Cultural Heritage of George Town

Our last stop on our latest holiday was George Town on Penang. I hadn't really heard of the island, nor the town before moving to South East Asia but it rose as a potential holiday destination from a suggestion from our friends. Especially the old British colonial influence and the Chinese culture and architecture started really interesting me as there is very little of culture around in Brunei. I fancied a bit of that alongside our regular beach holiday destinations - and the fact that Penang is known as the food capital of Malaysia didn't bother me either!

"Progressing from a small fishing village in pre-colonial days to a penal settlement and flourishing free port under British rule, the island of Penang today retains the alluring architectural and cultural legacies of its fascinating past. Modern Penang has become a tourist destination for its rich history, laid-back charm and mouth-watering variety of food." (Images of Penang; Marshall Cavendish Editions) George Town on the North East quarter of Penang has also been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008 for its living multicultural architecture and communities. All in all, everything that our current home isn't.

That is a pretty accurate description of the whole island, and it equally depicts its capital, George Town. It has retained elements from a diverse mix of immigrants arriving on the island at various points in history. Especially the Jalan Masjid Kaptain Keling in the heritage centre really depicts this melting pot, as a church follows a mosque, follows a Hindu temple, follows a Chinese temple, and then it starts again. It is in fact also known as the street of harmony. The Chinese, Indian, Malay and British style shophouses and townhouses stand side by side in harmony, and around every corner there is a new surprise. Thank goodness for rikshas - the poor old chaps give a tourist some relief from the oppressive heat of the
town.

But it is a place for all senses, not just for temple bingo. The town is divided into seven different zones, all reflecting different eras and cultures that have influenced the George Town of today. Khoo Khongsi is one of the most famous Chinese clanhouses in Penang, really showing off the rich history of the Chinese immigrants on the island. The Waterfront, once the buzzing trading port of George Town is the place to discover the colonial past, with the famous Eastern & Oriental hotel just a stone throw away. Some parts of heritage history is still alive in the Heritage traders zone where traditional artists and traders still exist and do business as they used to. The water village known as Clan Jetties is still in place, and the descendant still occupy the homes that used to host separate clans of Chinese immigrants.  Homestays on these jetties are available but I am not sure if sipping a cold beer on a small balcony is worth the stench of rubbish and mud in the low tide. Romantic, eh?

A part from architecture, eating is another main attraction of George Town. There are hawkers stalls at every street corner offering mouthwatering dishes for few ringgits. Alongside many local eateries, there is an abundance of coffee shops and restaurants offering more European style dishes. The Chinese have brought the tea drinking culture on the island, and in general Malaysians love their cakes. So take your pick really! During the week we ate at least 2, if not 3 meals out, and I could easily go back to visit more restaurants. I must confess that we left the Hawkers centres to next time; we managed to try the local Nonya cuisine including rendang, laksas, kari kapitain etc in local restaurants rather than perching on a stool in the heat. Not that they wouldn't be fabulous as the few dishes we had from street kitchens were superb, we just fancied a little bit of service our way - because that is ordinarily too much to ask in Brunei. Especially our "local", a German wine bar, was so great in both food and service that a part from regaling there with a pork dish on my birthday, we returned for wine and cheese platter on the last night. You know you have lived too long in Brunei when you find it generally chocking to have a waiter who knows how the dish is prepared, can pair it with the right wine and knows which platter to deliver to whom. And all this with some pleasant chat.

Our hotel, Clove Hall, was part of the town's charm. It is an Anglo-Malay bungalow, beautifully restored in traditional Pernakan style. The guest suits follow the main house's style, each boasting individual pieces. It is a tranquil heaven with its pool side and friendly staff and the house dog George who welcomes the guests and scares off the squirrels with an equally enthusiastic bark, offering a welcome escape from the heat of the town. I really got into my 5 o'clock afternoon tea from the Chinese tea pots, what a refreshing treat.

We ventured also outside George Town, to Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si temple and to Batu Ferringhi, the beach destination of the island. At 823m above the sea level, Penang Hill offers visitors a welcome rest bite from the heat as well as gorgeous views over the city all the way to the mainland. It has got two restaurants where to enjoy the views with a glass of something cold in hand.

Kek Lok Si Temple is one of the largest and most famous Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia. It features on many of my friends' must see -lists but I found it more like Chinese torture. The music that blasted throughout was piercing my brain and all the plastic crap around distracted from the so called Suprime bliss. Seems to me that the Chinese New Year isn't the best place to visit the temple, after all. After the visit we were too tired to stay in Air Itam, although the area is also very famous for its street food supply.

Penang's famous street art