george town penang malaysia

Posts Tagged ‘george town penang malaysia

Apr

AN EVENING OF LIGHTS AT KHOO KONGSI

*Ornate details of the Prayer Pavilion, Khoo Kongsi

27 April 2013. Saturday. While most people in Penang were probably watching Iron Man 3 in cinemas or perhaps, resting at home after an entire work or school week and a whole day’s household chores as in the case of my wife and our kid, I left our place at around 5PM, hopped on the bus, took the 15 minute ferry ride from Butterworth to George Town and rode another bus to Lebuh Chulia, then strolled my way to Cannon Street with nothing in mind but to revisit one of the incredibly majestic clan houses in Penang, the Khoo Kongsi.

Yes, I’ve been to Khoo Kongsi before and I’ve blogged it a few times already but I’ve never experienced the “Evening of Lights At Khoo Kongsi” celebrated every last Saturday of the month at 7PM. It is when the entire Prayer Pavilion of Khoo Kongsi beams and shines against the royal blue sky!

Since I still have prepaid Rapid-Penang-Bus unlimited-ride-card for the month of April, and the usual admission rate of 10 ringgit (USD 3.30) to Khoo Kongsi was waived during this event, I only spent 1.20 ringgit (USD 0.40) on the roundtrip ferry ride and 13.50 ringgit (USD 4.45) for a personal favorite Indian plate with Mango Lassi from Restoran Kapitan at Little India.

*Chicken Tandoori Set at RM10 (served with Cheese Naan) washed down with Mango Lassi, RM3.50. Dinner solb!

The gates of Khoo Kongsi located at Cannon Street were guarded and only opened at 7PM. After grabbing some bites at Restoran Kapitan, I went back to this famous clan house and simply waited for moments when everyone’s done with their obligatory photo-ops with the gorgeous Prayer Pavilion as their backdrop. I was lucky to have a chance to capture the beauty of the Prayer Pavilion of Khoo Kongsi with less tourists and visitors as people began to flock after I left the area.

*Once again, I marveled at the grandiosity of Khoo Kongsi with all elegance from Fujian architecture.

“From the late 18th century to 1850, the Khoos migrated from Sin Kang Village in China to Penang and involved themselves in trades and other careers. They formed a closely-knit community, took care of each other and gathered on the 5th day of the 5th Moon every year to celebrate the birthday of Tua Sai Yah. In 1835, they founded the Ee Kok Tong as an early form of clan association. The basement of Leong San Tong has been converted into the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Museum.” sourced from www.khookongsi.com.my

Who would not be in awe with this excellent Oriental structure built from exquisite craftmanship in woodcarving, stone carving, coloured drawing, stucco sculpture, cut-and-paste decoration and tiled roof?

The Prayer Pavilion faces a courtyard intended for gatherings then and now, and a huge stage built for Opera and other performances. And for this weekend’s event, Chinese drums were installed that provided the beat and accompanied the traditional lion dances.

This is how big the Khoo Kongsi compound is!

I was silently jumping for joy when the blue hour (at around 7:30-7:50PM here in Penang) came! Happy to capture photos of Khoo Kongsi during this time despite the lack of tripod.

Good thing the lion dance performers and “prosperity mascots” with the drummers and cymbals on stage deviated the attention of the people from the Prayer Pavilion; I had a few minutes of camera clicks without tourists and other photographers around it.

This monthly Evening of Lights At Khoo Kongsi was supposed to end at around 10PM with other entertainers to performs but I left the place at around 8PM. En route back to Chulia Street, I failed to resist and captured a couple more photos of the corner of Cannon and Armenian Streets…

plus that iconic landmark in George Town which is a Muslim worship place, the Kapitan Keling Mosque…

Over all, I enjoyed my Saturday evening and considered it a blessing that eased out my stress from work. Engaging in activities and sights like this is a welcome respite from my almost routinary life at my desk in the Faculty Room and in the classrooms.

*How did you spend your weekend?

*More photos on my earlier blog post about Khoo Kongsi –> HERE!

