One of our favourite Ipoh outings is to the old town, where the buildings date back to the beginnings of the 19th century mining town and the footpaths are uneven stretches of beautiful tiles. Some of the buildings have been sympathetically restored, with the facades reflecting their history but the interiors suiting their modern uses as cafes, galleries or specialist stores. One can stand at one corner and look along the arches that span the length of the block. We usually have a coffee at one of the cafes where we are now regarded as locals and greeted accordingly. Then we wander the alleyways and always find some feature that we’d not noticed before or meet someone new. Last Saturday I met a friendly florist who had recently opened her charming shop, styled after a similar store in New York. She’s just returned to Ipoh after spending time in the Big Apple.