Penang isn't just chicken..Around the World Part 5

Destination: Penang, Malaysia
Date: March 2012

A sign in downtown Penang, I was very curious about the kinds of fashions I'd find here
March 2012

Clay and Bailey posing with the Sister Missionaries at the Penang Branch
March 2012

    We lucked out in Penang!  Since it was Sunday during our stop we really wanted to try and find one of our church congregations to attend.  Trent looked online and found that there was a branch meeting in Penang at 10:00am.  We were a little hesitant since some  times the information found on the church website is not always correct, however this time it was and we were excited to experience church on this little island.  

Trent negotiating with the swarming taxi drivers
March 2012

We started by getting off of the cruise ship at 9:00am and finding taxis again to be our drivers for the day.  This time we found two drivers with room for six in their vehicles even though we needed room for seven.  The taxi driver solved it by putting a fold up chair in the middle of the two bucket seats in the middle row and we were off.  For $120 for the day we had two locals drive us around to anywhere we wanted to go.

The church building in Penang
March 2012

  We started by going straight to the church building and met the locals.  I was surprised by how many Americans live, and work in Penang.  There were about three families there and we enjoyed their conversation, as well as the two sets of missionaries serving in this local branch.  

The suitcase of toys, toothbrushes, and toothpastes we brought over to
distribute to less fortunate children living in Penang
March 2012

One of our family traditions our family has started doing is to take something from the states to share with children in these poor countries and so we wheeled our big duffel into the church to give to the branch president of the congregation.  We knew he would know the best way to distribute these items to kids in the area.  Since the packed duffel had taken up a lot of room in our cruise cabin we were excited to  turn over our bounty and let the members of the church there distribute it where they knew there was a need.  Even though my kids didn't get to see first hand who received these items they knew what they were doing was important and would be a great surprise for many children.  

This is a weird picture, but it is taken from the top of Penang
Hill and these are the tracks that go straight down the hill
March 2012

Our friends "J" and "S" sitting with Trent to demonstrate the tight seating
 on the "Swedish Coach" going up the mountain
March 2012

After church we headed over to Penang Hill to see the sights of the city from high on the mountain top.  This is the big local attraction here and we were easily convinced as to why.  It cost us $28 for our family of four to go up.  The advertisement said that an air-conditioned Swedish made coach that would take us up to the top of the mountain to enjoy the luxurious views of Penang.  I was curious as to what a “swedish air-conditioned coach” would be.  It turned out to be a train, that was on a cable, that pulled us straight up the side of the mountain at a very steep forty-five-degree angle.  

At the top of Penang Hill over looking the city
March 2012

At the top of Penang Hill overlooking the city, I'm on my tip toes
so I can look taller than Bailey
March 2012

Once at the top we enjoyed the views, took pictures, (took more pics with other tourists and locals), and we even had the chance to pose with a huge albino boa constrictor snake.  It was frightening but I got Bailey to pose with the snake by herself and even do a little Brittney Spears pose standing with the snake on her shoulders even though the snake handler was a little skeptical. The pictures with the snake cost $3 each US. 

Clay and Bailey holding an albino boa constrictor in Penang
March 2012

Bailey having a Britney Spears moment
March 2012

Also up top there was a food court with great foods made by the locals.  Bailey had some sort of brothy noodle soup while Trent and I enjoyed chicken satay with a peanut sauce.  Clay could have had chicken nuggets on a stick but he opted for just a popsicle because it was so warm outside.  

Bailey enjoying her soup
March 2012

Soon we headed back down the mountain and back to our waiting taxis.  Our drivers talked us out of going to the beach so we headed to China town to see if we could find as many good buys as we had in KL.  It was not to be since most of the shops were closed in observance of the Sabbath but Clay did get a fanny pack while I bought two of the local head coverings to add to my collection of items for my nativity we enact every Christmas.  I negotiated with the saleswoman and bought them for 10 kebobs each, instead of the 15 she was asking.  It all came out to about $3 each in US.

I bought this head covering in Penang so that I could have something to use when we toured the temples
in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
March 2012

Our friends the "M's" opted not to shop and they had reflexology foot massages done by two blind Chinese women that cost them about $12 US.  The day before in KL they had a pedicure that had the fish nibble off the dead skin on their feet in tanks of fish on the streets there in KL.  It was a crazy feeling but their feet felt smooth and soft after that experience. 

The most disgusting pic taken on the trip.  These are my friend "C's" feet as she received a special treatment getting the dry skin eaten off of her feet by small fish in Penang
March 2012

Our friend "S" trying to convince Trent not to purchase the food on the street in Penang
March 2012

The toilets provided at the top of Penang Hill Ahhhhh!!!
March 2012

Once it was all said and done we were tired, dusty, and hot, so we had our nice taxi driver take us to the ship and we said our farewell to him and paid him our negotiated price plus a tip for his patience and insights during the day.  We were glad to make it back safely.  Once back on board we headed back to get clean for the nights activities.  One person in our party saw a crocodile off the shore by our cruise ship nibbling on something he had pulled under the doc.  He was confused at seeing a crocodile in the ocean but other passengers on board saw the croc too and confirmed it was in fact a crocodile living under the piers by our boat.  It made the beach front property not look as alluring once the crocodile had been spotted.  Next stop Sri Lanka!

Bailey posing with a local Penang woman who met us outside our ship
March 2012

Safe & Happy Travels!!