*Must step FORWARD to usher a more prosperous Chinese New Year!
Here’s a teaser to my next blog post about the very festive Cultural and Heritage Chinese New Year Celebration in George Town, Penang. More photos and blog post soon! This also serves as my entry to the Weekly Photo Challenge : Forward
Khoo Kongsi and the other corners of George Town, Penang.
I’ve done photowalking here several times but its incredible charm never fails to lure me.
I keep coming back.
After I hopped off the bus and brought out my camera to start capturing some things I fancy, everything seemed to have occured in the past. It was somewhat like deja vu but not quite. Simply because this time, my photowalking got a volunteer companion; none other than the love of our lives, Gabby! 
I thought I would stroll the laterals of GeorgeTown alone again but to my surprise, our 8-year-old kid decided the last minute to come with me. It was cleared to him that I would take long walks and multiple steps from one street to another but the boy was determined to transformed his weekend to an entirely different one from his Monday to Friday routine in school. He really wanted to tag along; I could not be happier!
So while we left his lovely mom who did some amazing household chores at our apartment (she always does it best without us around!), this wonder boy was with me for few hours goofing around one of Malaysia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites…
Bus, ferry and another bus ride and we arrived shortly to Jalan Penang. We finally saw the largest of Ernest Zacharevic‘s murals in GeorgeTown. Beautiful, is it not?
Few little steps and our feet brought us to Muntri Street. Let the photowalking begin! 
GeorgeTown literally inscripted its history, culture and traditions on almost countless iron rod sculptures installed in various alleys and streets. Creative, whimsical, informative and educational, these art pieces surely are eye-catching; a lot of tourists drop by to photograph them. One of them actually asked me, “Do you want me to take photos of you and your son with your camera?”
One of the firewalls of a shophouse in Muntri Street has another Zacharevic’s mural painting -a Chinese-Malaysian girl in kungfu outfit (or is it blue PJs?) whose hands appeared to be pressing on window shades. It’s definitely not my favorite but quite fascinating too.
More installations in Muntri Street…
Yeah, right! Get a Life!
From Muntri Street, Gabby and I lazily walked towards Love Lane…
I wonder why the Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharervic painted a broken heart on two public phones when in fact they’re installed in Love Lane…
Blink and you will miss this on the wall across 711 and the broken-hearted-payphones…
Quaint gestures of recycling on warmest greetings…
Do you have the key?
Meanwhile, at Ah Quee Street, art needs resuscitation…
Alas, another Zacharevic’s masterpieces!
Something pink in Armenian Street…
Something weird?
Or it’s just me. I imagined walking through Armenian Street at midnight with this sight of a voodoo doll on a drift wood, would you not be afraid to death? LOL!
OK, it aint weird but…unique (for the lack of better adjective, hahaha!)
What about a pair of shoes on a giant frog’s mouth? Art? Recycling fun!
Can’t blame us if we craved for Starbucks…
Talking about craving, long walks need refueling of course. And the wonder boy wanted to eat in one of our favorites in George Town. Believe it or not, it was Gabby who wished to eat in Restoran Kapitan again for some Indian dishes. So we had Boneless Buttered Chicken, Garlic and Cheese Naan, Mango Lassi and Chocolate Ice Blended. Solb!
Our last stop was a bookstore for the little boy also craved for his favorite pocketbook series.
We enjoyed our weekend. Yet another special one. And you? 
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This blog’s other posts with George Town’s street arts include :
I anticipated grandiosity in this year’s celebration. I also set no less than great expectations of the pageantry of events. I thought there’s no way that the 4th anniversary of inscription of George Town, Penang as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites could get worse but otherwise. No one can blame me as I experienced George Town Festival 2011 : Tapestry of Cultures last year. I saw, heard, felt, smelt and tasted it as beyond spectacular! A flamboyant display of rich diversities that this cultural melting pot in Southeast Asia is known for. I was simply blown away by that 2011 holiday and I believe this year, it just got better! I haven’t traveled the world but where else can you find streets showcasing arts, heritage, culture, traditions, food, religions, performances and whatnot, mostly for FREE and readily accessible to public all at the same time?
