Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Street Arts, George Town

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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Bring out the name Ernest Zacharevic and chances are everyone will be raving about his mural paintings that decorate the streets of Malaysia. While these days, his works can be seen across the country with Ipoh being the latest town painted by him, there is no doubt that George Town will always be linked to him or that the  “Little Children on a Bicycle” will be his most famous piece.

One of Ernest's work, "Boy on a Bike"

The beauty behind this piece of art is that it manages to capture the simplistic childhood moment and the thrill and excitement of riding a bicycle together with your siblings or friends. You will feel nostalgic when looking at the painting. Even though the mural has been there for more than a year, it remains to be among the most famous of them all in Penang, with tourists, both locals and foreigners, queueing up to take pictures with it.

Someone pasted Ernest's infamous work in Johor Bharu in one of the streets

George Town will never be the same again thanks to him. He definitely has left an indelible imprint in the art scene of Georgetown. Besides contributing to the city's art revival, his works also encourage other artists to do the same. 

Georgetown has become an unofficial patron city of street arts, with more and more new pieces popping out along these narrow streets. Most of these artworks, delicately painted by local artists, fuses with the vibe of the city. There are some that are more of an oddity. I mean, the popularity of minions has an expiry date.

Wonderful creation that showcases the cultural beauty of our country

Regardless whether you see them as work of arts or pure vandalism, there is no denying that thanks to these mural arts, George Town has become much more livelier and bursting with energy. Tourists would flock to the city in hunt for these hidden treasures, walking around the narrow streets of the historic city centre in search of them. 

Another gem by local artist, I think

However, if you are planning to see these mural arts for yourself, you better do it quick for some of them has faded beyond recognition. One of Ernest's creation, “This Old Man” mural along Armenian Street, has faded with nothing but the palest outline of a face can be seen while the “Children in a Boat” mural, another one of his works at Chew Jetty, is barely recognisable as the painting peeled off due to the brutal forces of Mother Nature.

Even these arts are not safe from passerbys. The aforementioned “Little Children on a Bicycle” mural endured few vandalism acts back in the early days. Luckily, the locals managed to save the painting and restored it back to its original self. Therefore, do visit the island quick if you are planning to do a mural hunting. It might no longer be there come the next day.

"Little Children on Bicycle"

 Info Box

Street arts along the narrow streets in the historic city centre of George Town. Most of the mural arts are clustered along Armenian Street and its surroundings. 

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Made In Penang Interactive Museum, Penang

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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A version of the article first appeared in Virtual Malaysia. Click here to read it there.

Made In Penang Interactive Museum

The peoples of Penang are proud of their heritages as evidently seen when you are in Made In Penang Interactive Museum. This homegrown three-dimensional art museum, housed in the historical monument of Behn Meyer building in Weld Quay, is the latest attraction that showcases the rich histories of this Island of the Orient Pearl. However, there is more to this museum than just a trick arts exhibition.

The Great Wall of Penang

Indian coolies

You will be greeted with a realistic protrayal of Weld Quay of the olden days at the entrance of the building. Known as the Great Wall of Penang, the whole stretch of wall was used to depict the liveliness of the port 120 years ago, with Indian coolies carrying sacks while Chinese trishaw riders waiting for customers nearby. Old Chinese shop houses were painted beautifully on the opposite wall. What a welcome to the museum.

Ticket counter

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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Happy Chinese New Year! Wishing everyone a prosperous year and that in this Year of Horse, good fortune and longevity loom over all of you.

With this weekend being a long holiday, why not take this opportunity to explore Malaysia and where better than in Georgetown, Penang, to join in the grand celebration of Chinese New Year? As I had wrote here in Virtual Malaysia, during this festive season, Kek Lok Si Temple can be quite a sight at night, what with the red and yellow lanterns decorating the temple.

However, even in the daylight, you can still explore the temple and absorb the atmosphere. It will definitely be crowded with the locals paying their respects to the deities.

I'll just share some of the photos here and maybe once I manage to get myself to Penang during the season, I'll upload more night photos. As of now, the photos will be of those taken during my university years.

In the morning (taken last year):

At night (taken back in 2010 with my Canon Ixus 100):

Info Box

Kek Lok Si Temple,

1, Tokong Kek Lok Si, 11500 Georgetown, Penang.

Opens daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. During Chinese New Year, the temple opens until 10 p.m.

