Penang

This is my first post on this blog. I have decided to start anew with this blog simply because in my previous blog, I have been complaining about life (less so as time goes by though). With this blog, I wish to only put on record things that are beautiful, worth celebrating and worth remembering. After all, life is too short for me to gripe all the time. Also, through this blog, I really hope to share with all things that I enjoy doing and all the stuff that I love.

So Penang is my first trip overseas this year. It's not far away from home, but it was still quite enjoyable. This isn't my first trip to Penang, but the last time I was there, it was a pit-stop during a cruise trip, so I do not have much memory of the place, except that there are lots of wonderful food there.

This time, I have chosen to stay at the E&O Hotel (Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Penang). This is a five star hotel built by the Sarkies brothers in the 1800s. It exudes a romantic and colonial charm, just like Raffles Hotel in Singapore. I never had good experiences with Malaysian hotels, but the E&O is in a league of its own. It boosts of a 24 hour butler service, great variety of food at the breakfast buffet, plush beds and even provides its guests with a choice of 3 pillows (if requested).

Having said that, besides the hotel, there isn't anything much to talk about Penang. The weather was hot and unbearable and all I wanted to do was to immerse myself in the pool, read a book by the deck and have afternoon tea. The only places we visited was the fort (not worth venturing there at all) and the Penang Peranakan Museum, which also happens to be one of the sets of Little Nonya. One of the evenings, we went to Gurney Plaza and Gurney Drive Food Centre as well. Nothing awe-inspiring. It was like Singapore through and through. The huge mega malls and an open-air hawker centre like Glutton-Square. Food is not exceptionally good as well. In fact, it has sort of become like a tourist trap, I suppose. But for the experience at E&O, the trip to Penang is well worth the effort!