July 7th is the gazetted public holiday for the George Town Festival but people behind it planned and prepared an entire month of merrymaking! This year, it extends from June 15th to July 15th. And if that doesn’t sound grand fiesta to you, I rest my case.
With only my mom in tow, as my wife and our 7-year-old son decided to stay at home to do some chores and rest after, I arrived in George Town from our place in Butterworth on the afternoon of Saturday, July 7th. My mom and I did some necessary errands first, then headed to Plaza Gurney Mall and back to the laterals of Lebuh Chulia.
If you’ve been following this blog, you’ve probably known that the Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic‘s murals are all over the key streets of George Town. I assumed the muralist who did those fantastic and whimsical reflections of bits and pieces of life in Penang using mostly children and children’s imagination as his subjects, was commissioned specially for the GTF2012. I showed my mom one of his works located in Lebuh Ah Quee as we began our personal GTF2012 walking tour that weekend.
This Zacharevic’s art installation in Lebuh Ah Quee is an updated version that we saw on our visit last June 23, 2012; before it became more animated, it was firstly presented as ruggedly, rustic and restless looking street painting then…
His masterpieces at one of Penang’s waterfront settlement protected by UNESCO, Chew Jetty …
Armenian Street which is my favorite…
and other streets of George Town are always admired by local and foreign tourists.
I regret the fact that I failed to come to Ernest Zacharevic and Gabija’s invitation via facebook and missed their exhibit called Rescube which was a collaboration with few more Malaysian artists.
What I like most of George Town, Penang other than its multi-racial diversities that are so apparent in their flavorful gastronomic delights, colorful and vibrant cultures and varied and inspiring religions, is the fact that this island boasts of creativity in almost every corner.
Another wonderful treat for the public present in this year’s GTF2012 was witnessing Malaysian artists creating their on-the-spot-watercolor paintings. My mom and I were very fortunate to chanced upon these artistic and skillful hands immortalizing parts of Cheah Kongsi and its nearby shophouses along Armenian Street. For few minutes, I was left in awe!
Still in Armenian Street, I walked my mom through a souvenir shop called, 14 Living Story which in my humble opinion, is one of the most quaint stores that sells interesting pieces that represent George Town and a few more things about Pulau Pinang. However, since it’s my nth time inside that souvenir shop and I somehow became familiar with what they could offer, I was more fascinated with one of their ornaments –a Chinese money plant! I like this plant and I want money, LOL!!!
Spotted this street performer at the junction of Armenian and Kapitan Keling Streets who’s throwing his unusual neon yoyo up in the air while grooving over an imaginary sound. He drew crowd expectedly.
Then we continued our aimless strolling and walked towards Cannon Street. Et voila, another Ernest Zacharevic’s mural!
I saw him when he did this last June 23, 2012…
The other side of the wall has pink pin wheels to send lovely vibes…
Meanwhile, at the tail end of Cannon Street comes Lebuh Acheh…
How do you like sweet smiles as a welcoming party?
Whenever I fill out forms or converse with Malaysians and tell them that we, Filipinos came from Malay race, I usually get quirky stares because most of them haven’t heard of it yet. One need not google or read history books, there’s proof in things that are common among us. Traditional music with gongs, for one, is shared by two countries.
There were also live demonstrations of other forms of arts and handicrafts from henna tattooing, batik making and basket weaving.
Past half hour that we’re roaming George Town streets, my mom and I trooped back to Armenian Street and went inside Cheah Kongsi.
We were in Cheah Kongsi to witness one of a kind expression of Lion Dance. To most of us, Filipinos living in Manila, we usually enjoy such Oriental street performance in Manila Chinatown every Chinese New Year. We might be familiar with Lion and Dragon dances performed on the road with so much ease, but Penangites do it on stilts! The GTF2012 map and guide had Lion Dances on stilts at 6PM and Dragon Dance at 7 in the evening for that day. As soon as we got inside the Cheah Kongsi compound, I let my mom watched over my backpack and reusable shopping bags and thankfully found a nice spot that’s high enough for me to capture the impressive performance.
