Concubine Lane & Wall Murals From Ipoh Old Town.

It all started with a friend who has not been to Concubine Lane and she needed someone to go with her. That is how I volunteered to accompany her on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowd. We agreed to meet in front of the Ho Yan Hor museum.

We started with a visit to the Ho Yan Hor museum. Besides us, there were a few other visitors.

A pair of colourful hanging toys caught my attention. From the museum, we walked over to Concubine Lane which is only a few steps away. I didn't take many snapshots because this is not my first visit. To view the pictures and read of my earlier visits, you can click here, here, here & here.

Door guards on duty. 

If you are interested, there are many cute souvenirs for sale inside.

The upstairs tenants saying "hello" to the visitors.

We passed by a shop called "Wheel Noodle". I wondered whether they really serve the noodles in those big bowls or are they just for display only.

Next, we stop at Restoran Wong Koh Kee for a simple lunch. A very popular shop since the old days.

Just a snapshot to show the lunch hour crowd in the restaurant. It was fully packed. After lunch, my friend had to leave and so we parted ways. I took a walk to scout out some wall murals since there was plenty of parking time left.

I like the attractive red and white umbrellas hanging overhead at the Second Concubine Lane.

I found some great paintings on the other side of the same narrow lane.

Found this plaque on the wall, sponsored by Chek Hup White Coffee.

The following words were written on the plaque:

WELCOME TO MARKET LANE

After a blaze destroyed Ipoh Old Town in 1892, its lanes of shops were rebuilt. Three of these lanes became gifts from a mining tycoon, Yao Tet Shin, to his three wives. Locals nicknamed them:

The Wife Lane - today's Lorong Hale.

The Concubine Lane - today's Lorong Panglima.

The Second Concubine Lane - today's Market Lane.

The area was notorious for its opium dens, casinos and brothels up until the end of World War II when it became home to many rich miners' concubines.

As Ipoh develops, the pre-war buildings on Lorong Hale, Lorong Panglima and Market Lane have been refurnished and respectfully re-purposed, transforming these once colourful landmark into a unique attraction.

Second Concubine Lane at Market Lane, since 1892,

Wall mural of customers having their breakfast.

3 happy kids jumping for joy.

Recyclable materials collector. An actual trishaw, cut into half was mounted onto the wall for this wall mural.

And a layout map showing the where about of the wall murals in Ipoh Old Town.

O Lord, I know it is not within the power of man to map his life

and plan his course - so you correct me, Lord; but please be gentle.

Don't do it in your anger, for I would die.

(Jeremiah 10:23-24, The Living Bible-TLB)