Rope Walk house to The Clan Jetty

So today I started out early. I was at my non-local breakfast place eating my local breakfast. I saw my first Malay (person who is from Malaysia) in there this morning. And he was having the same breakfast I was. Apparently, this is a thing because he kept looking over. And I wanted to say,”Yes, this white girl did her research.” lol
There is a group of houses along and over the water front where families have lived for generations. The area is called the Clan Jetty. People are still definitely living there, but it has gotten touristy, I guess in order for them to survive and for the govt to not tear them down. But it’s weird. I felt like I was at an old sad zoo. The people weren’t interested in selling anything to anyone, it’s like they were just tolerating it.
The walk to and from the Clan Jetty along Armenian St is where a large amount of the street art is. So I took that st on the way, And nothing was open. I guess I figured it would be like Thailand. The mornings are busy very early with markets and motorbikes. But here in Georgetown, they are slooooower to get going. Quite at few places don’t open until 10. I get it, but jeez. It’s HOT by then.
So on the way back from the Jetty, all the stores were opening. It’s funny, when you walk around early, no one’s around except the tourists.
I wore my new tunic, that I thought would be cooler, and I’m sure it was, and when there is a nice breeze it was great. But by the time I got back to my part of the neighborhood, I looked like someone had poured a bucket of water over me. It’s a lot of the reason I wanted to lose 20 lbs before this trip. I know that carrying extra weight is harder on the body and it has to work harder, so I sweat more. But literally I can just be standing there. It’s not like I’m running. ha! A vendor selling me something said, you have to slow down, walk more slowly. And I thought, “Honey, if I slow down any more I’ll be going backwards”.
But I will say, everything I’ve read on prepping for a trip to SE Asia says how unbelievably hot and humid it is.
So I took my soaked ass home finally about 1pm, and made sure not to catch any glimpses of how disheveled I felt. I will say the mid day shower, then into a caftan, eating lunch, then laying down on the comfy sofa upstairs in the a/c is the BEST.
So I did some shopping today. Got some cool dishes and some batiks, some scarves, and some other stuff. I want to make sure those dishes get home safe. So I bought another suitcase. I packed up the dishes and all the fabric and put them into my 45 liter backpack. It had sides that protect the inside, and compression straps to even further protect the contents. So then, I put the back pack in the bigger (24 inch) suitcase and it fits perfectly! It’s funny, I got a 22 inch hard side suitcase before I left, and it’s good quality. The suitcase I got today, cost about $23 dollars and Oh dear Lord. It’s fine, but when I brought the one I have downstairs next to the new one and felt them both I just laughed. But with the breakables in the backpack, it should do fine. I’m grateful to have it. I am done dragging around that big backpack. I was going to check it anyway, so now it just has extra protection around it.
And I’m ready to come home. I knew it today when I got upset about being so sweaty. Y’all know me. I’m an a/c girl, always have been. And I’ve done really well, but Lord I’m ready to come home.
Being out earlier, I got to see more street kitties than I have the last few days. Bless there hearts, there is no program here to Trap/Neuter/Release like in other countries. Even in Bangkok, they are working on getting these guys fixed and adopted. But this morning, all I saw were teenage male kitties fully intact. 🤦‍♀️ (I told one shopkeeper’s kitty to stay away from those boys outside who still have their balls. I didn’t say it loud enough so the shop lady could hear me though. I didn’t know how it would translate. I had already said more to her cat than I did her.)
I just wanted to scoop them up and take them to get snipped. And it’s weird, they love cats here. I asked a lady in a shop (it was a cat shop btw) about all the un-neutered males I had been seeing, and she said. “ Well, those are the street cats.”
So it has really made me miss my “once a big bad street Tom turned house cat with a heart of gold”- Frank.
So I’m flying out tomorrow and I think you guys will like this last place I’m staying in Bangkok for 2 nights. And I caved. I ordered a car service to pick me up from the airport (with a placard with my name on it and everything!) after shlepping my stuff on the air-link train and the BTS into Bangkok my 1st day (Pretty ballsy doing that the 1st time if you ask me) and literally thinking I wasn’t going to be able to get a ride out of the Penang Airport a few nights ago, I said to Heck with it. And I booked one to take me to the airport when I leave to go home.
So, I went to my breakfast place and got quiche and cake for dinner. Im going to finish packing and get to bed ideally kinda early. It’s been wonderful here. I’m so glad I came for a few days. Honestly, the house alone made it worthwhile. ❤️Read more