Yeah, right, I was on stilts too! LOL! 
No, of course not! I stood up the concrete fence with my stance secured and took extra efforts not to fall and break anything important while capturing this feature. So here’s a few of my photos of that amazing Lion Dance on stilts…
One of the breathtaking stunts they did was this…
And these were the two young men who moved the lion on stilts with ease and expertise…
This Lion Dance was tremendously done; absolutely entertaining!
There was an hour gap between the Lion dance on stilts and the Dragon dance thus, my mom and I opted to grab some eats from our favorite food place in Lebuh Chulia (photos just before the end of this post) and headed back to Cheah Kongsi before 7PM.
Just a few steps from Yap Kongsi and Yap Temple is a Southern Indian decorative design made of colored grains. Where else can you experience Hindu, Chinese and Malays co-existing harmoniously? Pardon me but I really I have to state this : Indeed, “Malaysia, Truly Asia!”
We left Lebuh Armenian and headed to Lebuh Acheh where Indian, Thai and Sri Lankan dances will be performed at 8PM. Days before this event, I was personally invited by Ms. Pavaani, the classical Indian dancer whom I met last June 23rd before she performed then. Her email noted that I can capture a few shots of the girls just before their show.
Local and foreign audience in the street including my mom and myself were treated to fascinating cultural dances. First to perform were the very energetic and passionate, Punjabi dancers…
Each group as I understood it, prepared two dances. Each step was engaging; all eyes were glued to the steps of the performers.
I was surpised myself to see Thai and Sri Lankan dancers. I’m not sure if they’re from George Town too or must have been invited to grace the event. Either way, they made the night even more vivid and alive!
After the amusing Thai dances, the group of Ms. Paavani continued presenting ”Dancing Feet”, a wonderfully choreographed various styles of Classical Indian dances, much to delight the audience.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the beautiful lady in yellow is Ms. Pavaani… I believe she leads the group.
It was almost 9PM when we decided to leave and didn’t wait for the Sri Lankan dancers to perform; we saw they have real swords and spear-looking weapons as props. Not because we chicken-out of their performance, but we’re almost dead-tired. We saw they even needed a long table to put all those props in place prior to their performance. We missed their dances but nonetheless, my mom and I were happy with what we experienced. The shows were modestly done in streets yet so exuberant and lavish!
This blog entry would not be complete without food post of course! For our early dinner that Saturday, just before we came to watch the Dragon dance in Cheah Kongsi, I brought my mom to our family favorite, Restoran Kapitan where we indulged in simple but tasteful Indian dishes.
We love Indian dishes from Kapitan however we prefer it less spicy (or for my family –non-spicy at all). We’re glad they have food choices to cater for the taste buds like ours. I ordered Chicken Cheese Kebab with Cheese Naan. It comes with flavorful dips which I like very much. That tangy tamarid, green mango and chili mix is one of the tastes that I usually crave for! It’s perfect to dip the Cheese Naan or Roti Cheese.
Chicken Butter Boneless is the bomb for me! It’s the first time I’ve tasted this and so glad my mom opted for anything without chili. It might be red in color but only because it’s tomato based. Creamy and buttery with hint of tomato sauce with Indian herbs (and spices), it’s another great dip for those Indian breads. I found another favorite in this dish! Can’t wait till Tina and Gabby sample this.
My mom loves Kapitan’s Mango Lassi which I also like. Lassi’s different from the usual and plain juice or fruit shake because it’s yoghurt based. We all washed down our Indian meal with thirst-quenching Mango Lassi…
This post was only about a few hours of a month-long celebration of George Town Festival 2012. It’s not even tip of the iceberg, so to speak. There’s a long line of programs that includes performers from other neighboring countries. So there were Sri Lankan and Thai dancers whom we saw in this D-I-Y-day tour but there are performers from Cambodia, Australia to name a few; not to forget, no less than my country’s pride, The Philippine Madrigal Singers also threw a 2-night concert that regretfully we missed (due to financial limits). More activities are in store for the remaining days of the festivities.
