Penang Island - Outside George Town

The making of the Kueh Kapek  - traditional craft in preparing one of Penang's most liked festive snacks.

The winding and narrow road past the beaches did not seem to be so potentially treacherous now.  However, I could still smell, in my mind, the diesel belching form the Hin Bus Company coach of old, with the driver turning his steering wheel non-chalantly as scenery whizzed by of forested slopes and solid rocks half submerged in the calm sea side below.   That was many years gone by.  Today, in a more stable automobile, we could see residential houses on the deforested hills, although the seaside looked quiet as usual.   


We were outside the metropolitan limits of George Town on Penang Island.  I know of more mates moving out here on the island's north-eastern corner from its southern suburbs.   The beach resorts at Foreigner's Rock or Portuguese Rock look dated, the significant impact of unforgiving tropical weather showing as mould on its outer walls.   Several generations of Europeans, Japanese and Aussies - to name a few - had taken the ritual of lying on the sand and deck chairs in such surrounds.   I recall young blue eyed and blonde haired couples walking in a romanticised sunset below the casuarina trees.

Striking wall mural, one that emphasises village livelihood in the regional hub of Balik Pulau, on the western side of Penang Island.

So now there are some new sea water activities -  Escape - to feed the abilties and daring of newer generations, apart from all those tired and tried parasailing and rafting recreational options.   I wondered as to what the quality of those waters are these days.  Cruise ships can be seen on the horizon, but the local fishermen's boats do still hang around and are being used, albeit less and less.     The Penang Channel between Butterworth and Weld Quay ports on the island is surely and gradually silting up  - and the Government is helping accelerate this by making more land reclamations accordingly.

We stopped at a durian stall round a bend on the round island road and I did not regret this.

   Having eaten mostly frozen durians from Thailand for the past 20 years, it was a rare treat to dive into the fresh custard like flesh of the opened fruit.   A boisterous and engaging lady  said this was an off season harvest.   The durian is a tricky option - you either love it or not, there is no assurance of the contents of this football sized King of Fruits and there are so many breed varieties these days.   They say Malaysian grown durians are much more rewarding in taste and texture than those form Thailand, but they are also priced more.

The hills of central island grace the edge of the Kek Lok Si Temple complex in Air Itam.

People from George Town may still view Balik Pulau (literally the "Back of the Island") as a remote hideaway, but when I am used to Australian distances in travel, this town is much of a pleasure to me, retaining some of the rustic lifestyle and much of its charm.   


There is a central area in this former village, where the main road towards Air Itam Village (in the centre of Penang Island) and  another heading south-east going towards the Airport, merge.    Here you find the markets, huge wall murals, the unique Penang laksa ( available in both tamarind juice and creamy coconut milk versions) and more.    I had omitted to call a friend from Queensland who hailed from here and she found out from Facebook that I had visited her home base.

Going down the start of the world's steepest funicular railway at Penang Hill.    Doppelmayr-Garaventa of Switzerland built these cabins,as it did for the Rapid Transit of San Francisco Bay and the Liner Transit of Las Vegas.

Penang Hill is, and has been always, close to my heart.   I put it on par with my experiences on my first really exotic tropical island, Phuket, in southern Thailand.  As we sat on an electric buggy driven by an Indian guy,  my memories rose up and all those adolescent days spent up this hill station filled my inner joy.   The gangling class mates  and I all growing up, with misty evenings on the patio of a bungalow, or walking amongst the monkey cups and cool shade of hill top flora.   There were moments of discovery, bonding, laughter, self managed cooking and chatting late into the night.  Guitar strumming filled the air whilst we looked at the city below which began to show their man made lights.....something akin to what I can do these days on top of Mount Keira looking out over the Wollongong coast.


I recalled how we dragged food and other supplies from down town up to various Penang Hill bungalows.    In those days, the slower speed funicular train (still Swiss made)  did stop for passengers, by prior arrangement, at footpaths and lanes leading nearest to your bungalow of stay.   There were those cooks and staff resident in those houses, mostly of Hainan descent.  I can still see those pantry shelves, wardrobe doors and bed frames, always made of wood, suggesting of ghost infested stories and cool temperature evenings.  

