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Day 316: Sunday 10th May - Contrasting food experiences
Not much to comment on today. I got the bus from the Cameron Highlands to Penang, which took 5 hours. Georgetown, Malaysia’s second city is yet another city in Malaysia where the bus station is inconveniently located out of the city. I can only think of Kuala Lumpur of all of the cities I’ve visited in Malaysia where this is not the case. Before I can get the bus into the city I need to get some change. Somehow, I don’t think the bus driver is going to take kindly to it if I hand him a 100 Ringgit note (the equivalent of a £50 note in the UK) for a journey which won’t cost more than 2 Ringgit. To get some change I buy some lunch upstairs in the bus station. Penang has a reputation as having legendary cuisine. I’m looking forward to trying the culinary delights in the days ahead but my experience gets off to an inconspicuous start. I get a chicken burger to get some change and it’s akin to chomping through plastic. I make up for it a few hours later when I have dinner. I
decide to go Chinese tonight. I eat early as the chicken burger I had for lunch had about half as much nutritional content as a McDonalds! Good job as when I get to the Chinese restaurant, I get the last table. As I wait for my food, there’s a queue of locals hovering around for a table to come available.....the food must be good. When it comes it doesn’t disappoint. The crispy chicken with plum sauce is delicious - now I know where Penang gets its reputation from. Later in the evening I have a few beers and watch the football. It’s the Manchester Derby and by the end of it United are one step closer to retaining the championship. Happy days!
Day 317: Monday 11st May - A close shave with an elderly Chinese woman and a cut-throat razor
Some days writing this blog can be a chore. The experiences I’m having are certainly not, but writing about them, and keeping it interesting can be. Some days (yesterday being a case in point) it can feel like ‘yeah got up, caught a bus from A to B, did this, did that, met such and such, blah, blah,
blah’. You know what I mean. And some days I have stories to tell which have the creative juices flowing and are fun to recount. Today I have one such story. For a few days now I’ve been wanting a haircut. This will be the first haircut since Byron Bay, four months ago. I’ve tried with the growing the hair malarkey and have come to the conclusion that first I can’t handle it when it gets to that in-between length when it is neither short nor long, but is a mess. Foremost though, I have realised that I’m at the stage where hair does not grow uniformly on my head and the days of having long hair are frankly in the rear-view mirror of my life. I was growing my hair because I wanted a change. I still want a change but it will have to be at the opposite end of the spectrum instead - very short. Also, of the two haircuts I’ve had on my travels, both have been in English speaking countries. I went 4 months through Latin America and 2 months so far through Asia without one. Maybe the idea to grow my hair was due
to an inability to express how I wanted it cut in whatever language in the country I was in at the time?!
Well, that is the scene set. It’s late afternoon on a typically hot Malaysian day in Georgetown. I walk out of the hostel and into Chinatown in search of a hairdresser’s. Part of me thinks this is going to be a forlorn search and that I should have taken the opportunity earlier today when I had the chance.... didn’t fancy the place though. After 5 minutes I find a place. I don’t know if it’s even open but two elderly Chinese women stood outside beckon me to enter. I do, and one of them follows me in to the shop and motions for me to sit in the chair. This lady - well how can I put it politely - yes this lady would be retired if she lived in the UK. She must be pushing 70 at a guess and she’s dressed like a granny. You know one of those lurid, flowery dresses with no shape that were obviously the fashion when TV was black and white and when the second world war was just yesterday
not a lifetime ago. As I’m sat their waiting for her I can’t help thinking that this lady’s clothes remind me of a stag-do I went to a few years back when we all went to the bingo dressed as grannies!!! She comes over and asks me what I want. I reply that I want a number three all over. Easy, you’d think so. No, not when you speak different languages. My Chinese is non-existent and her English is not much better. I point to the clippers, motion to my head and count three on my fingers as if I was talking to an infant!!! The communication works though...she seems to have got what I want. I hope!
