This was my first visit to
First Galleria.
First Galleria is a restored colonial office. Insun Sony's father had worked here. Anuar Isa's grandfather had also worked here. There are many galleries within the main building. There is a reading room and a strong room. I saw some of the most precious photos here - Captain Speedy, Frank Swettenham, Gee Hin leader, Hai San leader, Ngah Ibrahim, etc. It tickles me that Captain Speedy is the pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean. Are they the same character?
Affandi and I attended the wedding of Anuar Isa's elder daughter. We met Insun Sony Mustapha Fenner and her husband Sepo and cousin Christina. Insun Sony is a relative of my late father. I had never met her till we met at
First Galleria. Izaham Musa is also related to Insun Sony via the marriage of his cousin to Insun Sony's cousin. It is a small world indeed.
It was difficult taking night photos as Affandi was not used to my digital camera and I didn't know how to get the flash going on his digital camera. So I have to make do with mediocre photos for this post.
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| With Insun Sony Mustapha Fenner, youngest daughter of Mustapha Hussien - a Merdeka fighter in the same league as Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy. She wrote books about her father's struggle to make the Malayan independence a reality. She won a prize and her portrait hangs in the Portraits Gallery at First Galleria. Insun is with the Jenaton Group in Facebook. |
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| Captain Speedy in the bkgr. I like pirates and pirate tales. |
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| Can you spot my two books? Bookshelf in the Reading Room at First Galleria. I like the bookshelf. At least the shelves here don't sag under so much weight. |
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| What we saw of First Galleria when we first arrived in Taiping. I thought this was a Malay palace and told Affandi maybe we were in the wrong place. The restoration here runs in the millions but I think it is worth every sen. I have never seen anything like this restoration. It is well done and simply fantastic. Affandi also likes this place. We wished it was ours! LOL |
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| Day time shot of the lovely First Galleria, after the morning rain, before the wedding at night |
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| With Insun Sony and Christina |
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| Newly weds. I like the red payung and the silver groom's baju Melayu. Looks very magical. |
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| Very pretty and elegant designs. I thought I was in New York or some elite place overseas. This is the kind of artwork that Anuar Isa and his family do. They are a talented lot. |
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| Affandi and Seppo Kangassalo |
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| Affandi, Seppo, Anuar Isa and Insun Sony |
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