I remain grateful for being an expatriate here in Penang for almost 2 years now. Because of my work here, I and my family get to engaged ourselves in decent revelries like this. Most tourists and travelers would take efforts just to visit this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site but as mentioned, I consider it a blessing to be based in Penang and to experience George Town almost every weekend. This island’s diversities, heritage and gastronomic offerings are its strongest charms that lure tourists from near and beyond. In my opinion, those are the main reasons why George Town Festival should be celebrated by more generations to come.
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Road closure is inevitable when there’s either a repair or an important event. More than a week ago, the streets of George Town, Penang were not accessible to traffic because of the Chinese New Year Heritage and Cultural Celebration.
Kapitan Keling Street along Lebuh Chulia : Closed for the festivities
Everyone’s feet were on the go to welcome the Lunar Year of the Dragon!
Every spot and almost every laterals of Lebuh Chulia rendered a festive mood. Even Penang’s famous trishaws were dressed to the nines for the occasions!
Do you have any idea in mind about the next photo? Have you seen similar dry runs before?
They're rehearsing LION DANCE ON STILTS; Yup! LION DANCES ON AIR are observed in this part of Southeast Asia! Roads are not enough to dance to the beat of the drums! ....Too bad the shows were scheduled 7 and 9 that evening and I had to go home early. 
As I marveled at the various preparations to make the event lavish and merry, I followed a few groups of people walking down the red carpet.
Walking on Red Carpet
Youngsters who rule the drums came in troops…
Drum roll, please!
Their thunderous drum rolls led me to the Opera Stage of Khoo Kongsi Temple…
The Opera Stage had these kids in traditional Chinese costumes prancing in lively tunes…
I only spent few minutes inside the Cannon Square of Khoo Kongsi because “something happened” to me (don’t ask what for now, will post it one day. Let’s just say, it happened all for the love of this hobby called photography). Moving on…
I exited the compound of Khoo Kongsi and went back to one of the streets of George Town…
Buddhist temples and clan mansions at this side of Malaysia are located left and right!
As I turned my back, another visual feast greeted my eyes : Chinese Opera Rehearsal…
The artists were stunningly beautiful in their costumes despite sans make up! I think this is because they proudly wear their culture on their skin.
Then, my feet brought me to this corner where kids were practicing what I assumed as yo-yo.
I wonder what they call this uniquely looking yo-yo. These kids are amazing! They're practicing the skill in sync
One more temple facade and I found myself back in Armenian Street.
In one of the souvenir stalls there, my eyes caught these pieces, won my heart and made me smile…
I know Tina would love these paintings as she appreciates art too. If only I have an extra budget for pretty but unnecessary things, I would have brought a frame or two for her. Perhaps, next time…
Do they appeal to you?
I’m sorry I failed to get the name of the artist, most of the artworks weren’t signed too so there’s no way for me to credit them.
CNY 2012 is being observed in Penang from 23rd January to 15 days after. A lot more streets will surely witness dragon and lion dances in the remaining days of the event; either on the grounds or on top of the stilts!
I know red is considered to be the most auspicious of all the colors. Does black attracts good fortune too? I guess so. It’s not a black cat anyway, it’s a lion! LOL! hehehe
And among the volume of inspiring sights I’ve seen, this one’s most enticing…*wink*
As parents of an almost 7-year-old wonder boy, Tina and I always consider Gabby’s preferences whenever we eat out (read: he’s like our big boss). We frequently ask him of what he likes before deciding where to dine. Are you the same when you go out with your own kids or nephews and nieces? Good thing with Gabby, he knows what he wants despite he’s a littly picky when it comes to food but has been keen on his favorites. He’s very particular with what he eats, like he wants his pizza with only cheese and no other toppings (the four-cheese pizza tops his list).
At home, he eats some veggies; he likes kangkong whenever we have sinigang (sour broth) on our table. Gabby eats practically most greens and fruits that we offer him. But whenever we go out, expectedly like kids of his age, he usually craves for fast food meals.