Detail for tall pillar supporting roof of the pavilion honouring the Goddess of Mercy.

There was a group of wide eyed and eager young men, hailing from Europe and Brazil, who were with us on same carriage of the funicular train.   One of them said visiting Penang Hill was on the bucket travel list for them.  We saw them again at the nearby significant and huge temple complex built on the foothills  - Kek Lok Si, or the Temple of Supreme Bliss.   This complex is smaller than Angkor Wat in Cambodia but is a unique institution and place to visit in south-east Asia.  It was developed over forty years from 1890.


Visitors are left behind with impressions of unique archways, pagodas, ambient halls, shrines and gardens.    A ninety-nine foot bronze representation of the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Im) was completed in 2002 and is located just above the main temple area.   A pavilion was built as well supported by sixteen columns.  The Goddess therefore overlooks George Town and Penang island, looking towards the peninsular mainland.


The other captivating feature of the Kek Lok Si is a seven storey pagoda - the Ban Po Thar or Ten Thousand Buddhas.   If you study this pagoda carefully, you can see that the octagonal base has Chinese features, the middle portion is Thai and the spiral dome has Burmese architectural characteristics.  The foundations for this pagoda was laid by the Thai King Rama VI.     I recall a movie or two  had location shooting in this complex when I was growing up in Penang.   George Town itself had streets transformed for the shooting of movies such as "Beyond Rangoon" and "Anna and the King".    Penang Hill was selected to represent Simla in northern India in the mid 20th century for the UK television series "Indian Summers".
 

To me, one of the best moments was looking over the ramparts near the Pavilion of the Goddess of Mercy, taking in the sea breeze and soaking in the views from the hills to the Penang Channel.

Lemak Laksa, Thai influenced and with more coconut milk than tamarind juice.Can be a healthy dish as it contains shredded fish, herbs and spices.

So there you have it, it was a wonderful experience for me re-visiting some of the highlighted places outside the city centre.   It takes about a day and you are transported from suburbs to seaside, hills and forests, before you return to a hill station and a cultural icon to wind up the day.   We did not stop at the Spice Plantations, useful for viewing in person a collection of the main spice and tropical herb plants in the world.  Nor did we take the bush walking trail past forest, swamps and lagoon to have a taste of an equatorial island landscape.   


During the durian harvesting season (June and early July in Penang), many visitors participate in the durian trail, stopping by at plantations and eating a variety of durian types and hybrids.    The role of nutmegs has not always been emphasised in the development of Penang commerce  - and you need not go to the Caribbean to view such trees.    The name of the island itself is based on the betel nut, though christened by the British colonists as the Prince of Wales Island.

Durian fruit off season at a roadside stall on the way to Balik Pulau.

George Town Culinary Delights

Char Koay Teow at the corner of Penang Road and Keng Kwee Avenue  -  Joo Hooi coffee shop.

When you have only a few days to sample the culinary delights of  Penang,  you know you are going to be snacking every few hours, throughout the day and night.  Food places open late into supper time, some only do business in the morning and yet others start serving in the afternoon.  If you are fortunate to be able to drop by places for home cooking, that is even better.   The best mindset for a foodie journey here is with an open mind, to share the dishes discovered and to drink lots of water.

Several types of curry to accompany your Nasi Kandar - Chulia Street.



Being located at the northern end of the Malacca Straits, Penang is bound to offer many spices, herbs and a diversity of cooking styles to you.   An important consideration is whether your stomach can weather all this variety.    The earnest would go seek out the original best for each dish but practical reality may not permit that.  I suggest to just go with the flow wherever you are in George Town, for you are bound to come across trying something unplanned, unexpected and unthought of.

Crunchies, hard boiled egg, fresh lettuce, noodles and potato slices entice you to the South Indian Mee Rebus.



Be mindful of how much carbohydrates, sugar, deep fried stuff and chillies you are accumulating along the way.    Compare this with how much sitting and walking you are doing per day.   


The art of participating and watching can be fun as well  - we can observe what the people at other tables are eating,  we can note how the vendors prepare their specialities and we can share a variety of things on our own table together.    Several dishes are stir fried to order, others have ingredients all sorted out before being poured with the gravy or soup.

