... PENANG! 'Nuff Sed!

I went back to Penang on 6th December 2006 to help look after my Grandmother. She's living with my aunt near Batu Ferringhi. My aunt went on a holiday to China along with her husband and twin girls, so my brother and I accompanied my mom to chill with my grandmother.

Assumption #1: The happy trio took Jerral's car to drive up to Penang.
Assumption #2: Jerral's driving.
Assumption #3: Penang. 'nuff sed.

Conclusion: FOOD FIESTA!

One of the many good things about living in KL is that every time I go back to Penang, I appreciate the food so much more.

My memory's been absolutely horrible ever since I waltzed past the quarter century mark, so instead of telling a story here I'll just talk about some of the pictures I took.

This is Barney the Dog. Yes you got that right the first time. If it were Barney the Dinosaur there I'd be the center of hatred for kids all over the world 'coz I'd have kicked its tail back to pre-history. Anyway, this Barney belong to my twin cousins and I thought it was a retarded Shih Tzu because of the decentralized eyes (opposite of cock eyed, don't know what that's called) and the way its tongue perpetually hangs out the right side of its mouth. Now I know many dogs leave their tongues out when they pant, but Barney's tongue looks like its dead, as if that side of its face was paralyzed.


Nasi Kandar. Despite what anyone else from the other parts of Malaysia say, Penang has the best Nasi Kandar around. Heck, the best Nasi Kandar in the world, since I doubt there's Nasi Kandar anywhere else. I went back to my favourite Nasi Kandar joint next to Chow Rasta Market but I was a little disappointed because the place had changed hands! With a sigh (and a salivating mouth) I thought to myself "Hey, it's still here, so I guess it can't be that bad."

True enough, it wasn't that bad, but it also wasn't really that good anymore either. The people running the place were quite rude, but what ticked me off was that they no longer had their amazing mutton kurma anymore! All good things come to an end, I suppose.


One of those 'spur of the moment' shots. My 6'3" brother walking alongside my 5' grandmother.


The famous "Sisters Char Koay Teow" is something everyone who visits Penang shuld try. We met Karpal Singh having lunch here many years back too. Anyway, look at the size of that prawn! Only sad thing is that it comes in a standard (read: small!) serving size. Tastes great though! The shop has some really good packet nasi lemak and otak otak as well.


Penang has many old guilds and associations predating World War 1. One of these establishments was the Carpenter's Guild, located along Love Lane just before it intersects with Chulia Road, if memory serves.

The entrance to the Carpenter's Guild, established 1855. The place was so empty and quite. Which was exactly how I liked it ;)


One of the many carvings in there. This is the top of an altar and was about five to six feet wide.


OK, time for a That's So Jerral story.


I was taking this Picture:

This is the base and foundation for one of the pillars. Someone was telling me that the foundation was an intricate part of work because it consisted of three different parts and went on to explain on how that made the foundation much stronger than the single piece block which was more commonly used.

So while taking that picture, I backed into this:


As you can see from its age and build (and the myriad of things hidden behind it), bumping into this created quite a big CLUNK followed by a clatter. Take into consideration that I'm not exactly small sized and put all these sounds into an old stone building with a two story ceiling, you get this amplified sound which is echoed by all the walls.

And the result? I scared the heck out of this poor dude:


He must have thought that the building was finally coming down, followed by thoughts of "Damned tourists!" but he promptly returned to his afternoon nap after I gave him a sheepish smile and apologized.

Right. End of story. Too sleepy to go on with the rest of the pictures so that'll have to wait for another day. I shall close with a picture that serves as an inside joke. It'll probably bring a smile, some laughs and exclamations of "Oh My God!" to those who know this story. Ask me if you don't know it and want to hear it, but it needs to be told over a few teh tariks.