You can just imagine whenever Gabby gives his nod for us to try other food places over Mcdonald’s and Pizza Hut…
Some few months back, while we’re walking at Lebuh Chulia in Georgetown, we found a seemingly ordinary looking Kedai Kopi (coffee shop).
We’re a family who likes Starbucks Coffee and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf but beyond their frappuccinos in venti, we also enjoy some bites from these coffee shops, even from coffee nooks less famous and commercial than those two.
There’s always something special about simplicity; about places where pretentions do not exist, venues that allow you to be as casual as you are.
Inside Trois Canon Cafe, I found a charming painting of Shanghainese woman (kamukha ni Ate Vi, hehe!)…
Good thing I captured the menu on our table, without it I won’t recall the name of this hole-in-the-wall Kedai Kopi.
The menu contained a combo meal that passed Gabby’s taste : a thick buttered toast, oatmeal infused with maple syrup and milk and Milo ais (meelo iced!).
It’s great that this kedai kopi also serves a variety of all-day-breakfast meals; it gave me the chance to load my gastric pit. I picked from their menu something called East meets West combo : Oriental fried rice topped with fried egg, served with pork luncheon meat strips and frankfurter (yes, they’re non-halal).
While my lovely wife was content with her ham sandwich that tasted better than it looks on photo; the buns were slightly toasted with butter that made it different from the usual burger or sandwiches in common fast food joints.
I felt we also must try something that’s soothing; so I also ordered a warm bowl of beef noodle soup.
It was so good and too bad to resist.
The dining experience in a Kedai Kopi like Trois Canon Cafe would not be complete without trying their signature white coffee (actually, it came with my combo meal…)
We indulge once in a while but indubitably, we also like the simplicity in dining space and the delight in eating uncomplicated and affordable foods. And if Gabby says yes to it? It’s always icing on the cake!
I have stated it multiple times that I considered myself blessed for having a chance to work in a place regarded as melting pot of cultural diversities. Fate has been more generous when I was able to bring my family to Penang and together, we’ve been immersed in the vibrant and fascinating colors of Penang.
7th July 2011, Thursday. It was a non-working holiday for us here in Penang for the celebration of the 3rd Anniversary of George Town as one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We decided to spend a night in the island just to witness the festivities.
I began the day in Eastern and Oriental Hotel as I was invited to the official launch of 2011 George Town Festival and the book launch of Heritage Trees of Penang.
Breakfast was served at the courtyard of Eastern and Oriental Hotel, George Town, Penang.
At the Grand Ballroom of E&O Hotel, the Chief Minister of Penang officially opened the celebration.
The event was short and sweet; on the dot and precise. The video presentations about Penang tourism were enticing; brief and beautifully done. Then everyone was led to the courtyard of E&O Hotel for a delightful breakfast.
And yes, the Governor of Penang also graced the occasion.
And just after the launch, I met Tina and Gabby in a mall, ate lunch at KFC and checked in at Yeng Keng Hotel.
In the afternoon, the streets of George Town specifically the laterals of Lebuh Chulia were filled with fun, flavors, colors and a ton of varieties.
“George Town’s dancers come alive in this vibrant showcase of movement and music, featuring dance performances by members of local multi-ethic groups such as Indian, Chinese, Punjabi, Siamese and Peranakan communities.”
Here’s that eye-catching cultural overload! Jai Ho!
Innocent smiles from kids easily melted my worries away.
The rich Malayan race…
THURSDAY 7TH JULY
“Testimony to Our Living Heritage
(All events are free unless stated otherwise)George Town is a living testimony to the cultural heritage of various ethnic groups that have settled in the Malay archipelago over the centuries. Events on this day feature performances and exhibitions that express our living heritage in art and music, food, language, and religious practices.” via George Town Festival website
I walked inside the Indian Muslim Museum which is located within the compound of a huge mosque and fascination was absolutely free!
Can you imagine yourself wearing this pair?
I found this metal iron charming. Do you notice the rooster design on its upper part? Nice!
Don’t you wish evolution has brought an automatic flat iron? I do! hehe!
Brass galore!
