Penang

---

Peeeeeeeeeeee nang! One of the first trading posts in Asia for the East India Trading company. Strategically placed between China and India, Penang was an ideal stop off on the often long and treacherous trading route. Today it is a self governed state with a diverse and multicultural society and as such has a significant historical importance for visiting tourists from all over the world including China, Japan, The Middle East, India, Burma, Britain and Malaysia.

Our time here was spent walking the streets! Not in a sleazy way, but in a touristy way! We stayed at the SD Guesthouse which besides the name suggests, was very clean. Basic, but good value at only 25 Ringit and a great location to explore the many historical attractions in George Town, Penang’s capital. The owner was also good value and well humoured. Just call him Ken as that’s what he calls everyone else, even the girls!

You can see a lot of the tourist attractions from our photos below. Perhaps the best were the town’s historical museum, which had excellent displays on the Islands history and the many cultural traditions which are now part of everyday life here. The other place to visit is the Red Garden where you can get really cheap and delicious food.

A definite no no, well maybe just don’t go there on the weekend or when there’s a good chance it’ll rain. Penang Hill is an endurance of both your patience and mental ability to co exist in a small space with your fellow human beings. We visited on a Sunday as it was then or never. We were hoping for panoramic views over George Town right to the mainland. What we got was heavy rain, heavy cloud cover (no view!), and heavy crowds. Take that with the impossibly long queues for the tortuously slow hill train ride up and back down again rapped up the whole experience!! I couldn’t’ help but feel that a visit to the dentist for a route cannal would have been far more pleasurable, more expensive but you get what you pay for.

We left Penang with high expectations for our remaining destinations. We just had to endure another BUS journey. This time we were off to the breath taking mountain scenery and Tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands.

---

Photos

Little India
Little India - The music blared out; the spicy smells wafted up your nose, the colour exploded in front of your eyes. Walking through Little India was a real attack on your senses. This is the place to come for ethnic Indian food, clothes, garlands, sculptures,and of course Indian music and Bollywood films.

Fort Cornwallis
Fort Cornwallis - In 1786 Francis Light took possession of Penang Island for the East India Company making George Town its first military and administrative base in South East Asia. The Fort was subsequentially built to house the handful of European settlers.

St. George's Church
St. George’s Church - Inspired by the church of the same name in Madras and designed by Captain Robert Smith it was built in 1818 and was the first Anglican Church in Malaysia. In front of the Church is a memorial to Francis Light who died in 1794.

Is dis da whay do Armawhiwo??
Crazy dude!

Khoo Kongsi
Khoo Kongsi – One of the best examples of Chinese temple architecture and craftsmanship in Southeast Asia. Built in 1906 by a clan of wealthy Chinese traders called the Khoos the temple and surrounding complex resembled a miniature clan village where they organised their own schools, banks, and welfare system.

The Goddess of Mercy Temple
Goddess of Mercury Temple – Founded in 1800 a popular Chinese Temple where opera and puppet theatre is performed.

Penang Island
Penang Island – The Island was originally part of the Kingdom of Kedah. But Francis Light changed all that in 1786 when he took possession of it for the East India Company. This possession was later legitimized (paid off) with the locals and Kedah upon which Light gave financial incentives to ethnic groups from surrounding lands to come and settle and help develop the Island.