh is not only relaxing
but also a complete lesson of history and
art with spiritually fulfilling and gastro-
nomically satisfying journey. Another
weekend in Ipoh? Absolutely!
Ipoh street art