Jalan Burmah in the morning
We walked to Tai Tong Cafe 大东酒楼 for dim sum. (Address: 45 Lebuh Cintra, Opening hours: 6am – 12pm (Dim Sum), 12pm – 3pm (Seafood Zhu Cha), 6.30pm – 12am (Dim Sum))
When we reached Tai Tong, there were not many people. Other than Tai Tong Cafe, there are other restaurants which offers dim sum in the morning.
We ordered quite a lot of food ranging from har kao, siew mai, chee chong fun, pork rib, lo mai kai etc. All these including tea only cost RM45.80 ~ S$ 19 for 5 pax! Not all the food are fantastic, only the siew mai and chee chong fun are good.
The dim sum we ordered
By the time we finished our breakfast, it's only 8.15am and we walked to Lorong Muda to see making of joss stick. (Address: 1 Lorong Muda (off Lorong Stewart), Opening hours: 8am – 10am)
Lorong Muda
We were lucky to catch Mr Lee in the process of making joss stick. Mr Lee is already 82 years old and he don't look like his age. He has been making joss stick for more than 65 years. Nobody taught him how to make joss stick and he learnt by sitting and watching workers make joss stick in a factory. It's a pity that this trade may eventually disappear as his sons are not interested in learning this trade from him.
Mixing with water to form a dough
Making of joss stick
Joss sticks hang for drying
A beautifully decorated dragon joss stick only cost RM12
Kerosene pour over the top to enable the joss stick to ignite
Joss stick written personally by Mr Lee
So many boxes of joss stick made by Mr Lee
Items which my mum bought
Taking a photo with Mr Lee
It's already 9am and I have called Vincent to pick us up at Lorong Muda instead of Tai Dong Cafe where we agreed yesterday. My parents walked over to the nearby Goddess of Mercy Temple to pray as today is the birthday of Goddess of Mercy.
I thought that Vincent would be driving a MPV but now I realised that his 'bigger' car refers to a more spacious sedan car. 0_0" My father sat at the front and 4 of us sat at the rear seats.
Our first destination is Wat Chayamangkalaram and Dharmikarama Burmese Temple. (Address: Lorong Burma, Opening hours: 6am – 5.30pm) Wat Chayamangkalaram is a Thai temple while Dharmikarama Burmese Temple situated directly opposite is a Burmese temple. We visited Wat Chayamangkalaram first. The temple was built in 1845 on this 5 acres land donated by Queen Victoria to the Thai community.
Wat Chayamangalaram
Kinnon - mythological creature, half bird, half man
Four Face Buddha
After touring Wat Chayamangalaram, we crossed the road to Dhammikarama Burmese Temple.(Address: 24 Burma Lane, 10250 Pulau Tikus, Opening hours: 5am - 6pm)
Vincent told us that Jackie Chan bought a unit in this condominium
Island Plaza is one of the first modern shopping mall built in Penang. Vincent told us that Island Plaza was very popular in the past but when Gurney Plaza opens, the crowd faded.
Durian stalls at the roadside
When I was planning this trip, I wasn't very keen to visit the fruit farm as I find that it's a bit expensive. It's my sis who wanted to visit hence I included it in our itinerary.
This fruit is called blood fruit because the juice of the fruit resemble blood.
Acelora fruit has high Vitamin C content but it taste sour
This is called Miracle fruit as the berries after eaten, cause sour food subsequently consume to turn sweet. The guide plucked some for us to try with acelora fruit. The acelora fruit indeed turn sweet. It's amazing.
Miracle fruit/ Africa Fruit
Dragonfruit and Dragonfruit flower
We have tried the following fruit below. It's milk fruit which we tried during our Phnom Penh trip.
Milk fruit/ Star apple
We tried this food in Phnom Penh too. I don't really like this fruit as it's not juicy at all.
Jambu/ Water apple
Rambutan
Fruit buffet
Queueing for fruit juiceMy glass of fruit juice - Papaya & pineapple
Enjoying the fruit buffet My dish of fruits
Penang Hill at the background
We left Tropical Fruit Farm and head to Snake Temple. Vincent drove the route back from where we came from Georgetown and not the other route directly to Snake Temple. He said that the route directly to Snake Temple is winding. I wondered if he purposely took the long route so that he can earn more? On the way, we passed by Butterfly Farm and Spice Garden but we didnt visit.
Butterfly farmTropical spice garden
Malaysia flag
Traffic jam
Indian restaurant
On the way, Vincent stopped by a Coffee and Tea souvenier shop. We didn't bought anything except YQ who bought two packets of coffee. Hmm... Vincent must have earn commission from them for the products we bought otherwise he wouldnt drove us here.
Facade of Coffee souvenier shop
Interior of the shop
Variety of coffee drinks for tasting
Smelling the coffee beans
Tea souvenier shop
Variety of teas
Honey is also sold here
Honet's comb
Vincent told us that his son is sick so he will asked his partner Mr Choo to take over after we reached the snake temple. Vincent mentioned that he will bypass Penang bridge for us to take photos.
On the way to Penang bridge
A tall minaret
The Penang bridge is 13.5km and is one of the longest in the world. Before the bridge was opened, the only mode of transport between Penang island and Peninsula Malaysia is ferry which plys between Georgetown and Butterworth.
