And When Being Back in Penang

  

The land jutting out in the city centre comes to view with a hundred details.

 There is a mixture of architectural styles. What I like most of all are the Victorian styled terrace shophouses, with louvred windows, strong supporting columns, the covered five foot ways and the coloured tiles of the roofs.

Welcome back to George Town, and you can most likely see it first from the air as your air craft is landing.   

Sited on the north-eastern corner of an island smaller than Singapore, with a geographical feature of an island shaped like a tortoise and named after the areca nut palm.   The settlement has had humbled beginnings, with this cape partly cleared of the jungle by the cannon shooting of coins to help accelerate clearing of the jungle.  

The conurbation that developed is a testament to the days of monsoon winds powering sails, of adventurers from another side of the Earth and of trading and the search for spices driving schemes, financial power and politics across various cultures.

George Town, on Penang Island, thrived on the exchange of goods and produce that were sourced nearby or in exchange as an entrepôt facilitation between China, the South-east Asian isles, India, the Middle East and Europe.   The original engine of growth can be seen in the dry goods provisions, porcelain displays and crafts stocked in shops and markets full of character located in what UNESCO has deemed to be a world heritage quarter.

The streets laid out by Captain Francis Light and his able administrators are still there, luring backpackers, youthful tourists and well heeled groups cycling or walking on them or seated on pedalled rickshaws.  The walls of buildings tell a thousand stories, many of them faded and jaded, but there are also others well maintained with fresh paint or with street murals.

There can be several things to do during a short stay, but having a foodie trail seems to dominate.  Penangites are dominantly Hokkien, with food, cultural practices and traditions from the southern Chinese province of Fujian.  They, along with others from a China in dynastic turmoil, migrated since the 1800s for opportunity and risk to make a better life.

The street food from these Hokkiens include Lobak meat and veg rolls, oyster omelettes or Orh Chien, Char Koay Teow, Char Kueh Kak ( savoury radish cake) and prawn stock flavoured noodles ( Penang Hokkien Mee).  Add the Cantonese migrants who brought along their roast meat styles, Chow Hor Fun ( stir fried broad rice noodles oozing with wok heat), yum cha dumplings and claypot rice with Lap Cheong cured sausages.

People snack several times from food courts and street stalls a day and night here, but the servings are small, varied and so appetising anyone easily joins into this regime.  

Penang had fusion a long time ago.  The hybrid between East and West can be observed in the way of dress, eating habits, creative dishes and social attitudes.   The ability to obtain ingredients from various parts of the world is emphasised in what they have as day to day food.  You can have American styled burgers, Japanese ramen, South Indian banana leaf rice, English fish and chips, Italian pasta and pizza, Aussie beer, Tandoori chicken, German frankfurters, Chinese hotpot, Thai stir fries, Eurasian Sugee cakes, Straits Chinese delicacies, Vietnamese spring rolls, Malay Rendang and bacon on toast without any problems at all - and the only advice is to avoid the midday sun.

The island is essentially compact, with most of her population packed on to its eastern side.  To her west, quality durians have been cultivated on hilly slopes that look out to where the Andaman Sea meets the Straits of Malacca.

Penang's northern shores host a winding and mostly narrow road that stretches from Tanjung Tokong ( Temple Cape) to Teluk Bahang ( Bay of Heat).   Residences cling on to hill sides and intersperse with contemporary architecture hotels and resorts.

Food stalls, souvenir outlets and night clubs congregate at Batu Ferringhi ( Rock of Foreigners) that heralded the hype beach scene in South East Asia from the 1970s.

In the middle of this Pearl of the Orient stand out two landmarks that have withstood the test of time.  The Kek Lok Si ( Temple of Ultimate Happiness) exemplifies the best of Buddhist architecture with Thai, Burmese and Chinese influences - and has a giant statute of the Goddess of Mercy Guan Yin.  The beautifully lit up KLS can be best experienced during the 15 days and nights of the Chinese New Year festival.

Penang Hill began earnest existence as a British colonial hill station, replete with bungalows that were built from around a hundred and more years ago.   The views of Penang Island and the surrounding mainland of the Malayan Peninsular are inspiring anytime,  but more so at sunrise and sunset.

What are the downsides of contemporary Penang? 

The lack of public transport infrastructure is so obvious to residents or visitors alike.
The population has increased several fold but many of the roads remain as narrow and unchanged as when I grew up there.   Vehicle numbers have spiked beyond the ability of current roads to cater to them.

With two landmark Penang Bridges connecting the rest of the peninsular Malaysia to this small island,  long weekends and festive periods result in congestion, crowding and chagrin for the island's residents.  Traffic jams have caused a normally 30 minute car ride to Penang's Airport from the UNESCO Heritage Quarter of George Town into an uncertain delay and stress for many airline passengers.