At least with a number three all over, there isn’t too much you can do wrong. Still, for the first few minutes I sit tentatively, wondering what the outcome is going to be. After a while though, I realise that she has done this before and knows what she is doing. I start to relax, no worries. Minutes later she is putting the finishing touches to the haircut, when she fumbles about the shelf in front of her and pulls out
this cut-throat razor. Now I’m an open-minded fellow but there’s just something not right about an elderly Chinese woman brandishing a cut-throat razor in the direction of my neck! The look on my face when I realise what is happening next......priceless!! She happens to be as adept at using the razor as the clippers though and I survive without being butchered like JBT. (JBT by the way is a good friend of mine who went for a head shave the day before he was best man at a wedding. He got butchered and looked like he’d been in a fight, given the amount of cuts he had.
Rewind a few hours. I started the day with a trip to the post office to pick some mail up from home. Straightforward, they have the package, and I’m in and out within two minutes. Today’s job done, I start off on one of the historic Georgetown trails. The first stop is where it all started for modern day Penang, Fort Cornwallis. The fort is built on the site of Sir Francis Light’s historic landing in 1786. Light was a ‘representative’ of the British East India Company, who was looking for a
trading post on the route sailed in between India and China, and to break the Dutch monopoly of the spice trade. Sir Francis persuaded the Sultan of Kedah to cede the island to the Company. Originally named the Prince of Wales Island, the settlement that soon grew was named Georgetown after King George III. What evolved on the formerly unpopulated island was a bustling port. Entrepreneurs of every imaginable ethnicity, most notably the Chinese, flocked to this new land, creating wealth and cultural hybrids. By 1832, Penang formed part of the Straits Settlement with Malacca and Singapore. From the Fort, it is a short walk to the city and town hall, both examples of well-preserved buildings from the heyday of the British Empire. The final stop before lunch is at the Penang Museum whish illustrates the customs and traditions of Penang’s various ethnic groups. The main ethnic groups are similar to the rest of Malaysia: Malays, Chinese and Indians. However, Penang attracted immigrants from Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi in what is now Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Armenia and what were classed broadly as Eurasians.
For lunch I try one of Penang’s specialities - Char Kway Teow. It is rice noodles
stir-fried with egg, vegetables, shrimp and Chinese sausage in a soy sauce. Verdict: okay. After lunch, I go on the temple trail. First up is the Goddess of Mercy Temple, one of the oldest Chinese Temples in Penang, built in 1800 by early immigrant settlers. I then walk through Little India which is full of life. Bollywood tunes are blaring out at every street corner, shop windows are full of colourful fabrics, flowers are being sold on the street side. The Hindu temple in Little India - Sri Mariamman is closed, so instead I walk to the Hainan temple across the road. Following the three temples, comes an interesting visit to Kapitan Keling Mosque. Built in the early 19th century, the mosque features an ochre yellow facade and a dome shaped minaret reflecting Moorish Islamic influence. Just, another religious building are my thoughts as I’m about to leave for the next one on the trail. Then, I get asked if I want to join a quick tour. I do so, after which myself and another couple from England are given refreshment. Three Muslims share a room with us and the one that did the tour with us now starts to
tell us about Islam......
Whilst I hadn’t bargained for a religious education into the world’s second largest faith it is nevertheless an interesting episode. I knew that Islam had similarities with Christianity but not quite how many. I discover that Islam recognises 25 prophets, and most of them I recognise from the Bible with the exception of the last of the 25 and the most important to Muslim’s, Mohammed......Moses, Adam, Abraham, John the Baptist, even Jesus...all familiar. The Muslim (teacher?) tells us that the faiths of Judaism, Islam and Christianity are closely linked. Thinking about it I guess they are. The Jews believe that the Saviour, and Son of God is still to come, Christians believe that the Son of God came, and will do so again and Muslims recognise Jesus as a Prophet but believe it was Mohammed that ultimately spoke God’s word. One thing I’ve found on my travels is that people irrespective of their colour, race, religion etc share more similarities with each other than there are differences. In building relationships between people from different backgrounds it is these similarities that should be emphasised, and at the same time the differences should be understood and respected.
