I embarked on a day trip to Taiping and Kuala Kurau, with my mother-in-law joining us on the journey. It turned out to be a delightful excursion, taking us through the scenic secondary roads of southern Kedah and northern Perak.
Our adventure began with a detour through Serdang and Selama before we continued our journey along the eastern side of Red Hill Lake, eventually arriving in Taiping through Kamunting. By this time, we had worked up quite an appetite. Unfortunately, the Dragon Phoenix Restaurant was closed, so we opted for the Yu Xiang Seafood Restaurant. While it didn't quite meet our expectations, the dishes were reasonably priced, and we enjoyed a satisfying meal that cost us approximately RM86 for four dishes.
We initially planned to spend some leisure time at Taiping Lake, but our plans were disrupted by raindrops, prompting us to shorten our visit. Consequently, we decided to visit the Antong coffee mill, which is reputed to be the oldest in Malaysia. It struck me as odd that they weren't emphasizing their 90th anniversary this year. I believe that every milestone should be celebrated, as none of us can predict the future. Perhaps they are waiting for their 100th anniversary? Regardless, the mill was undergoing renovations, and the old bungalow building was off-limits to visitors. We did purchase some packets of coffee and tried their espresso ice-cream, which kept me awake for half the night.
From Taiping, we drove to the southern banks of the Kuala Kurau river to visit the Tai Tay Eah Temple located by the riverbank. Following our temple visit, we indulged in the ever-popular prawn omelette, although we found it a bit lacking in flavor this time. We also ordered an oyster omelette and a plate of fried mini-crabs. While the food was decent, it didn't particularly stand out. Afterward, we had an uneventful drive back home through Tanjong Piandang. The entire day seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye, but at least my mother-in-law found happiness in this delightful diversion in her life.
The temple pictured is the 聖菓院 temple in Kuala Kurau. Although not situated in Kuala Kurau town itself, it sits on the southern banks of the river. While the building may be relatively recent, possibly rebuilt on the same spot, the temple has a history dating back to 1882 when the ancestors of the present townsfolk immigrated from Hock Kien in China. They brought with them the worship of the deity Poh Seng Tai Tay (保生大帝) or Tai Tay Eah. It is unclear whether it was the original ashes in the joss stick urn or the deity's image itself that was brought over. The caretaker may claim it was the image, but it's challenging to ascertain if he knows for certain or is simply passing down a story through the generations.
This Tai Tay Eah is the same deity worshipped at the Cheng Leong Keong (清龙宫) temple in Jelutong on Penang Island. Both temples celebrate the deity's birthday on the 15th day of the third Chinese lunar month. The dates of establishment were sourced from AngKongKeng.com, and if accurate, the Kuala Kurau temple predates the one in Jelutong by several years! The Swee Cheok Tong (Seh Quah Kongsi) also commemorates the birthday of Tai Tay Eah, our chief resident deity, on the same day. In fact, the original name of our clan's house was Tai Tay Eah Society before it became known as Swee Cheok Tong when it was founded by our forefathers in 1846.
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