Then the Malaysian Indian exhibit was also prominent on the streets…
Jasminum sambac or commonly known in my country as sampaguita, our National flower is not unusual in most countries in Southeast Asia including India; beautifully made into leis fit to honor the gods.
The Malaysian Chinese community also shared their colorful offerings on the streets of George Town…
Who would have thought I would see the NINJA KIDS in Lebuh Chulia? haha!
Then, there were seriously enchanting live musical performances from these kids; simply awesome!
At the age of 34 and a beginner at violin, I find the passion from these kids awe-inspiring!
Notice how young the conductor is?
There were also live-demonstrations of incense making (which I first thought as chocolate sticks, haha!)
I don’t know about you but found this man’s craft the most interesting in that event…
The child in me was silently jumping for joy when I saw his works…
Amazing clay artisty; no details were overlooked! fantastic!
The Muslims exhibited their skills and talents in Wayang Kulit making (remember we went to Kota Bharu in Kelantan and marveled at how Wayang Kulit or Shadow Puppet are made?).
During our family holiday in Kota Bharu last May, we also went to a factory of Kelantanese Batik; that’s why this scene made me smile.
I also went inside art galleries that were opened to public for free and this painting caught my eyes…yes, it’s a framed painting on canvass!
The event also highlighted the unique flavors found in Malaysian dishes, from Nasi Lemak, Nasi Kandar, dimsums , a variety of noodle dishes and a lot more!
My captures were just a fraction of this celebration that’s stretched for the entire month of July. But I believe they were more than enough to prove the reasons why Penang, particularly George Town is one of tourists and travelers’ favorite places to explore.
It took me 7 months of being an expat in Penang before I found myself admiring the charm of Lebuh Chulia at dusk, a famous street in Georgetown. I have only known Lebuh Chulia as the most frequented street by foreigners in this UNESCO World Heritage City. It’s one of the usual streets where the most common form of public transportation in this side of Malaysia, the Rapid Penang Buses, pass through making it hard to miss.
After spending an afternoon with the birds and aviaries in Penang Bird Park, I with some others trooped to the island once more to hear anticipated Catholic Mass last Saturday then off we went to Lebuh Chulia to experience its quaint hawkers at night.
This street comes alive at twilight!
Hungry mouths from Penang, travelers and tourists, backpackers and expats from all over the globe who usually look for authentic and affordable dishes that Penang has to offer, never miss to go to those food stalls along Chulia Street.
Pehaps, I was initially lured by those hawkers at Gurney Drive but I can now attest that Lebuh Chulia boasts of exciting night scenes other than those must-try dimsums, noodles and other gastronomic delights.
These remind me of “turo-turo”, Recto Avenue, and the fish balls and barbecue stalls in sidestreets of Manila…
It was fascinating for me to spend few minutes of people-watching; also found myself amazed at how vendors and those people who tend to these food stalls exert efforts in making a living probably every night at Lebuh Chulia.
Business must have been sooooo good!
Can’t help but to enjoy people-watching too…
Here comes the part of my shameless display of what I chow down…
So if and when time comes you get a chance to visit Penang, particularly Georgetown, you may want to consider dropping by at Lebuh Chulia at dusk.
T’sai Shen Tau means The God of Prosperity has arrived…
The event last weekend was part of the Chinese New Year celebration and to commemorate the inclusion of Georgetown, Penang in one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Cities.
In few cities I’ve been to –there are always a Chinese community and a Chinatown and Penang is not an exception. Being one of the three races in this part of Malaysia (with Malays and Indians), the Chinese people are not to be disregarded. Whether in business, in schools, in malls or just about anywhere and everywhere, their presence is always felt.
On my seventh month of being an expat, it was my first time to experience Chinese New Year in Penang. The celebration stretches from February 3 to 17–or fifteen long days of fun and festivities.
Versatility is one of their strong characters. They can be so reserved…
Or appear to be on top of the world…
Their concern to protect Mother Nature and giving importance to one’s roots were so apparent in the street tableaux…
back to the basics…
Even ‘lending a helping hand’ was depicted on the streets…
The Recycle-Reuse-Reduce echoed in the streets of Georgetown last weekend…
What fellow medical educators, Dr. Yambao & Dr. Carlo do for this hobby called photography...