Servings of  Bee Kueh Moy at the Maple Palace Restaurant, Northam  Road.

The glutinous black coloured rice is mixed with coconut milk, a sprinkling of sugar and salt.



If you are not at a restaurant, but in a hawker centre, Kopi TIam or on the roadside waiting beside the hawker,  it is useful to have small coin change.  There are still paper currency one Ringgit notes, but nothing pleases a food seller in this scenario as having the  exact change.  

Pie Tee with chilli dip at Aunty Gaik Lian's, Bishop Street.

When plunking down at a table in a Kopi Tiam, it is imperative to order drinks, hot or cold, from the coffee shop operator.   It can get pretty crowded in certain coffee shops to get a seat, so one has to be fast acting and hawk eyes in such situations.   You pay only when you receive the food or drinks at your table.     Yes, the vendors still bring the food you ordered to your table, in contrast to many self managed queue and bring your own serves from the counter in many other nations.

Teochew Cendol.
Check out:  https://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/making-of-cendol-dessert.html

Vehicle parking can get to be a congested affair, so I recommend walking, cycling or using the motor bike in George Town.    Visualise the heritage area as a series of laid out lanes and roads, that they are connected in some way and you are well on the way to conquer foodie street hubs like Carnarvon, Chulia, Kimberley,  Bishop, Beach and Penang.   


Seek refuge in shopping centres when the afternoon sun gets too humid.   Alternate between air-conditioned and street side eating.   The best time is after the sun sets, when the locals come out and when a party atmosphere comes alive.

Vegetable Acar or pickles with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.  Made at the kitchen of Ms. Yong Kooi Chun.

Some of the best food are found in relatively simple spots, whilst others are served in heritage buildings, beside the sea or in contemporary buildings.   I always look forward to reunion lunches at a dear Aunt's place.  


On a recent  visit, I was taken by the family of a close friend to try out the home cooking of an elderly friend of theirs, an ex-teacher who carries an interesting conversation  and who still shows her good culinary skills.   I also found there is a coffee shop at the corner of Rangoon and Macalister Roads that hosts both Muslim and Chinese lunch dishes.  Penang locals also have fondness to gather at the ten seater round table, where Chinese customary practice also come into play.

The making of Ban Chien Kueh at Pulau Tikus.

And now we address the question of the all essential drink - why do you just stick to that faceless, bland spring water, as most travellers do?    As long as you know drinks have been boiled   -  and the water supply is pretty safe in Penang -  you can have no qualms for risking the condition known as Delhi belly.    Cold desserts and mixes are another matter all together, unless you are in a bar or restaurant.  Make the practical choice and use your own judgement.  George Town is a modern metropolis, although critics may not think so with street side eating.  There are bottled drinks of all sorts from cold fridges, ranging from herbal teas, American labels and own made concoctions.   


In a Kopi Tiam, the common drinks you can see ordered are Kopi Orh Peng (iced black coffee); Barley Peng  (cold barley drink);   nutmeg juice;  hot beverages like Horlicks, Milo and local coffee blends; lime juice;  orange juice; Teh Peng ( tea with ice cubes); and more.

Traditional fish curry Straits Chinese style or Ikan Tumis from Ms. Ung.

When you come across a crowd, or people eagerly lining up, even when the weather is inclement,you can be sure they are on to a good thing.   Comparable to Singaporeans, Penangites love to check out the latest sensation, the hype and the rumour of tasty things.   I am reminded of the rush to stock up on packets of White Penang Curry Mee a few years ago.

A medley of roasts.

They are still gathering around stalls like the Char Koay Teow along Siam Road (from afternoons only) and the Cendol stall at the corner of Keng Kwee Street and Penang Road.
One afternoon Sonny drove past the Malay curry food stall in Tanjung Bungah, near the Mar Vista apartments.   There is an implied sense of the robust need by the Chinese community to try any yummy food, crossing inter-racial lines and culinary traditions.  Foodies now transverse the island, west, south or north, to check out the new and persistently good food.

The dough for the Ang Ku or Red Tortoise cakes from Ms. Teoh Sian Kin.