Penang bridge
This condo has a link bridge which resembles Petronas Twin Tower
Queensway Mall - Largest Shopping Centre in Penang
New Penang Second Bridge under construction
Bayan Lepas Industrial Park
Initially, I wanted to try the curry mee near Kek Lok Si but Vincent recommend a nicer curry mee near the snake temple. When we were reaching, his partner Mr Choo called and told us that it is not open. In the end, we had Char Kway Teow at the coffeeshop opposite snake temple as the remaining stalls have closed.
Coffeeshop opposite Snake Temple Char Kway Teow
Coconut
Snake Temple 蛇庙 is also known known as Temple of Azure Cloud (清云殿) honours a resident named Chor Soo Kong, who had healing powers. He was a Buddhist monk, who moved to Penang from China. Legend has it that Chor Soo Kong, who was also a healer, gave shelter to the snakes of jungle. After the completion of the temple, snakes appeared on their own accord. (Address: Located on a sliproad called Jalan Tokong Ular, main road is Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Bayan Lepas, Opening hours: 6am – 7pm) The bus stop is on the main road in front of Osram. Bus 401, 401E from Georgetown goes to the Snake Temple. Free admission.
Snake TemplePit vipers beside the altar
The eggs are for the snake
The phototaking with snake cost RM15 and I wasn't keen to take one but my sis is, so in the end, we took a photo with the snakes. 2 photos were given to us and the photographer also help us to take a shot using my camera.
Wanna take photograph with the snake
I'm really scared of the snake
We head to our last destination - Kek Lok Si before ending the day.
A stadiumTime for a paint
Air Itam
On the way up to Kek Lok Si
Kek Lok Si 极乐寺, is the largest Buddhist temple in South-East Asia. (Address: Ayer Itam, Opening hours: 9am – 6pm)
The majaestic temple and its monastery is divided into three sections:
a) Temple ground - The hill entrance, souvenir sellers, food and drinks, liberation pond
b) Mid Section - Temples and gardens, the pagoda, 4 heavenly kings
c) Hilltop - Statue of Kuan Yin, gardens and temples
Entrance to Kek Lok Si
One of the temple
My mum bought a tile for the temple roof on behalf of the familyMid hill section
Buddha at the backgroundAnother temple
Koi in many colours
I like the colour combination
Direction to mini-funicular train
A mini-funicular train connects the middle section to the summit of the hill featuring a giant 36.5m high statue of Kuan Yin.
Price of the ticket
Waiting for the train
Mini-funicular train
On the way up
Inside the mini-funicular train
After exiting the upper train station and souvenir shops, there is a Chinese Zodiac garden. These 12 zodiac are craved out from stone. We took photos with our respective zodiac.
Half body statue of Kwan Yin
Kissing my zodiac
My sis & her zodiac
My dad & his zodiac
My mom & her zodiac
YQ & his zodiac
Cute dog bench
The first statue was completed in 1977 at the cost of RM1.8 million. However heavy rain and a fire which broke out in 1993 damaged it. The current is the 2nd statue which was completed in 2002. The next stage of development is the construction of the octagon pavilion which is nearly completed when we visited.
Bronze statue of Kwan Yin
On the way down
A fish tank filled with fake fishes
We didnt visit Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas as we thought that we have to walk back to the entrance and climb the steps from there. By the time we walked back, we realised that the steps didnt link to Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. We decided to give it a miss since my parents were tired and the hot weather also deterred us.
Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas
This famous assam laksa is located beside Air Itam Market, in between the bus station & Kek Lok Si. (Opening hours: 12pm to 10pm, Closed on Tue) It is reputed to be the best laksa in Penang. There are limited seats but turnaround of patrons is fast. This is not an A grade stall in term of cleanliness and the stall along the road, so other than the ingredients inside the laksa, the exhaust air from the vehicles passing also add flavour into the laksa.
Famous Air Itam laksa
Such a huge pot of gravy
Each bowl of laksa cost RM3. The fish stock is thicker than the one yesterday. My mom commented that this assam laksa has "nyoya flavour", haha... I wonder what is the "nyoya flavour" which she refers to. Initially we ordered one bowl to try and after eating a few spoon, we ordered another bowl.
Assam laksa
On the way back to Tune Hotel, I asked Mr Choo to stop at Joez Coconut shop. We tried to walk to the shop yesterday but it was really quite far from KOMTAR.
It's going to rain soon
A competitor across the road
Joez Coconut is located at 201 Jalan Dato Kramat. Opening hours: 11am – 7pm.
This is the stall
Coconut in the fridge
Each coconut cost RM3.70 and has a shelf life of about a week if kept refrigerated. What is so special about the coconut is that the juice inside turns into jelly through a "secret" process without adding any preservatives or chemical.The jelly taste a bit sweet and is refreshing on a hot sunny day.
Jelly inside the coconut
It was raining outside and we stayed in our room for an hour before heading out for dinner. We walked to Lorong Baru a.k.a New Lane. The most prominent building here is Sunway Hotel.
The orange building is Sunway Hotel
Hawkers along the street
There are many stalls lining along the street and some are selling the same food. We sat indoor at the last coffeshop at the right. Initially, we didnt want to order any drink. Then the owner came and tell us that we are sitting inside her coffeeshop and we need to order a drink, so my dad ordered a cup of coffee. All the food we tried are not nice at all, such a letdown. =(
Curry mee
Satay & BBQ chicken wings
Oyster omelette
Loh mee & Prawn noodle Popiah
It began to downpour while we were having our food and luckily, the rain stop when we finished our food. We walked back to the hotel and have an early rest.
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