Beautiful View Of Gurney Drive & George Town From Gurney Paragon – Last time, I share about awesome sea view from Infinity Super-Condominium, this time, I get an opportunity to visit a unit at Gurney Paragon Super-Condominium on the famous Gurney Drive and the view from the condominium are very beautiful too, you can see Gurney Drive, Straits Quay and George Town from here.
Goddess Of Mercy – Guan Yin’s Birthday 观音誕 (Guan Yin Dan) – Taoist and devotees celebrates the birthday of Goddess of Mercy (also known as Guan Yin Dan) on 19th February, 19th Jun and 19th September each year on the lunar calendar.
It’s a very hot Sunday!
Today is the 19th February in the lunar calendar and it’s a very happenings day at the Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kuan Yin Teng) on Pitt Street. I went there with grandma to pray, I also brought along my camera to take photos of the celebration. It’s really very crowded and hot because of the burning of joss stick. It’s overly crowded in the temple hall, moreover some part of the temple is closed for renovation.
It’s very uncomfortable to move around due to the heat and amount of people, but then I managed to ooze myself into the crowd to pray and take photos.
Look at the number of joss sticks!
The super crowded inner hall of the temple.
Lighting up the joss stick.
Offers to the Goddess of Mercy.
Freeing the birds is a way of doing good deeds, which I don’t really agree as these birds and caught and then bought to release.
The birds stall.
Huge dragon joss stick.
Giving out food and drinks to the needy.
Renovation going on in the temple.
There’s a corner offering ear piercing. It is said that it brings good luck to the children who get their ears pierced during Guan Yin’s birthday. There’s many parents bring their little girls for ear piercing. It looks pain, some are brave and some cried. I’ve pierced before and I know the feeling. Haha.
There’s many beggar gather at the Kuan Yin Temple on this day and there’s people bring a bag of coin to give out to them.
Awesome Tanjung Bungah Sea View From Infinity Super-condominium – Few days ago, I went to visit very a very cool super-condominium at Tanjung Bungah – Infinity Condominium. The seaview from the unit is really awesome, you can see a whole stretch of Tanjung Bungah beach. Very cool.
Kopi C @ China House – Cafe & Gallery In Heritage Shophouse – Penang has many colonial-style shophouses which are very beautiful and retro located in the heart of UNESCO World Heritage City of George Town. Nowadays, many of these shophouses are refurbished and converted into heritage hotel, inn, cafe, gallery and gift shop.
China House is a good use of colonial-style shophouses converted into a shophouse with gallery, cafe, restaurants, retail and a place to chill and relax with your friends. In China House, there’s many different section, one section is the Kopi C (known as Kopi Cine) which serves nice coffee and freshly baked cakes and desserts.
Initially, I was thinking of having a nice afternoon tea at Kopi Cine, Muntri Street, later only found out that it has moved into China House. So I went to search for the China House. It’s located on Beach Street, before the old fire station. The China House is linked together with the shophouse at the back, which reveal a long and narrow interior.
The interior of Kopi C is very retro, blended old Penang’s decorations with Chinese & Western-style. I ordered their in-house special cake – Tiramisu (RM12/slice) and a slice of Mushroom Quiche (RM8/slice) which is a pie filled with mushroom and onion.
With some soft music, Kopi C is indeed a nice hangout spot in the afternoon, for good cakes, good chat and good environment. Hueisean loves the place a lot, and the Tiramisu too! Besides housing the Kopi C, China House also houses a gallery at the 2nd level, an open space for event, a Chinese restaurant, a courtyard, a reading zone and also a bar with live music at night.
China House
153 & 155 Beach Street,
George Town, Penang.183B Victoria Street,
George Town, Penang.Telephone: +604-2637299
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Beautiful Sunset At Batu Ferringhi, Penang – Have been looking for some good sunset viewing spot in Penang lately. Batu Ferringhi is not the best place to see sunset but still not bad. You can see the sun set until the hill of the national park area. The best sunset spot I think is at Balik Pulau area where you can see the sunset below the horizon.
