Penang City

After the highs and lows of the journey from Somosir Toba to Penang, I am delighted to say that we had a great time in Penang itself.

This is Harvey's hometown, and he has been carping about the best food in the world for so long that we were both looking forward to filling our stomachs. However, Harvey's favourite haunts were all shut - something to do with being close to Chinese New Year - so we had to settle for second best (which was still great). Noodles form the base, then you might get anything from wantons to cubes of congealed blood starring in the dishes, with a supporting cast of chillis, mushrooms and seafood. As well as the food, the hawker centres also make some of the best apple juice I've ever tasted. All it was missing was a dash of gin...

High point was breakfast with one of Harvey's local friends - oodles of noodles, chilli and seafood all before 9am! Low point was me losing my watch (I've no idea how). I'll post photos of the city here and then follow up with some pictures of the Khoo clanhouse and Kek Lok See temple.

The bridge from Penang island to Butterworth on the Malaysian mainland. It's 13.5km long and the third longest bridge in the world - it's big, practical and photogenic!

Street life - a Rickshaw rolls by, a parasol shading the heat of the day.

Looking across from near the town hall to the docks in the distance.

Penang island was Britain's first trading post in South East Asia, hence the British names like 'Georgetown' and 'Butterworth'.

The Victorian era clocktower (built to mark the Queen's jubilee) looks down on the somewhat more modern sculpture in the centre of the traffic roundabout.

Offerings in a Chinese temple.

Reflecting on life, in the temple.

Inside the temple, looking out.

Decorations outside a different temple, this one near Armenian St