On the E1 Highway to Sitiawan |
Even though more than 49 years have passed, I still have very clear memories of the house where I was brought up. I remember there was a huge prayer and ancestral altar facing the main door; there was a chicken coop behind the house; the arrangement of the rooms in the house; and the room where I was once locked up by my Ma for being naughty. I can also remember clearly where I used to play, and the neighbours whom I played with.
I can also remember my Primary School, Methodist English School. I attended Standard 1 and 2 there. My classroom then was on the ground floor of a 2 or 3-storey building. It was the first classroom near to the school gate. I can still recall the scene during my first day of school there – constantly looking out of the louvre windows to see whether my Ma is still there or not. I can remember the school playground and the tuckshop. Even the image of the road where I walked along to school everyday then is still clearly etched in my mind.
Then, I was only a little boy, and everything had appeared very huge. My house, my school, the school playground, and most things, had all appeared very big to me. Along the road where I had walked to school, I remember there was a coffin shop among a row of shops. The coffins appeared huge and frightening to me then. And, each time when I walked past the shop, I would keep a wide berth from the shop front, and kept my eyes away from the frightening huge brown wooden coffins.
I often tell Sue and Deb about this old hometown of mine that I still have fond memories of. I had wanted to bring them to see this little old hometown of mine. It was something that I had hoped to do. Somehow, for many years, I never get to do it for one reason or another. One of the main reasons was – the address as indicated on my birth certificate, cannot be located by Google Maps. Even my primary school, Methodist English School, also cannot be found. Another reason was my fear of getting lost. I was not prepared to drive around in a small town in Malaysia without knowing exactly where I was heading.
The opportunity came unexpectedly. I was planning to bring Sue and Deb to see Ma in Klang. But Sue persuaded me to take the opportunity to drive up to Sitiawan, as Deb would be with us on this particular drive trip. I was initially reluctant to do so because I was not confident that my problematic leg condition could take the long distance drive. On further thought, I realised that Sue's suggestion on extending my drive up North to Sitiawan was actually a great idea. The opportunity presented itself to be the best – all 3 of us will be together on the driving trip; Deb can take over the wheel when my leg cannot take it; with Deb as my pilot, there is no way we can get lost in Malaysia.
So, after almost 50 years, I am going to see Sitiawan again! And, it was with Sue and Deb!
That important date was 24 July 2013. We started our journey from Klang (Premiere Hotel) to Sitiawan. I decided to take the longest route – from Klang to the North-South Highway (E1), and exit at Gopeng to Sitiawan, instead of the much shorter coastal route. The reasons being that – it is the highway, and so, a lot easier to drive, as well as to estimate my driving time, especially, since it is my first drive to Sitiawan; we could stop by Kellie's Castle along the way; catch a glimpse of the one and only waterfall that is visible from the E1 Highway; take a look at my Primary School – Methodist English School, along the way; and, do a recce of New Village Ayer Tawar, my hometown, which I had left 50 years ago.
After leaving the state of Selangor, the North- South Highway in Perak is generally more hilly and picturesque, with distance mountains on the far horizon. Despite the slight haze, we managed to catch a pretty good view of the waterfall from the highway. It was a lovely, scenic and relaxing drive.
Along the way, as planned, we stopped at Kellie's Castle, or as it is, an unfinished ruin, for some photos. The castle seems much smaller than I had imagined. Perched majestically on a low hill, with a meandering stream flowing through the front of the Castle, it is accessible through a bridge running across the stream. As I walked through the rooms and the corridors of the ruins, I could not help, but felt the goose bumps. Maybe, because I had read a little too much about this castle being a dedication of love for Kellie's sweetheart, Agnes and their newborn son, Anthony. That dedication was never realised, because of Kellie's sudden death in 1926. Maybe, it was the light breeze along the corridors that cause a little chill on my wet humid skin. Or, maybe, as rumoured, the spirit of William Kellie Smith still wander in the castle, guarding the uncompleted mansion.
View of Kellie's Castle from the Bridge |
Kellie's Castle |
As I Walked Along The Corridors of the Castle, I Could Feel... |
We moved on to Ayer Tawar. Found my primary school – Methodist English School, easily. The school is still there, and my classroom is still where it was, on the ground floor. But, the school looked a lot smaller now, with a new 2-storey addition at where the playground was supposed to be. It faintly looked like the school that I had remembered.
Methodist English School, Ayer Tawar |
Walking Along The Corridors of Methodist English School |
After a good lunch at Red Ruby, a Foochow restaurant in Ayer Tawar, we set off in search of my childhood home – at New village, Ayer Tawar, Sitiawan. Even though I had not visited the house in the last 50 years, I still have clear memories of the house and the spaces. In my mind, I was already expecting a hard time finding the house during, because the address did not show up in Google Maps.
Sitiawan - Here We Come! |
Finding #481 was tedious. We tried to comb through every road systematically. Throughout the search, Deb had always been most encouraging. Always urging me on whenever I was on the verge of giving up.
In this Vast Land of Ayer Tawar, Where is #481? |
But, Where is #481? |
This Gentleman Led Us to #481! |
This Kind Gentleman Brought Us to #481 - He Knows Everyone in #481!!! |
After 50 years, I could see that the house that I spent my first 8 years of life had changed completely, structurally. The physical layout of the nearby houses is still the same, the drain that I remembered, is still there. But some of the nearby houses and lands had gone through major structural changes. Several houses nearby remained the same as I remembered them. My next door neighbour, the Ross' family - their house, #482, is still there, and still in the most original condition.
481, New Village, Ayer Tawar, Sitiawan |
#482, My Next Door Neighbour's House, Still in its Original Condition, after 50 Years! |
The Broken Larder Covered in Dust and Cobwebs at the Back of #481 |
On the whole, despite the changes brought by new developments, Ayer Tawar remains very much as it was, 50 years ago. I am glad that I can still see some part of my memories appearing physically. For, if Ayer Tawar is to be in Singapore, it would have been completely wiped clean, and transformed into something completely new, with no hint of what was there before.
The next morning, 25 July, we drove back to #481 again. We wanted to retrace the road leading to the house and to take one more last farewell glance of the house and the surrounding and said my final goodbye to Ayer Tawar. And, also, have the chance to show my respect, at the very least, by doing a Drive Pass at the Gutien Cemetry, where my late Grandmother was buried.
(Afternote: A video documentation of my Search for 481 New Village can be found in the following youtube address - http://youtu.be/PtUrkhfjlCU )
While here, we took the opportunity to visit the Sitiawan Settlement Musuem, to find out more about my ancestors, and the reason why they had landed in Ayer Tawar in 1905. At least, now I know more about myself. Deb & Sue have also learnt a little about my past and the Gutien people in Sitiawan, and my ancestry.
Sitiawan Settlement Musuem |
A Tasty Plate of Kon Lou Mian From Kampong Koh Wet Market |
The Best Handmade Mee Suah In Sitiawan |