Mar

SARKIES’ SEAFOOD BUFFET DINNER EXTRAVAGANZA @ EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL, PENANG

By docgelo 7 Comments

*Allow me to begin this FOOD PORN blog post with a SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL DISCOUNT GIVEAWAY! Readers of this blog who are in Penang, Malaysia from March to April 2013 are entitled for a great deal at Sarkies’ Chef Petr’s Catch Seafood Buffet Dinner Extravaganza at Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang. All you need to do is to print this banner

and show this blog post’s URL :

(http://docgelo.com/2013/03/17/sarkies-seafood-buffet-dinner-extravaganza-eastern-oriental-hotel-penang/), then arrange an early reservation with E&O Hotel at contact #s +604-222 2000 ext 3601 | 3602 before 24th April 2013 and you can avail to dine in with a discounted rate of RM80 ++/pax (adult) and RM 38++/child.

Happening every Wednesdays until last week of April 2013, this offer from Sarkies is limited to first 80 people who will reserve for the dinner. One printout of the banner per one diner only. Terms & conditions apply.

I remember on my very first days after my arrival to work in Penang from the Philippines back in 2010, Eastern & Oriental Hotel, a luxury heritage-all-suite hotel in George Town was one of the very few spots in the island that I came to know about. Being one of the landmarks in Penang located by the glorious bay, I have been fascinated with its sophisticated and historic charm.

Fast forward to 3 years after of being an Overseas Filipino Worker in this side of Malaysia, it was truly a pleasure to be invited with my wife, Tina and our son, Gabby to Sarkies’ Chef Petr’s Catch Seafood Buffet Dinner Extravaganza last 13th March 2013, Wednesday. My family and I enjoyed not only the eat-all-you-want-seafood-and more from Sarkies but Tina & Gabby also took time to appreciate the elegance that defines E&O Hotel with me. We all had a grand time!

Of course, TEAM DOCGELO had a wonderful time capturing the moments on lens prior to the main event! Tee hee!

Now, let’s get down to business. Before you continue reading this post and scrolling down, you must know the drill. Be ready first with a tall glass of cold water and promise yourself not to drool, hehe! Here’s a rundown of this one of a kind dining experience offered at Sarkies at E&O. Feast your eyes! Enjoy!!!

The seafood appetizers were remarkable! My captures were probably incomplete from what’s on the spread but I’d like to showcase what I can recommend. I loved that delicately delicious salmon topped with caviar, thinly sliced scrambled eggs and fine green garnishing; my palates also admired those seafood canapes and those slices of freshest Norwegian salmon sashimi! The sashimi & sushi (yes, there’s a few sushi rolls too!) monster-in-me was so happy! There’s also that Duo of Gravlax that’s not to be missed from this buffet at Sarkies. Some people may find it a bit salty but that’s what gravlax is all about. There must be a tug-of-war between saltiness & sweetness on it. I liked it actually!

Imported & freshest seafoods galore! Alaskan Snow Crab Claws, Oyster on Ice, Poached Black Mussels that appeared to me as yin & yang as they’re put side-by-side with the more common mussels and there’s also Boiled River Cray Fish that I missed but Tina was able to sample. Other than what’s on my photos, there’s also Oyster Omelette, Marinated Cuttlefish, Seasoned Squid, Black Sesame Salad, Deep Fried Snow Crab Claws and a lot more.

Have I told you it’s not only seafood dishes that lorded the buffet spread? There’s actually something for everyone! If you fancy Roasted Duck (Yummy! check out my plates as you scroll down!), Chicken Satay, Beef and Lamb chops, a variety of seafoods to grill on the teppan, a few seafood like prawns and veggies cooked with sauces, a Noodle Station and more! You have to check it yourself if you have the chance.

Meanwhile, after you’ve taken a glance of some portions of the spread, here’s a shameless display of our delicious plates :

There may be some dishes that my family and I were expecting that weren’t there, like Baked Mussels (we want it buttery and cheesy), Buttered & Garlic Prawns, Lobster, Sweet and Sour Grouper and at least some local Malaysian dishes. Nonetheless we’re grateful and satisfied with everything! As a matter of fact, when I was asked by Criz who invited all of us for this event, I told him & the blogger-friends on our table that I almost forgot my name as I was very satiated!

While Tina was pleased at how the Lamb was roasted that perfectly complemented with its sauce, Gabby and I preferred the Beef from the Carving Station. Very tender and flavorful, Gabby and I had more than one servings each! The Roasted Duck was also commendable! It’s delicious too sans mushroom sauce!

