Rating: 
( 4.9 ) ( 52 votes )
Penang, Malaysia
Jul 22, 2003 14:19
Pros: Fascinating place, blend of
different cultures, friendly locals
Cons:
Rotten smells and evil rodents
Penang was a fascinating blend of cultures and one big history lesson,
with periods of British and Japanese occupation, and large Indian,
Chinese and other SE Asian populations creating diverse foods and
architecture (and everything else!). Before I sound too much like
a glossy tourist brochure it also came with its fair share of rotten
smells and evil rodents!
We wandered the streets where Chinese temples surrounded us and
clan houses with dragon decorated doors, only to turn a corner and
find an elaborate mosque or Bollywood cinema. A few friendly locals
seemed to take a liking to us. After we stumbled across Penang's
cheapest little bar hidden in an alley (the beer was half the price
of everywhere else!) and made ourselves comfortable at the plastic
tables with a bunch of Indian guys, an old Chinese man named Lim
decided to join us. He told us about his life and Penang, and if
it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have known about a Japanese festival
that was on the following night (we went - it consisted of kimono
clad girls on a stage leading the crowd in a bizarre circular dance
akin to the Macarena, which everyone copied while slushing around
in the mud!). Lim started shouting us beers and before we knew it
we were buying each other rounds.
We ended up at a noodle stand where another local decided to make
himself comfortable at our table. He insisted on paying for our
dinner, and then bought us beer 'in the name of friendship'. I think
he just needed a sounding board, as he then proceeded to share his
opinion on various political issues until he became so fired up
we decided to leave him to it!
A few trishaw rides, explorations and escape-the-humidity excursions
to an air-conditioned mall later, we bid farewell to Penang and
bussed over to Khota Bharu on the east coast so we could head to
the beautiful Perhentian Islands. |
