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Other entries in Penang

Wheres all of this water come from.

I jumped in a tuk tuk with 2 other people from the guest house and got on the bus for Vientine. It was a long bus ride to the Capital, followed by a long tuk tuk ride to the guesthouse area. We did get to see some more of the town though, which seemed to be a bit more developed and busy than the preivous parts of the city that I had seen. I stayed in the same guest house as before but the bottom part, in the last few months, has been changed into a trendy coffee and ice cream bar, its gone very up market. The river side at the front of the guest house was completely transformed from the last time I was here. There was some sort of festival going on, with stalls selling everything your could want, or not want as the case may be, rides, coconut shys, or the Laos version, darts and Ballons. I found out, having talked to 2 very drunk American men in there 50s, at a bar later that night, that it had something to do with Bhuddism, Boats and a Holiday, but possibly not in that order, and possibly nothing to do with Bhuddists, Boats or Holidays, they were very drunk and not making any sense in what they were saying. It was ceartinaly busy with people every where, cars, lorries and motos flying along the river front. The next evening I headed back to Bangkok on the over night bus. The bus was half empty and the seats went almost to horizontal, that was good, but the choice of films they were playing was the worst yet, a French Spoof Spy Movie, they may be able to make wine, but not movies!

Bangkok was as hot as ever, and the River that runs through the centre had risen by a meter or so, so that most of the resturants that back on to it, had there tables and chairs floating, the drains on the walk ways were making erie whistling noises as the water level rose and fell in them and most of the hotel and office car parks were bellow water level, and starting to be submereged in river water. I had a few days to hang around in the city, collecting supplies for the jungle Mozis and catching the end of the world cup, (Bad Luck England,) before heading South for Malaysia.

I had passed Wat Arun a couple of times on the river in Bangkok, and had wanted to see what was at the top. Amazing views of the city, and an even more hilarious sight watching Thai and forgine visitors teatering on the edge of faiting when looking down the steps that they had just climbed up to get to the top. I will say one thing for Bhuddist Architects, they had a head for heights, or ceartinly desgining them. Angkor Wats steps were steep, and so are the Thai temples steps. Watching peoples reaction, and even more, watching them trying to desend the steps, was probably the highlight of the day.

Next I was heading for the Jim Thompson house, an American importer of Thai Silk and designs to the west in the 50s, 60s and 70s. On the way there I came across the Golden Mountian. A huge Bhuddist temple built on a small rise in the city, on top was built a huge tower, with a gold covered dome on top. This one, unlike the one at the Kings Palace, had gold tiles missing and looked a little more shabby, but the entry fee was 25 times less, so what can you expect. It did have very nice warm tiles on the roof of the building, which was covered with people praying and tourists taking pictuers of them. This too, had some spectacular veiws of the city. When the people had finished their praying, sat cross legged on the floor, most of them strugged to walk a way, lack of circulation, No Pain No Gain, as the saying goes. After chuckling to my self at their difficulty in walking, I headed back down to the street below and caught a ferry boat which takes you along the canals on the back streets of the city.

The water, well, to call it water is being nice, more of an over exagerrated compliment, and a sarcastic compliment at that. It was more a mixture of mud, rubbish and engine oil, thats more slimy than mud. As the boats passed each other huge waves bounced around inside the concrete confines of the river, splashing every one and everything that wasn't hiding behind the plastic sheeting. I got off at what I hoped was my stop and headed out into the heart of the city. Four of the biggest Shopping malls I have ever seen are located within a half a mile square block. They each have cinemas, one has a car show room, an other with an Aquarium, and the rest have there fair share of resturants, food halls and shops. Is it wrong that I like shopping malls so much? sure you can catch up on a bit of free air-con for a while, and if you are sat in the cinema for a few hours, it dosen't look so supiceous, but I do like them, give me a mountain top, river or lake any day, but when you are in a hot and steamy city like Bangkok, malls have got to be the top attraction, for me any way.