*Gabby on his second plate of the Roasted Beef. Obviously, he ate with feelings! Hehehe!

One of the highlights of the evening was meeting Chef Petr of Sarkies at E&O. He was so friendly and accomodating to be photographed! I loved this photo as it captures the Chef and our very own Chef-Hotelier-Restaurateur-wannabe (so help me, God!)!

An eat-all-you-want is incomplete without desserts. Sarkies at E&O perfectly knows that and these are their current offerings.

*If you must know, this photo was taken by my lovely wife, Tina. Applause! I’m proud of her!!!

Over and beyond the gastronomic feast and its sweet ending, I loved how Tina savored the moments photographing her plates. She took turns in using her ipod and our SLR. I know she had fun capturing what we ate as she’s one of those foodies now on Instagram (follow her @ teenasantos on Ig).

Here’s my dessert plate :

And here’s Tina’s that she shared with Gabby :

Some of those are fractions of these :

*This is a portion of Sarkies’ Dessert-Christmas-Tree-in-Mid-March!

*Incredibly fantastic presentation, although I wished the doughnuts were softer.

Ambiance and service were impeccable! Our glasses were refilled with either warm or chilled water without prompting. The overall dining atmosphere and experience were classy yet comfortable and not intimidating.

Great food, excellent service, fine ambiance, good laughs, good friends.

*On our table : With Malaysian Bloggers all in black! What’s with black, lah? Hehehe! Oops, someone was wearing ecru! She’s one of our nicest Malaysian Blogger-friends, Emily of www.millymin.com.

Must facilitate peristalsis with coffee (not on photo) after fibrous fruits.

Interestingly, we met managers of Sarkies and of them even proudly said that he married a Filipina and has been to some places in our country upon learning that the three of us there are from the Philippines.

After having cups of coffee and exchange of chats with our fellows, we bid goodbye to Sarkies and thanked the famous foodie Malaysian Blogger, Criz Lai for inviting us. It was another memorable family-food-fun adventure for Tina, Gabby and I!

SARKIES’ CHEF PETR’S CATCH SEAFOOD BUFFET DINNER EXTRAVAGANZA | Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang | Every Wednesday until last week of April 2013 | 7PM to 10:30PM

Regular prices at RM 110 ++(adult), RM 48++ (child).

Here are the other Dining Offerings at E&O Hotel Penang :

MARAMING SALAMAT ~ TERIMA KASIH ~ THANK YOU VERY MUCH to :

Sarkies at Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang | website : www.e-o-hotel.com/sarkies
Criz Lai of Criz Bon Appetite! for inviting me & my family | website : www.crizfood.com

>><<

Mar

MORE THAN A PLATEFUL OF CHAR KOAY TEOW

By docgelo 16 Comments

As life has been teaching me, inspiration and motivation usually spring not (only) from those famous and authoritative people but (even) from those ordinary individuals with outstanding or at least, remarkable characters. It also holds true when it comes to my perception about places. I try my best not to underestimate places that look modest and cheap as it may be rewarding than expected.

Case in point, this hawker stall in front of a common-looking-eatery in Penang called, Kafe Heng Huat located at Lorong Selamat, one of the laterals of Jalan Macalister in George Town, Penang. If you must know, every hawker stall in this part of Southeast Asia appears almost the same. Apparently, they differ in the goods they offer. It turned out that my initial sampling of my ultimate favorite Malaysian dish, Char Koay Teow from Kafe Heng Huat didn’t only sustain me and satisfied my craving for that noodle dish but taught me some essential that money certainly can’t buy.

PASSION. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I personally saw untiring love for what she does that ~~probably~~ clearly makes every plate of CKT she prepares arguably the BEST in the entire Pulau Pinang.

Meet Soon Chuan Choo that according to the broadsheet article posted on the wall of this restaurant, has been cooking CKT for 45 years (the feature in Bangkok newspaper written in English was dated 2012). For someone who continuously does the same routine on a daily basis over those decades without boredom and fatigue, it must because of pure passion and love for it.

Penang, you’re very luck to have Aunty Soon Chuan Choo! She must be a living Heritage for cooking this Malaysian noodle dish for more than 4 decades and counting!