Recently, I went to Batu Ferringhi, at the beach outside Hard Rock Hotel to enjoy the sunset with Hueisean, as well as to photograph it. It’s so calm during that time when there’s less people at the beach. The beach outside Hard Rock Hotel is also cleaner too!
Horse riding at the beach.
The ivory sandy beach.
无边无际, sea with no boundary.
Hueisean was chasing the birds happily.
The sun was getting down.
Half-way down.
Lover’s Isle, Batu Ferringhi – Lovers’ Isle is actually a batu (rock) outcrop near to Batu Ferringhi. Long long time ago, this little isle is the landmark for seafarers of old to stopover for a fresh supply of water from the nearby river. Local Malays called the seafarers ferringi, and later then because of this rock, Batu Ferringhi is now Batu Ferringhi.
I’ve no idea why Lover’s Isle is named, but then Lover’s Isle is actually another name for Batu Ferringhi. Yesterday, I passed by the place while on the way to the national park, curiously stopped by to take a few photograph of Lover’s Isle. The place is very rocky and dirty.
There’s name of lovers on the rock.
Penang Dragon Chinese New Year Miao Hui 2012 – Last year, I did not go to check out the Miao Hui in Penang because I was in Kuala Lumpur, studying. This year, I has a long holiday and I get a chance to visit this super happenings, crowded, fun cultural festival in George Town, Penang.
庙会, Miao Hui is a Chinese New Year cultural event and festival that happens in Penang yearly. This introduces the Chinese culture to everyone, Chinese, non-Chinese, tourist, anybody. It’s fun because that you can find good food, have many opportunity to try out your photography skill, learn some Chinese culture that you don’t know, play games, see performance, join the crowds and more. It’s like a big carnival, at the same time can explore the old city of George Town. Most of the Chinese clan houses are open for free during that day.
I have been there for a few years before during my high school time, but it still doesn’t feel bored to me. Hueisean, as a Penangite haven’t see the Miao Hui before, how can that be? So I brought her to check it out and she was excited.
The zodiac for this year is Dragon and so the Miao Hui were dragon themed all over the place. The crowds were huge, newspaper reported there’s more than 100,000 visitors to the Miao Hui. That’s really a lot! I armed myself with Lumix LX5, Canon 60D + Sigma 30mm f1.4 + Sigma 8-16mm and a tripod, then I started shooting around at there.
I went there at about 6.30pm, found a parking spot and started exploring around with Hueisean. Met some friends too. Although it’s almost the same every year, I felt it has become better, with more food, more games and better decorations too. We walked until about 9pm until our leg were tired, then we went back home. We didn’t really explore the whole Miao Hui as there’s too many activities and we were tired. There were a firework showcase at 12am too, but we missed it. Overall, that day was fun and tired. Good job to the organizer and Penang State Government.
Entrance to the central performance stage, a “red carpet” for VIP too. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)
Kids looking at Penang’s Chingay performance. Chingay is an activity that involve balancing a huge flag with hand, and head. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)
Chingay in action. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)
The entrance to the main stage with red carpet. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)
High school student dressed in traditional clothing leaded by VIP at the back to the main stage. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)
Look at the crowds! Hueisean and I were following the VIP on the red carpet. =D
Look at the amount of camera!
Tiger, the zodiac for 2010.
Hueisean biting on Taiwanese sausage.
Entrance of Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi.
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan House.
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan House.
“One for one dolar.”
Students dressed in traditional clothing, selling food like herbal eggs, my favourite!
Chinese-style alcohol container.
Chinese-style alcohol container. The word read as Jiu, which means alcohol.
With the Chinese traditional funny face clown.
Entrance to Cheah Kongsi.
There’s a stand-up comedy talk show by Penang’s stand-up comedian Kim Sir at Cheah Kongsi.
Girl checking out the “wishing-CD”. It’s just plain CD where you can write your wish, then stick on the dragon. It’s a way of decorating with recycle item. (Cheah Kongsi)
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng arrived and lousang.
Very funny. There’s a section which introduces you about Chinese festival. At the Cheng Beng section, there’s a Chinese grave, writing “someone’s grave”. Cheng Beng is a Chinese festival where people pay respect to their ancestor.
