Penang - Pearl of the Orient

While we were going around Penang, we didn't stop snapping photos. Eventhough i have stayed here for 5 years but i still felt like a rookie when i visited some of the places. Below are some of the photos i managed to compile that depicts a good blend of cultural fusion in Penang. Modern and new. Old and ancient. Fast and slow. City vs kampung life. Clean and dirty places. Despite all her shortcomings, Penang definitely lived up to its name a the Pearl of the Orient. It is the inadequacies that makes Penang unique and interesting to both local and foreign tourist.

Nicely decorated dwelling celebrating chinese new year. Red ang pows were hanged on plants outside century old homes.
It is one of those places in Malaysia where you can still take aride on a tri-cycle a.k.a. beca. Most of operators are old people and i seldom come across the young ones toiling in the hot sun for a couple of dollars. I do hope Penang people will continue to operate this wonderful beca's' and keep the tradition going. However, who could blame the operators if the economic return is measly and barely enough to support their own family. Should there be no more operators, we will witness another local icons that will soon one day cease to exist.
Chinese New Year family gathering at a jam-packed ancient street shop. There are a lot of these shophouses-cum-houses around Georgetown where the earlier settlers would cramp the entire family into these little box-like dwellings. As years gone by and family members grew, coupled with better economic earnings, most of the children had either migrated or moved out affording better and comfortable living conditions. However, these children will always come back and visit their parents during festivals and eventhough there's no more room for another person, sometimes it is much more meaningful and merrier to celebrate a family occasion at the good olde home.
Komtar. The symbol of modernisation in Penang.
A classic law firm. Sesuai utk buat filem hollywood zaman 60-an kat sini. Saper ingat bangunan kat area mana?
Golden Bazaar. Theres a lot of jewellers around this area near Masjid Kapitan Keling. Most of the owners are from the Indian-Muslim community a.k.a. mamak/anak mami.
An indian temple at the Botanical Garden traffic light. This temple is one of the sacred temple in Penang and throngs of people will pray here during Thaipusam and other religious ceremonies. Biler ader keraian, area nih mmg 'jam' tak hengat punyah. Ejay pernah mintak nombor kat sami sini. haha...
Snake Temple/Tokong Ular. I have never been here before and my first time to the temple didnt disappoint me at all. Paid RM2 to enter.

Balik Pulau (photo taken from one of the stalls nearby Titi Kerawang). It's where Penang people can get away from the hustle and bustle of a city and opt for a nearby kampung-style escapade. The place is still very much covered in greens and you'll find many tropical fruit orchards along the way. There used to be a beautiful waterfall but i was told it was closed many years ago due to drowning cases and drying up of the water catchment spot (another global warming effect). Dulu wa ske lepak sini lepas intensif tenis training for SUKMAS. Bungkus nasik ayam bebyk and mandi aayq terjun. Masa nih, nikki dok ushar fatin pakai baju basah.... lumayan wehhhh... hahaha... Anyway, i had a peek at it and there was no more big splashes of water running down except for a few people washing their motorcycles using water trickling in between the rocks. I reckoned nih tempat skodeng gak nih ala2 Tupah. haha

Teluk Bahang Dam. Newly built, me think. Wa tak pernah tengok empangan sebelum ni and nampak baru jer. Masa tgh round island, tetiba jer muncul empangan air nih. Angin kat sini mmg kuat and i wonder kalau orang bleh fishing kat sini.
Botanical Garden. tempat orang bercinta and tempat orang2 asing cam nepal, bangla, indon etc lepak di waktu cuti awam. Kalau nak tengok monyet free, kat sini byk.

Okaylah tuh jer. Sajer jer gua buat post nih sebab gambar2 pon dah ader lam PC dan rasa rugi lak kalau tak share ngan korang semua.