However, the rest of the discussion at the Mosque is on uncomfortable ground. The English lady, sat next to me is probing why Muslim’s are terrorists and the Muslim scholar is defending his religion by bringing in examples of the American’s raping his sisters in the Iraq war and the Israelis occupation of Palestine. For me both sides in the discussion are wrong, for a variety of reasons. Focusing on negatives and injustices in the world isn’t going to bring people together or solve issues. I leave with a book on Islam which I read later in bed, finding the part on Mohammed particularly interesting. I conclude that through the episode I’ve improved my understanding on an often misunderstood religion but didn’t find the scholar’s conduct helped, no wonder it’s often misunderstood.
From the Mosque, I continue on the heritage trail, finishing off with a couple of temples and another mosque. By the end of the day I have ‘Temple fatigue’. There are only so many religious buildings you can visit before you start to become bored with it......one temple looking like another. My final stop is at a Peranakan mansion which is ornately decorated but not worth the
10RM (£2) entrance fee. Later for dinner, I decide it’s time for Indian so walk down to Little India. I love the Indian culture and the streets are a hive of activity, Indian music being pumped out on to the streets. Just walking the few streets that make up Little India I can’t wait to get to the real thing later this year as I know from my last visit that this is still a ‘watered down’ version. I finally plump on a restaurant and enjoy a banana leaf meal of chappatis, curry, chicken biryani and oothaban, which is like a pizza filled with onions. Stuffed, I still find room to walk down the street and get some orange cake from an Indian sweet shop!
Day 318: Tuesday 12th May - Another weird encounter
I walk the other heritage trail today - well sort of because I add my own little bit on the end. I know that one of the stops on the trail - Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion only does tours at 11am and 3pm so I intend to get there for the morning tour. However, I get delayed in the hostel watching a comedy film
which is showing so it’ll have to be the afternoon one instead. The trail today is rather uninspiring, a few temples and historic buildings, but nothing out of the ordinary. The last stop on the trail is a cemetery, where I find the grave of Sir Francis Light, Penang’s founder. At the same time as I’m in the cemetery there is a photo shoot happening for bridal wear. Well, I’m guessing that is what is was rather than real wedding photos, but regardless of which it was, what an odd location!
After finishing the trail I walk a good couple of kilometres to some outlying temples which are mentioned in the tourist guide I’ve got. How glad I am that I made the effort. The temples on opposite sides of the street are the two most impressive I’ve seen in Georgetown. I can only think of the one in Singapore which compares. The first, Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram, influenced by the Thai’s, Chinese and Burmese, there is a giant 33 metre reclining Buddha said to be one of the largest in the world. Interestingly, niches behind the statue house urns containing the ashes of devotees. Dharmikarama Burmese Temple across the
street isn’t quite as impressive but is equally decorated in gold. A pair of elephants guard the entrance to the temple, and there is a huge standing Buddha inside. Aside from my visit to the mansion later, I’ve had about as much as I can take on the culture front for the time being. I’ve explored Georgetown’s premier tourist attrations in some depth but as much as anything it is just wandering the streets that makes this an interesting city.
I decide to have a wander to a shopping mall but get caught up in a sudden downpour, and a kind Indian fellow offers me shelter in his barber shop. He first inspects my head to see if he can sell me his services in the process, but he can obviously see that I don’t need a haircut. He asks me where I’m from and then shows me some English money he has managed to get his hands on. After a few minutes I can see that it is clearing up outside, so I bid the guy farewell and thank him for his shelter. At this point he takes my hand, I’m thinking to shake it but no he
starts staring at me! Bemused, I start staring back, maintaining eye contact for what an uncomfortable length of time. I think he’s about to say a prayer for me but I’m still uncertain and there’s another Indian in the shop and I hear another one come in as this is going on so I’m not taking my eyes off him. Eventually he closes his eyes and bows his head but my eyes don’t waver from their focus. Before long it’s over and I’m on my way. Unusual, but in the end totally innocent. You have to open yourself up to having experiences such as these but I can feel I’m more cautious after the incident in KL.