What about the standards found in hotel buffets and breakfast options?   For the devotee in foodie land, there is a difference in the authenticity of the cooking skills and outcomes of several street food items.   Somehow, the outcomes of the dish often miss an ingredient, a cooking technique and the oomph of street cooks.  


However, such opportunities to partake food in a Penang hotel cannot be totally dismissed all together.   They do provide a sampling opportunity of coming across a whole variety in one spot.   If you do like some specific dishes, then it is time you make the effort to chase the good ones out there, away from the hotel environment.

You come across food stalls like this, when walking along covered five foot ways in the heritage quarter of George Town. 

Many of Penang's iconic dishes involve much on the input and attitude of the cook and preparer.    The exact formula, measured quantity and precise recipe does not work for such dishes.   The most tasty food in Penang result from years of experience, a secret technique or tip that makes the difference and the mood of the cook.   Look at whether your targeted stall holder is smiling or reasonably okay on the day you visit.  Are the helpers also in a reasonable mood?    



Servings can be smaller than what most Americans or Australians are used to.   Use this to your advantage, for you are only meant to sample this diversity of food.    Yes, beer can be relied upon to be available in the coffee shops. restaurants obviously offer wines and hard liquors.    Do try to match your drink with the food, whether the latter is plain, zesty, spicy or neutral.

The younger generation has taken over this well known southern Chinese roast meat outlet of Sin Nam Huat.

It is always on balance to engage street sellers with some conversation.  Penangites have the ability to speak in more languages than the average person.There are various dialects within the Chinese community and mandarin has been most popular for many years now.   Most of the Indians hail from the south of the sub-continent, with Tamil and Hindi conversations prominent.    English remains perhaps the Lingua Franca understood by all races, thanks to previous colonisation by the Brits.   Malay is the National Language in Malaysia.   


A visitor may soon observe the mix up of words from different languages in one sentence articulated by most Penangites.     There is often a soft accent, some times bordering to a sing song tone, especially noticeable to foreigners.    Do enjoy the difference and there is an air of informality about Penang, which adds to the enjoyment of trying out its various culinary offerings.

Fish curry sure to lift the appetite and aroma for diners.

For those who long for food outside the Malaysian demographic mould, there are also several outlets in Korean,  Japanese, Thai and Euro cooking traditions.    Walking around shopping centres like Queensbay, Gurney and Straits Quay, you can come across franchised and  boutique eating restaurants.   The Suffolk House offers fine dining, together with an experience of high tea, colonial style, in the restored and heritage home of Captain Francis Light.    


The culinary experience in Penang can be said to range from grassroots to cosmopolitan, from take away to relaxing, from sweating to warm ambiance, from gatherings of friends to business occasions.   For me, nothing is like sampling food prepared fresh in front of you, where you can speak to the preparer and watch the fascinating process of a dish coming out to be served in front of your eyes and other senses.

Lobster with Cantonese noodles is a festive dish at the CRC Restaurant.

Penang food may have risks of being a lost art, but it is the living culture reflected in them that underlies their value and experience.   Skills may not be passed on from the older generation, the young may not pound with the mortar and pestle anymore and talents may have moved on with significant emigration. 


Originators of food must not delegate the key cooking stage to others due to economics, cost of operating a business and sheer lack of labour.   UNESCO has blanketed a consciousness of heritage, tradition and continuity to many aspects of the George Town character, not least of all is the daily regime and life style of its residents.   The people of Penang must embrace this responsibility and passion from the past to propel to the future. 

Chicken pie as made by Hainanese cooks for the colonial era in the 20th century - this one is from Yeng Keng Hotel, Chulia Street.

Health and Politics

If we earnestly want to protect our body and its physiology, we do all we can to prevent infection. We instinctively avoid allowing entry of bad bacteria and strengthen our body's immunity and natural defences.

We become disciplined ourselves to ensure the best in what we eat, how we keep fit and the way to practise what we believe in. 

Where bad bacteria gets one part of our body to be infested, we do what we can early to rid the cause of the problem. 

We take steps to contain the situation. We do not continue to carry on our previous policy in how we behave, in effectively managing the risks of getting infected again.

