Petaling Street
Wednesday, 28 September, 2005
General | 笔者: Twinsmom
How long I have not been to Petaling Street? No, this is not the blogs portal PPS I am talking about. I am talking about the Petaling Street in KL.
I used to go to Petaling Street everyday, when I was study in Kuen Cheng Girls High Shcool坤成女子中学. Everyday after school I either take a bus straight home, or gone to PS with classmates, have our late lunch (our class ended at 2.30pm) in the back lane of PS ‘chong wah hong 中华巷‘. Then browse around at the Popular Bookstore or Big Bookstore, sometime I just went there alone, buried myself in the Shang Hai Bookstore 上海书局and Shang Wu Bookstore商务书局.
Petaling Street has a lot of good food, chong wah hong 中华巷 got yummy curry laksa, red bead ice, yong tau fu, assam laksa. The side lane at Popular Bookstore got prawn mee, fish ball mee, beef noodle. And some more Gun Kee 冠记 wan tan mee, Kam Lin 金莲 Hokkien Mee, Lee Tong Kee 李东记 Prawn wantan hor-fun, too many to count…but still counting — the cart selling roast duck, garp-giok-bao 鸭脚包 (duck’s liver and feet wrap with intestine, and braised with spices and soy sauce, hate it or love it food), peanut pancake 煎窿饱, Longan drink 冬瓜龙眼水, ju-chiong-fun 猪肠粉...
And I never put on weight, despite of ate in school reset time 10am, 12.30pm, the ate again in PS at 3pm, then after reach home had dinner at 6-7pm. Young then, metabolism rate was high, further more enough exercise from running around in the alley.
Beside eat in PS, another place we love to hang around was Yan Kee Records 恩记唱片. That was the place we can get our favorite song specially recorded, they got a big book full of the pop songs listed, we got a piece of paper write down the code, place the order and deposit, come back to collect it another day. Those was the day when we can’t afford a double cassette recorder, CD? never heard of it.
Another records shop we like to go was Greenland, is located at the corner of Pak Ping (not sure about the spelling of the building) 柏屏大厦, I think now still there, the other day pass by didn’t notice it, my sight been blocked by all the store outside. This is the place where I got the most wanderful cassette — 飞扬的青春 (a compilation from the young performers in Taiwan, but *sigh* lost it already, if anyone come across it please let me know).
Talk about Pak Ping 柏屏大厦, I got my ear hole pierced in one of the store in this building, the auntie used the gun just “piat! piat! piat!” I got three ear hole liao, two on my left, one on my right. It was so painful (h*ll those people said no pain wan), and I glad there was all I need to do.
Actually after school day even when the time me and Twinsdad pak-tor, we still like to go to PS, there got nice T-shirt, and nice affordable watches, and then we go down for pirated VCD (VCD, not DVD), still remember asking the guy: “Clear or not? 清唔清？”:tmlol:
I remember I bumped to one of my primary classmate, he run a watch store there, he gave us his name card which at the back clearly stated — dealing with genuine immitaion branded watches…(still now it still never fail to make us laugh).
And I bought a Tag Heuer from him, and the classmate in college really believe it was real, after I challenged him compare with another classmate, who admitted her was the PS wan :tmlol:…
My mom use to said: “除咗棺材唔卖，乜都有得买。” (except the coffin, there sell everything) to describe a place sell everything under the roof, but this doesn’t apply to Petaling Street, there are coffin for sell, opposite of some costume jewellery wholesaler shop hahaha… first time this doesn’t apply to a place that sell everything.
Last Saturday before I meet up with Fashionasia, I went to shop for tools around PS again, and stroll along PS and the street next to it, found a lot a lot of the old shop have turned into apparel and accesseries wholesaler store, especially costume jewellery, no longer dark and wore off, all air-con and bright now.
While browsing along those wholesaler shop, looking at those cheap economic jewellery, I was wandering why I still bother to make jewellery? there are tons in the PS waiting for retailer.
But then the fun of making jewellery you can only ask Fashionasia, purplepepper, and Allyfeel.
Then later after separated with Fashionasia, I passed by the well known ‘sai gan chai 四眼仔(Spectacled guy)’ take away a whole roast duck for dinner, SIL so happy to meet that duck, I let her had both of the tight.
After bought the duck I passed by PurpleCane Tea House 紫藤茶馆. I worked there before, for about 9 months I think, have a lot fond memory in this place, met a lot students and nice bosses. Wander my Chinese painting still hanging there or not.