Look at my lunch freshly cooked as per order. Take note of the size of those prawns! A plateful of CKT from Aunty Soon is definitely worth it at 10 ringgit!

Because every plate is only prepared upon order, it took around 10 minutes of waiting before I savored this version of CKT recommended to me by Malaysian-blogger and friend, Emily of www.millymin.com and incidentally, by our colleague and friend who’s now back in the Philippines with his family, Doc Noel. According to his previous observations that he shared on the comment-thread of my CKT-photo on fb, he remembers this lady to be somewhat in unpleasant mood while cooking; perhaps, because she doesn’t want to be disturbed of the long queue with many orders; she remains so focused on cooking Char Koay Teow then and now. Aunty Soon may not offer anyone a smile and obviously has an attitude towards work but that’s how she delivers a perfect plate. If people go to Kafe Heng Huat for her Char Koay Teow over the past 4 decades, I think it confirms that she’s doing it right.

The view from where I sat. Packed with hungry diners, mostly locals who know what’s best in their area.

Waiting wasn’t an issue to me as I saw this signage when I went to my table.

So I gave in and ordered one of Malaysian popular desserts.

At only around 3 ringgit, I managed to go against the scorching sunny weather with Ais Kacang (pronounced as ice ka-chang) which is made of finely shaved ice, milk, sweet corn, jelly strips, nata de coco and red beans topped with a scoop of ice cream. Sedap! Sarap! Reminds me of our very own smilar dessert in the Philippines, Halo-halo. So perfect for summer!

In my 3 years of working in Penang, I oftenly go to Gurney Drive when I crave for a tasteful Char Koay Teow. Here’s a capture of that CKT :

But suggestions from friends proved that there are other far better options. This Malaysian dish of fried flat noodles, mixed with chili sauce, tofu, egg, sprouts, cockles, Chinese chorizo or pork sausage and larger prawns can give that CKT from the hawker stall in Gurney Drive a tough competition on my list.

It was a pleasure eating Aunty Soon’s specialty :

Edited : Doc Noel added on his comment on fb that Aunty Soon was noted to be strict on schedule, as he saw a nice family with kids came 5 minutes past closing time, and Aunty did not give in. I understand her being strict but a little consideration and a smile would not hurt.

Somehow, I see myself in Aunty Soon’s character. People easily judged me to have an attitude, ridiculously an anti-social but that’s how they define not my character but theirs. Like her, I am also particular with schedules, I rarely come late on appointments as I value time and punctuality. I am strict and stick with rules particularly my own. I always try to give everything in what I do.

For as long as we’re here in Penang, I’ll surely return to Kafe Heng Huat for another serving of Aunty Soon’s Char Koay Teow. Each plate is inspiring!

>><<

*This post with all of its photos is my entry to Weekly Photo Challenge : Lunchtime

Nov

WE GOT FREE BRUNCH @ CHINAHOUSE

By docgelo 20 Comments

10 November 2012. Saturday. Between Victoria and Beach Streets, George Town, Penang.

Hats off and thank you very much to the 567 facebook buddies who voted for my photo entry at ChinaHouse Shoot and Win contest. Whether you clicked ‘like’ voluntarily or voted with force and coercion, hahaha! it became one of the 8 finalists! Maraming Salamat po! Congratulations too to the 2 Chinese-Malaysian winners!

Despite I didn’t win that Langkawi getaway, we devoured a FREE brunch at ChinaHouse and for that, I am so grateful!!!

It’s nice to indulge once in a while with your love ones and even nicer if it’s FREE!
Now, try to spot Gabby amidst that heavenly table…

Bingo! I felt I won the jackpot when I saw that spread again! Salivary glands and gastric acid secreting cells were all stimulated. Judgment on what to order was the biggest problem. It took us a while to decide from the menu. So while waiting for our food and having difficulty of choosing desserts, I cannot get enough of it and snapped my camera a countless times on that table filled with cakes and pastries! Here’s a few of my captures of that mouthwatering ChinaHouse spread…

Is it not happiness?

We texted and called Tina who opted to stay in our apartment to get some extra hours of rest and do motherly and wifely duties at home (read : household chores).

I noticed it didn’t take a while for our choices to land on our table. Let the pig-out begin!

