#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Malaysia Forum >  >  Penang Pics - Jan 2011

## Bobcock

Following on from my Thaipusam Picture thread here are some pictures I took in Penang whilst having a good long walk around the place. It'd been close to 20 years since I had been in Penang, loved it then, love it now....

1. First evening found a strip of nice bars to enjoy a cool beer, Most of them had outdoor sitting areas. This one didn't and seemed the most popular which makes a very good reason to avoid it. Nice lights though.\



2. Interesting name for a Malaysian Bar.



3. The quieter bars where we chose to sit....



4. Komtar, still probably the tallest building in Georgetown.



5. Georgetown taken from my hotel room window.

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## Bobcock

6. Modern building built since my last visit....



7. This is the derelict school building that genghis61 featured in Post any Picture thread recently....



8. The Graveyard, next to the old school building, this is the grave of Sir francis light the man who established the settlement in Penang.



9. There was a few people randomly sleeping around the place, this guy seemed a bit guilty when we were close....

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## Bobcock

10. Really rather difficult to take good shots in the cemetery, so much contrast with the trees with light streaming through the gaps....



11. The walkway trough the trees was spectacular though...



12. Probably has been by now....

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## Bobcock

13. The Easter & Oriental Hotel



14. City Hall



15. The War Memorial



16. Bicycle Rickshaw

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## mobs00

Nice pictures. I've never been to Penang but may make it someday.

The trees in the cemetery must be spooky at night.

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## sabang

Penang is pretty much a microcosm of Asia-
beaches & mountainous jungle interior
Chinese/ Indian/ Malay culture
Colonial influence & architecture
old Georgetown vs modern Penang
resort market & backpackers scene
traditional kampongs & modern condo's
urban chic, Malay kampongs & backpackers scene
wildlife, & a great food destination

A lot of variety. It's a place I could never bore of.

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## Bobcock

17. Under an umbrella



18. Quite possibly the finest name for a drink....ever!



19. The cannon at Fort Cornwalis



20. Markings on said cannon....

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## Davis Knowlton

Super, as usual. I stayed at the E&O once, many years ago. I also really like the old British graveyards, some great inscriptions. Saw some great ones there, and in Madras as well. Thanks for the effort.

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## Bobcock

21. looking up the barrel of the gun



22. The statue of Sir Francis Light in Fort Cornwalis.



23. The moorish-style clocktower at the junction of Lebuh Light and Lebuh Pantai. It is sixty feet tall, and was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 1897 Jubilee.

The 60 feet high clock tower is divided into four tiers. The first tier is octagonal, followed by square base. Second and third tiers and finishes by arched and domed cupola. Moorish design elements such as the dome and arches, the balconies on the second tier with horse shoe arched openings, battlemented parapet of the first tier and etc. were used in the design. The clock placed on the third tier. From a far the clock tower look more like a minaret of a mosque.



24. During our walk we had a fantastic lunch of Tandoori Chicken and Naan Bread served to us bu this lovely lady who was smiley and chatty and an all round nice person to cross paths with during a day.

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## Bobcock

25. Goddess Of Mercy Temple, incredibly hot day, the sun was so bright it was very difficult to take any sort of shot outside.



26. Inside....



27. Again...

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## reinvented

great stuff
love penang
dont understand why it gets dogged so much

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## Bobcock

28.



29.



30. The *Kapitan Keling Mosque* along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (formerly Pitt Street), is one of the best known mosque in Penang. Before the construction of the Penang State Mosque, the Kapitan Keling Mosque was used as the state mosque of Penang, since it is the largest historic mosque in George Town. The Kapitan Keling Mosque was named after Caudeer Mohudeen, the head of the Indian Muslim community credited to have built it around 1800.

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## Bobcock

31. Next stop was a temple that I'll edit the name in when I remember it, it was at the top of Armenian Street. 



32. Not much about it other than this group of young chinese who appeared on the balcony and started singing. Some of them were rather cute.

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## Bower

Once again, Thank you. cannot green you again just yet.

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## Marmite the Dog

Nice pics. Bob. We're looking to visit there in June, so this thread is a nice reminder of what an interesting place it is.

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## Bobcock

Marmers, We went to the Indian Restaurant you recommeded, Maharajas (formerly a Passage To India, although there is a Passage To India on Leith Street). Lovely food and an interesting menu featuriong some good southern dishes. Owner was a very pleasant man.

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## Marmite the Dog

^ I'll be introducing the Midget to some decent Indian food, as it's shite in Thailand.

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## Bobcock

Having seen your list of favourite Indian restaurants in bangkok I can see why you'd think that.

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## Marmite the Dog

> Having seen your list of favourite Indian restaurants in bangkok I can see why you'd think that.


I don't have any favourite Indian restaurants in Bangkok, they're all rubbish.

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## Bobcock

33. The next stop is one of my favourite places in Penang, the clan house of , KHOO KONGSI. 




> The famous Khoo Kongsi is the grandest clan temple in the country. It is also one of the city's major historic attraction. The clan temple has retained its authentic historic setting, which includes an association building, a traditional theatre and the late 19th century rowhouses for clan members, all clustered around a granite-paved square. It is located in Cannon Square in the heart of the oldest part of the city of George Town, in the midst of narrow, winding lanes and quaint-looking pre-War houses exuding a palpable old world charm.