Before reach the Pasar Seni LRT, passed by Klang Bus Stand, I spent 10 years there to wait for buses to take me home, watch out for pick pocket,watch out for bully and ‘ham sap lou‘. Waiting the buses in the late night wander what happen if the last bus had departed. And after graduated from KC, still waited buses here, but sometime will take cab to some where, and haggle with the cab driver for fees.
But now LRT and Commuter Train can take me straight home, no longer squeeze myself in the buses, and no longer haggle with the cab driver.
Few Hours in the Petaling Street sure brought back a lot of my memory.
Wa nice nostalgic post. Myself, I’m from PJ and rarely go to KL, so hardly ever visit PS. seems like got a lot of good things to eat. Must go into those small lanes mroe often.
Hey Twinsmum,I had very similar feelings with you actually, for my senior high school life also revolved around PS a lot. Multiple visits to those bookstores were a must whenever I was there; dining at either Purple Cane Tea Centre or Halo Cafe were what I usually did with my fellow friends, especially after attending tuition classes in Pusat Tuisyen Kasturi; during 16 yo everyone would go to Sinma (5th floor if I’m not wrong) to buy those cute cute gifts; buying music cassettes or CDs from the store in Pak Ping Building; wanderred in Central Market to kill time if wasn’t tuisyen time yet (coz it was closeby); spend long hours of either studying together or laughing-out-loud together with fellow friends in the McD right next to Central Market … etc.
Oh, I’m gonna blog about this place myself, too!
The Klang Bus-stand? I had similar experience too. I got pick-pocket once. The whoever took my wallet away, I didn’t know until I was on the bus home. Luckily I took out 1 buck prior to going up the bus, otherwise I won’t have money to go home. I no longer preferred bus later on but rather take kommuter home, and would ask my mum to fetch me.
aiya, now i’m felling into the memory lane too.
don’t buy coffin from PS… maybe is fake or cheap or “geniune imitation” one ler
nowadays PS not like old days liao… they make it like a big china town like tat… totally lower our social status to a small minority race liao… SIGH!!
Indeed it was fun to make your own jewellery
PS to me only remains memories during college time… Hardly go there this recently
PS….very familiar to me too. Not Petaling Street but my name…lol
I believed those who have studies in KL or those outstation student more or less have some sweet and bitter memories in PS. Myself actually not wondering around PS but just pass by everytime goind back hometown.
Hmm…you are a real book worms huh! Always lepak in the bookstore only. No wonder your writing skill is so damb good. Keep that up but I really can’t catch up with you can have many posting within short period of time.
wahah..the 1st time i go to petaling stret wif fren, i lost at there…really embarrass….wahah…btu i noe last time every saturday will go there wif aunty go for shopping there….cos they 1 2 buy some cloth to make curtain….nicenice..!! but now..no mroe lor….aunty oso bz…my mom oso dun dare to go there anymore…very pack, n alot pick pocket..!!
Yeah, I hang around a lot at PS too during my studied at Systematic College. I like the Gun Kei Wantan Mee and the Kum Lin Hokkien mee and the assam laksa. Hmmm…you have brought back my memory!
Wah you make me miss home!! My mum play mah jong and my dad used to have a office in Petaling Street.
Wah… talking about the past really makes me feel old ler. Those were the days… during school days… THE hangaround areas. How long ago was it? I remember vaguely the last time I went there was 1994. Is a place for memory…
I love this post.
would you believe if I tell you that I’ve never been to PS in my whole life?
maybe next time you can be my ‘tour’ guide in PS? 
嘿！你都几新潮呵！还打了三个耳洞…
YeeWei, thanks for stopping by;).
yah, there are a lot college and tuition center that area.
if you go to petaling street beware of pick pocket, and go with few friends, then you all can share the food, so can taste more good food lor.
:b1:
Greenapple, I know you have fond memory to Petaling street too ;). The booktore are the must-go place to a lot Chinese school student.
When I study that time no Halo yet, just Purple Cane, our age in 10 years different, so does the place.
:b2:
Egghead, :lol::lol::lol:…I think the coffin business in PS also dying lar, dead man business being monopolise by those big enterprise liao.
Yah, I agree, I prefer the old PS, now more and mre store being replace by the pirated DVD, peddlers from China and others Asean countries. But thank goodness saw a few selling KL souviner like Twintower, otherwise really don’t see the different from others china town.
:b3:
Purplepepper, glad to see you!
:b4:
PS, did you sneeze a lot last night, starting from evening? since I have been typing so many “PS” :lol:.
hahaha…yah, I am a bookworm, what to do? during tht time no good look no boyfriend mah date with book lor, book never care I good look or not :lol:…
Just read what you like, a lot of my “po po ma ma” post not suitable for guy also ;).
