Tuesday, April 03, 2018

Nostalgia


A man cleans durians in front of his home that doubles as a durian stall in Balik Pulau, Penang April 3, 2018. — Picture by KE Ooi

When I was growing up in Ayer Itam Penang, I lived in a house just like the one in photo, though mine was far more ramshackle (after my father passed away), and sadly without durians, wakakaka.

Oh yes, mine didn't have the children's safety doors as the one above.

I remember my trusty old dog would lie on the same type of concrete veranda while waiting for me to return home from school on my equally trusty old cycle, all the way to and from MBS opposite Han Chiang.




This house even has the traditional altar to the Jade Emperor (Lord of Heaven) as can be seen in photo, next to the lady in shawl, as my old house was similarly equipped with.


probably a Cantonese house

Penang Hokkiens (and Teochews like me) did not have 'religious decorations' above plaque
(religious tablet)

Wow, the memories are flooding back.


3 comments:

  1. Mine, was a kampung wooden house. Dad and mom had passed away and the house had rotted but the durian trees are still there though. I used to sell durians - in my pagoda round neck singlet and a straw hat. My dad had made a small pondok by the main road in front of our house. Once, some Mat Salleh tourists stop by at our pondok and bought some durians and they were surprised that we can speak orang putih.

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  2. KT,
    When were you in MBS? I was there 1962 to 1968.
    Cheers

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    Replies
    1. a couple of years your senior, but some of those years would have seen us together

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