Monday, June 20, 2011

A Weekend in Penang: Checking out the Nephews and Grand-nephews..

Pakdokter's late eldest sister, Kak, as we used to address her, lived in Kampong Kedah, a village in north Perak bordering Penang. Her late husband, who also happened to be pakdokter's first cousin, was a Sultan Idris College trained teacher and was at the height of his political career, a State Commisioner of the Islamic Party. Although we did not share the same political convictions, we had great mutual respect for one another. Both he and pakdokter's sister have passed away, leaving their two sons and grandchildren behind. This is the first time that pakdokter made a visit to see how these young families are doing. It was pakdokter's habit to regularly make small contribution to Kak and her family and since her passing away, that sense of responsibility still prevails. As pakdokter had recently received a small inheritance following the demise of another sister some years ago - pakdokter wanted to see if any of these grand-nephews or grand-neices would be in need of help - for vocational or tertiary education for instance.



The kampong house still looked the same and from the bright green flags and banners decorating the compound, pakdokter was glad that Bang Lid's struggles with his Islamic ideology has been taken over by his younger son, Fakhrulrazi. Zi and his wife was not home when pakdokter arrived - his son who was there told pakdokter that they had gone to pick up their guest speakers from Kedah as there would be a political ceramah there that night. Zi's two children are doing OK - the one who received us is gainfully employed with Celcom and the other is pursuing a course in Health Sciences in the East Coast. Pakdokter left behind the contributions and donations that pakdokter had intended to make when pakdokter initially decided to make this trip back to the 'kampong'....




chairs all in rows for the night ceramah...







A Weekend in Penang (10) : A Visit to Abang...

Pakdokter's eldest brother lives in this little corner of Permatang Batu on the mainland opposite the Penang Island. It was quite a while since pakdokter saw him - maybe a year or two ago. And Province Wellesley has changed so much - so much of development - roads, highways, industrial estates, housing developments and new townships - that pakdokter could no longer locate pakdokter's brother's home. Only the via the handphone was pakdokter finally successfully directed to his house by one of his daughters.


Abang, pakdokter's eldest brother is almost 80. He has been a widow for several years after his wife, Kak Chak, passed away. One of his daughters, Shikin, lives with him with the three grandchildren whom Shikin is looking after since her unfortunate failed marriage.


Abang's house used to be in a nice green surrounding with paddy fields stretching fro miles. Today the area is somewhat thickly populated and driving through the narrow lane to his house is just like driving up to Kampong Kerinci in Bangsar of pakdokter's student days. Beyond the small patch of paddy fields that Abang still own, is the new township of PERDA - with its rows of shophouses and offices and threateningly encroaching Abang's property.


Until Abang agrees to an agreeably fair compensation - he will continue to live as a not so poor constituent in a potentially rich property.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

A Weekend in Penang (9): Food for Thought..

So much had been written and talked about Penang food - Swatow Lane, Nasi Kandar etc etc. Well, if going by what pakdokter experienced - pakdokter would anytime go back to the Lotus Restaurant at PJ State cinema for the char-kuey-toew cooked by the Indonesian boy there. The two mee goreng mamak pakdokter tried were also a disappointment. Too wet and soggy! The chicken soup at the 'recommended' outlet of Hameed Sup along Penang Road was too oily and lacking in spices. And pakdokter did not dare to try out the nasi kandar in the few places checked out.....the dishes and the surroundings did not come across as too "healthy".....


KL actually has good Penang Food outlets.....




the breast duck with nasi goreng and

the lamb cutlets at the hotel for dinner on the second night...



A Weekend in Penang (8): another Walkabout along lanes around Hotel Penaga.....

After breakfast on Saturday morning, pakdokter and partner took a walk in another direction away from the hotel. Some road-side stalls did a roaring business serving crispy roti chanai and very aromatic curry. However we were already quite full from the breakfast at the hotel.


Looking at all the old and rustic shophouses in this heritage enclave of Penang - there is so much potential for tourist development. Hopefully the government and private enterpreneurs would have the creativity to capitalise on this potential.


an old? mosque at the side of Hotel Penaga..








have to check-out what Ali Rustam and the folks

in Malacca have done to that city next....


A Weekend in Penang (7): The Club Scene at Upper Penang Road...

Taking the advice from Micheal, the bar-tender at Penaga Hotel, we walked to the club district at the upper Penang Road. Unfortunately the club scene ( like in most places elsewhere too) was too loud and too fast for pakdokter's liking. Well, it's telling being sixty, isn't it?......



alfresco dining and drinking...


reggae, rock, hip-hop......wow...too much...


spa and refexology centres among the pubs and clubs..




the E&O Hotel...

A Weekend in Penang (6): Penang Street at Mid-Night

The hour or so we spent at the bar allowed us to become close and personal with Micheal, the bartender. From him we learnt where tha 'action' places of Penang were. He recommended the top end of Penang Road in the direction of the E & O Hotel and the Batu Feringhi beach. As we were not in the mood to drive - we decided to walk to Penang Road and check out the 'happening' places as recommended by Micheal.


Penang Road at midnight was quite desolate...




fancy a nasi kandar at midnight?....

this outlet is listed on the tourist brochure....

but......




trishaws being left to 'rest' until 'work-time' tomorrow...












at first pakdokter thought this was how much

it cost to hire a Bangladesh worker....

actually it was the charges to send money back

via the Western Union...

A Weekend in Penang (5)

After dinner we adjourned to the bar which was just next to the restaurant. There was only another couple having drinks at rhe bar. Pakdokter and partner decided to order and share our dessert there as we finish our bottle of grape juice...




the lights on top of the bar were really pretty...





our plate of apple strudle with ice cream...





panoramic sweeps of the bar...



in this age of technology

tablets and Ipads keep one connected.....
anywhere, anytime....






the reading room next to the bar was 'cozy'....









A Weekend in Penang (4)

This trip also co-incided with pakdokter's 60th birthday. It was nice to have a quiet birthday only with pakdokter's partner for a change......



the restaurant at Hotel Penaga served

western and local dishes....





pakdokter's starter of a plate of beef carpaccio..



pakdokter's partner's plate of grilled prawn salad..




pakdokter's main course of grilled prawns

was served with fried rice...



and pakdokter's partner's choice

of a fish fillet...steamed?...


A Weekend in Penang (3)

The last time pakdokter came to Penang must have been about two years ago. We stayed at the E & O Hotel and from there walked to explore the streets within the heritage enclave to the south of the E & O Hotel. Even then some of the shophouses were already restored and coverted into restaurants and museums.




Hotel Penaga is located on the northern section of the heritage district and within walking distance to Penang Road and the famous 'food'y street of Swatow lane. Pakdokter and partner spent the whole Friday afternoon checking out this part of the city.




We checked out the New World Food Court - built just in front of the famed Swatow Lane restaurant - thinking that that was the Swatow Lane hawker stalls area famous for its laksa asam, char kuey teow and ice kacang. Unfrotunately the char kuey teow is not 'halal' as they cook it with slices of pork sausages. The laksa asam was so so only - the ice kacang was a disappointment - the popiah was average. Pakdokter thinks KL has quite a good spread of Penang food at the many Penang food restaurants and stalls.




many of the shophouses along Hutton Lane


were prettily restored.....







the original Swatow Lane hawker stalls


famous for its char kuey teow, asam laksa and ice kacang...


Nagore Place


the Penang Heritage Row


located at the northern end of Hutton Lane










this row of shophouses now are mostly pubs


and restaurants....










PatChee Bakery is in front of the Spa of the Penaga Hotel...