:b5:
Milly, you really like your name after translate to Chinese lor — 迷离 (who translate liao?). next time go with friends again lor.
:b6:
Jefferene, that is the best wantan mee! *sigh, drooling again, wipe saliva*…
:b7:
Michelle, hah:o? ya kah? you are from KL! where your mom play mar-jong?
:b8:
Suzette, don’t worry, I always older than you :lol:…
:b1:
DG, Oh sure, no problem :D. 刚刚毕业嘛，太兴奋了。三个耳洞罢了吗，我的同学个个四五个。
wah!! howcome u never bring me to buy the duck!!! i seriously dunno where got nice food there …everytime eat mcdonalds only. haha!!
wahahaha….. neh the fello lor..!! simply change my name lor…!! aigh…!!!
Wei! You trying to make me feel hungry izzit? Mention all that food! Anyway, I really enjoyed your walk down memory lane.
Wa.. you terror la.. Can do commentary on places, can cook (your recipes look yummy but I haven’t tried any yet), and you make beautiful jewelry.
And you have twins!
Where do you find the time to do so many things and be good at them?
Yup, me also PS kaki during college days at Cahaya Suria. Can’t believe the same assam laksa lady still there after all these years. I always order ALaksa from her without the usual garnishing (cucumber and onion) and add foo-chuk instead. I just like the thick fish soup.
Mmm..I love roast duck. Sei-ngan-chai still good-eh? Near Fung Wong bakery, are they still selling sweet potato balls and mini spring rolls? And the famous longan stall at the junction is still there?
My ‘genuine imitation’ Tag lasted me almost 10 years and only recently the mechanism kaput. Anad it still looks good! Your friend still there-ah??
After all these years, PS still looks the same. The students who hang out there also still look the same..how come fashion never change-ah??
How not to admit old when we get so nostalgic about a place?? Some of the songs that was popular during my younger days is alrady considered ‘classic’ in Light&Easy..sigh…Oh ya, I also used to record songs on cassette last time (did it at Sg Wang and Jaya supermkt though). No need to waste money buying an entire album when I like only 1 or 2 songs-mah!
Fashionasia, you didn’t say what…next time, OK? I show you where to get the yummy duck.
:b1:
Milly, but he changed it very appropiate wor :lol:.
:b2:
MG, I didn’t purpose to mention all the foods leh, the foods just…just… all along the memory lane, what to do?
:b3:
Zara’s mum, thanks for stopping by with the encourage words.
tell you a secret…sshh…I got a lot lousy things, but swipe underneath the carpet never tell, just put the nice stuff on the top, so everyone mah thought I very multi-task lor…sshh…
:b4:
kat, you blogging in my comment board liao :lol:.
wah…not bad leh, the Tag can last this long ah? mine one one year bye bye liao. BTW my friend no longer run the store lor, may be he is doing pirated DVD liao :P.
I think the records shop in Sungai Wang you talking about is Victoria right? hahaha…come think about it, that was the earliest pirated cassette hor?
Near Malaya Hotel. Cannot tell the exact destination, later kena raid..hehehe. My mom also a member of the “kwong siew wu kun”, last time my bro & I got prize for scoring As in school…hehehe
Ello..ello..!!! liang lui you make me very hungry you know..!!
Solly,solly for long ‘comment’.. what to do, so starved for adult conversation after staying with kids 24/7 all by myself for so long, want to ‘kheng kai’-mah!! Next time, I just talk to the PC as I read your blog, ok?? lol
Michelle, hahaha…I think got a few there right? my friend’s parent was playing mah-jong there also before they migrated to Australia. Oh, “kwong siew wu kun” is it the one like temple wan?
:b1:
Big Bok, hahaha… ya, there is the only place even auntie will being call “leng lui”.
:b2:
kat, tease you only lar, love to read your comment, the longer the better, afraid one day if you start blogging then you no leave long long comment in my blog.
eh, me too leh, only talk to the twins whole day *sigh*…some tiem forgot how to talk to adult liao.
Yes, the temple, just next to Malaya Hotel. Now I am a Christian, so don’t like to go in.
I worked in Purplecane and Chinwoo Swimming Pool from around 1986 to 1991 when studied in Confucian and Sistematic. Anyone in the same generation?
Really missed PS. Got a chance in March 2005 to go home and visited PS after almost 14 years overseas. A lot have changed. But the lady at “Greenland” music store at Furama still the one I have known for almost 20 years.
Purplecane Tea House, I have tons of memories…….from the very early years. Their first store in PS, and then in PJ SS2, then in Ipoh….