And while my 2 companions were busy clicking their D7000, I didn’t let my chance to taste this Chinese Sharksfin soup pass… For RM 3 (PhP 42) it was thick and flavorful, enough to complete my delight.
Soon after my tummy’s warmed by that tasteful soup, I continued the experience of immersing myself to bits and pieces of Chinese lifestyle in Penang back in those early years…
There were young ladies who acted as vendors…
Sugar canes as one of their commodities…
Oriental pieces never fail to fascinate me…
Even the skies were decorated for the event.
No detail was overlooked…
Chinese decors are a real feast to the eyes…
And the vivid colors of their decors and ornaments are a reflection of their people…
Would you agree that they also have a natural thing for humor? Check out this kid’s hair piece…
And when it drizzled, this couple didn’t mind putting on egg trays to cover their heads; how amusing!
The streets were geared for the occasion from afternoon…
to sun down…
“Nothing and no one can destroy the Chinese people. They are relentless survivors.” -Pearl Buck
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
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12 February 2011. Saturday. One of my housemate-colleagues and I left our penthouse in Butterworth, Penang at around 8:30 in the morning. We rode the Rapid Penang bus to Jetty for about 10 minutes where we met one of our senior fellow medical educators who happens to be our inspiration, mentor and our driving force to pursue this hobby called photography.:D
At the jetty, we hopped on the ferry for that 12 minute ride and reached Georgetown, Pulau Pinang. We went to the camera shop where they bought their Nikon D7000 (I got mine 7 days ago from a different store) and took our quick bites for lunch after.
Our first plan was to go to Penang Hill and spend the day for photoshoot. But just before getting in another bus, I took the initiative to inquire from the dispatcher if the renovations in the funicular in that site were already done. The answer was negative so we decided to go take another route – Penang Butterfly farm.
But soon enough after we learned that Penang Butterfly farm’s entrance fee for adults doesn’t fit our budget (read : the 3 of us have Nikon D7000 but remain considerate of our pockets), we just took photos of some flying living things outside that park (which I will post in the succeeding parts of this series) and left after few hours.
Yet I enormously enjoyed the day despite the looong joy ride and dozing off episodes inside the bus. And what saved our day was my suggestion to go to Lebuh Chulia (Chulia Street) in Georgetown (near Jetty) where a cultural celebration was about to unfold.
Fortunately, I got a free Penang tourism magazine from the rack at the entrace of Butterfly Farm, browsed and learned about T’sai Shen Tau event.
T’SAI SHEN TAU means
The God of Prosperity has arrived.
The iN Penang tourism magazine excerpts :
“Just as “Jingle Bells filled the air during Yuletide, the sound of drums and cymbals and the tune, T’sai Shen Tau (The God of Prosperity has arrived) takes over the Chinese community gears up for the fifteen day-long Chinese New Year celebration.
On the 12 February, the CNY & Cultural Heritage Celebration organized by the Clan Association Youth Committee is not to be missed. The event is initiated by the Penang Clan Council and the State Government to Celebrate Georgetown’s UNESCO listing as a World Heritage City. From 3:30PM to midnight, there will be a series of cultural events that showcase Chinese history, culture and arts. Huge crowds are expected to throng the enclave comprising Chulia Street, Armenian Street, Soo Hong Lane, Ah Qyee Street, Acheen Street, Cannon Street, Kampong Kolan and Jalan Kapitang Keling.”
Hence, we arrived in Chulia Street at past 4 in the afternoon and witnessed a burst of diversity. Remember, Penang is composed of 3 major races –(in no particular order)
Malays, Indians and Chinese…
Three races.
Three colors.
Three tongues.
One City.
One Nation.
Here are some of my captures from the streets and cultural shows that motivated me more to learn the skill and appreciate the hobby.
FYI, Most, if not all Indian women here in Penang wear their Sari proudly on a daily basis.
“The wise man belongs to all countries, for the home of a great soul is the whole world.” –Democritus
to be continued….
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OPINION COUNTS…