Pearl of the Orient

I am back! Yet again!! 4 weeks of absence was due to my travel activities and boy! I am glad to be back on this space. I havent done justice to myself in the past on few travel journals in the past. But this time I am gonna jot all of them down.

Well, the travel this time was to Malaysia and Indonesia. At KL LCCT; I didnt meet the janitor about whom I wrote in my latest post. It was very unfortunate. Anyway; I would remember him and his kind deed until death. So diving into my travel! I've always wanted to explore Indonesia and of course! the older towns and cities of Malaysia. So started with Malaysia and then continued to the lap of Indonesia.

The first stop was Penang in Malaysia. I've heard/read of Penang along with plantation and Indian migrant workers during the colonial era. It has always been my interest to visit places as these and study how the migrant workers have adopted their new home, whats happened to their lineage and how the descendants are now.

Penang offers a lot on these lines. The flight out of KL LCCT to Penang was an hour or so and the transport from airport to Georgetown was easy. Rapid Penang the public bus service is so efficient and frequent.  The old city of Georgetown is where the wealth is. From historic buildings to concentration of Malaysian Tamils; the city by itself is a UNESCO world heritage site. The quaint streets with colonial buildings on either side, nestled among them the old mosques and chinese and hindu temples, the lovely people from different ethnicity and culture is a treat to the eyes.

Never was a feeling of animosity or getting cheated; it was a breezy experience. Getting to see the town was easy riding a bicycle. At 10 RM per day; it was economical and the best way to roam around the town. Few things that was pleasantly surprising was the Tamil diaspora. Getting inside Little India seemed as if somewhere in Tamil Nadu. I did not want to go there again! Not because anything bad occurred but I wanted to feel being outside India not in India. The second thing that amazed me was how helpful and sweet people were. Always smiling, stopping by to redirect you and answer your queries. Penang in my view was the perfect start for the vacation.

Day 1 was just roaming around Georgetown and taking in the atmosphere and the scenes. It was marveling to see the architecture being preserved.

Pinang Peranakan Mansion. Magnificent townhouse which was the former residence of Chinese Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee. Its filled with thousands of antiques and collectibles and shows how the Kapitan lived then. Its hard not to miss the Scottish iron works, English tiles and Chinese carved wood panels

One of the many stained glass windows

Work on Mother of Pearl

Trying to click a selfie

A wedding photoshoot was in progress

The Clock tower

World War Memorial at the Esplande

The Esplande

The City Hall

Fort Cornwallis build by Sir Francis Light who made Penang as British East India Company colony

Enjoying the view from the fort

The Town Hall on the Esplande

I didnt get enough of the old world architecture

Street food - Appams, curry, Rice....

View of Komtar - 65 floor skyscraper the tallest in Penang from the hotel room

A Dargah parallel to Little India

This was just Day 1!! :-)