For lunch I try Char Kway Teow again. I had a feeling that I chose a rather poor establishment to try it yesterday, so this time I pick a Chinese restaurant which is full of people. It is much better than yesterday’s version, and I certainly savour the meal after I’m presented with chopsticks to eat it. I think this must be the first meal I’ve eaten completely with chopsticks. I’m hopeless at using them and make a mental note to invest
in some ahead of my arrival in China to practice, otherwise I’m going to leave that country looking like I’ve just spent months in a concentration camp! All things considered, I don’t do too bad, I keep pace with an Indian on the table next to me. However, he’s happily chatting away whilst eating whilst all of my concentration is needed for the task in hand - there’s definitely scope for improvement!
I arrive at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in time for the afternoon tour. Cheong Fatt Tze is legendary in the annals of the history of Penang. He arrived penniless from Guandong province, China to Penang at the age of 16. He grew to become one of the most colourful personalities of the era, a successful businessman, he was almost like a one-man multinational company. He was dubbed the ‘Rockefeller of the East’ and held various governmental posts. Such was his aura and fame that the British and Dutch ordered that flags be flown at half mast throughout their colonies when he died in 1916. The mansion isn’t as ornate as the Peranakan one yesterday, but is no less impressive. Gothic windows, Chinese porcelain work, Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles,
Scottish cast iron work are features to be found in this inspired home. The guide explains in detail the Feng Shui which can be found in evidence throughout the house, but it isn’t to everyone’s liking as we don’t see too much of the house. I personally find it very interesting, and it helps to explain the background behind the architecture and interior decoration.
I try one of the local Chinese food stalls for dinner. I couldn’t tell you what I had, as I couldn’t make out what the guy on the stall said to me. It looked good though, prawns etc with noodles. Chopsticks again......I just need to hang out in Georgetown for a while longer and I’ll be a pro before I get to China!
Day 319: Wednesday 13th May - Reunion with friends
Having spent two days visiting Georgetown’s top attractions, today I am casting the net wider and I go out to see some of Penang Island’s sights. First up, is Kek Lok Si Temple. Of all the temples I’ve visited on Penang this is probably the finest. It stands majestically on a hill, and is built in tiers. It is apparently the
largest Buddhist temple in South-East Asia. The temple boasts a 7 storey Pagoda which is beautifully crafted and further up the complex is a 30m statue of a Buddhist deity which is enclosed in scaffolding and looks like it is being renovated. Well worth the visit.
From the temple, I catch the bus to Penang Hill, which upon reaching the foot of, the heavens open. It is the start of the wet season on the west coast of the peninsula, and it seems that when it gets too hot in the middle of the day, there is an almighty downpour, after which it is much cooler. By the time I take the funicular train up to the top of the hill, the skies have cleared, and the view across Penang, down to Georgetown and across the causeway to the mainland is well worth the trip. The rest of the attractions on top of the hill are a bit lame though. I get lunch and try another of Penang’s favourite dishes - asam laksa. I would describe it and chicken broth and noodles, and is filling rather than delicious. I get a can of ‘kickapoo joy juice’ (I kid you
not with the name), which is refreshing but it would be a gross exaggeration to say that it sent me into raptures of ecstasy. If it was alcoholic, then maybe!!!!