Gabby ordered two plates. First was Toasted Banana Bread With Fresh Banana and Cream.

While I enjoyed the tasteful Homemade Beef Sausage & Scrambled Egg Muffin with Tomato Relish.

That tomato relish was the bomb! It complemented my breakfast plate so well that it made me forget about the importance of calorie counter. Got yah! I’m not on a dietary regimen (yet). In as much as I want to give importance to health as my license and profession dictate me to do so, indulgence ruled over those moments! I was too weak (again) to resist! Resistance is futile once more! LOL!

Gabby’s second plate was Yoghurt, Fresh Fruit Salad with Granola & Honey. Sugar and sweetness overload!

Our wonder boy didn’t finish everything he ordered; I guess like me, he was overwhelmed! No problem as it’s a part of my Daddy duties to finish the plate whenever needed *insert evil grin here*.

Before ordering desserts (yes, we still had room for sweet endings!), Gabby walked to the shelves and got some kiddie books. He initially browsed the very educational (kidding!) Pokemon!

then he shifted his pure and young attention to a more serious, morally uplifting hardbound, “Walter the Farting Dog”, LOL!

Not long after, our appetites were ready again! Gabby had few fork-dunks on Chocoholics’ Chocolate Cake; the rest of its slice was our takeaway for Tina.

Over and beyond those multiple cakes and pastries, I succumbed to the decision of having Tiramisu again. It’s really unforgettable the first time I had it, thus a repeat was a must!

ChinaHouse’s Tiramisu, now officially known as one of my kryptonites!

To wash everything down, I had Fresh Orange Juice while Gabby didn’t finish his glass of Strawberry Smoothies. Water in a cute capped tall bottle was provided free (FYI, other restaurants in Penang charge a few cents for iced water).

After our 112-ringgit-hearty-brunch, Gabby and I went to the first floor (yes, it’s ground floor first here in Malaysia) to see the art gallery of ChinaHouse.

Luckily, it’s opened as it was otherwise during my first visit. There’s an on-going-art-exhibits of various local artists of which one’s entitled, Circus, I think. Pardon me as I didn’t get the other titles of the show.

It’s almost past noon when we left ChinaHouse.

Gabby and I agreed that Tina will like ChinaHouse too. And with that, it’s a conclusion that it won’t be our last to dine-in at ChinaHouse; we shall be back one day with my loving wife.

Thank you so much, ChinaHouse! You’re one of our family’s best food finds in George Town, Penang!

*For my first blog post about ChinaHouse, click THIS!!!

_______________________

CHINAHOUSE | 153 & 155 Beach Street & 183B Victoria Street, George Town, Penang. http://chinahouse.com.my/

Oct

DEJA VU

By docgelo 18 Comments

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?

_________________________

This blog’s other posts with George Town’s street arts include :

Jun

HOW I INTRODUCED GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

By docgelo 26 Comments

Categories: FOOD & MORE FOOD!, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: a guide to tourists in penang, ais kachang, armenian project, armenian street, armenian street george town penang, buddhism, buddhist temples, cendol, chicken rice, doc gelo, docgelo, durian, ernest zacharevic, food, food blog, food in penang, george town festival, george town festival 2012, george town penang, george town penang malaysia, goddess of mercy temple, indian, indian malaysian, joe sidek, kapitan keling mosque, life in malaysia, lifestyle blog, malaysia, malaysian cuisines, malaysian food, murals in george town penang, muslim mosque, must visit places in penang, nasi lemak, old town, pavaani thannimalai, penang, penang assam laksa, penang malaysia, photography, photos, pulau pinang, purefoods corned beef, religions, Sasana Vamsa Shima Shrine Hall & International Standing Buddhas, sleeping buddha penang, standing buddha temple penang, temple of reclining buddha penang, tourism malaysia, tourist attractions in george town, tourist attractions in penang, travel blog, traveling, travelling, trishaw, trishaw in penang, unesco world heritage site, wat chaiyamangalaram, water lily

23 June 2012, Saturday. How do you introduce a place that needs no elaborate introduction? As one of the Filipino expatriates in Penang, Malaysia for almost two years now, I oftenly state that I still consider myself a traveler and a tourist despite I frequent George Town almost every weekend for the reason that this island has so much to offer. Every visit to this cultural melting pot in Southeast Asia is such a SENSORY FEAST!

