Yo! Its Xmas!

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"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know.
Where the tree tops glisten and children listen
to hear sleigh bells in the snow".


White Christmas was blaring out of the PA system at high volume in the Prangin Mall, Panang whilst I was eating a noodle soup.

White Christmas was followed by a rendition of:
"Rudolf the red nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows."

All these eulogies to the virtues of snow in tropical Malaysia, where they never see snow!

I've spent the Christmas period in Penang. The people here definitely celebrate Christmas, along with all the cheesier element I might have thought I had escaped.

I left Thailand on the 22nd of December (see my previous blog) by train, which arrived in Butterworth very late at night. Butterworth is the industrial city on the mainland, just across the water from the island of Penang.

I opted to stay the night in a hotel in Butterworth - not a pretty place. Then I took the ferry to Georgetown, Penang in the morning.

The city of Georgetown, on the island of Penang was founded by the British East India Company. Captain Francis Light landed in 1786. At the site of his landing he set about building a fort, which is now Fort Cornwallis. Penang is and always was a very multicultural city. It was a trading centre for the British and attracted settlers from all over the world.

I stayed for 6 days in the Chinatown of Georgetown. I visited various temples and mosques. I also took the funicular railway up to Penang Hill, which in British imperial days was a very exclusive hill station. The British liked Penang Hill because it was cooler than Georgetown. Personally I found the climate in Georgetown insufferable. Walking a few metres down the road would leave me dripping in sweat with my shirt sticking to my back.

One of the highlights of my visit was the parade through Chinatown on Christmas Day evening. A parade of giant flags, floats, a snowman and dancing dragons.

On the 29th I dragged myself away from Georgetown, catching the bus to the Cameron Highlands, where the climate will be more pleasant.

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Photos

Yo! Its Xmas!
Stage at Prangin Mall, Georgetown where Santa himself was booked to make a personal appearance on Christmas Day.

Christmas parade - Georgetown, Penang
This parade took place on Christmas Day in Chinatown, Georgetown.

Kapitan Keling Mosque
This mosque was built by the first Indian Muslim settlers.

Kua Yin Tang in Georgetown
Built in the early 19th century in honour of the goddess of mercy.

Hainan Temple, Georgetown, Penang
Built in 1895, this temple is dedicated to Mor Chor, the patron saint of seafarers.

Khao Kongsi Clanhouse
Konsi is a clanhouse, which is a temple and meeting hall for Chinese of the same clan. Khao Kongsi was built in 1906.

Mansion of Syed Al-Attas (Penang Islamic Museum)
Syed Al-Attas was a spice trader from Acheh. This mansion was built in the 1860's. Syed supported the Achenese battle against the Dutch. The house is believed to have been used as a secret meeting place for the Achenese leadership.

Statue of Captain Francis Light at Fort Cornwallis.
Fort Conwallis was built on the site of the landing of Captain Francis Light in 1786. The city of Georgetown was built around this core. Captain Francis Light was claiming the island on behalf of the British East India Company - a private company that had its own army.

Bellevue Hotel, Penang Hill
This was probably one of the first buildings on Penang Hill

Bungalo on Penang Hill
There are houses that look like this all over suburban Britain!

Eastern and Oriental Hotel
This hotel was founded by the same brothers who originally ran Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward and Somerset Maughan were just a few of the people that stayed here.

Comments

[VINODNE MENON RAMESWARAN]

Requesting for schematic drawings of ALl-Attas Mansion for university project
Hi there, im a final student of interior architecture in Lim kok wing. im doing a research thesis about this building. am I able to get the drawings of this building?

[Stuart]

I don't know.