Blogs from Penang, Malaysia, Asia - page 3

Noc bola horuca ale nakonec ostavam v rovnakej izbe. Nieco po 9.00 v plane ranajky a navsteva obchodaku mydin na jalan penang. No a samozrejme neaky ten kes. Ako si tak idem ulickou kukam na obchody a vsetko pozatvarane, vratane zmenarni a tiez supermarketu. Navsteva trhu na jalan chowrasta. Ale len okukavacka, bo ziadne prachy. Na zaciatku predavali indovia volne polozene nicim nezakryte maso ale to je klasika tu v azii. Fotky som ani nerobil, mi to pride normalne. Postupne som sa dostal az ku komtar (mhd bus stanica). V uliciach sa uz pohybovali skupinky cinskych (malajzia, singapur, original ?) turistov, obcas aj biely. Obchodaky i tu zavrete. Vsetko otvarali az o 10.00 V maybank som vybral hotovost, chcel som 230rm ale dalo sa vyberat len po 50tkach, tak vyberam 200rm. Prinajhorsom vyberem zas. Do 10.00 ... read more

Our AirAsia flight supposedly landed 30 minutes early. Yay, said the flight attendant, surprisingly called Beyoncé! That cannot be true, the whole flight was only 20 minutes so unless we went supersonic it was never going to take that long! I got onto the free WiFi so I could order a Grab as soon as we landed. It connected upstairs but as soon as we’d got our bags it dropped and didn’t come up again. I was very reluctant to get an overpriced voucher from the taxi desk. The information counter was really unhelpful, just said it didn’t work downstairs, even though I was pointing at the free WiFi sign. Maybe it’s deliberate to make people use the airport taxis. i was not to be beaten so bought an overpriced bottle of coke from a cafe ... read more

The next few days in George Town were much less hectic as we paced ourselves in the heat. The gorgeous Peranakan Mansion was first on the sightseeing list. I saw it last trip but as a couple we visited the Blue Mansion then but I felt that this was much more elaborate and wanted Jerry to see it. The mansion is typical of an affluent Baba a century ago and offers the visitor a glimpse of the opulent lifestyle, customs and traditions of that time. The furniture was heavily gilded or inlaid with mother of pearl. The houses were full of imported European china and glassware, English floor tiles and Scottish carvings. The house included some beautiful stained glass windows and minutely detailed wooden Chinese screens. We were particularly interested in the large collection of life ... read more

My intention on this steamy Sunday was to go to the Penang Street Market. I’d been to it once before, about five years ago; it was small but interesting. However, before I had walked even a block I stumbled across another street market. The city of George Town has established car-free zones in George Town’s World Heritage Core, and every Sunday from 7 am to 1 pm, cars are banned from over 2 kilometers of city streets. People set up booths in the streets selling crafts, food, drinks, and the local animal shelter had dogs available for adoption. I watched the street magician for a while, drank something blue that the young lady who sold it to me called “ocean” and gazed longingly at the puppies. I watched a masseuse giving knife massages, which were exactly ... read more

I travel by myself often enough, domestically, and overseas. But having Mr. Mike and his son, Matt on this trip has been special. You already know, from our many previous trips, that Mike is the great explorer. But his son, Matt really knows food and drink of all types. And fashion! My Asian friends here were so impressed with his vast knowledge of food, spices, and culture. So was I. So, wherever we went, he added a huge element of background and insight into our food. They could not believe that he knew so much about SE Asian food. And they would not let me pay for anything!!! But now I am back in Bangkok, checked into my hotel (Wednesday). I did not realize the old airport, Don Muang is an hour away from the newer ... read more