During the weekend before recess week started, I was lazing on the sofa, when my mum stuck her head over the sofa to look down at me: "want go Malaysia?"
"I kinda only want to go Penang."
And then we bought a pair of tickets for $70.
I guess it was just want one of the plus sides to not having mid-terms, plus I finished my half-memo assignment just the day before. The next major submission was two weeks away - so why not?
Interesting (learning) experiences already started on the first hour of our day in Penang. I watched a youtube video which recommended breakfast at a Macalister Street, near the hotel where we stayed. My mum and I were just walking, giggling, minding our own business - when my mum suddenly gasped in a horrified manner and pulled me aside. She told me she saw something "perverted" happening in the car that we just passed. In my mind I unwillingly acknowledged that I have now reached the age where my mum thinks I must have known the guy either (1) flashed himself or (2) was jerking off in the car. Really, I was reluctantly about to ask her if it was that before - thankfully - she first clarified that it were a group of guys who looked at her in the eye, waved and winked. Since this was obviously less trivial than the kind of obscenity I was imaging, I teased my mum that it must be because she was still young and pretty-
Until we noticed that their bright blue Toyota reversed uncomfortably close to us.They didn't stop, until they had no choice because another car drove down the one-way street that was wide enough for only one car.
My mum grabbed my arm and hurriedly pulled me down the road. Along the way, she kept panicking about how the guys the guys were suspicious, and they are going to drive one round to come back for us. I was kind of scared, but at the same time I thought it might not be very possible. Plus I was starting to get more annoyed at how she started to link this up to blaming me for coming to such a place for breakfast, as if I knew anything about Penang beforehand. So, I admit I was quite irritated upon finding the coffeeshop at the end of the road, and I left my mum at the table to place orders at a stall that was outside the physical shop. Until I saw that bright blue car drive right past the front of the shop just as I was about to head out of it, driving right down the road that we could have been on if we didn't run.
We ended up safe, and had quite a decent breakfast for our first taste at Penang hawker fare. But it was a a big scare that left me feeling upset at myself for not trusting my mum, or not taking enough heed or care at my safety while overseas. If I wanted to be an independent girl whose parents can trust me taking care of myself, then I cannot let my guard down in observing even the smallest and most trivial of incidents.
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Another memory I really enjoyed was when my mum and I found all these wonderful, spontaneous food stops near where we stayed. I loved the Presgrave Hawker Centre which was along the back alleys behind our hotel: food were perhaps not prepared in the cleanest of conditions and used plates were cast on the floor (where the rats scurried past), but it was so authentic, affordable, and very tasty! Some of my favorites there were lor mee, hokkien mee (which is more similar to our prawn mee), and ice kachang. The ice kachang was life changing and I don't think I'll ever have any versions that can top it. Maybe I'm biased, and I risk getting lynched for saying this but I really dislike "tadpoles", agar agar and other weird colourful jellies that swim remains of your ice kachang, and am a bigger fan of red bean and evaporated milk instead. So penang's ice kachang was all that, minus the red/green/yellow nonsense, and topped with a scoop of PEANUT BUTTER ICE-CREAM? Food poisoning risk 100% worth it.
Or when we passed by this old auntie who was making piping hot bowls of noodles. It was a pretty unique creation that's more along the lines of homecooked fare - the newspaper clippings on her stall called it "golden noodles", and it was noodles in a simple, clear pork broth, with fishballs and meatballs, egg, and topped with some lettuce and crispy lard. The classic order is with maggi noodles but of course you can opt for some other fresh noodles too. To me, it was exactly the dish that tasted like
home. There's nothing special about it like that of chicken rice, orh chien or char kway teow but it's what you will crave for when you are nursing a heartache, recovering from a flu, or feeling absolute shit in school. It's brought so much warmth and comfort to me even if it was my first time having it.
Top all these off with the white coffee we ordered every morning without fail. It was very fragrant. And sweet. Like the memories.
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We also spent one day on a "day trip" to Air Itam, to look at Kek Lok Si, a beautiful temple complex and the biggest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. As it was a suburb of Georgetown, we took the public bus which took us around 40 minutes to reach. Penang is one of (if I am not mistaken, it is the only) town that is fully served by a functioning public bus system. We really enjoyed taking the buses everywhere: it is truly so cheap, well-connected, and the buses were clean and comfortable enough.
On the way to Kek Lok Si, my mother and I also got acquainted with an old lady who sat in the seats in front of us. We were just looking out of the window, and maybe spoke loud enough for the old lady to notice that we were not locals, and she offered to let us know that the Chinese High School outside our windows was the most established Chinese school in Penang. My mother chatted with her for the rest of the way, and we learnt that she was on her usual volunteering trip to an old folk's home (or hospice) at the foot of Kek Lok Si. We was such a warm and lovely lady, and I am heartened to have experienced a bit of Penang's kind hospitality through her.
I learnt that Kek Lok Si temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the whole of Malaysia, and even an important pilgrimage center for many Buddhists in South-east Asia. Indeed, it was a majestic sight to behold, an entire complex of many, many prayer halls, one pagoda tower, a large Buddha statue, and various gardens. We spent the entire morning understanding more about the faith and my mother took some time to get some fortunes or good blessings for my brother as well. I mean, we are not believers but I guess we could use some divine intervention in desperate times. HAHAHA.
For lunch, we had the famous Air Itam Assam Laksa, a humble assam laksa stall that is set up at the bus stations near the foot of the hill. We sat and watched the workers of the stall skillfully pull out the special laksa noodles and throw it into the boiling water, giving the strainer a few good shakes in an almost artistic manner, ladle on the thick assam fish soup, and then topping it up with some greens (which I assume should be some lettuce + herbs). Initially, my mum was actually quite repulsed by the slight fishy smell that linger in the air, perhaps once again with the fact that food stalls here are really not maintained in the cleanest of conditions. But hey, I think that's part of the experience. It tasted really good and unlike all the (now mild) assam laksas I've tried in Singapore! However, the fish pieces were quite minced and I hardly found any bigger pieces, so its
shiokness was compromised on that aspect.
Since we were in the region, we went to Penang Hill as well, and enjoyed a nice paranomic view of Georgetown from its peak. It was quite a touristy place actually, and it definitely isn't famous for scenic views or grenery, just some nice cityscapes. As usual, my mum and I just spent our time chatting together.
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If your extended family can be represented by Malaysia (with Singapore being that Uncle who once really needed you during a tight time, but you thought he was embarrassing af, and now he is rich n famous while you are old and fat), then Penang is the hippie cousin who reads tarot cards for a living. And, you can never tell if he is sober. Also he probably has a body full of tattoos, which manifests itself in Penang's many famous wall murals. Bad analogy and horrible lead-in, but I'm not paid for this man.
It provided kinda a rustic vibe to the place, which was refreshing. Georgetown gave a glimpse of what the world was frozen in time and I guess I appreciate the role it plays in maintaining a bit of soul in our cosmopolitan world today.
I'll end off this post with even more (so so so good and cheap) food. Penang, you are such a charming place. I'll visit you again and be spoiled by your food and sights!
x
