Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

Friday, April 18, 08
Yesterday, taking a walk around Chinatown, where we are staying, we come upon the historic Eastern and Oriental Hotel, built in 1884. Some of the famous faces who passed through its doors were Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward and Somerset Maugham. A large food bazaar catches our eye but its too early for dinner. On to Lebuh Chulia, center of Chinatown, we stop for dinner as a tropical storm pounds on the tin roof, accompanied by the usual orchestra of thunder and lightning. Home, during a short lull, we stop for coffee and to bed.
Up at 7:00, shower and coffee follow. This shirt is starting to need a good scrubbing. Maybe tonight.
Kel Lok Si Temple, a series of temples at the base of Penang Hill, is our first stop. Started in 1890, it's the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. Walking a few blocks south from our hotel, we watch a group of women flagging a bus - 204. We ask, and are reassured that this will take us to where we want to go. A short distance further on, a couple from Washington D.C. and a couple from the UK, he from Sri Lanka and she from Panang, are seated behind us. Since we are all going to the same spot, we decide to spend the day together. The narrow, enclosed walkway up the steps to the temples, are lined on both sides by vendors calling out their prices and wares. A turtle feeding bridge offers food for money. Declined!
Next, on to the funicular which will transport us to the top of Penang Hill, also called Bukit Bendera. Where is it? The six of us walk, ask directions, walk, are told we are walking wrong, retreat, are told we had it right in the first place, are led by a lady through a residential short cut, and it starts pouring rain. With 3 umbrellas between the 6 of us, we all get soaked. Soaked! Standing under a bus stop cover, we wait for the rain to lessen. No luck. Across the street we see a cover which will lead us with 100 ft of the funicular lobby. Run! Soaked, again! But, now, we are in the lobby and the rest of the way is drip dry. The DC couple are Larry, yes another Larry, and Darcy. The UK couple are Gerard and Judy. We ride halfway, change to another car, each car is sectioned into 4 compartments, and continue to the top, around 2200 ft. What a view, which isn't picture possible due to the rain, clouds, and mist. I'll try anyway. For lunch, vegetable soup and iced tea. I'm feeling comfortable and dry, relatively. Looking for an aviary, which never materializes, we are again racing for cover as another storm comes through - these begin with huge drops which descend into drenching downpours.
2;45 - on the funicular, down the steep slope, the sections are filled with school children, giggling, playing games on cell phones. Judy is Chinese, knows 5 languages, and is carrying on a conversation with another Oriental woman. Darcy strikes up a conversation with the school children who are eager to attempt their English.
With a short wait for bus 204, we make an attempt at figuring out tomorrow's bus, or train, schedules. Sitting over coffee, John and I decide to walk to the ferry landing. That produces nothing, and eats up a lot of energy in the stifling heat. We will cross on the ferry, back to Butterworth, and figure out the bus schedule then. Where are we going? Not yet sure! Possibly Ipoh. Although, we both would rather stop in a small town and not in such a large city.
Panang pics: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/musungi/GeorgetownPanangMalaysia