No entrance fee. However, there is a RM 2 charge per person for the Sky Lift which takes you to the hillside above the pagoda. 

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - The Camera Museum, Penang

2014 will be an eventful year as Malaysia welcomes millions of tourists to celebrate Visit Malaysia Year 2014. To do my part as a Malaysian, I will be posting interesting spots and tourist attractions all over the country every week. This weekly entry will be out every Friday so that you can have the weekend to explore it. Let us all work together in bringing tourists into Malaysia!

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There are never ending attractions in Georgetown, Penang and the latest one to arrive in this Pearl of the Oriental is The Camera Museum. Occupied an old Chinese shophouse along Muntri Street, this museum traces the development of camera from the discovery of spectrum of light to the latest version of camera.

Big vintage camera greets you at the entrance

Opened since July last year, The Camera Museum has constantly on my news feeds, tempting me with images of its collections. I finally managed to drop by for a visit before year end with my friends.

The building that houses the museum is beautifully renovated, retaining its pre-war characteristics while imbuing with modern features. Most of its vintage cameras collection, an around-the-world effort in getting them, are upstairs, safely encased in glasses.

They went through all around the world to collect these vintage cameras

Vintage 3D viewer

The museum is separated into few sections such as Dark Room, Pinhole Room, Obscura Room, Special Collections Rooms, Snap Shop and Double Exposure Cafe as well as exhibition room where photographers can submit their works for displays. You get to see cameras of various functions such as cameras used in world war, spy cameras and so on.

Large obscura camera

You get to play with it and see how it works

I personally enjoyed Obscura Room as I got to see how the world's oldest camera works. It is so fascinating to see images appeared on that big wooden box they called obscura camera. Another interesting section has to be the Dark Room for you get to experience how films are being developed back in those days. There is tour guide to give a thorough learning experience but he was on leave during our visit. You can relax at the Double Exposure Cafe and have a look at its souvenir shops after the tour.

Double Exposure Cafe

Snap Shop

What I like about this museum is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There are mural arts inside the building for you to pose around with. In fact, you can play with some of the vintage cameras as well. This Camera Museum is definitely worth a visit.

Real vintage cameras being used as props for these mural arts

Info Box

The Camera Museum,

49, Lebuh Muntri, 10200 Penang.

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Adult RM 20, student and senior citizen RM 10, free entry for children below 12 years old (must be accompanied by adult)

Free guided tour of the museum upon request.

Their website is still an ongoing process but you can like their Facebook page.

Hotel Review - Holiday Inn Resort Penang

If you are looking for a comfortable resort to stay while in Penang and have some extra few bucks to spend on, do consider Holiday Inn Resort Penang. Located along the coastal beach of Batu Ferringhi, Holiday Inn Resort Penang is the perfect choice for your sun-soaked vacation.

Holiday Inn Resort Penang's reception lobby which is on the Beach Wing

It was during the Deepavali holiday that my family decided to visit the Pearl of the Orient for the umpteenth times. However, instead of gallivanting around the heritage zone looking for street foods (which we still did), this time around, we wanted to explore the beach areas of Batu Ferringhi.

Lobby which is also a karaoke lounge at night

I myself have stayed in Holiday Inn Resort Penang in July 2013 this year when I was still attached to my previous company and have came to know that the room itself is spacious and comfortable for my family of 4 adults and 1 child. Hence, I suggested to them this resort.

2 double beds room with hill view

We booked a 2 double beds room with hill view which cost about RM 370. Well, they marketed it as double beds but actually, the best description would be bigger than single bed, slightly smaller than double bed. Anyhow, still comfortable for 2 persons to share one.

View from our room

The second building, Ferringhi Tower

I find the room rather relaxing, with earth brown and maroon colour palettes being dominant. All sort of basic amenities you come to expect from a 4 star hotel is there. From television to iron, electric kettle to hairdryer, nothing is amiss. Wifi reception in the room itself was strong.

Room interior

Bathroom

There are many activities for you to do in the hotel itself if you don't feel like going out. The beach is just few steps away with many outdoor sports for you to try on such as banana boat ride, jet ski and so on. There is a large swimming pool for those who find the beach a bit dirty (not that it is) and a table tennis if water is not your friend. Other facilities include gym, lounge, and so on.

Swimming pool

Chairs to laze around and relax

Table tennis

In-house Terrace Cafe provides good selection of Asian and Western cuisines for breakfast. During my first stay, I had my lunch there and the foods served were scrumptious. While I can't say for sure how much dining in the cafe costs, I do think it quite worth it as it is buffet style.