A gift shop at Armenian Street.
An antique bike shop on Armenian Street.
The uncle was playing on a Shanghai’s guitar which need to strum and press on the key.
Yummilicious deep fried street food. There’s my favourite fried siu mai.
Entrance of Tua Pek Kong Temple, Armenian Street.
Tua Pek Kong Temple, Armenian Street.
Exhibition of Baba Nyonya culture at Hock Teik Seah Tua Pek Kong temple.
Playing congkak, a traditional Malay/Baba Nyonya game.
Showcase on how a Baba Nyonya wedding is like.
If you haven’t check out the Miao Hui before, come back next year during Chinese New Year season, it’s something that must not be missed in Penang. =)
Monday Macallum Street Night Market (Pasar Malam) 五条路夜市 – Macallum Street, also known as 5th Road, or Gor Tiao Lor 五条路 has pasar malam on Monday night at the basketball area. As usual, it’s not a fix night market and the vendors are on mobile, moving from place to place, like Tuesday to Tanjung Bungah, Wednesday to Farlim, Friday to Jelutong and Sunday to Paya Terubong.
It’s no surprise that you can see the same vendors at different night market location on different night. On Monday night, I went to check out the Macallum Street night market, it’s my first time visiting the night market there. Macallum Street is a high-density housing area with lots of low-cost flats in town, and I usually go there to eat tomyam noodle at Ruyi’s.
I parked my car by the roadside and then went to explore the night market with Hueisean. It was not a great night as the weather was like going to rain. Flashing can be seen in the sky, but there’s no rain. Maybe because of this, some vendors decided not to open business that night.
Same as other night market, you can find food, clothing, and some home accessories there. I did see many food, but not many clothing. So far, the night market with the most clothing is Farlim’s, and food wise can check out Jelutong’s. Overall, the best in Penang is still Farlim’s.
Bought some street snacks to bite on like chicken pop corn and deep fried siu mai, they are so delicious, and unhealthy. =D
Hueisean on the road.
Mobile vendors parked their vehicle and stalls by the roadside.
Low-cost flat at Macallum Street.
Chicken Dramping is actually the wrong spelling, it means Fried Chicken Siu Mai. Yums
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Pai Ti Gong / Hokkien New Year At Chew Jetty 拜天公 – Pai Ti Kong literally means “pray sky god” is a very happenings festival during Chinese New Year in Malaysia, especially in Penang. It is also known as the Hokkien’s Chinese New Year where this day is celebrated by most Hokkien Chinese. It falls on the 8th day of Chinese New Year during the night throughout the midnight, where you can hear the sound of firecrackers and fireworks all over Penang, and place where people celebrate it.
On this night, Hokkien Chinese set up a table full of food which are to serve to the “Sky God”. Although fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited in Malaysia, but then people still playing with them because it’s one of the Chinese culture.
Penang is has the most people celebrated this day and it’s the most happenings place for Pai Ti Kong in Malaysia, especially at Chew Jetty.
I am a Cantonese Chinese, so I don’t really celebrate the day, but then I do go to Chew Jetty every year to see people celebrating it and also to pray too. Last year, I didn’t get a chance but this year I have it. Chew Jetty was even more crowded this year. About 1km stretch of road were close for the Pai Ti Kong festival. As usual, a long table is set up on the road where people put food on the table which to be served to the god. Rich people will buy roasted pig to be dedicated to the god, of course, they will take back the roasted pig and eat with their family and friends after the praying ceremony at midnight.
Chew Jetty was so happenings and crowded. Something different then last time is there’s a stage set up with performance and some performers hail all the way from China. Mini stalls selling gift and collectible product are set up in Chew Jetty too.
The number of people that went into Chew Jetty was really a lot, a lot until that RELA had to restrict the number of people to go in as afraid that too many people will make the place collapse. Luckily, everything went nice, as they arrange people to go in batch by batch. Well, this is another must see in Penang, it’s something very different, very special, during Chinese New Year.
Traffic jam at Weld Quay.
Chinese lantern.
