Vibrant Penang

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

      *Twins Prisha & Preeti for adding on to the cheers

     *Mariam for trying to fit in

-     *And finally N, Rishi & Harish – my joy.

Memorables :-

 

             The meditating twins.. Snake Farm

             The wind above my head...Ferry Ride

   

 

           Are they trying to tell us somethin?....Snake Temple

                    Girls in batik...Sandy Bay

           Best looking teenager...Gurney Drive

                              Is it time to go back already?...last day

 

The Forgotten Maxwell Hill of Ipoh

3D2N in Ipoh/Taiping; 10-13 June 2010

    Maxwell Hill seen from Larut

I am now not sure why I even picked this place for our retreat..it is so not happening. I guess I wanted to venture into high hills, soak in with the nature, feel the heavy mist at dawn and dusk, and get away from the bustling city life. But on retrospect, this wasn't a very good idea. Welcome to Maxwell Hill, the 1st hill station in mainland Peninsular which is126 years old.

At the most, one shd just do a one day trip up to Maxwell Hill. Enjoy the scenery, take a hike up the peak (we hiked up Bukit Hijau-up till the Telecom Tower where the old English cottage still sits), get thrilled by the harrowing ride in the Land Rover, and return. Period. There is absolutely nothing to do up there. So after just a one night stay, we changed our plan and headed to the nearest town, Taiping.

the orang utan smiled!

We checked out the Taiping Zoo, a much better choice! Taiping Zoo is definitely better than our National Zoo. The animals are in better care compared to their KL friends. Better info display, more freedom of movement (I know, what freedom is there living in a cage, right? but really, you just feel less sorry for the animals here than at the National Zoo), better cafetaria, friendlier guides, and cosier. The monkeys roamed amongst us, and over our heads. Too close for comfort, really. One orang utan actually posed a smile when I stood with my camera! See what I mean...I really felt connected to this fellow..

We then stopped at the War Cemetery and Taiping Lake. The trees at the Lake are really ancient but captivating. Such splendour.

the only war cemetery built by British

Of course, we couldn't resist reading the tomb inscriptions; who died-what year-how old. They actually had separate sections for the White Christian soldiers (British), and the non-Christians, Asian soldiers (Indians & Gurkhas). Some tombs had no names.

outside 'Lost World'

We stayed at the Paragon Hotel, Ipoh and had Ipoh breakfast and dinner - much cheaper than KL. On our way back to KL, we stopped at Tambun town to check out the "The Lost World of Tambun"-which is basically Perak's Sunway Lagoon. Didn't enter as entrance tickets were just like Sunway Lagoon PJ - expensive. Took some pix and left. Oh ya, got a tiger cub and cool cap for the boys..had to make up for the disappointment of not entering Lost World u see..

The next stop was N's hometown, Gopeng, as he wanted to go down memory lane, some nostalgia... Visited his primary school, still intact, and took photos. The kids wanted to see Gua Tempurung along the way (what is it they don't want to see u tell me) but the rain stopped us. Thank you Rain. At the end of the trip, when I reached home, somehow I didn't quite feel like I just returned from a holiday...



But whatever it is, these are some good memories worth sharing:-

view from Bukit Hijau

(1) Maxwell Hill's isolation - maybe it shd just remain this way, forgotten, as it is so peaceful up there and the air fresh. No cars, shops, hotels, apartments, newspapers, etc. I remember asking the Pakcik who drove our Jeep; what is there for us to do up there and he jokingly said "Tidurlah!" - I now know what he meant.

(2) The Sound of Nature- we were enveloped by the many sounds of insects and other jungle creatures. We don't usually stop to even notice these things in KL.

(3) The Mist and the Fog in the Forest - the chalet that we stayed in (Cendana Hut) has a cafe that looks down from the hill, and in the early morning and late evening, it's covered in mist. Did u know that during British rule in Taiping, before 1948, the British came up to their cottages up on this highland to escape the tropical heat below? To feel the 'English' weather -and  they had the locals carry them up in sedan chairs or mountain chairs? There were only treks then, no roads.

(4) The Hike up to Bukit Hijau - we took a stroll up the hill which ended at the Telecom Tower, the peak,1250 m above sea level. Harish was really up to the challenge to reach first, and he did. We stopped a few times to look closely at the strange plants and insects. Good nature walk. The boys buried a time capsule (actually a mineral bottle with a note inside) at the top. Would they return one day to retrive the bottle?

(5) The Thrilling 30-min Jeep Ride - only jeeps are allowed to ferry visitors, we passed thru 72 (was there more?) narrow bends and curves, each marked by a tree, it felt like a safari ride. The driver is a pro, in service for 50 years.

(6) The Hanging Garden of Taiping - the canopy of age old trees that hugged the roads on both sides in Taiping Lake; the odd shapes that these trees have taken over the years is a must-see for all (tall trees in the pix)

(7) The Taiping Zoo - for those with children, I strongly recommend this place

(8) Ipoh town - the colonial railway station, the rows and rows of never-ending shoplots, seem so organised and clean. Look out for Ipoh Municipal Council Officers though, it's all paid parking, they love their job, issuing parking summons..

More pictures ...
At the zoo, can u see the rhino at the back? (Taiping Zoo)

Harish! u r supposed to use that magnifying glass to study the beetle in front of you-lah..(Bukit Hijau hike)

                                            Rishi, I found u....(Maxwell Hill)

Ok-lah, Harish ..we know u give great posts..(Cendana Cafe)

                           Rare sleeping Buddha in Maxwell Hill...ohh, okay, that's Rishi

Isn't that the Snake House, Taiping Zoo...oh, under renovation..sorry-lah Rishi, no snake, don't be so disappointed-lah

Some tips for visitors :- 

1. Bring walking shoes and comfortable clothes; be prepared for lots of walking

2. Bring your binoculars, magniflying glass, raincoat, umbrella (expect drizzle and rain)

3. Bring jackets or sweaters for chilly evenings

4. Bring your own food if you don't plan to stay, snacks for children, and water

5. If you stay the night, food is catered for by the chalets; slightly more expensive than in town

6. Leave your car at the base of the hill

7. Travel light as you don't want to carry all into the jeep

8. Start early as the Jeep Ride is scheduled; ticket counter for jeep fare is at the base of the hill; good to book a return ticket

9. Talk to the Drivers as they have loads of tips and funny experiences to share

10. Do not have a heavy meal before the journey on the Jeep, in case you throw up

11. If u plan to stay, book in advance thru the Bukit Larut Recreational Office, our stay was RM80/night at Cendana Hut