I eventually found the House I was looking for, hidden away down some back alleys, being over shadowded by huge apartment blocks and offices. It was an impressive house, or collection of houses, and just right for hot countries like Thailand, but I prefure the warm cozy cottages of Europe. This place was very open and cool, all made out of wood and mostly traditional. He did have the odd addition, such as Air-con, chandaliers, and table and chairs, some of the carving that is supposed to be on the out side, was turned around and put on the inside, so he could admire the carving better. It was a very posh set up, suited more to rich tourists in hotels, so I felt slitely out of place being the only traveller there.

I had to leave the tour early and head back to the guest house and catch the over night bus south for a very long journey to George Town, Malaysia. First it was a 11hour ride over night to Surat Thani, half way to the border, followed by a 5 hour ride to Hat Yai in a mini bus and then another 3 hours on another mini bus across the border to the Island of Palu Penang and George Town. 26hours in total.

We got on a boat that was heading over the sea from Butterworth on the main land to the Island of Palu Penang, and George Town. The heavens opened about 15mins outside of Butterworth and it was still raining when we reached the hostel. The monsoon here has definetely started.

If the rest of Malaysia is the same as Gorge Town, I think I am going to like Malaysia. Its seems to be a mix of everything thats is good about Asia, with, so far, none of the bad bits. If you imagine taking the Lonely Planets 'South East Asia on a Shoe String', tore it up into little bits, glued it back together in a random order and stuck it under the heading Malaysia, you would have a lot of half words and messed up maps that didn't make any sense, but you would get a feeling for what Malaysia is like. Indian and Chinesse, Muzlim and Malay people walking about all talking their own laungauges, but being able to switch to English at a moments notice to each other and the splattering of Europeans that are here, expats and travellers alike.

The most amazing thing, is that theres no hassle. I think they may be slightly better off here than the rest of Asia, as there are more private cars and less motos, but the tri-shaw and taxi drivers don't put up much of a fight, when you say no! they ask you if you are taking the bus, if you say 'Yes', they say 'It will be here in half an hour, just over there' and sure enough it does arrive in half an hour and 'just over there' just where the taxi driver said it would be, people help you here when you like slitely lost, and point you in the right direction. Its taking some time not to go on the offensive when ever somebody asks you something, else where they are touts for tour companies and hotels trying to get you to part with your cash. Here they do it to be kind. Amazing, if the rest of Malaysia keeps up like this, it could be in my top 2 countires in Asia, Laos and Malaysia! Lets hope i'm not dissapointed.

There are signs writtern in Chinesse, Indian and Malay, but all with English along side. The news has 4 sets of subtitles. There are Mosques, Churches, Bhuddist Wats, Hindu and Chinesse temples along side each other, and on the surface, all living as one big happy family. Im sure there are frictions some where, it wouldn't be humane if there wasn't, but for the most part, it seems settled. Theres the chaos of Asia, with the motos, but not as many as other places, and the street-side food vendours, along side the expensive hotels and the ever present shopping malls. Ultra modern and high tekk, with foods from all around the world. There is definitely different areas in the suburbs of the centre, Little India and China Town, but for the communial areas like parks and the Shopping Mall and transport hub, its a good mix.

I had my first Sushi bar expereince today, the converyor belt was very prompt and effeicent, never complained or spit in my food! a marvelous invention, even if you do have to wait ages for the dish you want to come around the corner, meals could take a long time here, and you could forget how much you have eaten. It did taste good though.

Now the only problem I have with Gorge Town, and lets hope its not the case with the rest of Malaysia, is the Lady Boys. They all seem to be Thais, and its as if they tried to join the LBA, Lady Boy Association, if such a thing exists, after they made 'The Decision' but were all chucked out for being to manly. They looked like perfect front row props in a scrum, which is great for manly men, but not lady like men, which is what you are after in the lady like men area. They just don't seem to have put much effort in. Sure they put on a mini skirt and throw some lippy around, but i'm convinved that some of them have beards if not 6 o'clock shadows, and they all speak with voices deeper than Pavorroti or Barry White. They only appear after it gets dark, may be to hide the fact they are so manly. It makes you laugh when you walk past them and they are blowing kisses down the street after you, shouting 'Aright darlin!', like you would expect a bricky on a building site to do or trying to hold your hand as you walk past. They really need to put some more effort in. Most dissapointing! Not from a personal point of view, you realise, but at least in Thailand, for most of them, it takes at least a second look to tell they are male, here, well, you don't.

