Reflections on Penang

Penang had been on my list of places to travel to, there are many but Penang had worked it’s way to the top end and this trip was perfect for a stopover.

I found the city enchanting and totally engaging, right from the start. Yes, the hostel was a bit of a disappointing but it was clean and comfortable and I did not spend too much time in it in the end. I will admit, though, that’s after experiencing the hostels in Langkawi and now in Perth, I would have enjoyed my experience better in a more hostel type hostel – but this is how we learn!

Penang has an amazing mix of cultures that have been embedded into the state over hundreds of years. It reflects the major trade link between Asia and the West as well as the colonial past, which is on show in the well preserved architecture of Georgetown. It is a true melting pot in the very essence of the phrase, with a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian and the unique Peranakan cultures which goes towards the label of a great foodie capital. What surprised me was the vibrant art scene with the murals and Banksy type art around every corner.

I did not venture out much from the heritage area so was not able to experience the national park, rainforests or hills But I will take another trip there at some point, I am sure.

I don’t think that I have written anything about the Clan Jetties of Penang.

The Clan Jetties are another phenomenon caused by the migration of communities looking to improve their lives. Dating back to the 19th century and when the Chinese immigrants began arriving in Penang and their main source of employment came from the sea. The obvious thing for them was to build jetties on the waterfront, a sort of floating village, where they and their clans could settle. By building on the waterfront instead of on the land, they were exempt from paying property tax. Over time, several jetties jutted out in to the sea and provided accommodation, employment and a sense of community.

As more people arrived from China, the jetties expanded to accommodate the growing community but the redevelopment of Georgetown threatened their community and the surrounding heritage buildings. Some jetties were razed in the name of development, some were damaged and never replaced and it was felt that a large part of the history was disappearing.

The UNESCO listing of Georgetown in 2008 helped save the jetties and recognised them as not only tourist attractions but also a link to the history of Georgetown. The jetties received investment and legal protection as a result.

Nowadays, the jetties have their own water and electricity supply and families still live there. There are 7 Clan Jetties, there are a couple which are more used to tourists, have shops in the front of their houses, but it is still their home and I was aware that I had to be respectful of that as I walked through and peered into their windows.

I went to the most touristy one, Chew Jetty, it is the largest and the one most frequented, it has a food court outside! I thought that I would do them all over the week but time ran away from me. It was really interesting how the community had come up with a housing solution and then made an income from it. It’s like walking along a boardwalk with shops selling tourist tat but also some lovely art and hand made stuff. There was no hassle and I felt free to just browse. I made sure that I was respectful of the homes, but did peek in to a few! The ones I saw all had temples or a worship area at the front, which I found comforting.

It was fascinating to see the lives of the clans and how they continue to work and live.

It’s odd but I thought about my Mother a lot whilst I was in Penang, I am not sure if my memory is correct and I am sure Aaruni and Baba will correct me, but I think that Mum went to Penang for a bit and stayed with friends and told us all about it – but I could be wrong!

I found the people very happy, very helpful and happy to engage. I turned into one of those who expected everyone to speak English but I became an expert in hand gestures and tried to get along! Having said that, as there is such a mix of cultures, sometimes the only common language is some form of English between them!

I can’t say what my best meal was, but I did have a great spicy prawn dish and rice at the hawkers stand. I had satay there too which was great but the peanut sauce was spectacular!

There is one thing that really tickled the transport engineer in me that I have to share, just keep an eye on the green man………..

I think that’s all about Penang, my lovely friend Jo has suggested that I include some maps to put things into context – good suggestion Jo, I will work on it x

Until next time, and Langkawi.