On the last full day of the Lawrence mini holiday to Penang we have followed our various stomachs to see where they led us. We had a semi leisurely morning at our sort-of hotel, Century Bay. It is really just a low rise (15 storey) condo that lets out apartments for short stays. Fortunately they do not do the Thailand style "short-stays" as the minimum number of nights bookable is four, just right for us. Our three bedroomed apartment for just under RM250 per night has been very good value really. We did have to put the helpfulness of the staff to the test this morning as the car would not start as we traveled back yesterday. The jump leads did their stuff, but the battery was totally dead. The manager of Century Bay phoned a local mechanic for us and soon after a new battery was fitted. Marvellous service, although I could have done without the extra car bill.
Hotel breakfast, PE in the gym and then swimming in the pool completed we departed for our tour. First gastro stop was for a bowl of Penang laksa: noodles, dried fish, onions, chili, pineapple, ginger, lemon and stuff. At RM4 per bowl it was marvellous. Next we journeyed north, on the pretty side off the island, and stopped off at Tiyi waterfall, initially for a quick look, nutty at soon turned into the need for a swim. It was a lovely spot although why do people have to leave their crap behind? We spotted several piles of food left on the rocks. However litter lout of the day had to go to one particular Malaysian bloke who was sitting on the rocks looking spaced out after quaffing two cans of Guinness. Easily done, I suppose. The Guinness in cans here is 6.8%. However this bloke got to his feet and strolled off leaving his litter behind. Bizarrely his accompanying mate appeared to be carrying a metal detector with him. It clearly did not detect the two Guinness cans. Luckily Lexi and I were there to holler at him and tell him to come back and take his litter with him. He duly did.
Suitably refreshed we continued northward and stopped at The Nutmeg Farm. As the name suggests the place grew, processed and sold everything nutmeg. We sampled nutmeg juice, sniffed and sorted various different nutmegs and even inspected various nutmeg trees, all the time given a guided tour by a lady who knew more than it would seem possible to know about nutmeg. She even showed us the difference between male and female nutmegs. Naturally we bought nutmeg souvenirs and will soon eat rice pudding with Penang nutmeg skin, as well as mushroom soup with added essence of Penang.
Spices then led us further on to tropical fruit closely flowed by coffee, well almost. D'heritage Coffee and Chocolate advertised itself as being the place to go for quality coffee and chocolate so we made sure that we pulled in there. However to my taste it appeared that it served all things except decent coffee. The coffee was the ghastly 3in1 variety that mixes coffee, milk powder and sugar. Nowhere on the menu was fresh brewed coffee with no additives. Hardly gourmet, says this coffee purist.
Last stop of the day was to meet some colleagues who had just arrived at a hotel in the Batu Ferranghi area. We spent a pleasant sunset relaxing by their hotel pool and then dining on excellent Indian curry in a restaurant opposite their pad.
The western side of Penang is much less developed than the east and consequently much more pleasant. It is also far less packed with tourists with only the determined and those with transport making their way there. Malaysia though does appear to be a very popular place for Saudi newly weds. These particular tourists are very easy to identify. The men usually wear shorts and the women wear all black, 100% black. Robes, head coverings, veils, the lot. It really isn't the most practical of outfits for the tropics, let alone the desert. However it does make checking into a hotel interesting, mainly for the observer. As we checked in to Century Bay late on Friday a Saudi couple, who were obviously not newly weds as they had their two children and maid with them, were also checking in. The husband spoke very little English and did not have his passport to hand (why is it necessary for hotel bookings?). Thankfully his wife, dressed from head to toe in black did have her passport and handed it over for copying. I sneaked a look at the photo which did have a face on it, unlike the great lady herself. What actual use was the whole process? The woman could have been anyone. Come to think of it was she even the bloke's wife? Could he be certain that she was who he thought she was? Curiously the following morning at breakfast there were two ladies in black with the same children and maid, but no husband. I encourage curious minded readers to ponder on the possibilities. A second wife? Husband was one of two "women" and had covered over his beard with a veil? John Simpson? Also how did they eat?