flowering....happens only when you travel: 12/2010

4D/3N in Penang Island – 3^rd till 6^th Dec, 2010

Penang Island

Group Pix

I have been to Penang Island many times, but never in a big group of 13. So, I guess this makes the trip worth an update. Penang is ever so vibrant and full of hustle and bustle; there's always something to do or to eat or to see be it in the day or at night. It's one place you can return yet for another vacation.

Day 1 3 Dec 2010

At Rawang R & R

We left our house at 7am. Actually we were supposed to leave even earlier if not for the kids. They were too excited about the trip and had planned among themselves not to sleep the night before. So while me and N went to bed, they had stayed awake; Harish till 2am and Rishi till 4am. So it was a battle to wake them up in the morning. My sis told me that her kids, Thivya, Kreetha, Prisha and Preeti were the same. Learnt a lesson or two here - never underestimate the power holidays have on children. The anticipation is unlike adults.

Komtar seen from Ferry

in the Ferry

We reached Penang Ferry Terminal at 1pm. Crossed over in less than half an hour. We could see Komtar looming in front of us. The first thing we did once in the Island was to look for food. N wanted to go for a good (and cheap) Penang Banana Leaf spread. So we headed to Chulia Street in Little India.

Gem Restaurant,Little India

But mistakenly ended up at Gem Restaurant, which was expensive. We were kind of misled by a creative ad (next time if someone passes a leaflet on promotion for food, please read many times). We had Vegetarian Thali Set and Briyani.

At 4pm, we checked into the Century Bay Apartment in Batu Maung. For dinner, we headed to Gurney Drive. Parking wasn’t easy and we could see police issuing summonses. Penang police are sure busy. We went for Penang Koey Teow and Rojak Pasembor, Penang specialities. Tasty and cheap. Then we took a stroll along the Esplanade, explored into a Seafood Restaurant; and the kids sure did spot a snake in the water. Or was it an eel?

Day 2 4 Dec 2010

Albino Python

After a late breakfast, we headed to the SnakeTemple in Bayan Lepas. There was a live display of reptiles at the entrance. We took some pictures and looked out for snakes in the trees but spotted none. But in the Snake Farm (there is an entrance fee), we saw the King Cobra, Batik Python, Albino Yellow Burmese Python, Naga Raja, Chameleon and even Monkeys (why?).

The Farm is interactive, you can touch the snakes if it’s with a Guide and the Guide shared some interesting info about the snakes. Did you know that pythons do not eat for a week when they shed their skin? Or they can swallow a whole cow?

Snake Farm Tutor

snake on the tree

On our way out of the Temple, we stopped to buy the famous "Dried Nut Megs". There was a "Dragon Pure-Water Well" and we happily sprinkled water on our heads, supposedly for health and longevity. We sat under a Cherry Tree to rest and that’s when we saw snakes right above our heads- so this is what was meant with “Look out for Snakes on the Trees”.

view of Jerejak Island

Pure Water Well

Next, we headed to the seaside, towards Queens Bay Mall, near Pulau Jerejak. We could see the Jerejak Island and boats doing their rounds to and fro. This used to be the place where the famous Jerejak Jail was, some called it the “Alcatraz” of Penang. The British used this Island to dump convicts and people with transmittable diseases like leprosy.

We then headed to the War Museum as it is in the vicinity of Batu Maung. I expected to see a run down old building in the jungle but to my surprise, it had a nicely done welcome sign and looked well maintained. But oh my god, it is so expensive! RM15 for adult and RM7.50 for child. There was no discounted packages for big groups other than for those doing team-building activities. But we were there and most likely will not do a second visit, so we paid.

