Footsteps and echoes

I had an overnight stay at the One Pacific Hotel along MacAlister Road, accompanying my wife for a medical procedure—nothing serious, by the way—at the LohGuanLye Specialist Centre just across the road. While she was waiting for her check-up, I took the opportunity to go on a long exploratory morning walk around the area. It was something I’d been wanting to do for a long time, but never quite got around to, since we live on the mainland. 

I must say that the One Pacific Hotel—like so many others in this area: Grand Inn, Landison, Tropicana, Courtyard, Red Rock, Travelodge, etc—makes a very convenient starting point for people wanting to explore the lesser-known tourist spots around MacAlister Road. That includes the makan places too, with New Lane being the focal point for many. However, people should be wary of the numerous durian stalls lining both sides of MacAlister Road because these might be pre-season fruit, very likely from out-of-state. Let's get into my story now.

Exiting from the old entrance of the hospital, I walked the length of Logan Road and felt a bit saddened by all the high-rise buildings that have taken the place of the old heritage bungalows that once lined the street. Still, I came across two stately, refurbished buildings that had resisted demolition and are now repurposed as nursing homes. Several decades ago, there were maybe five or six similar bungalows along this stretch of Logan Road, but one by one, the owners sold them off and residential towers sprang up in their place—until only these two were left. One of my old classmates, Oon Hup, used to live at No. 3-G, now long gone, of course.

Turning left into Anson Road, I wandered into the Old Winston Coffee Garden and thought for a moment about having the beef koay teow soup for breakfast. Decided against it. I left through the back entrance, took a walk down the back alley and emerged onto Rangoon Road, where I bought a packet of banana pancake from the lady hawker. That done, I cut across the Old Winston again and, emerging back on Anson Road, continued walking towards Penang Plaza. 

Just behind the plaza was One Corner Café, where I finally settled on a bowl of hokkien mee for breakfast. It wasn’t bad at all. Different stalls have their own way of preparing this hawker favourite, and here, I could really taste the full flavour of prawns in the broth. Quite satisfying.

Instead of retracing my steps along Anson Road, I took the long stretch of Burmah Road all the way to the Pangkor Road junction. Along the way, I paused in front of No. 229-B, where another of my old classmates, Chuan Keat, used to live during our schooldays. It brought back a wave of nostalgia—so many memories, now tucked away behind a gate that hadn't been there before. 

A little further on, I made a short stop at the corner to snap a few photos of the Victoria Memorial, unveiled in 1930 by Cecil Clementi, then Governor of the Straits Settlements. The statue still stands proudly on its pedestal, surrounded by four stone lions and their Union Jack shields. It’s part of the grounds of the Chinese Recreation Club (CRC). Victoria Green, where the CRC is located, was a public field gifted by the Chinese community in honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. The CRC itself was founded in 1892. Facilities were developed around the green over time, and the club became well known for cricket, tennis, badminton and more recently, community events. It remains one of the island’s most historic and respected social and sports clubs.

Turning left, I continued along Pangkor Road, then Perak Road, making a short detour into Khaw Sim Bee Road to look at the former Rediffusion building, until I reached the junction with Logan Road. And that’s where my four-kilometre-long morning walk ended, as I stepped back into the air-conditioned comfort of the LohGuanLye Specialist Centre.

ADDENDUM: I've also included some photos of MacAlister Road which I had taken the previous evening when I walked down in search of dinner.

My old classmate, Yeoh Oon Hup, now deceased, used to stay in one of these old bungalows. This particular one is now used as a nursing home

A second old classmate, Khoo Chuan Keat, also deceased, stayed here. The low stone walls that surrounded the houses along this stretch of road have all disappeared. In their place are metal gates that have destroyed the unique charm of the old houses 

From January to April 1963, this building in Perak Road served as the temporary premises of The Old Frees' Association while the Northam Road premises was being built

The old Rediffusion building which was acquired by the Penang Christian Centre after it had remained empty for quite a while

Behind this pillar stands the Buddhist Tzu Chi Dialysis Centre Penang. This is at the corner of Perak Road and Logan Road

The 218MacAlister building which houses the Tropicana and the Courtyard by Marriott

Soon-to-open 22 MacAlister Exsim which I suppose will be another hotel

This is the Ta Yuen Foh Thang (大圆佛堂), a temple run by vegetarian Mahayana nuns. It was established in 1883 which makes the temple 142 years old. I used to come here as a small boy, six or seven years old, brought along by my grandmother when she wanted to buy stuff. The place is filled with huge statues of Buddhist deities, with some arranged around a central dais in the main building. I used to tear around the gloomy prayer hall, completely unbothered by the stillness of the place and unfazed by the eyes of the statues looking down on me. Hardly anyone visited the temple back then, and I don’t think that’s changed much over the years—it still looks closed most of the time, quiet and undisturbed despite the presence of vehicles in the compound.