Miku bread for the god.
A girl putting food on the long table.
Roasted pork!
Big dragon joss stick.
Interview by RTM Malaysia TV station.
Performance stage.
Tarrot card fortune telling.
RELA member arranging people to go in Chew Jetty batch by batch. Good job.
Have you been there before? Check out my post about Pai Ti Kong in 2010, 2009, 2008.
Cycling At Balik Pulau, The Other Side Of Penang – Last Monday, I went to the other side of Penang Island, a more rural part of Penang, a more nature part, somewhere more relax, more greens and a totally different side of the urban developed George Town – Balik Pulau. Balik Pulau also means back of Island in Malay.
It’s a small town at the back of the island, with the presence of villages, padi field and many fruit and vegetable farms. I’ve read online that there’s bicycle rental service in Balik Pulau that allows you to rent a bike to explore Balik Pulau at the same time exercise some reflexes of the feet through cycling.
I called up the person in-charged Eddie who operates the bicycle rental service and meet him up in Balik Pulau. He brought 3 bikes, one for himself, and two for me and Arron. Besides renting the bike, Eddie himself was our guide around Balik Pulau that day. I didn’t think we would have a guide, I though we would be given a map and follow the trail. But then having a guide is better than following a map, Eddie was very friendly to guide us along the way, and introduced some cool places in Balik Pulau.
Our biking trail was designed by Eddie himself and the whole trip took about 2.5 hours through 20km of journey. We started about 5pm and ended at 7.30pm. Normally it’s 15km only but he told us that we were fast and he brought us to explore more.
Being in Balik Pulau doesn’t felt like being in Penang anymore because of the rural village and the beauty of nature. Our biking trail went through Malay village, Chinese Kampung Baru, river streams, padi fields, fruit farms, vegetable farms, fishing village, Malay’s cemetery and a little beach, as well as some major road in Balik Pulau.
It’s fun, it’s a good exercise, but sitting too long on the bicycle makes my ass hurts. After all, Arron and I enjoyed the cycling trip, only that we missed out the Hokkien Mee and Laksa alongside Kuala Jalan Baru which only available during the weekend.
Arron and Eddie in front. Cycling on a less-car road.
Arron Lim.
Well, the Bike Trail signage are actually set up by the government, though Eddie doesn’t recommend following the signage as the trail is long and doesn’t has much thing to see.
Eddie introducing a Chinese temple at Kampung Jalan Bharu.
He said that if you sees a Chinese temple presence, it means that the whole area is a Chinese populated village. Normally temple is set up at the entry point of the village as well the end point, which the Chinese god will protect the people.
A dirty stream
Typical Chinese village house.
A rice paddy field at Balik Pulau, unfortunately, those paddy has been harvested and resulted a not-pretty paddy field scene.
It’s me.
Luckily the weather was pretty nice that afternoon. Google Weather did actually reported that 70% chance of storm, but there’s no rain.
Cycling through the paddy field.
Arron.
Yes, this is Penang Island, doesn’t look like Penang right? It’s the other side of Penang, the more nature side.
A hut storing stuff.
Awas = Beware.
Our rides.
At the river mouth of Sungai Burong, where here you can get a great shot of Sunset. Unfortunately, we were still early at that time.
Looking at far, it’s Pulau Betong, a fishing village and at there you can find Pasir Panjang beach.
An abandoned house that looks creepy.
Locals playing sepak takraw.
Along the main road.
I’ve heard that Nibong Tebal has bicycle for rental for cycling trip too, guess it’ll my next destination. Cycling is fun and healthy way to explore places like this.
If you plan to go cycle at Balik Pulau, do give Eddie a call to book your bike and make appointment. He told me that there will be a Explore Balik Pulau Visitor Centre opening somewhere around May 2012 at Air Putih.
Explore Balik Pulau (by Avent Leisure Sdn Bhd)
Telephone: +6016-4522100 (Eddie)
Email: aventleisure@gmail.com
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 2pm – 6.30pm / Sat, Sun, Holiday 12pm -6.30pm
Rental: RM30/day with guided tour.
