Ipoh 2023 - Ipoh Nostalgic Shops and Tea Merchant

 

More exploration of Ipoh Old Town. I kept saying it's a small town, yet I can write so many post about it. What a contradiction. Here above is near Kong Heng area. I love old buildings like these, with trees overgrowing and becoming apart of the building.

Inside these buildings are actually modern cafes and shops, but outside they retained their old look. Kudos to that. It helps that there is an awesome kopitiam nearby that has one of the best Satay too.

With not much else to do, we just wander around shops, looking at the deco and things for same. Soaking in the old retro vibe. It's kinda nice. 

The old town played it's part as well and indulged it's visitors, milking them as much as possible. I think if I was a foreigner new to all these, I would be delighted. Fortunately I grew up in Penang, a town just as old, so everything just looked staged to me. I prefer authenticity, always. 

But that doesn't stops me from admiring the beautiful display. And how some olden tools and equipments have been updated in style and design to make it more appealing to the newer generations.  

I do love grand old house and it's decoration, but modern life just can't fit all those big pots in!

Old style cosmetic often reminded us of our grandmother, or that one aunty who is always applying these white powder before going out. Or those rose water like perfume....Nostalgic, that's what it was. They were selling you nostalgic feeling. You wanted to purchase a piece so that you too can go back into those simpler time. 

Old furniture that are hard to sit on. Interestingly both my homes don't have modern sofas. I only have wooden hard furnitures. Guess I am old soul :P 

I did managed to stumbled into a Tea Shop and was stuck there for a while trying to pull myself away from all the beautiful things inside of it. Drinking tea is a lifestyle, a state of mine, a statement, a meditation, everything! I drink tea almost daily. And I think I have a life time supply of tea at both my home!

Besides tea, I love the tools of making tea. I love tea cups and kettle, but could never make myself buy an expensive set. But drinking from a beautiful cup, or a simple one do elevate the experience. And every experience only last briefly, before the tea gets cold, before the tea gets too diluted, before you have to stand up and go to the toilet.....

I would love to have a shelves for my different tea cups. I currently collect English Tea Cups and have around 6 sets? For Chinese tea cup, I only have one special one made by my husband's cousin from Melbourne. The rest I just used a Daiso bought cup. 

I always wanted a Japanese iron tea pot, but could never make myself buy one. A good one cost around 100sgd, and some as cheap as 50sgd. But they can rust, so I have a fear of owning one since it will mean I have to maintain them..... Maybe when I am older and have too much time?

I would probably wander into this shop again when I next visit Ipoh if it is still there. It just feels so peaceful there, surrounded by all the things I love so much :)