Golden Sands Resort. Batu Feringgi Penang, Friday 2nd September, 2016

Left this morning to take the funicular  train to Penang Hill the highest point on Penang Island. Penang Hill is the oldest British hill station in South East Asia, dated late 1700's  which is 833 Metres (2,732ft) above sea level. The funicular track is a distance of 1,996 metres  (1.99Km)   from lower to upper stations which is the longest in Asia. 

On our way to the hill we stopped briefly at the botanical gardens. Just a quick look 

Just in front of car as we were leaving  three  monkeys ran across the road in front of us. Two run up into the trees. 

This cheeky devil stopped and looked back at me.

Arrived at the lower station at Penang Hill. Brought our tickets and had to wait in a queue for awhile before we boarded our funicular train to take us up to the upper station. Above looking down at the train and the steps we boarded from.

All squashed in and off we went straight up the side  of the hill.

Now at the top. George Town in the background.

Arrived at the top looking down over George Town.

Zoomed in looking over town to the Penang bridge we crossed coming over to the Island.  

Main part of town

Further along to the bridge end. A flash of the Malaysian flag in the corner of the photo.

Looking further around from the main city centre.

Top of the hill

Further around again looking towards where we are staying at Batu Ferenggi' 

Looking down on the area we walked to this point.

Same area they had an area where in the past people had padlocked hearts with messages written on them

A closer look all padlocked to the fence.

The love area. All the pink hearts in the background. 

A group of kids posing in front of the hearts and guess who had to get into the photo. The clown (PT)  standing at the back holding his water bottle on his head.. Have to look close.

Temple sitting over in the hills.

Now its time to make our way down the hill. Very steep and goes fast. Somehow I managed to get to the front to take photo. PT is somewhere behind me got pushed back.

Next photos taking you down the hill.

Nearing the tunnel which is 79 metres long and three metres wide.

Now in the tunnel.

Coming out of the tunnel.

Now approaching the cross over area where the other train is coming up from the bottom.

At this point the trains have to slow down to make the timing of crossing just right.

  Approaching the bottom.

Looking back up the train. PT somewhere there on left.

Just went across the road for dinner tonight at a Thai place. $10 for the two of us. Splashed out tonight but it wasn't really very nice tonight. Above photo while we were sitting at our table looking across the road to our hotel entrance.

Walking along the street towards our hotel before the street stalls start. Restaurants on the left. Whose is that bald head??

These street stalls are amazing the way they just pop up after its dark. During the day the area is just footpaths then after dark it comes alive with these pop up stalls. Bit of a nuisance as when you want to walk along the street you are really forced to walk through the markets or else walk on the road.

Half way through our stay at Golden Sands Hotel. Although I said we were going to have a six night break from all the driving we have done. But that was just big driving days we are still out every morning exploring Penang. The last day on Sunday we might be forced to relax all day.

Golden Sands Resort, Batu Feringgi, Penang -- Thursday 1st September, 2016

Woke up to our best day since we arrived in Penang, although everyday has been good but a few more clouds around, today not a cloud in the sky and very clear out to the horizon. Left the Resort about 9.30am to go back to George Town as the one night we had down there we had been driving half the day and didn't really feel like dashing around as there is quite a bit to see. We only did Little India so off we went back today.
Drove down the coast road meeting up with the Gurney Drive area. Nice drive down as the traffic hadn't had time to build up.

We were passing an area on the coast called Padang Kota Lama which is a large green area. I couldn't believe it when I saw all the bears in a big circle representing all the countries, I said to PT stop we have to go and see them, as when we were in Germany in 2006 staying with Steffi and Torsten they took us into Berlin and all these bears were there. We were told then that these bears were going to travel the world. We can't remember the story behind them as to why, but I seem to think that they may have started in Germany. But I had my photo taken then with the same NZ bear...Amazing....

Look closely, although although he isn't in our traditional colours you can see the fern and Kiwi.

There was no way the I could get them all into one photo. They were in a huge circle in this big green area. One representing each country.

This big bear was centered in the middle of the grounds with all the bears around him in big circle.

The lanterns which were just outside the Chew Jetty.

Chew Jetty

Just to give you some idea of the set up of all these  rows of houses on stilts  going out into the harbour. You walk down a living heritage community where people still live in these homes for more than a century. They consist of a long wooden passage way of houses. Perching above the sea on stilts. In fact the stilts are made of concrete in a rather unique way. They have joined 20 litre plastic buckets together and forced them into the harbour floor and then filled them with concrete.Very interesting. The Chew Jetty is actually named originally  after the residence with the surname Chew where they would all live together.

There houses are in a long row on each side of a boarded walkway.

This shows how the houses are separated making their individual houses.

This is out at the end of the main pier looking back with the city of George Town in the background

I was standing right out on the wharf where they tie their boats. Probably used for their fishing.

This is on the other side of the end of the pier. You can see the stilts which are made of plastic buckets filled with concrete.

This is down the other alley where people are living but not so commercialised with the tourists looking.

This shows how they are all attached to the long boardwalk.

We then decided to take the ferry across the water to Butterworth on the mainland.

Its free for passengers going over from George Town but have to pay about 46cents NZ on the way back. The passengers sit in the middle with cars either side, then more cars on the lower deck. 

This is another one going the other way. As I said cars and passengers on the top deck and cars on the bottom.

Looking back over George Town

Coming into the wharf on the other side at Butterworth.

Looking along the coast at Butterworth.
We just got off the ferry, had to get our return ticket and straight back on to the ferry as we just went for the ride to look back at George Town from the harbour.

Coming back approaching George Town. The tall high rise was next to our Hotel we stayed for one night on our way through.

Close up of the tall high rise. Our hotel was the next tallest. You can just see the helipad on top.

Approaching shore wharf on the left.

Back in George Town, walking through the streets.

It took Jack 10 mins to get this photo above.And then it has horizon issues!! PT

.

Not the best street in town

Walked through China town.

This was lunch. Called a Char Koey Teow. Lots of onion, egg, noodles and shrimps.

Got back to the resort, thought I would take another photo of the view as this was a really clear day without the sea mist.

We were sitting on the deck having a drink just as the sun was going down. Only my second  drink night since I left home. PT has had a drink three nights since home. Water is the menu here which of course is much more refreshing.

We get four 1 Litre bottles of water in our room a day . Even though we are drinking a lot of water that's a lot to get through. Although you have to just keep drinking with this heat.

These are the stalls that appear from nowhere after dark, covering the footpaths, so no way to walk down the road but through them. We do this every night going out to seek food. Gosh it is so cheap.

This is the area we head down for a meal every night Long Beach. All sorts of street stalls placed around all the tables in the middle. Each table has a no, When you are ordering  you give the stall your no. that you will be sitting at and they come and find you.



We had a plate of spring rolls each  and a banana pancake.  NZ$8 for the meal. They were very filling. That included a pancake each!!

Good day lots to see. This would be our biggest walking day  (9.3km) as with a car you don't walk as much. That's a long way in this heat.You are inclined to drive when you can but when you are doing a city like this you have to walk as so much traffic around. We parked our car next to the Chew piers beside a shop that was offering parking. We said can we park here and how much. It was about NZ$1 for as long as you want. After our harbour crossing we just kept walking around town through China town no map and knew we were heading in the right directions to our car but one street back. We thought that we must be getting near to where our car must be. Walked down a side street and there in front of us was the car. We couldn't believe it. Really hot and sore feet couldn't wait to get into the aircon and drove back to base.