Advertisement
Published: October 26th 2011
The Blue Mansion
This 38 room, 4 courtyard mansion was the home of Cheong Fatt Tze, a rags-to-riches millionaire who at the beginning of the 20th century was known as 'the Chinese Rockefeller". The Lonely Planet has just included it on its list of 'The Ten Most Beautiful Mansions of the World'.The island of Penang was long known as "Pearl of the Orient". Founded in 1786 by Francis Light (father of William, who founded Adelaide), it was a trading post for the British East India Company and was one of the three Straits Settlements, along with Malacca and Singapore.
We had spent three happy years working and living there in the 1970's. At that time the island and its capital, Georgetown, was showing its age and looking a little run down - the pearl was losing its lustre.
On this short five day visit we saw a different Penang. This island, along with the rest of Malaysia, is booming, but progress comes at a price. It has certainly lost its quiet provincial feel with towering condominiums and smart hotels lining many of the foreshores where formerly Malay kampongs stood.
Many of the quiet sandy beaches of Batu Ferringhi are now only accessible to the patrons of the big hotels that crowd its edges.
Where the lustre has returned, however, is in Georgetown itself. In 2008 the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Area. This has meant that many of the old and dilapidated public buildings, shophouses, hotels
Row of Chinese shophouses
Shops down below, homes above. and places of worship are either restored to their original condition or earmarked for restoration.
The focus of the restoration has been on keeping the integrity of the town for the benefit of the residents rather than creating a tourist theme park.
Making your way down the streets along the colonnaded five-foot ways that provide shelter from the tropical sun there is always something of interest to see.
It is still a cultural melting pot where dozens of languages are spoken and religions and traditions followed. Kapitan Keling Mosque, The Goddess of Mercy Taoist Temple, Little India Hindu Temple and St. George's Anglican Church represent four different religions and are situated within a few minutes of each other.
One of the highlights of Penang, for us and for most visitors, is the food. It is indeed a foodies paradise. There are restaurants specialising in food from many of the different provinces of China, many different regions of the Indian subcontinent, Indonesian, Thai, Burmese, Nepalese......you could eat your way around Asia!
Then there is the unique Nonya food, a combination of Chinese and Malay, which is a Penang specialty.
At lunchtime and in the evening
Goddess of Mercy Temple
This Taoist temple is a favourite place of worship of the many Chinese clans in Georgetown. the streets are lined with hawker stalls. Put in your order, pull up a stool and you've got a great meal for a couple of dollars.
As the year progresses there is a neverending calendar of religious and cultural celebrations. While we were there the Indian community was gearing up for Deepavali - The Festival of Lights. This Indian equivalent of Christmas is the time for gift giving, big meals, new clothes and celebration. We strolled through the Little India quarter on a couple of nights. It had a real festive feel - crowds of people, music, lights and fireworks.
The few days we had at the historic E&O (Eastern and Oriental) Hotel, with its beautiful colonial ambience, was a fitting way to end what had been for us a nostalgic visit to this beautiful island.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.081s; Tpl: 0.019s; cc: 12; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0431s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Tom and Margai
non-member comment
We love your photos
Hi, We have enjoyed reading about your travels, but we love the photos best. You are becoming very proffessional. Keep enjoying yourselves.