The rain still hasn't let up, but to make the most of the time I have here, I headed out any way. I wanted to try and reach the top of Penang hill. When the East India Company (a British Import/Export company from what I can make out from the 'Pirates of the Carrabien' movies, may be the museum of Penang will confirm that as well.) made their summer retreats here some 200 years ago, being British and not accustomed to the heat and humidity of the tropics, they found the tallest hill on the island and cleared back some of the jungle and built some houses up there. They built a Fernicullar railway to the top, a train that goes up hill, which had to be rebuilt due to design problems. When the British handed back Malaysia to the locals they sent a man to Switzerland, to learn how to build them properly. On his return and after some tinkering, two train lines had been set up, split into two sections taking lazy visitors the top, which is 700m above sea level. The views are suppost to be amazing of the surrounding estuary and George Town, especially at dusk with the lightsbeing turned on at night, but the top was covered in cloud, so I only caught glimpses of the views that you might have been able to see. There was a jungle canopy walkway sing posted 2km away and as it wasn't raining at that point I head out in that direction for a run. When I got to the desk and paid the man some money, the heavens opened. The views would have been good from here too, I expect, and to spend some time hanging around in the jungle would have been good, but as it was so wet, I made a quick lap of the circuit and started to run back to the top of the railway line. After all the time travelling and not doing any thing physical, the run was hard work. I caught a bus back to Gorge Town and changed into some dry clothes and went for dinner.

The next day I headed out for the Botanical Gardens. They were a bit of a dissapointment, none of the trees were spectacular, plus I had to wait for half an hour for the rain to subside, from another torrential down pour. The Gardens also hoasted several groups of overly aggresive monkies, that the gardeners had to keeping chasing out, and rescuing groups of school girls, and me, from their nasty sharp little teeth, I am starting to really dislike our furry primate friends on this trip, so long as they are on a spit over a fire, or up a tree miles away, thats still to close for me, maybe on the TV is a good places for them to be, but not in real life. They have developed 'little man' syndrome, I am bigger than them and they should be scarred of me, not the other way around. They are as unpredictable as race horses, some will sit there and let you take their pictures, others will bear teeth and run at you in mock attacks, just for looking at them. Horrible fuzzy little cretins, behind bars in a zoo, or a taxidermist, theres some more suggestions.

I walked back from the Gardens, avoiding any more attacks and headed for the sea front. It was a long walk back, but I stopped of at Fort Cornwallis, a secure fort for the East India companies to realx on their hammocks with out being shot or kidnapped. After that I headed to the pier to watch the boats heading to and from the mainland.

I have been to many towers around the world, so I wanted to head up the Komptar tower, 60 storeys high, with the world most depressing shopping mall at the bottom of it, since the new one has opened up next door, every body with any brains has got out and headed next door. Its empty and full of holes in the floor. The top had an expensive resturant, that was empty, and the views from the top more than made up for it. It was dry and the views of the harbour, jungle covered mountains and city below, were impressive.

The Museum of Penang was my destination for the last morning in George Town. I headed up stairs for the part about the Colonial era and the East India Company. The East India Company was created to find an Asian market for the Linconshire woolen industry in the 1600s. And, seeing as you have just sent a ship all that way, it may as well come back with something to sell on board. They started trading in spices and other products from India, China and other countries in the area. Francis Light, a trader with the Company first came to the Island in 1757 and started trading. Where ever the East India Company seemed to set up shop, plantations, factories, trading posts and small communities of people from all over the world seemed to spring up. This was then followed by the British governement who started to put some law and order into the area, as well as renting these areas from the local Sultans, Kings of the area, and providing protection, in this case, from marording Siameese from over the border in Thailand, and I guess they just spread their rule and law from there.

I was talking to the owners of the Guest House before I caught the ferry accross to the mainland, and they said that Malaysia had 14 states, and 9 of them have Royale Families, Sultans but not kings. From these 9 families they choose a new familiy to be King and Queen of Malaysia every 5 years. If you think the Royale Family of Britain is expensive, then I wonder what you think of the Malaysian Royale Family...ies?

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