My parents and I went for a ride during our trip to Penang. We planned to take the bus back on the bridge but we couldn’t find the bus so we took the boat back again. Ferry and cars
Blue ferry
From Georgetown, there is no fee for passengers.
But it was about RM1.20 on the way back. No fishing
Passengers share the upper deck with cars. There are only a few seats by the side of the ferry and these are usually taken up if you do not run fast enough. Inside the ferry with the cars
Inside the ferry with passengersLife jackets on ferryChild’s life jacket
Vehicle catcher
Since I do not take water transport much, I really liked the ferry ride to and from Georgetown. Ferry
How about this angle?
For those who are too lazy to plan things to do in Penang, consider taking the boat. The scenery might be better at night when the city sparkles.
What do you do when you are planning a trip to a place where you’ve been to with Person A but now you need to Person B to the same place.
That was the question I had to answer when I was planning my parents’ trip to Penang. Previously, I went to the Pearl of the Orient once with L. I didn’t really want to visit sites which I’ve visited because it would be a waste of time for me.
However, I made an exception for the Pinang Peranakan Museum.
Background of Pinang Peranakan Museum
Pinang Peranakan Museum’s facade
The museum was previously the house of a rich Peranakan family.
Even though the mansion is big, it doesn’t seem be to big enough for a family with 3 generations, including the multiple concubines and their kids. Perhaps the lower ranking people lived in the compound and not the main house. Pinang Peranakan Museum’s interior
The museum is divided into two levels. The lower level is the place where guests visit. It includes a gigantic dining table, a room for card games and loads of antique.
Many of the wooden panels or carvings were decorated with a layer of gold (probably only paint) which made the whole floor look a little like the showfloor for houses targeted at the nouveau riche.
Deco of Pinang Peranakan Museum
The upper floor is similarly packed with antiques but is more “personal”.
The wedding room is a little ominous with the red lighting which made the room feel like a brothel instead of the suit of a newly wed couple. Pinang Peranakan Museum
After seeing Singapore’s Peranakan Museum, the Pinang Peranakan Museum feels like everything was thrown together in haste for the exhibition. This isn’t a bad thing because it feels more approachable. It’s easier to imagine how the family might have lived..
I’m a star
Peranakan-related movies
Based on the fading movie posters at the entrance, the house was the filming location for multiple period dramas.
A popular Singapore period drama, Little Nyonya, might be filmed here. I’ve never watched the drama but after reading the character bios, I think I might like the show because it doesn’t have a “Happily Ever After” ending.
The parents and I at Pinang Peranakan Museum
The compound of the museum had a few bamboo-like plants. They were decorated with the entrance stickers which were stuck on by tourists. I like that it gave the green tone of the wall and plants a pop of color.
Comparing Pinang Peranakan Museum and Singapore Peranakan Museum
If I must choose between Pinang Peranakan Museum and Singapore Peranakan Museum, I would choose the museum in Penang as my favorite.
The site feels more friendly and human because all the wares are right in front of you.
If you like reading explanations in museums then Penang’s peranakan museum might not suit your taste.
Singapore’s Peranakan Museum is housed in a beautiful building but the content of the exhibition is a little sterile. It played up the peranakan nostalgia to the highest volume.
Visiting information:
Location: 29 Lebuh Gereja George Town, Penang, Malaysia Entrance fee: RM10 Time required to look around: ~1 hour
Hello folks! I’m finally published in a print magazine.
Ta da! It’s Dececember 2012 issue of Jetstar Asia’s magazine (page 111). It’s a short piece on the Blue Mansion in Penang. The house was lovely but we couldn’t take photos inside. :( YQ on Jetstar Asia Magazine
OK, maybe my article is not as glamorous as a full spread photo + text article but it’s a step, isn’t it? (Although a rather small one.)
If you are interested in the competition, here are the details. Jetstar Asia competition
Wait a minute, it seems like I’ve not written much about Penang. I’ll do just that in the following weeks. Stay tuned.
Cendol is probably my second favorite Malaysian dessert. (The first being “bubur pulut hitam” which is black glutinous rice soup with coconut milk.)
The best cendol I’ve ever had was in Georgetown, Penang.
I usually like my cendol icy with lumps of teeth numbing ice so I was very disappointed when I got a warm-ish bowl of cendol from the “Penang Most Famous Teochew Chendul” (Yes, that’s its name!).
But after a sip of the coconut milk, I was hooked.
Even L, who was repulsed by the florescent green cendol in Singapore, enjoyed the Penang dish very much. She admitted that the mild green cendol looks more edible than the artificial coloring added in Singapore’s dessert.
L and I visited this stall for all three days we were there (or was it two out of the three days?)
The green worm-like cendol was soft and had real pandan flavor. The sweet red bean gave the pale milk a hint of rouge.
Even though the melting lump of shaved ice didn’t help much with making the bowl cooler, it helped cooled me down in the hot weather.
I found out about the stall from a work acquaintance. I bumped into her on my way home on the train. She said she visits Penang a lot for work and recommended the “cendol stall opposite the police station”.
She told me that there are stalls selling cendol on the same street. The acquaintance said I need to pick the stall with blue bowls. It’s also closer to the junction and doesn’t have chairs.
YQtravelling 