George Town: The Capital of Diversity

One of my personal highlights during this South-Asian trip was spending a couple of days in George Town on the Penang peninsula. You rarely see such a high concentration of sanctuaries of different confessions at one territory! Buddhist temples take turns with the Indian shrines, there are several mosques and even a church in the city. All of this is diluted by beautiful mansions of the old noble Chinese families.

On the road in George Town

Inside the Chinese temple

The Blue Mansion

George Town City Hall

Besides, George Town is the Malaysian capital of the street art: in 2013, as part of George Town Festival a young Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic has created here dozens of vivid graffiti – murals called Mirrors Georgetown – which he perfectly fit in the surroundings. Unfortunately, they steadily fade with the time – hurry up to see them all! If you don’t want to miss any of them, there is a map available: Link.

Kids in my backpack

At our second (and last) day at Penang, early in the morning before our departure to Borneo, I forced Matze to take a quick walk with me in order to catch up with the murals and take several photos with to my taste the most prominent of them.

Breaking free

Another tourist attraction which is worth your visit is the Penang hill (30 MYR both ways = 6 Euro, train schedule is here: http://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/en/ticket-service) and its monkey cup garden.

A view from the Penang Hill

Don’t hesitate to take an excursion (12 MYR = 2,5 Euro) – a very interested and knowledgeable guide will tell you fascinating things about these curious creatures.

Monkey Cups

While you are waiting for your turn, try handmade chocolate cake and freshly brewed coffee, which turned to be very tasty, at the Monkey Cup Cafe.

Penang Hill

Indian Shrine

On the way back to the station, you can take a bypass A to D and escape the tourists on the lower road. But, uhm, watch your head…

Into the wild

In the city, when you are hungry, drop by one of the food stalls – we have chosen the Red Garden, as it was the closest to our hotel. You will be amazed with the variety of different food from different cuisines of the world freshly made in front of your eyes. The prices are more than affordable and you can try many thing at a time. Just choose a table, remember its number and order at the stalls. You pay as soon as the food arrives at the table. The drinks are ordered separately.

Red Garden

Penang stayed in my memory as one of the places to come back to and to discover it much better, not only Georgetown but also the jungles and the beaches of this reach-to-explore peninsula.