I had a first-time opportunity to casually showcase George Town, Penang to two fellow Filipino bloggers when I accompanied them in touring a few must-visit-sites in Pulau Pinang as they arrived from Kuala Lumpur via bus. The challenge : They’ll only spend several hours in Penang and head back to Malaysia’s capital city after.

Without any hardcore plans in mind, I brought 2 of the Philippines’ youngest bloggers, Lloyd (of his travel blog, The Lost Boy) and Dan (of his travel blog,The Wandering Wonder ) in tow to Penang Island after meeting them in Penang Sentral bus station in Butterworth and together we explored George Town via ferry, Rapid Penang buses, taxi cabs and of course by foot. I personally define this utterly quaint island in three words : DIVERSITIES, HERITAGE and FOOD, hence my few-hour-introductory-tour of this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site to my Filipino blog buddies simply revolved on those.

*All photos on this blog entry are captured on June 23, 2012 therefore I have not published them yet prior to this posting. However, some subjects were already featured on this site thus, I intently inserted URLs of my previous blog posts for your reference. ENJOY!

D I V E R S I T I E S

Lorong Burma or Burma Lane, accessible via Rapid Penang Buses # 101 or 103 from Pengkalan Weld (or Weld Quay/Jetty in George Town) or by cars and taxi cabs, features two Buddhist temples. Firstly, the Thai Buddhist Temple or Wat Chaiyamangalaram; the shrine of the Reclining Buddha (also known as Sleeping Buddha). This shrine to me, provides a feel of somehow being in Thailand and Malaysia at the same time.

And just across the street is the equally stunning, Burmese Buddhist Temple, the Sasana Vamsa Shima Shrine Hall & International Standing Buddhas. Burma and Malaysia conquered by few steps! How’s that?

I never feel tired of going back to these temples, not only because they’re picturesque but the atmosphere’s always serene and tranquil. Every visit calms and recharges my mind.

Due to limited time of my guests, I opted to highlight only two Buddhist Temples that are located across each other. As I wanted to maximize the ticking of the clock, I suggested for us to take a taxi cab instead of riding the bus in going back to the laterals of Lebuh Chulia. In that busy Chulia street where foreign backpackers spring everyday like mushrooms, tangible proofs of religious diversities in this Northwestern Malaysian state can be found. Harmony among religions reign supreme in different places of worships that are only a stone’s throw away from each other. Conflicts don’t exist or if there are, at least discreetly. Few steps from Goddess of Mercy Temple are the mostly flocked by tourists, Kapitan Keling Mosque for Muslims and a Hindu temple of the Indian-Malaysian community (View previous blog HERE).

H E R I T A G E

Besides Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion also known as the Blue Mansion (View previous blog post HERE), another personal favorite heritage site is the Pinang Peranakan Mansion (View previous blog post HERE). Because of the unique charm of this magnificent mansion-turned-museum, it’s one of the most preferred venues for prenuptial photoshoots. We chanced upon one and I captured the next photo on a whim ala-paparazzo. Lovely, is it not?

I like Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and truly enjoyed my tour there with my family before but its restriction on taking photos inside its beautifully restored heritage house makes it second best in my humble opinion to Pinang Peranakan Mansion where unlimited photo-opportunity awaits.

We strolled our way from the site of Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Lebuh Gereja or Church Street to Kapitan Keling Street and headed straight to Armenian and Cannon Streets.

The majestic Khoo Kongsi should never be missed when visiting George Town, Penang (Visit my previous blog post HERE). I have toured this gorgeous clan house with temple, stage for Chinese opera and other performances and its very own museum a few times too including during the 2012 Chinese New Year celebration (View previous blog post HERE). Every visit is an unforgettable experience!

One need not google Wikipedia for George Town heritage and history anymore for it is gloriously illustrated in its streets and alleys. I so appreciate how creatively executed the bits and pieces of this place’s character and colorful past with art installations that are difficult to ignore. Case in point are the many murals and wrought-iron caricatures plastered on walls of shophouses scattered in various streets of George Town. They’re absolutely informative and fantastic! Where else can you find heritage data that are never boring and so creatively done that could enticed ages across the life span? I wish this could also be possible in the streets of Manila or some provinces in the Philippines.

