Penang, Malaysia February 25th – 27th

Well it was a short bus ride from Taiping, actually in Kamuting just a 10 minute drive or so outside of Taiping, (Kamuting Bus Terminal) to Butterworth Terminal which is as close as it gets to Penang, because Penang is on a Island, this is where the ferry (Jetty) is (Butterworth) to take one across the waters (river) to Penang City/Georgetown. Bus from Kamuting terminal was 8.5 RM, and less than an hour. Ferry was 1.3RM and about 1/2 hour ride and then within a 20 minute walk I found my first dormitory hostel for the evening called; Tonight Hotel/Cafe I am led to believe after asking a few other hostels their rates this may be the cheapest at 27RM a night. I only stayed the one night at Tonight Cafeteria/Hotel as I wanted to stay at another hostel even though a little more expensive at 35RM, but breakfast is included and besides my back ached very much after that nights sleep, this dormitory hostel being called, Backpackers Hostel – Cafe – Bar I believe the younger travellers will like the vibe here, as I saw many younger travellers here and what I like the beds were semi private being like sleeping pods as in Tokyo, Japan.

Penang also called Georgetown is a bigger city than Taiping looking at it from the ferry leaving Butterworth, the city is busy and has many old structures with European design, and high rise buildings. Within the city is an area called ‘Little India’ and if one wants cheap food this is the area to go to, as I had a traditional Indian breakfast at an Indian Restoran with a large cup of coffee for only 3.8RM, other places just a cup of coffee alone and a small cup to boot, will usually cost 9 or 10RM, so a bargain and a half eating at the local traditional eateries, compared to the ones catering to North American and European tourists, as the price difference can be 4RM or 34RM for a meal. This is how it was in Vilcabamba, Ecuador you had a choice depending upon your budget and what you wanted to eat, either go to the local Ecuadorian eateries for a cheap meal being about 3-4$US or the American/European restaurant and pay 20-30$US, so I have enjoyed eating the local cuisines by the locals for as cheap as one can get a meal for, why not. As I don’t travel the world to eat at the restaurants that are back home, like McDonalds, Burger King and so on, I want to eat something different and local.
P.S. I used those restaurants as an example only, having a vegetarian/vegan diet you won’t see me in those type of fast food joints.

Penang being on a small island still is no different from any other place that I have been to, as for the many 7/11’s and Western Unions that are present, I am beginning to think these two businesses exist all over the world.

Now let’s talk about multiculturalism, because so far visiting different parts of Malaysia I have seen multicultural cities with different ethnics all getting along and here in Penang/Georgetown no different, in fact this could be the most diverse multicultural city so far and everyone living in peace and harmony, goes to show we’re all the same being brothers and sisters. As there are Chinese, Malays, Indians: Tamils and Sikhs and Kashmiris and plenty of white Burmese and Vietnamese, and a mixture as one local fellow told me he was Malay/Indian/Tamils and a Muslim.

With the many different ethnics groups living here the range of foods here is great. “World’s No.1 Best Food Destination In 2011” – by Lonely Planet.
Penang is full of restoran’s, eateries and street foods with their hawker carts, from Chinese Hokkien, Malaysian, Indian, vegetarian/vegan, tofu restoran, they have it all. I ate fresh fruit cut up and ready to eat in plastic containers from a side street stand, while I walked around. I went to a Tofu restaron, I ate cheap Indian meals and also ate an expensive vegan sandwich meal, I also ate a Malaysian sweet desert called Cendol which consists of green jelly noodles made from rice flour and green food colouring along with kidney beans immersed in shaved ice and finished off with copious drizzle of coconut milk and palm sugar. There’s so much like samosas and wadis, satai and nasi goreng, curry mee with tofu, coconut sticky rice, fried chicken necks, fish head soup, fruits on a stick.

There are hindu temples, buddhist wats, 7th day adventist churches, mosques, Catholic Churches. Many hotels and hostels available so this place is really for tourists and travellers to visit. There is a public bus system to use, bike rentals if you like to peddle or if you prefer a small motorized cycle to get around, even a tricycle where two sit on a bench and the rider peddles you around the city. Nice to have so many choices, and Penang offers many choices.

My stay here in Penang is short, two nights only and now heading to Langkawi by boat 70RM super fast ferry. I have enjoyed my stay in Penang/Georgetown.