Penang

Liz and I visited Malaysia for a wedding back in 2001 and enjoyed it, so we were looking forward to our return. Panang would be a new city for us. We had an excursion set that would take us to the “temple of 10,000 Buddhas,” more properly called the Kek Sok Li Temple, and then up the funicular railway to the top of Penang Hill.

Our guide warned us that the climb up to see the various shrines at Kek Sok Li temple would be “brutal,” but we found it to be no problem and enjoyed getting the exercise. Sometimes excursions can be a lot of sitting on a bus. The experience was fantastic as the shrines themselves were beautiful and the setting was stunning. Flowering plants were everywhere and the higher you went the better the view of the city below. We made our way up to the seven-story Pagoda of Rama VI, which houses the referenced 10,000 Buddhas, but as it was undergoing renovation we were unable to go in. The walk up and small entrance fee were well worth it, though, as the grounds around the pagoda were wonderful.

We made our way back down the hill to the bus for the short ride to the funicular station at the base of Penang Hill. Our guide had everything well organized and we were shortly aboard for the 7-minute trip up to the top. Apparently this used to take 35 minutes, but the whole system was redone several years ago and the modern train runs quickly and smoothly up the hill. At the top we immediately noticed that it was quite a bit cooler than down below, which of course was part of why the British built some of their housing up there. They also used the hill as a lookout point to see ships coming through the Strait of Malacca.

The views from the top were hampered by the haze, which was pretty thick. But we wandered around on top of the hill, got a cold drink, and enjoyed the breeze. We spotted two different kinds of monkey as well. The Dusky Leaf Monkey took the prize for cutest primate with its white-ringed eyes. It looked like a stuffed animal in the bushes.

After the hill we returned to the ship for a quick lunch. We left the boys to their own devices on board and went out to walk around the old town for a bit. We saw Fort Cornwallis, still largely intact, and walked past the old Town Hall and newer City Hall buildings. Our destination was the “street of harmony” that our guide had pointed out to us earlier on our tour. Walking along an 800-meter stretch one passes an Anglican cathedral, a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple, and a Muslim mosque. It was very representative of the multicultural blend of Malaysia. The country is a mix of religions, ethnicities (Malay, Chinese, and Indian), and languages. Most Malaysians speak at least three languages. It all plays very nicely into this theme of openness and inclusivity that we’ve been noticing as we travel through South Asia.Читать далее