We look at the facts, we do not chatter away but immediately take action to protect what is all right with us and remove the source of what is affecting our overall health. 

We do not give excuses to ourselves. We are conscious of the medicines we take, the side effects and are serious in building up a database of our health treatment and related checks. 

We seek as much information to help ourselves foremost and not facilitate the agendas of others which do not help maintain or nurture our interests.

We maintain a healthy and balanced mindset to acknowledge and appreciate about what is still right about our body and health. We become determined to ensure our integrity and inner happiness is not further infringed upon. 

We do not underestimate the intents of and damage from bad bacteria or viruses. Negative bacteria will attack the weakest point in our body's process chain. 

We seriously carry out checks and controls to ensure maximum prevention and minimise the possibility of such bad bacteria creating havoc to our bodies ever again. 

We first spend whatever money we have to defend ourselves and make us stronger, instead of anything else. 

We ensure the bad bacteria remains with their ilk and have no means to ever attack our body again. 

We use our utmost intelligence to detect, prevent and remove the source of our body's ill health. 

We do not react only after each episode of symptoms experienced. 

Now just replace the word "body" with your own "country". Or "state" and "region". Even your "community", "neighbourhood" and "family".

The interesting part is your own personal, community and political leader's definition of "bad bacteria".

Hakka Toulou - Rustic Life

Image Credit for above  photograph -  Not Ascertained

Hakka Toulou - Nanjing County, Fujian Province

Out of around three thousand, there were 46 sites of the Fujian Toulou declared as of UNESCO world heritage status  in 2008, found in the south eastern corner of Fujian in southern China.  The topography and living environment here is mostly pristine, nestled amongst the hills and higher ground when compared with the coast.


These are the locations of unusual earthen constructions, many of them circular or rectangular  in shape and up to three or five stories high, which have been in history and currently the homes of the Hakkas, a distinct community driven south from central China by the wars, conflicts and political developments of China.   Hakkas, also known in Mandarin as the Ke Jia Ren or  "guest people", have achieved a record of survival, prosperity and determination.


The modernisation of the nation in economic and cultural terms, especially in the past 25 years, has witnessed less people residing in them as social pressures and personal  drive to improve a standard of living drive many to the cities instead of inducing them to remain in the country side.    Previously, when a family or clan grew in size, it was the customary practice to build an outer layer outside the original cluster, therefore providing an organic growth of the Toulou complex.

A day spent walking the various trails around the Toulou is a wonderful experience, not just in absorbing a different culture, but in appreciating that there is still clean air in parts of China, in soaking in the agricultural lifestyle and in having an opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine.    The produce is organic, especially in the vegetables and chickens.   There were many tourists strolling around in the Toulou area we chose to visit - Nanjing County in Fujian Province of China.

The boisterous van driver we engaged, Mr. Zhang, came as unique as we had hoped to encounter  - he is humorous, down to earth and hard working.  He deftly drove us past steep cliffs by the roadside, quarrelled with a potential banana seller and  was just full of personal energy.  Mr. Zhang has his hometown in Wuyi Shan, in north Fujian, but he is based in Xiamen, the bustling Hokkien city on the coast.

The Toulou are particularly shaped and designed to protect its residents from wild animals, bandits and dangers of any kind.    The circular shape of the building has a hollow middle, which allows for light to come in straight from the sky and for human activity to be carried on never the less of what is happening outside.   I am reminded of Stonehenge being filled up into a viable village round shaped town square.   The high ramparts all around this type of building allow for residents to look out for dangers from afar the horizon and landscape.   Water wells are provided within the safe area.  Stairs up and down the various floors are made of wood, otherwise everything else comes in stone and rammed earth.


The residents  live in unit styled rooms which remind me of contemporary flats or apartments in modern day cities.   The closeness with which residents carry out their daily lives can be disconcerting for personal privacy and yet can nurture a closeness in community relations.   They are all in for this together, which can facilitate co-operation and a better social order.    I am reminded of the adage of three generations living under one roof, coming to reality in this classic and innovative designed living style.

Three of us had said hello to a family, with the infant first catching our eye.   