Terrace Cafe

Overall, we definitely had a good night rest in Holiday Inn Resort Penang. It may not really my style to lavish on accommodations, I won't brush off the idea of staying again if I can find someone to sponsor it.

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Holiday Inn Resort Penang is located at 72, Batu Ferringhi, Penang. Room rates are dependent on seasons and their rooms run out rather fast during peak seasons. Visit their website for more information.

Penang - Penang Bridge International Marathon

I was ready, all set for the race. My lethargy seemed to disappear after I gulped down a can of Redbull. I guessed I should have taken a few of these instead of going into the cinema, trying to get some sleep.

It was around 2.45 am and the street was crowded with runners getting ready for the half marathon. Some were doing last minute stretching. Some were in trance state, prepping their minds for the race. Some were chatting away while waiting for the launch. Me? I was just psyched to get started.

At precisely 3.00 am, the run began. 21 km is no doubt a daunting task and trying to finish the race within the 3 hours 30 minutes time limit can be quite strenuous for first time runners. I myself was a first time runner and while I didn’t train per se, I did jog at least 2 to 3 times a week and was aiming to finish the race within 2 hours 30 minutes.

The first 9 km or so was an enjoyable run as you began to cover the Penang Bridge. It was rather windy, making the run less taxing. Occasionally, runners would stop for a moment on the bridge to snap a photo or two with the iconic landmark, an impossible task in normal situation considering you are not allowed to stop on the bridge while driving.

The last remaining kilometer before reaching the finish line

However, the effect started to kick in after passing the half mark. More stops had been made to catch my breaths or taking a sip of water. Energy was sipping away with every passing minute. As I was getting closer to the finish line, the kilometers seemed to stretch by itself. The last 3 km was the most frustrating as there were signboards for each accomplished kilometer. When you thought that surely you should have cover a kilometer, there came the sign telling you that, no, you still have 2.5 km more to go.

A sea of greens gathered outside the mall after the race

While I didn’t manage to reach within the 2 hours 30 minutes time frame, I didn’t fare too badly either for I finished the race in 2 hours 43 minutes. A remarkable feat for a first timer, if I may say so myself. I didn’t immediately go back to rest after the race. Instead, I roamed around, watching people taking photos with friends and fellow runners.

My medal

As the day began to start, my friend and I decided to head to our respective places to rest. However, before I leaved Queensbay Mall, I was caught by the police and given a hefty fine for talking on the phone while driving. I totally didn’t see him and even when he waved me to pull over, I was still on the phone, thinking, what the heck is wrong with him. I blamed it all on fatigue for my cluelessness.

Mr Police here gave me a hefty fine, causing my wallet to bleed...

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Penang - China House, Beach Street

Back in the month of August 2012, I took the advantage of the Merdeka holiday to have a one day road trip to the island of Penang with few of my hometown friends. I can never get enough of George Town, the hip and happening state capital of the Pearl of Oriental, even after spending 3 years of my university life there.

China House, Beach Street

This time around, the main objective of this road trip is to hunt down those beautifully painted mural arts along the streets of Penang commissioned by the state government for the George Town Festival 2012. However, the first stop was not for the feast of the eyes but rather to please the callings of our stomachs. Actually, it works both ways since the foods are aesthetically appealing and fulfilling.

Today's special at China House

China House is becoming quite a regular staple whenever there is a road trip to Penang. Maybe it’s because of the companions for the journey but somehow, this hip café is slowly turning into the place-to-be for brunch or lunch for us. Located along Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai), China House used to be the Kopi Cine at the corner of the Stewart Lane but due to the expansion, it has been relocated to the present spot. And it is for the better for the new place is more spacious and can accommodate a larger crowd as well. Plus, it is easier to find compared to the previous lot.

The array of cakes welcoming you in

One of the main attractions, to me, is its laid back atmosphere and inviting interior decorations. I just love how the management team of China House retains the original structure of the heritage building and renovates it with retro decorations. 

China House's interior

This is one way that I just like when it comes to preserving historical buildings. Rather than leaving it in a dilapidated states like many old shop houses in the Old Town district of Ipoh, old Chinese shop houses in the UNESCO enclave are given a new lease of life in a form of chic cafes and boutique hotels. 

Old world charm at China House

Of course, it goes without saying that its foods are delicious as well. Main courses are as followed: