Ornate rise to past in Penang
- From: Escape
- January 26, 2013
IT'S hard to imagine my trishaw, brightly festooned with windmills, fake flowers and stuffed toys, was once the king of Penang's roads.
Today there are fewer than 200 pedal-powered trishaws left; there used to be 2500. The numbers continue to dwindle; it's hard to make a living as a trishaw man.
The beauty of the open-front becas (as the locals call them) is the chance to explore tight laneways, and get a feel for what makes places like George Town tick. My driver, Fanusi, was more than happy to stop for photo opportunities and gave me a bit of history along the way.
Among the hustle and bustle, cars, buses and taxis still respectfully give way. No one became impatient when my flamboyant ride took up too much space. Perhaps the "king of the road" status still stands.
Entering Chinatown, the smell of fish clings to the humid air as we pass the wet market on Cecil St.
The Khoo Kongsi clanhouse - the biggest in Malaysia and one of the most spectacular outside China - was our first stop. Jian Nian (cut-and-paste) porcelain shard work covers the ridges of the roof in blazing reds, blues and greens. Built in 1906, the colourful pieces have been exposed to the sun and rain for more than 100 years.
Outside the ancestral hall, beautifully detailed granite plaques depict The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars, Confucian stories on filial piety - or how to be good to one's parents.
Next stop, Chew Jetty, where the first Chinese port workers built their homes. At the time it was a clever way to avoid paying land tax to the British, who quickly caught on. Descendants of the original families still live along the wooden jetty. Some have opened shops, others bed-and-breakfasts and there are even snow cone and ice stick stands - coconut and pineapple worked a treat for me.
Back on the road, the smell of spice, incense and the sound of Bollywood music gave the location away long before we entered its streets. There's no sneaking up on Little India.
I missed the morning service at the Sri Mahamariammam Temple on Queen St by minutes, but the exterior was still worth the visit. Sculptures of gods and goddesses cover the facade of the Dravidian-style building.
The star-shaped Fort Cornwallis, built by Captain Frances (who took possession of the island) in 1786, was the final stop before lunch. To build the fort, Frances needed a large area of forest cleared. To expedite the process, he fired silver dollars from cannons into the trees. One silver dollar was worth several months of wages to the locals - Frances' ingenuity quickly paid off.
Not far from the Fort is the Penang International Cruise Terminal, where the biggest ships in the world can dock.
It's also home to the Hai Nan Town restaurant, where I feasted on traditional Malay dishes. Assam prawns fried in tamarind, ju hu char (vegetable and cuttlefish stir fry) wrapped in lettuce leaves and two serves of bee koh moy, a sticky-sweet black rice pudding with coconut milk.
I sought reprieve from the humidity at the Hard Rock Hotel. Coconut palms, thatched roofed cabanas and Penang's largest free-form lagoon beckoned, with its cooling waters. My umbrella in full bloom, lounge reclined as far as it could go and swim-up bar made for a relaxing afternoon. Children float atop giant inflatable tubes, colourful slides snake into shallow water in the wet play area designed for kids.
There's a lifeguard on duty from 7am to 9pm and the free Lil Rock Club for children aged four to 12 is open from 10am to 9pm. Teens aged 13-18 have their own area with pool tables, foosball, PlayStation, Wii and free internet. Babysitters are available.
My lagoon room had its own deck - an inlet of tiny blue tiles leading down to the pool meant I could swim out of my room. Inside there was a big, comfortable bed, armchair, desk and shower over bath - the hotel is three years old so everything is modern. .
Private cabanas by the pool are available for hire for about $19 for six hours and $25 for the day. This includes a fruit platter, water and locker to store personal belongings. They can contain luxury wicker rattan lounges.
You can also book a cabana for dinner. The set menu that included a tangy salmon and kingfish sashimi was my favourite meal at the hotel and the fluorescent sunset made for a memorable night.
A breakfast buffet at Starz restaurant is included in your room rate and lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe is all-American. One meal shared between two is more than enough, with big serves of nachos, New York sirloin, chicken caesar salad and fajitas. A couple of locally inspired dishes such as nasi goreng and laksa remind you you're in Malaysia.
The Hard Rock Cafe is a good spot if you want to kick on. Late, live and loud music has the hotel living up to its name - although far enough from the rooms so as not to disturb other guests.
While it's tempting to just swan about the resort, a place like Penang has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to food. Do not pass go without trying a traditional Penang laksa. This sour fish noodle soup ranks at No.7 on CNN's 30 most delicious foods in the world.
The night markets are less than a 10-minute walk away and home to some fantastic street food. Shrimp dumplings, stir-fried rice noodles, congee rice porridge and chicken skewers fanned over a charcoal flame cost about 25 each.
-- The writer was a guest of the Hard Rock Hotel Penang.
- Getting there
Air Asia flies to Penang from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with connections from Sydney.
- Staying there
Hard Rock Hotel Penang has lagoon deluxe rooms from $196 a night, plus taxes. Includes Starz breakfast.
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