Monday, July 04, 2005

The town that time left behind

Lembing07

Sungai Lembing evokes many memories, a small town by any scale, 1 main street, a single gas pump to service the residence and a mean resident age of 45, the town is nostalgia itself. Few things remain changed by the passage of time and many of the same scene today are a snapshot of the time the tin mines closed down. Here, wooden and zinc lined shophouses are the most common stuructures in town serving as both places of business and a place to call home.

Lembing09

Interior of the Hakka Association, meeting place, social gathering, a sense of belonging or maybe just a place to hang about and share a few tales.

Lembing02

Kids frequent the corner store to get their fix at 'ti-ti-kam', a type of luck game where one scratches off panels on a board and see if you're entitled to win prizes. Sweets are another attraction for youngsters as well.

Lembing06

A lone prayer shrine beside a miniature waterfall hidden in a small corner off the beaten track, offering a serene place to contemplate and offer prayers to the dieties.

Petai

Few can stand the pungent smell moreso the taste of petai, but I love them fried in sambal! A local jungle produce picked and sold by the corner of the street to those that crave them.

Lamp

A kerosene oil lamp is the sole illumination provider for this abode.

Repair

A bicycle shop owner carries out most of the repairs by himself when duties call. Small businesses such as this family run enterprise is the main commercial entity in the town where mining is no longer profitable and big businesses seldom venture into.

Lembing03

A row of chairs nicely becons anyone wishing to rest their tired feet, what purpose besides that I don't know.

8 comments:

lucia said...

good pictures that tells a story of this nice serene small town.

hornbill said...

so.. u r from kuantan and study in UMS?

Kervin said...

Lucia: Thanks, glad you liked it.

grace: Kuantan born and bred and been stuck here at UMS for the past 4 years.

Adrian said...

Reminds me of Kuala Penyu... hee hee hee :p

Kervin said...

Oh it does but recently Kuala Penyu developing fast, new hospital, new industry and major upgrades. Sungai Lembing is stagnant with not much chance of offering any incentive to investors, even a tourism plan to spruce up attractions there is not working out too well.

Adrian said...

Oooh. Me thinking this Raya hols me gonna drop by KK. Can I put up with ya a day or two? The rest of the days will be out in the greens :)

5xmom.com said...

You have captured the essence of the laidback life so well. Marvellous! Things look just so...ethnic?

Kervin said...

Adrian: Sure sure you're welcomed anytime here.

5Xmom: :) Glad you liked the pics.