Sunday, March 26, 2017

Penang - The Pearl Of The Orient (Day 2)

Buffet breakfast the next morning (Penang Part 1) in Light Hotel wasn’t as expected. Assumingly, because of an important function later at night, fully booked rooms spilled over to a long waiting line. No doubt we managed to pick some food, but, honestly, service was badly shaken up, and tucking into a meal in a cramped dining area with people impatiently waiting to secure a table didn’t go down well with us.


Within half an hour, we left and had a short stop at the nearby ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple. Recognized as the grandest Krishna Temple in Malaysia, this three-storey octagonal temple is as pure as god. What touched our religious souls the most was the temple people who truly reflected the real meaning of volunteering unselfishly for god. Compared to those who wear thick gold chains, rings on all fingers and dressed in exclusive attires, everyone we came across were smiling broadly and we were even offered food. 
We prayed, and then walked to view the 16 ornate pavilions with three main Puti style towers and two glass skylight pyramidal domes in the centre of the temple roof. We also didn’t miss  out on the other buildings, including the Bhaktivendanta Cultural Centre that organises Food-For-Life distribution programmes and a variety of community, welfare and religious service, and the Bhaktivedanta Multi-Purpose and Cultural Hall, which is a four-storey building with a 5,000 sq ft hall and performance stage.

Next was to Arulmigu Karumariamman temple for family prayers. Almost an hour plus of praying while massively sweat dripping. Frankly speaking, I couldn't really take it. I had to sit at a corner twice in between without being noticed by the holiest among all family members. Once prayers were over, I gave a helping hand to serving lunch to all who came by on this Friday. They sure came in dozens and mind you, quite demanding in pushing for service. Actually rude I should say, which definitely didn't go down well on me. So, I stopped with charity serving, I ate and quickly left with my cousin to the hotel to change into comfy clothes before journeying to Penang island. First stop was at Penang War Museum Batu Maung.






Absolutely worth the RM15.00 entrance fees for an hour plus of being transported back to back then war zone. Fantastic. Utterly mind-entrapping. Tiring too due to the humid hot weather, but I loved every minute of wandering in this 20 acres of hilltop land that was once the site of a British military fortress. Built in the 1930's to protect the island from a possible Japanese invasion by sea. Good god! I still can’t get over and done with my visit even until today. One of the best sightseeing historical spots to experience the underground dark tunnel we struggled to crawl, the narrow staircase we climbed to get to the other side, and reading and seeing the artifacts in this preserved as how it was those many years.  




What an experience, we Malaysians must be proud that such a war museum exists, one which is absolutely an eye opener to how beastly and torturous war can be. Please everyone, get down here and explore the grounds please! Penang War Museum nonetheless is not for the faint heart, but for those who want to strongly immerse in history and educational war fare. 



  




We then journeyed to arrive at Toy & Fantasy Museum. Okay. Like this. I’ve been to places (Otaru Sapporo), therefore, toy museum is not new to me. Basically, its a venue for kiddos joy. Some overgrown adults I believe will fit in perfectly as well, especially those who want to cherish back their childhood toy years or those who were deprived of toys. I guess I'm one of them who never really had toys. My toy games were five stones, snake and ladder, sage seeds, ice-cream sticks and potato patch work. These yesterday games obviously had died a natural death to be over-taken by hour glass Barbies, Super-The-Man, Brawoman, Fisher and Paykel expensive toys and what not. These days, we must include angry bird, your bird and my bird. Oh, before I forget, actually, I should have mentioned Ipad and Iphone first before anything else. 

So, at Toy & Fantasy Museum housed in the former premises of a nightclub called Shock Egypt, 10 minutes the most being among the happily grinning kids who if given a chance would have monstrously ripped apart the toys mostly displayed on metal shelves. I left. Honestly, I was quite disappointed, then again,  no one is to be blamed. I read on-line and I decided to pop by.  
  
  
Next stop was at Tropical Spice Garden Teluk Bahang for the love of plants, spices and all things nature nice. Oh-my-my, I was all hyped up. Truly. Goodness. Wish my house is in this garden so that I can harvest fresh herbs and spices daily for my cooking. So darn spectacular to see the different spices of plants and spices, then the much needed 10 minutes break by helping ourselves to the complimentary stevia lemongrass drink in outdoor setting. I literally didn’t want to leave, but time was running out. So, a quick glimpse at the next door spice shop. No shopping. Just see and just admire.







On our way out of Teluk Bahang, another quick stop was thrown in at the spur of the moment at Titi Kerawang waterfall. Wow-pow! Nature again. Bone chilling breeze, super fresh air and of course nature presumably yet to be destroyed for future towering infernos in Penang. 

Five minutes the most, back on the road to arrive at Macalister Street for food glories food. Pheww! What to eat? I wanted to order all of it from the spoilt for choice hawker food, what more after the few hours of walking till my legs almost fell apart. I sure ate, but you know me right? A pinch of the hunger throne delicious stuffs, but mostly slurping the red bean dessert and leng chee kang.
 Popiah
 Red bean dessert
White curry laksa
 Chee cheong fun
 Fried kuey teow & leng chee kang
Tummy filled to the maximum, we still ended up crawling on Penang Bridge and returned to the hotel at about 7.30pm. Day didn’t end yet, a quick shower prior to arriving at the home family gathering where I was indirectly grilled for running off without inviting or informing the so called, guess who? Ladies of course. I just smiled because over the years I've learned that thick skin is the rule for communicating with such characters. Finally, after the so called merry-making, I literally dropped dead on the bed.

To be continued.






7 comments:

  1. That herbal tea kiosk is kinda fun and kuey teow looks very appetizing.

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  2. wah so many things to see there. Usually we go Penang cari makan only LOL

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  3. Nice architectures! Love to have some of those ginger powder! xoxo

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  4. Tropical spice garden is wonderful... Looks like you had a great time

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  5. Interesting place to check out fr sure.. the food is really tempting and filling :)

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  6. I would like to visit Penang some day

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