Bukit Mertajam People's Gymnasium

Gimnasium Rakyat Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai Tengah, Pulau Pinang

This is the People's Gymnasium or "Gimnasium Rakyat"  right in the middle of Bukit Mertajam Town along Arumugam Pillai Road,   It is located in the former Magistrate Court of Bukit Mertajam which have already shifted to a new premises at Betek Road

Jalan Muthu Palniappan in front of Pejabat POS Bukit Mertajam

Public Library at Bukit Mertajam

One way street at Cross-Junction of Arumugam Pillai Road and Muthu Palaniappan  Road from Sungai Rambai Road

The gymnasium is situated along with the Public Library of Bukit Mertajam which is a government building also built with Malay home style architecture about the same time as the former Magistrate Court.  I am not very familiar with the history of Bukit Mertajam as I was not a local until I become one of its residents in early 1993.
Have been to the library a few times long time ago when I just moved in.  Now I used to go the the Main Public Library at Seberang Jaya, Pulau Pinang.

I remember I entered once into the former Magistrate Court with my late father who was as curious as I was of what it was like inside back in the 1993 during an ongoing proceeding at court. Then, I was enrolled in the London External LLB course at Perkim-Goon Institute (IPG). We we required to be silent and sit upright and acknowledge our respect for the Honorable Magistrate sitting that day as we entered and were ushered to the seats for the public gallery by the police officer at the entrance.  There were no other people present at the public gallery except for the advocates and solicitors with their clients and a handfuls of the court administrative staff , Policemen and the Honorable Magistrate   We left shortly after seeing what it was like and had to again acknowledge the Honorable Magistrate on leaving the court.

General Post Office

As fate would have it, I did not become a lawyer.  Instead I am selling Professional Indemnity Insurance policies to lawyer clients.  Anyway, that was just another episode of an ambitious me to doing part-time study which was then an opportunity to enhance my career.  I will not dwell further as I have a right to remain silent.

About the gymnasium, I will have to check it out as my pot-belly is not good for belly-dance and it has been thought by many acquaintance that it is from the alcoholic drinking sessions. I do not intoxicate myself with alcoholic drinks but probably I need to have a scheduled regular exercises to keep my youthful looks and dynamic V-shape gymnast outfit which have long been a pear-shape in recent years.

The Green building on the right is Alka Ria while the high building in the centre is The Summits Hotel.  The building on the left partly obscured is General Post Office.

For now, just peering at gymnasium from outside and by the roadside in front of the General Post Office which is just a walk across the street will do. Those of you who go to Post Office monthly to pay your bills and those who like the night time famous hawker food stall "Char Koay Teow" near Alka Ria on its left will know exactly where is gymnasium.  Further to its right-side, it is the Telekom Office and the Government quarters for civil servants which is just opposite OCBC Bank.

Traffic queue at railway crossings as a goods train from Butterworth arriving

You will also not miss the Railway crossing gates cutting across the road from Jalan Sungai Rambai which is now undergoing construction works for the electrified double tracking railways systems from Butterworth to Padang Besar near the Malaysian-Thailand border town.  Just check with the Bukit Mertajam railway station on the timetable of the trains calling at the station to avoid being caught in the rush as the railway gates are closed to traffic for the trains to pass by.  

Oh yes..just reminded of one of my favorites songs "Last Train to London" by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).  I have yet to learn on the gadgets to add the music and links to articles to my blog without infringement on the copyrights and the rules.