Grandma was friendly, introducing us to her daughter,a young woman who already has become a mother. Their eyes sparked brightly, with a  kind of hope and promise.   Would living here be much better than residing in a contemporary faceless block with even more people, with even more floors?   I reckon it depends on what they choose to be their way of earning a living.  A farming life with livestock may not appeal anymore in China's rush to greater purchasing power and a digital tech environment.

This way of life may have served its past purpose, but now there are new frontiers to conquer, new challenges in different forms and an opportunity to break away from the past.   What little or much is earned from tourism can be difficult to sustain, and so many Toulou areas compete for this same dollar.    There is a dire need to strategically plan and implement the way forward - should the Toulou constructions be significantly repaired and maintained going forward?   It is one issue to look and remain quaint, but the serious question about these residences affect the future livelihoods of the people living there. Some have a fair measure of modern amenities and all have been observed to have good ventilation and lighting in their designs.

I was fascinated by the various square shaped windows that dot the steep vertical walls of each Toulou.   They remind me of possible military applications.   Each Toulou building surely is the cumulative effort, idea and patience of generations of resident families.  I also noted that no matter how big or small these earthen fort like constructions are, they only have one entrance and exit.  Residents can obviously have the same surname.


Each Toulou has a definite layout and no nails are used in its building up.  The central courtyard is dedicated to a shared worshipping spot and a well.   Guests are received on the first floor, where logically you have the kitchen, living room and dining areas.  Bedrooms and storage spaces are located on upper floors.   There are stone or wooden benches on the ground floor, used by residents or tourists alike.


We were greeted by an enthusiastic young lady who showed us how the rammed earth bricks are made.  This was in a compact museum like room displaying the tools, equipment and results of the process.  The walls of a completed Toulou are thick,  an outcome of mixing limestone, earth , wood, bamboo and padi field clay.   Most of what we can see and visit today were built in the last three hundred years, the most recent ones dating from the 1970s.   They are said to be even earth quake proof, a very useful feature, and are warm in winter and cooling in summer.

There were high and low moments on our day excursion this time.  An elderly lady sitting outside a dilapidated Toulou was shouting out incessantly for money to be paid if we wanted to enter that specific building, and nearby we were charged entry fees to use the toilets.  The high point was coming across a free flowing river, even if it was relatively shallow, and this scenic spot had a bridge to transverse and use for photographic opportunities.


I distinctly remember the massaging effects on our feet on walking for long periods on cobble stoned paths in this Toulou area.   We also chanced upon a bar when looking for a washroom.   Many tourists we encountered came from within China itself, including the two young women who helped us take photographs.   I fondly recall the yellow skinned organic chicken poached for our lunch in a tourist stop just before we headed to the hills.   Getting out of Xiamen proper, we had stopped to saviour bananas of all sizes and colours, especially the yummy red skinned types.    I observed how rich the soil is when approaching Nanjing County.

As with the main communities who have made southern China their home, many Hakkas have migrated overseas, especially to south-east Asia, but also to Europe, Canada, Australia, the UK, the USA, the Indian sub-continent, Suriname and Timor-Leste.  In the Malay Peninsula,  two well known Kapitan Cinas of the 19th century were Yap Ah Loy of Kuala  Lumpur and  Chung Keng Quee of Perak and Penang. 


In Taiwan, it is estimated almost every one out of five residents has a Hakka background - their most well known political  son is past President Lee Teng Hui.  Most of the Chinese in Sabah, Mauritius and Reunion have a Hakka heritage.  Solomon Ho Choy had the distinction of being appointed Governor in Trinadad and Tobago, the first non-white to do so in the whole of the British Empire.   San Yu, President of Mynamar in the 1980s, was of Hakka background.  


This community had many ardent  supporters of the Communist Revolution in the 20th century.       In China, three Hakka individuals from history come to mind -  Hu Yao Bang, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party in 1981 and 1982, and General Secretary of the aforesaid Party from 1982 to 1987;  Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, founder of the Republic of China in 1911, which terminated dynastic rule; and  Hong Xiu Quan, the leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Christian political movement in the middle of the 19th century.


Two Prime Ministers of Singapore, the late Lee Kuan Yew and his son, Lee Hsien-loong and General Ne Win of Burma have Hakka connections.