34. 


> The forefathers of the Khoo family who emigrated from South China built it as a clanhouse for members of the Khoo family in 1851. It was burnt down in 1894, allegedly struck by lightning, and the Chinese believed that it was due to its resemblance to the Emperor's palace, which provoked the gods. A scaled-down version was later built in 1902 and completed in 1906. Even so, the complex boasts a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of the finest wood bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China. The clan temple is dedicated to the clan's patron deities and also houses a collection of ancestral tablets. Chinese operas are still staged at the theatre during the seventh lunar month.




35. roof details



36. The alter

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## Bobcock

37. Inside the main hall



38.



39.

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## paulchiangmai

This is the same Francis Light who founded Adelaide in South Australia, a monument to him is erected on the outskirts of Adelade. This guy got around a bit. :UK:

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## Thaiedward

Thanks for sharing your remarkable pix. Sharing _can_ be kind-in-nature and, IMO, you have succeeded.
Kind regards

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## splitpin100

Have not been to Penang for about 10 years, might book a cheapie on Airasia and go back for a couple of day, always enjoyed my time there, thanks for the pictures, i have never been to the cemetery before, but it will be on my list next time.

Interested to know what street the bars were on, can't ever remember them before. I am guessine by the picture of Kotmar you were staying in the Sunny someting??

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## Yemen

I have always enjoyed Penang . Thanks for the reminder.

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## grasshopper

> This is the same Francis Light who founded Adelaide in South Australia, a monument to him is erected on the outskirts of Adelade. This guy got around a bit.


Dont think he got around quite that much, mate. "William Light" the founder of Adelaide was the illegitimate son of a liaison between said Francis Light and his Portugee mistress. William was born of their union in Malaysia and was educated in UK and joined the Brtish army. He was sent out to found the colony of Adelaide some years after his papa's demise. 

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## terry57

> great stuff
> love penang
> dont understand why it gets dogged so much



Yes I love Penang as well.

Some friends of mine traveled there last month and came away with not much to say about it at all.

Foked if I know.    :Confused:

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## Seekingasylum

Penang has that effect on folk, particularly those who relish the seedier side of things in Thailand. But, in truth, I have to say that after about a week there I soon become quite listless too and yearn to be back amidst the hurly burly of Bangkok. 
The place has its attractions but one can never quite escape the feeling that it is just treading water. There's no pizazz, vim or vigour about it and ultimately one comes to the conclusion it's just plain soulless.
Whether Penang is being held back by the Bumiputra boys in KL to spite the Chinese majority I know not but there's something definitely missing. The flocks of middle eastern holidaymakers that descend on the beaches in summer, dressed in their black chadors like so many starlings, don't add much to the atmosphere either.
Still, trips there are worth it just for the Indian food and a chance to relax.

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## Big Gary

I dont know if anyone knows that the Komta caught fire during constuction. I lived on the mainland in Bagan Agam and what a site it was. The tower had caught fire about half way up and flames engulfed the entire top half. It burnt for many hours until it burnt out as at that time not much enflamable stuff inside. Constuction continued until completed. Each time I have been there I think about if its structure was damaged by the fire. It has stood many many years so it must be ok.

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## Capex

> Originally Posted by paulchiangmai
> 
> 
> This is the same Francis Light who founded Adelaide in South Australia, a monument to him is erected on the outskirts of Adelade. This guy got around a bit.
> 
> 
> Dont think he got around quite that much, mate. "William Light" the founder of Adelaide was the illegitimate son of a liaison between said Francis Light and his Portugee mistress. William was born of their union in Malaysia and was educated in UK and joined the Brtish army. He was sent out to found the colony of Adelaide some years after his papa's demise.


Captain Francis Light did get around a bit because he had a local wife and house in Phuket near Thalang, for many years. He was tasked by the British government of the day to decide which would make a better outpost of colony, Phuket or Penang and Penang won. How the decision could have changed things in Thailand had the opposite been made. :Smile: 
His son Colonel William Light is the founding father of Adelaide.

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## Bobcock

Now that I'm back in Thailand and have got over the initial rush of work problems that follow a break, here is the continuation of this thread....







After leaving Khoo Kongsi, we came across Sin Kay market that was winding down in the heat of the afternoon...

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## Bobcock

Last evening we went for a wander to find some good grub and a couple of beers....









Last stop we settled for one of marmite's recommended pubs the SOHO where we put the camera away and had a few cold ones.

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## Phuketrichard

just got back from my third trip to Penang in the last year  (gf, needed to do her non b visas) 

Still can say a great little city to spend a few days ( although it gets hot in the daytime) plenty to see and do but its just wandering the streets that i enjoyed, 

Penang is going thru a sort of revival an there are plenty of artists doing street/wall art.  Plus There is a new Photo museum (off of Chula street)

Great food lf course but what struck me on these trip is there is oy do not get any good deals on  hotels in Malaysia, ( we also ventured to Ipoh, Alor Setar, Kota Bharu an Cameroion highlands). Many were 50% to 100% of what you would  pay in Thailand for the same room.

Still makes a nice getaway from Thailand.

If you have the time, view my photos.

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## Davis Knowlton

^Nice shots..love the Old Man.

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## Baas Babelaas

Will be there in a couple of weeks - look forward. Then onward to Lankawi.

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