Our 'old house'

Whenever we celebrate our own new year, be it Hari Raya or Chinese New Year, we will all swarm back to our own hometown (if condition allows) during the festive season and everybody sings, "Balik Kampung! oh oh oh..balik kampung~..." Balik kampung to me means balik Taiping.



I used to go back Taiping, my father's hometown for Chinese New Year and Christmas every year. Then when the church's carolling switched from attending every open house to only one or two house in an area, we stoped going back during year end since there are no more christmas celebration in our 'old house'. As everybody grows, some of my cousins got married, and some migrated elsewhere, so there are lesser people attending reunion dinner every year. And then we stopped going back altogether two years ago.



And...now, our 'old house' has been sold as it is really 'old' and to maintain it would cost a big sum. It was only practical to sell the house. So, before they hand the key over to the lawyer next month, I took a trip back to have a last glance at our 'old house', which held over seventy years of Mdm.Say, Mdm. Chew and the five Lim brothers, at 175, Jalan Chung Thye Phin...