As we reached Armenian Street by foot, we spent few minutes inside a souvenir shop called, 14 Living Story (View previous blog post HERE). It’s located immediatley beside Cheah Kongsi and a hole-in-the-wall-favorite-restaurant by tourists, Amelie Cafe (View previous blog post HERE). Inside 14 Living Story, was a Chinese-Malaysian man who played an interestingly uncommon musical instrument.

We then trooped to the tail end of Armenian Street that’s Pengakalan Weld and headed directly to another must-visit-UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in this part of Malaysia. I brought my-2-first-time-Penang-visitors to one of the waterfront settlements of Chinese clans, The Chew Jetty (View previous post HERE).

The sights in Chew Jetty when I visited it for the second time made me miss my family instantly (who chose to stay in our Butterworth appartment). How I wish I could bring Gabby and Tina here one day and spend a lazy afternoon like what the families in photos did.

Durian, anyone?

Confession : Tina and I have not yet tasted durian in our almost 36 years of existence. It’s something we should do soon before durian season in Penang ends.

Still at Chew Jetty, I was silently jumping for joy like a kid when I saw another Ernest Zacharevic‘s mural masterpiece…

Must have detail shot…

Ernest Zacharevic is a Lithuanian artist commissioned to do these murals on the streets of George Town just in time for 2012 festival. His works depict the seemingly ordinary but joyous lifestyle of children living in Penang. Most people describe his paintings realistic but larger than life. I myself got hooked to follow his masterpieces one after the other after I saw his very first in Armenian Street (View previous blog HERE).

Like many people who stop by for a photo-op with Ernest’s murals, Filipino travel bloggers, Lloyd and Dan also tried capturing these street art pieces on photos. You can’t blame them; the paintings are really awesome!

Another Ernest Zacharevic mural is installed in Ah Quee Street. How do you like this?

Rugged, rustic and restless…

Despite I got hold of Armenian Project schedule for that day as part of GTF2012 celebration, I didn’t expect to catch the main man behind these wonderful murals in action working on his current art work a few steps from the gates of Khoo Kongsi in Cannon Street. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ernest Zacharevic…

Everything’s a part of George Town Festival 2012 that runs June 15 – July 15, 2012. The main holiday and celebration of entire Penang for the anniversary of the inscription of George Town as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites is on July 7, 2012. Now, that’s a reason to pack your bags and visit Pulau Pinang!

And because of Armenian Project that day, a lot of enticing programs were there to stimulate the interest of everyone. I randomly met, Joe Sidek, one of the men behind these festivities; however my one-shot-photo with him was too blurred hence I chose not to post here. I introduced myself and then he asked me why I know his name and he smiled when I told him, “Of course, Sir, who doesn’t know you? You’re famous for this GTF!”

A little while later, I met Pavaani Thannimalai, the Indian solo-dancer of the night. She graciously agreed to be photographed just before she strut her stint so passionately right in front of the Yap Kongsi…

After that exotic and dramatic performance that was well received by everyone, we entered the Handmade Bazaar held inside Yap Konsgi. Everything being sold was handicrafted of course, so prices were expectedly a bit steep. Nevertheless, these are the few things that caught my eyes…

I could have bought Tina and my mom a bouquet of lemon grass for 2 ringgit each but thought I’ll just bring them to this street on the 7th of July for the GTF2012 grand celebration.

I smiled when I saw thsese baby girls’ shoes and suddenly hoped that Tina and I could give Gabby a baby sister whenever God allows.

The mood in the streets and inside the bazaar was festive and happy; the crowd was well controlled definitely.

F O O D

A trip to Penang is never complete without sampling the local dishes that this Malaysian gastronomic paradise is known for. Here’s a run down of what we savored…

Lunch was at Old Town, First Avenue Mall. Barbecue Chicken Rice, Crusty Fried Chicken, Nasi Lemak (the Malaysian staple food served with sotong or squid and not with the usual chicken), and Penang Assam Laksa, 2012 CNN Go’s Top 7 Most Delicious Food in the World (Visit previous blog post HERE).

