Our plans, decisions, and adventures
Singapore was our last stop on this Southeast Asia tour. We had planned 5 nights–only 4 full days–to get to know this island city-state so we knew we would have to use a different strategy from our usual slow-and-easy travel.
Continue reading “Singapore”
We had read about Malacca–that it was a pretty town, a seaside town, a town full of history–so we added it as a stop on our way from Penang to Singapore. I won’t dispute any of these adjectives, but I will add one more to the bottom of the list.
Continue reading “Malacca: Wanderings”
Kuala Lumpur (often shortened to KL) was full of surprises for us.
First, its size. We hadn’t been in a big city for a while and hadn’t really researched this one before we arrived. So our first view had us jaws agape as we ogled the skyscrapers that populate the city.
Continue reading “Kuala Lumpur: Wanderings”
I knew there were stairs involved and caves, but I hadn’t realized there would be so much colour. I also knew that the Batu Caves play a significant role in Malaysian Thaipusam celebrations, which should have given me a clue.
Continue reading “Kuala Lumpur: Batu Caves”
We spent a month in Penang and had many opportunities to bus or Grab into town and wander (our home was in Miami Green, about 10km from the center of George Town). This post provides a little taste of our month of exploration.
Continue reading “Penang: George Town Wanderings”
For Chinese New Year, Kek Lok Si temple is all dressed up in her finest and the crowds come to admire her.
Continue reading “Penang: Kek Lok Si”
Penang is a small island. Though most of the population and activity is in George Town, in the northeast corner, extending south and west from there, we thought it might be a fun day trip to rent a car and circumnavigate the island. Our new friends, Karen and Rick, thought so, too, so we set a date and arranged the car.
Continue reading “Penang: Road Trip”
One way to get a different perspective on Penang is to get up to the top of Penang Hill.
In past years, getting to the top of the hill, a distance of almost 2 km from the lower station, took about 40 minutes. Since 2012 the trip takes only 4 1/2 minutes aboard a fast, steep train.
Continue reading “Penang: Atop the hill”
We have the great fortune of being in Penang, Malaysia, for some of the most important celebrations of the year.
Malaysian people are a colorful ethnic mix of indigenous Malays, Chinese, and Indian, primarily, and these roots are on display in the many religious and cultural festivals, and Penang is home to some of the best. This weekend it is celebrating Thaipusam, a religious festival that occurs on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (sometime in January or February each year).
Continue reading “Penang: Thaipusam”
We took a ferry from the Kuah port in Langkawi. The port is watched over by an enormous eagle, and the terminal is very modern and large. We wandered through a few huge and empty halls (except for unused security equipment) before arriving at our waiting area.
Continue reading “Penang: Social life”
We made the decision to spend a week in Langkawi, an island north of Penang in Malaysia, when we were deprived of ocean beaches. After a week in beautiful seaside Koh Lanta, and several weeks in Chiang Mai where food is wonderful and cheap, Langkawi had a lot to live up to.
Continue reading “Langkawi”Just left: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Now: Calgary, AB, Canada
Up next: Millersylvania, WA
