Postings from Penang

 
 The lack of posts on the blog recently has been a result of my trip to Penang with a very good friend.  We stayed at the Campbell House and the Shangri-la Rasa Sayang resort, in Georgetown and Batu Ferringhi respectively.  I really loved Penang.  
 

A few initial observations:

• I didn't realize how many ethnic Chinese reside there.  
• Penang is really really shabby chic cute.
• I had no idea how diverse the city is.
• It is SO hot.

Our hotel was located on the corner of Lebuh Campbell:

 We had a little balcony off of our room:

 The hotel was very nicely decorated:

Common area

Stairs - no elevator here!

Colored glass panels are very popular in old houses here

The pulley system, for luggage

Our first order of business was to check out afternoon tea at the Eastern & Oriental hotel on the waterfront.  It is the oldest hotel in Penang.

view from below the glass awnings of the E&O.

The hotel lobby

Our view during tea.  We tried to wait out a thunderstorm.

After a day strolling the streets, I joked that Penang must be the most instagram-able city, and my friend exclaimed that Penang doesn't need instagram because it already looks as if everything were shot in instagram.  It's true.  I can't imagine how any digital photographic patinas could improve this little gem of a city.

 

 

We had so much fun the first two days getting our bearings in Georgetown, checking out the historic heart of the city, absorbing the old temples, the colorful clashes of paint and the incredible fusion of cultures. 

 

Street art is very big here:

 

Penang at dusk