For dinner, I suggested to Lloyd and Dan early on that I would bring them to one of the most frequented Penang hawkers; the hawkers in Gurney Drive and I’m glad they liked it. We feasted on Chicken Rice, Oyster Omelette, Claypot Chicken Rice, Char Koay Teow and Cendol and Ais Kacang for desserts.

I had to profess my LOVE for Char Koay Teow and needed to infect my blogger-friends. Here’s my plate of Nirvana!

Before that CKT reached our table, I had to wait on a long queue while Lloyd and Dan scouted for other foods that satisfied our cravings. It was no hassle for me to fall in line for this heavenly noodle dish; long queue certainly affirmed that this CKT is perhaps, the best in this side of Penang. Here’s the process how my favorite Char Koay Teow was prepared. Sublime digestive goodness for only 5 ringgit (USD 1.56).

Et voila! Here’s a memento of that evening feast of 3 Filipino bloggers in Penang… Tadaaaaaaaaa Delicious! Sarap! Sedap!

And to perfectly cap that Penangite dinner, we enjoyed Malaysian desserts, Cendol and Ais Kacang at 2.50 ringgit each.

From lunch time to half hour past 8 in the evening, I tried my best to feature the places where I mostly spend my weekends after a tiring and productive week at work. I know my efforts were not enough as I did not keep a plan in mind on where to bring my guests; nonetheless luck was on my side because we witnessed some parts of the celebration of the 2012 George Town Festival. I believe it’s already an amazing treat for all of us!

And at the end of a tiring but FUN-filled day, GRATITUDE remains PRICELESS.

This blog is the recipient of 2012 BEST EXPAT BLOG AWARD by MINISTRY OF TOURISM MALAYSIA

PS : Maraming salamat, Lloyd and Dan sa pasalubong niyo na anim na lata ng Purefoods Corned Beef na pinakapaborito kong carne norte sa balat ng lupa! Naway naging masaya ang inyong pagbisita dito sa Pulau Pinang!

Aug

MY FAVORITE PHOTOS TO DATE

By docgelo 33 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, HEADLINES, ILOVEPHOTOS, MALAYSIA and TRAVEL
Tags: arts, asia, blogging, boats, culture, doc gelo, docgelo, family, family and living, family life, george town penang malaysia, georgetown penang, hari raya, hari raya aidilfitri, heritage, hobby, india, indians, Life, malay, malaysia, nikon D7000, passion, past time, penang, penang malaysia, photoblogging, photographer, photography, photos, pictures, tradition, tropical spice garden, vacation

And so the weeklong break has come. We’re up to enjoy the Hari Raya (end of Ramadan) vacation from work (for Tina and I) and school (for Gabby) beginning today, 27th August until 4th September. I will take my wife & kid on Tuesday next week to a short trip in a neighboring Asian country for the very perstaym, but since it’s too early to pack our luggage and bags, we’re just happy to spend more time together for more than a week (repeat : no work, no school, yahoo!) and do things we’d like to do.

De-stressing at home : As Tina’s busy preparing our meals, she also finds more time to play her favorite computer games. Gabby’s doing a cartoon marathon on TV (making me miss to watch one of the series I follow, The Amazing Race but that’s OK of course) while I go online to do a little research on our itinerary next week, making last-minute reservations and bookings (akala ko ba de-stressing?) and blogging and blog hopping in between.

I’m happy that a popular Filipino website called spot.ph featured few of my blog pictures of the Japanese restaurant back home called, Zensho, with, permission, proper credit and link to my post (back in 2009), I was inspired to browse my photo files once more.

I chose to repost my favorite photos taken after I purchased my Nikon D7000 early this year. They may be far from your standards, but I’d like to share them again to you as my favorites to date as these captures simply make me smile when I browse them in files. Comments for improvements, particularly free tips on this hobby called photography (I consider it a big word for I am a neophyte with still so much to learn –blame my laziness to read the few photography books and magazines I acquired) will be appreciated.

And of course, my main reason for owning a camera is to capture moments with them with their precious smiles…

I don’t know of the technical aspects of photography yet but I like these pictures not only because of the subjects but the memories that come with them.

PS: I agree with what I have read before that “owning a DSLR doesn’t make you an instant blogger more so a photographer”. My 2-cents-worth: It’s not really the camera that matters for it’s only a tool; it takes passion, talent and the will to learn new things for you to love and improve on these hobbies.

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