High rise residential reality of the 2020s signals a change from single storey accommodation of the mid 20th century.
The cooks who are behind Penang's well known and unique street food are no longer the Chinese, Malays and Indians but these days can be from Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.  French or Italian culinary are so protective of their strict traditions, but are Penangites equally so?

What business or industrial sector will make Penang's future?  The making of chips once made Penang famous as "Silicon Island" throughout the IT world.

Tourism revenues continue at its pace, with more investment in new hotels in the past few years.  Is medical tourism still growing, with costs cheaper than Singapore but more expensive than Thailand?

In the socio-political landscape of the Federation of Malaysia, Penang is one of the few hubs with a Chinese demographic (others can be the Klang Valley in Selangor, Ipoh and Taiping in Perak, Kuching and Sibu in Sarawak and the Johor Baru region next to Singapore).
How can present Penangites and their diaspora living overseas do effectively to better Penang's future in economic 
growth in a diverse society?

The big question remains, what can Penang do to differentiate herself from her competitors?

#yongkevthoughts

Questions about the Illawarra NSW

 The Illawarra region depends significantly on only the normal surface commute trains for public transport to and from Greater Sydney.

There are no underground Metro trains, no light rail gliders and no ferry services between Circular Quay in Sydney and Port Kembla.

No regular bus services operate between the Illawarra and southern Sydney border.

Many baby boomers from the Illawarra area and NSW south coast use the rail to get to Sydney Airport flights or Circular Quay Sydney Harbour for their cruise ships.  It is an almost two hour trip one way.

There is an over dependence on private cars on the long highway from Sutherland to Wollongong and vice versa.

There is under developed infrastructure in the Illawarra, whose voters have always elected Labor - and which Labor at State, Council and National levels may possibly have taken the region for granted.

I am told that AUKUS submarines paid for by Canberra to the USA, if realised, are going to be stationed at Port Kembla. 

The town's main manufacturer BlueScope faces in 2025 high Usa tariffs for steel production.

The Illawarra has joined some other parts of Greater Sydney in having its economy churned by property sales, barista cafe lifestyle and aging services, but it does not look and is not as dynamic as some key suburbs across Greater Sydney.

Many Sydney property owners have also sold out across Greater Sydney and resettled along the NSW South Coast, if not moving out of the Big Smoke to be on the Central and North Coast of the State.
Property prices along the Illawarra have also risen alongside the mushrooming of high rise blocks.  Youngsters may naturally gyrate towards Sydney side, but the persistent lack of supply of housing there has embedded itself to a horrible situation of spiking rental lease costs, increasing vehicular traffic and crowded suburbs.

The Tasman Sea may be near and scenic to Illawarra residents, but her beaches have lured the demographics of south west Greater Sydney, especially when there are no parking fees, welcoming beach infrastructure of bbq pavilions and less people than in Cronulla, Bondi or Manly.

Wollongong Cbd is showing signs of struggling businesses.   There is a much reduced David Jones, but retail sales may bot be encouraging, especially for the smaller shops and eateries.   Crown Street Mall looks awesome and sea breezes also bless it due to its location near Wollongong Harbour.  The weekly Friday markets have stalls operated by people outside town and things are asked for at Sydney prices.   Maybe Thursday to Friday evenings show the most economic activity but not on other nights.

The Ilawarra may best be described as a residential corridor rather than a bee hive of business, innovation and consumption.
There can be no innovative plans or design to make the Illawarra prosper better for the future. It is seen as a university campus town whose fortunes can depend on foreign markets.  No high tech footprint has arisen in all these years.
Wind farms are planned by the government outside Wollongong Harbour but the energy generated can possibly mostly serve the burgeoning populations of Greater Sydney up north.

The tourism potential of the Illawarra has not risen to what can be.   Even the world class UCI cycling event in 2022 was amazingly not promoted like in Europe or North America. 

#yongkevthoughts

Paradise Retained?

 This possibly remaining vestige of colonialism is hardly brought up by the mainstream media.

The recent riots in Noumea, blamed on the Melanesian Kanak independence movement, is part of a brewing dissatisfaction evident in New Caledonia in as many years.

The bright side - Even if the French territories in the South Pacific are so far away from Europe, their residents of whatever background amazingly are given full rights to vote in French  elections - something the British, Germans, Portuguese and Dutch never did in Africa or Asia.

Noumea is pretty scenic and is part of the romanticised chain of still French controlled part of South Pacific locations that include Tahiti and Bora Bora.

It is nearer for Aussies from the east coast to fly to New Caledonia than to fly to Singapore or Bangkok.

There is a direct flight from Changi Singapore to
Noumea on AirCalin.

The Down side - it can be very expensive to maintain political, military and supply logistic control  over a few isles on the other side of the world.

Still Paris can quickly send a thousand troops to New Caledonia quickly following the recent extensive riots in May this

year in Noumea.

