It's not like it was my 1st time ever leaving a footprint on that Pulau Pinang (penang island) soil but during the Thaipusam weekend (6-9 Feb 2009), it WAS my 1st time driving all the way from Bangi to Penang and really driving around , a 360 degree mind you around the island. It took me over 5 hours to reach Penang Island from Bangi and took me another 90mins or so to make my tawaf of this Island on a sunny Sunday (and pretty hot too, prolly 35degree Celcius or so). We made one stop only at Perhentian R&R Sungai Perak and I bought a Labu Sayung there.
I had a retreat organized by our Faculty at The Northam Hotel (not the infamous E & O as has always been mentioned in Uncle Lee's blog) . See, that 60-something fella totally romanticizes that island and how can he forget it especially knowing that his wife is also a Penangite?
Anyways, I took time to drive around the city all the way to Balik Pulau, some sort of a totally 180degrees the opposite of the Georgetown and the north and north-west and north-east areas of the island. That Balik Pulau place apparently has a Malay majority population and its northern counterpart are mostly populated by the (hospitable) Chinese and Mamaks (the muslim indian descendents). Not that I wanna draw so and so comparisons between Balik Pulau (located in the south of Penang) and all the other places around the Island, but it was rather my own personal observation of how a dynamic island like Penang could actually conserve a more laid back , kampung style place like Balik Pulau. And to reach Balik Pulau, I had had to drive through winding, hilly stretch of roads passing some jungles and waterfall areas, another total opposite of the drive from Batu Feringgi all the way to Tanjung Bungah seacoast. Honestly speaking I was thinking of Monaco F1 drive and perhaps they should take this idea after all...(if ever).
I didnt manage to visit those tourist spots but me, my dad, my mum and youngest sister went borong-ing Penang Pickels instead at the Chowrasta Market not far from the island signature tower, Komtar. For a little headstart on Penang pickles, please click here (Rad's blog).
Photos below taken on our Ferry ride en-route to Seberang Perai, the mainland of Pulau Pinang that boarders with Kedah in the north and Perak in the south. This was actually my first time on that ferry too. We came through the longest bridge in South East Asia, the Penang Bridge and we left the island (FOC) by ferry. That tall building is Komtar.
I had a retreat organized by our Faculty at The Northam Hotel (not the infamous E & O as has always been mentioned in Uncle Lee's blog) . See, that 60-something fella totally romanticizes that island and how can he forget it especially knowing that his wife is also a Penangite?
Anyways, I took time to drive around the city all the way to Balik Pulau, some sort of a totally 180degrees the opposite of the Georgetown and the north and north-west and north-east areas of the island. That Balik Pulau place apparently has a Malay majority population and its northern counterpart are mostly populated by the (hospitable) Chinese and Mamaks (the muslim indian descendents). Not that I wanna draw so and so comparisons between Balik Pulau (located in the south of Penang) and all the other places around the Island, but it was rather my own personal observation of how a dynamic island like Penang could actually conserve a more laid back , kampung style place like Balik Pulau. And to reach Balik Pulau, I had had to drive through winding, hilly stretch of roads passing some jungles and waterfall areas, another total opposite of the drive from Batu Feringgi all the way to Tanjung Bungah seacoast. Honestly speaking I was thinking of Monaco F1 drive and perhaps they should take this idea after all...(if ever).
I didnt manage to visit those tourist spots but me, my dad, my mum and youngest sister went borong-ing Penang Pickels instead at the Chowrasta Market not far from the island signature tower, Komtar. For a little headstart on Penang pickles, please click here (Rad's blog).
Suffice to say, I love the atmosphere and will definitely plan for more visits in the future.
Adios, Penang, till I see you again....
Adios, Penang, till I see you again....
Photos below taken on our Ferry ride en-route to Seberang Perai, the mainland of Pulau Pinang that boarders with Kedah in the north and Perak in the south. This was actually my first time on that ferry too. We came through the longest bridge in South East Asia, the Penang Bridge and we left the island (FOC) by ferry. That tall building is Komtar.
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