My final stop of the day is to visit Snake Temple. This ends up being an effort to get to, as I need to get a bus back to Georgetown and then out to the temple. The description of the temple really intrigued me as the tourist guide described it as a ‘sanctuary for pit vipers said to be servants of the deity.....these venomous snakes, seen coiled around the pillars, beams and potted plants within the temples are believed to be rendered harmless by the smoke of the burning incense’. Sounds cool, and it is the only such temple of its kind in the world - I’ve got to have a look. It ends up being rather disappointing though. On my first inspection of the temple, I can’t see any snakes and it is only when I ask that the pit vipers are pointed out to me. As for being harmless, well they are since they were de-venomed. I don’t know what I was expecting, I think something Indiana
Jones-esque with snakes roaming round the temple and the visit being edgy. I suppose that’s why I was disappointed.
It is early evening by the time I get back to the hostel. I check my email and I have a message from Trudi and Mike saying they are in Penang. We meet up for dinner and chat about what we’ve been up to the last month since we last saw each other in KL. It’s good to see them both again and they’ve had a great time in Borneo, Sumatra and peninsula Malaysia since I last saw them. We’ve done many of the same things, and we compare experiences, share funny stories and reflect on good times in Malaysia and Indonesia. We also talk about the next section of our adventures. They have got a visa for Thailand today and are heading to the west coast of Thailand tomorrow. I have a flight the day after, on Friday. We agree to meet up in two days in Phang-Nga and then head to Krabi after that. It will be fun hanging out with them again in the third different country.
Day 320: Thursday 14th May - A reflection on
Malaysia
I’m feeling dead to the world when I get up this morning. I got up to watch the football last night and see Manchester United all but secure their third title in a row with a winner 5 minutes from time......very happy days! When I eventually wake up sufficiently to function I catch the bus along the northern coast of Penang. My destination is a tropical fruit farm at the end of the bus line. The problem is the farm is a further 6 kilometres from Teluk Bahang. There is another bus that goes to the farm but its schedule isn’t frequent - according to the locals I could have a two hour wait. In the heat of the day I can’t be bothered with the walk and I’m not keen to fork out on what will be an extortionate taxi fare. It’s a shame because I was looking forward to do some fruit tasting, but I’m sure there will be a chance somewhere else on my travels. With catching buses, I end up wasting 3 hours of the day, and by the time I get back to Georgetown in the mid-afternoon I can’t be bothered to do
anything else with my time in Penang apart from chill out, get ready for Thailand and watch a film.
Penang has been good, the food has been of a standard and variety unsurpassed in the rest of Malaysia, but more than anything I have enjoyed just wandering the historic and lively streets of Georgetown. You get a picture of what the cities of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur may once have been like before the inevitable modernisation with a visit to Georgetown. It is also my last stop in Malaysia. Reflecting on my 5 weeks in Malaysia, what do I think?
Malaysia has a reputation as being benign in comparison to its southeast Asian neighbours. Travelling around is definitely easier than it was in Indonesia, an absence of touts, comfortable buses, decent infrastructure. However, it may be easier to get around than its southern neighbour, but easier doesn’t always equate to better. Indeed, my time Malaysia has helped put Indonesia in perspective. For me, Indonesia has the better and more diverse attractions and if you can be bothered to expend the effort in getting between them, you will be rewarded. I don’t mean to paint Malaysia as boring, as
it has been far from that. I’ve enjoyed my time here, the people are friendly, but it has been good rather than great. Granted, I didn’t get off to the best of starts in KL, but still there has been more to it than just that incident. I think I over-indulged in jungle trekking during my time here and that after Mulu National Park (my highlight of Malaysia) it was only ever going to be downhill. My other favourite experiences were the Cameron Highlands and my longhouse stay for a perspective into a different culture. Would I come back? Probably not. I feel I have seen most of Malaysia's highlights with the exception of its beaches - I missed Tioman Island and the Perhentian’s as I concentrated on the west side of the peninsula but at the end of the day it’s probably not sufficient a reason to return. Looking forward to Thailand, I’m excited about some beach time in the south of the country and also about the cuisine and its Temples. My only apprehension is that I’m going to find it too touristy. It receives 10 million tourists a year, I hope I avoid most of them!
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