We spent nearly 2 hours looking at relics and artifacts of war; soldiers’ boots, uniforms, caps, bicycle, beer bottles, ammunitions, gravesites, collection of war pictures, barracks, army quarters', Japanese torture tools, etc.

at the entrance of the Tunnel

We walked thru a pitch dark underground tunnel and crawled our way up a staircase that led us out of the tunnel.
We saw separate quarters for white and Asian soldiers, there was one quarter where the Japanese kept local women as sex slaves. And they actually placed a long-haired woman mannequin in this cell; imagine peeping inside and seeing this black-haired woman's back. So much drama-lah! Wonder what was it like for these women then..

dramatic depiction

the Indian Soldiers' barrack

We saw the execution area, the guillotine and the hanging rope. The owner has made it more dramatic with drawings & murals. The whole place felt eerie and haunted. We heard that this area was accidentally discovered by a local Malay who now runs the place, and that this is the British’ top kept military secret. The British brought in convicts from India in the 1930s to build the military fortress and once completed they were executed as it was a secret tunnel. I am sure the convicts did not know their fate then. The Japanese, on the other hand, prisoned dissidents of war in the tunnels and executed them after extreme torture. Well, I don’t think any of us will forget this experience. I say NO to war.

If you are into mystic adventure, opt for the Night Tour. As if...

happy faces after Dinner

Relaxing in batu Ferringhi

We had Nasi Kandar for lunch before heading back to the apartment. For dinner, we took the coastal cruise to Batu Ferringhi, Tg Bungah. We stopped at a seaside food court and had Chinese & Western food. We checked out the Night Bazaar but weren’t tempted to buy. The Bazaar actually worsened the traffic flow and forced pedestrians to walk on roads instead of the pavements.

Day 3 5 Dec 2010
N and I got up early and took a drive into USM campus, to walk down memory lane. USM didn’t seem as grand or beautiful as I remembered it. Must be getting old.

Tortoise Pond - feeding

with the Buddhas - Harish

We checked out of Century Bay and headed towards Air Itam for Kek Lok Si Temple.

the SNAKE gang

Kek Lok Si

There was the tortoise pond, and the kids bought ‘kangkong’ to feed the tortoise. The Chinese believe feeding tortoise helps remove bad luck (buang suey).

Then we headed to the Pagodas and did prayers. We reached the “Goddess of Mercy-Kuan Yin” via the Inclined Lift (need to pay) and she looked magnificent; bronze and truly meditative-looking. Now how did they capture that expression?

Goddess Kuan Yin

the TIGER

Each one of us then posed next to our Chinese animal zodiacs at the Temple Garden.

the RABBIT

The view from the top must be experienced.As we came down, we couldn’t resist shopping

Kek Lok Si, Temple Garden

at the Air Itam Bazaar. Here one can bargain up to 1/3 of the price quoted.

Waterfall Temple

By now, we were starving so we stopped at the nearest food court. We learnt that Penang Hokkien Mee is not the same as KL Hokkien Mee, in Penang it’s char-styled and not black. (Kreetha- I know u were disappointed). But the Chicken Rice, Fried Rice and Ice Kacang were good and cheap.

Then off we went to the Penang Waterfall Temple. This is where Hindus in Penang celebrate Thaipusam.

View from Top of Hill - Waterfall temple

Peacock at temple ground

There are 252 steps, just like Batu Caves. But I think they are soon going to beat Batu Caves as I saw renovation work to add
on more stairs which will lead to another temple further up the hill.

The children got to see peacocks/hens in a big cage; the vehicle of Lord Muruga.

We checked in into Sandy Beach Resort at 4pm. Since this is a beach resort, the kids headed straight to the beach, and returned late evening. Dinner was in a nearby Indian restaurant – Tosai & Roti Canai. At about 2am, I went for a night stroll along the beach with N, breezy & refreshing.

Day 4 6 Dec 2010
The morning was spent at the beach and in water. Only Harish remained engrossed at the beach building ‘not sure what’. Amit hired a jet-ski and took his wife and kids on a mini-ride.

Amit, Rishi & Kreetha on jet-ski

Finally at 2pm, we checked out and went for lunch at Sri Ananda Bhawan, right opposite Sandy Bay. After a long good meal, we left Penang.

Record of thanks
*Rama for making the trip happen

*Veni and Vaani for the company

*Amit, for being the latest & sporting Don

*Thivya for photography, tips for blog & sweet presence

*Kreetha for enthusiastic participation