Tiny New Caledonia is the world's fourth largest producer of Nickel,  after Indonesia, Phillippines and Russia.  Almost a quarter of people employed in New Caledonia work in the nickel production sector.

South east and East Asians migrated to New Caledonia in the past for this nickel mining rush.

There can be issues with environmental impact from nickel mining.

Sri Lanka Today

 

Sri Lanka March 2024

The island nation has lots of walking at natural sites and religious places, a variety of food familiar to Malaysia's multi-racial demographics, interesting town walks, varying climate zones from mountains to coasts, Dutch historical influences and several options for adventure experiences.

Travel distances are user friendly, with destinations usually reachable one way between one hour and 90 minutes by road.  The way Sri Lankans drive can be so precise and shockingly close to one another on its mostly narrow roads.

Somehow I found the meats used in curries were pretty dry or hard.  Exception was in pork black curry.  Fish is generally more palatable, as in grilled or in curry dishes.

Escalators are rare outside Colombo and walking up two steps of flights to go to a meal floor is common.  King Coconut water, dhall curry, mudcrab and bananas are tops in my choice, but not durian types grown here. Tea quality as you know is outstanding, with ambiant walks in the midst of tea plantations around Nuwara Eliya.

The Sri Lankan economy is still in the doldrums.  There is this ever rising cost of entrance fees payable only in USD to enter tourist sites.  Locals on the street are friendly but realities of costs of living cause many to approach foreigners in not the most savoury manner.

There are sights and scenes in Sri Lanka that remind us of Malaya in the old times. Surprisingly the level of understanding and ability to speak English has fallen.

Hotel rooms, even at four star level, can be lit up better.  Toiletries for guests can be minimal.   Tv sets in the countryside often have Dialog brand wifi transmitters.  Buffet breakfasts are the norm for tourists, with a balanced selection of local, Thai and Western dishes.  The safety of tap water supply is better than in Thailand and Indochina, but boiling water and use of bottled water are advised

Your skill in the art of negotiation upfront for ride prices makes tuk tuk journeys more calming, although the pollution in Colombo streets can be a problem and it is better to ride with face masks on. You can pay in cash for Uber and Pick Me shared drive services. Grab is not available, unlike in South east Asia.

The emphasis for perfect and untainted copies of US dollar notes received by Sri Lankans can grow to be an irritating issue for unaware tourists.  Immigration points on arrival and departure are efficient and arrival cards must be prior filled up online.  Lining up for our foreign passports to be stamped seems more efficient at Colombo Airport compared to KLIA.  Baggage claim carousels are better serviced at Colombo than at Sydney.

The heat of the midday sun can be less tempered than south east Asia as Sri Lanka is further north of the Equator. 

Bentota, south west of the island, can be so commercialised with its beaches. The waters of the Indian Ocean look and so full at the beach, with stirring winds and gorgeous play of sunrise and sunset.

Galle remains a top choice in experiencing Sri Lanka, even if it is heavily imbued with colonial influences.  It has many tourists and inspiring accommodation - and if you care to walk along its streets, the true character of Galle surfaces, as it rose to be a strategic trading port dealing with the dangers and opportunities from the outside world.

My overall preferred experience in Sri Lanka is being together with locals waiting for Pooja in the very room so near the Buddha's tooth relic in Kandy.  Lining up behind in my choices are the river boat ride along the Madura River with its many isles, indigenious peoples, cinnamon trees and on to meeting the sandbanks of the Indian Ocean coast.  We were truly relaxed staying for three nights at the Livvy Waters Villas in Dambulla, with high ceiling cabins, spacious stone floor bathrooms and the chatter of lizards at night.

Nuwara Eliya, referred to as Little England, is nestled amongst cool and hilly landscapes - while Ella is a budding party hub for young Europeans.  The Nine Arch Bridge is a bit of hype and can be missed if you are on a busy schedule.  Why two peaks refer to the Biblical Adam beats my understanding.

We had a resourceful and energetic
young driver for our afternoon safari across the Yala National Park, but the variety of fauna observable is much less than in Africa.

Embarking on to Buddhist religious sites can at times demand the patience and passion of a pilgrim.
At the UN World Heritage site of Anarudharupa in north central Sri
Lanka, we were required to remove our footwear and walk on red hot concrete, brick or bare earth for long distances in the open, when the temperature was 36 degrees C. (It was burning hot for our soles even when we wore the allowed socks).

The hike up to Lion Rock in the Singhalese cultural hub of Sigiriya can be demanding to those not used to rock steps of varying width or height, slippery rain conditions and energy exerted up or down steep slopes.

The dawn opener on state TV is a collage of recogntion to all the main faiths in Sri Lanka and not just to Buddhism.  Singapore in contrast remains strictly secular in just playing the National Anthem on Mediacorp.

Tuti or Thank You, Sri Lanka for opening my eyes, heart and thoughts.

#yongkevthoughts

PS. We did not visit Jaffna and Trincomalee on this visit.