Peregrinating through Penang (Malaysia)

I haven’t visited Penang in over a decade. Much has changed and it is a very popular tourist destination. Penang is a state in Malaysia located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Straits of Malacca.

The weather was hot and humid on Penang island and we were pretty much sweating most of the time. Thank God for strong air-conditioning units in cars these days. We did brave the heat and cycled around town as well as walk it to get a closer look at all the sights.

Well preserved pre-war building in Georgetown.

This is the Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower with a modern piece of art in the foreground at the center of the roundabout.

Below are some other photos taken around Georgetown.

We visited one of the famous streets in Old Georgetown where Penang’s municipal council hired London-trained Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic who was given the duty of rejuvenating the facade of some of the Chinese shop-houses around the old town.

Vendors selling hand-made trinkets along the streets.

Spot the bicycle where it shouldn’t be.

Part of the old-town, small streets, small interesting businesses.

One of the famous pieces where people flock to take selfies with.

Colourful lanterns and drapes strung up on shop-houses breath new-life into old structures.

Below are more photos taken around the area.

After binging on ambrosial Penang food, we decided to go for an evening stroll through the serene Botanical Gardens in a vain attempt of walking off the unwanted particles of processed foods now congregating at the lower end of my torso.

The entrance to the Botanial Gardens where this huge baldy stands to greets us.

Inside the green house. Ironic.

We headed up to another famous landmark in Penang, which is the Penang Hill or Bukit Bendera. Long ago, it took 30 minutes in a crammed cab to go up the hill. Now it takes 5 minutes in one of these air-conditioned units to climb the hill. The upside, cool, quick ride up while people invade your personal space. Downside, makes it really hard to take nice photographs and unable to stick your hand out a window because there’s no window that can be opened. Haha. First world problems.

This is how the new funicular looks like.

Up and up we go. Wave to the train going down.

View of the tracks from the station at the top of the hill.

The view of the city at dusk. The island seemed shrouded in haze or it could be pollution which is an ugly result from the amount of cars coming and going. Am not too sure.

Lookout point on top of Penang Hill.

Below are more photos taken at Penang Hill.

Since we rented a car, moving around the island was convenient. We decided to head towards the two more popular dams on the island, the Teluk Bahang dam and the Air Itam dam.

The Teluk Bahang dam.