October Break: George Town, Penang
We adventured to Penang Island for three nights this week and it was a delight! It was wonderful to be in a new place, exploring a city that has a different historical feel than Kuala Lumpur does; it reminded us that Malaysia has so much for us to do and learn about something that I lose track of in the midst of work. Our travel also generated some interesting conversations about what we want our time here to look like-are we trying to explore a lot of Southeast Asia or are we trying to really get to know Malaysia? Good to think about as we look at future short breaks, the summer, etc. The writing in this post will be short because the pictures will be many...
George Town is known for its street art, both local and international artists, so as we explored Little India and Chinatown and tried different restaurants I was on the look out for artwork. The boys were not quite as excited, especially if it was rainy or sunny (which it was both) so I was able to sneak away one afternoon and roam on my own. We found incredible food at Banh Mi Kitchen, Kapitans, and a food court at the northeast end of the island.
There is strong support in Malaysia for Palestine, the image above is from a series called "Unmute Palestine" and there have been protests in downtown KL over the war in Gaza.
The second day was rainy so we had some forced relaxation in our room and then spent some time in the morning at the Upside Down Museum before further street exploration.
We hiked Penang Hill, ran from some monkeys (no joke, they were on the trail and when we approached the opted to not only stay put but bare their teeth and come closer, causing us to just nope on out down the hill and to another section of the trail), and connected with some other families from the school. Our final day we had a delicious breakfast at the Pinwheel Resto Cafe and briefly explored Chew Jetty (one of the Chinese Clan Jetties that was made at a time when the Chinese were not allowed to own land so they built in the water). Smooth sailing back home...
What fun! Great set of photos and breezy description. I love all the murals. There must be some good art schools teaching all that wonderful painting. Hope you get a lot more exploratory trips like that! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! Looks like a fun and very interesting trip to Penang and Georgetown! I agree with Grampaw Chris, I too love the murals! I want to be exploring with you and look forward to seeing and hearing more . Love, Naani
ReplyDeleteLove the photo montage! In the case of this family adventure, photos speak as loud or perhaps louder than words, though I greatly appreciate hearing your take on things Ella.
ReplyDeleteSo good that y'all get bouts of time to explore together. These are the times when the shift in context allows the sharing and connecting to go deep. Having/making space to reflect and get curious with each other can be another valuable touchstone. Plus, we all need something to look forward to!
A cave temple with paintings, way to pull over for a looksee! Alters and art in caves sounds so magical. Then there's food and art, rain and sun, what could be better? Great destination site. Maybe it's a good thing that you're restricted from traveling outside of Malaysia until 2026.
Some of the street art reminds me of the England-based street artist Banksy, I swear to God he's been there! There's his similar quality of candid poignancy in the art, the stuff that has no place hanging in a museum, but rather holds great value being present in the commons for all to see. Seeing solidarity expressed for the Palestinians is moving. I'm also reminded of the life of street art in the Bay Area and many other places, including Decorah!
The upside down museum is a fantastic idea - so playful and creative that it begs for interaction.
Those monkeys seem a bit like the rascally coyote, keeping everyone alert, wary of their antics and tricks.
Streets of hanging umbrellas is a brilliant bit of city planning when considering the climate and tourism. The umbrellas look so sweet and fun, not to mention a beautiful backdrop for your portrait Ella.
Those industrious Chinese have incredible ingenuity and resilience. I'd love to see the Chew Jetty. The cultural history in that area must be extraordinary.
I love the boys being interactive with the street art, the pitcher plant looking like a local, the boy's sweet smiling faces, that quote, "Love to life is like the wind to the pinwheel", and the final mural of the resting pregnant mother surrounded by liveliness.
Once again Ella, you've brought your experience in Malaysia to life for me :) Love feeling connected while you're so far away. Love to all from NorCal!