Our Penang Mini Vacation

Penang Trip Day 1, 21st September 2009

We had a mini vacation last weekend during the short Hari Raya celebration. We visited Penang state at the north part of Malaysia. We start our journey at 11am and the journey took us almost 8 1/2 hours drive to reach Penang which usually only took 6 hours the most for a non stop drive. On the way, we do stop at a 2 rest areas for stretching up. The highway road is quite jammed due to holiday season. We reach Ipoh town, Perak at around 4pm and took our so called “lunch” at the famous Ipoh Taugeh Chicken Lou Wong shop. The shop was overloaded with people and we waited for 15 minutes for a seat. We had a lunch very quickly because people are standing next to our table waiting. We continue our journey and finally reach Penang at 730pm. We meet up with Patrick and family, my husband friend in Penang. We took our dinner at Bukit Tambun, the seafood village. We stayed overnight at Patrick house located nearby the restaurant in Bukit Tambun, Penang Mainland. Alfred has been very good on our first trip that requires a long stretch journey. He slept most of the time and sing Barney song with his daddy walkman hand phone when he’s bored. Here are some photos to be shared.

Alfred hiding behind the phone laughing

Finally reach Penang

All by my own
Grandma, I want to eat myself.. arggh!!
Patrick & Quan

Ivy & Quan

Penang Day 2, 22nd September 2009

We waked up early at 9am and had our breakfast at a Dim Sum restaurant nearby Sungai Dua. Patrick recommended the place for us. The dim sums are tremendous cheap cause it was sold at RM 1 per dish, any dish. Usually dim sum priced around RM2 to RM 6 per dish. The foods is at fine quality although it cheap. That the cheapest dim sum I ever had. Sadly, no photo taken due to the restaurant is too crowded and I have to look after Alfred. We always stuck with crowded people areas, we had no choice, holiday season is time people had their break.

After the breakfast, we were on our own as Patrick had to leave us to work. We drive crossing Penang Bridge to reach the island. Our first stop is at Dharmikarama Burmese Temple. Opposite the temple is the Reclining Buddha called Wat Chaiyamangalaram, a Thai Buddhist Temple. The temple was built in 1845 and 33 meter gold plated reclining Buddha. Alfred does a lot of walking and running around at these two temples. Each temple had a lot of Buddha statue and they are really big statue and tremendously Alfred is not scared at all. I teach him to pray at Buddha and he did pray to each Buddha he see. He said his prayer loudly and attracted the people in the temple. Everyone look at him and asked me his ages. When I said nearly two, they stop asking and show me a frown face. Well, I didn’t continue to elaborate that Alfred is actually an achon because they stop asking. I feel that I do no need to explain unless they asked me why or how come and so on. My little boy had so much fun at the temple and falls asleep soon as he was being seated on his car seat. He is really tired.

On the way to Penang Island

Penang Bridge

We reach the entrance to Dharmikarama Burmese Temple

Praying to buddha that Alfred stay healthy

Lighting a candle for Buddha

A burmese monk gave a holy thread to Alfred

My favorite photoBig Standing buddha with Grandma and KS sister

The reclining buddha

When Alfred was asked to pose, this is what we get!!

Yeah!!

Walk with determination

Daddy follow from behind

We get to our next destination, Kek Lok Si Temple, another place of attraction in Penang Island. We take turn to walk around the temple as Alfred is still sleeping inside the car. When we reach on the top of the Kek Lok Si temple, Alfred waked up. He doesn’t want to seat on his stroller anymore. He doesn’t even want us to carry him. He loves to walk and pointing here and there. We choose to sit next to a pond which full of koi fish and fed the fish as Alfred just woke up and still not gaining his energy yet. After a few minutes of resting, he’s up again running around. When we were ready to go, I took Alfred to go down the hill by cable car while daddy waited for us at the bottom of the hill with grandma. We had a late lunch at 3pm because our breakfast is rather heavy. We had Penang famous Laksa and cendol for lunch. We also order another type of drink called “Pat Poh Tea” consists of jelly, lychee and tapioca.

Due to we had our lunch late and it still early, we headed to Queen Bay Mall. The mall is huge. We stayed there for 3 hours and I did a little shopping buying a few cloths for Alfred. Our next stop is Gurney Drive at Batu Feringgi for dinner. By the time we reach the famous Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, it nearly 8pm. After the late dinner, we went home. All of us are so tired but it is a good day.

Feeding the fish at Kek Lok Si Temple

Our Late lunch "Penang Laksa"

Desert "Cendol"

"Pak Poh Tea"

After the dinner at Gurney Drive, Batu Feringhi

Penang Day 3, 23rd September 2009

Due to yesterday tiredness, Alfred slept till 11am while me waked up at 930am to pack our stuff before we head home. So, the whole families skip breakfast. Later, we headed to 23 Takehana Japanese Restaurant at Auto City, Juru for lunch.

We had a great lunch and good food at the Japanase Restaurant. Here is a few photo of Alfred at the restaurant.

Alfred also wanted a set of menu, pointing at the menu calling daddy, daddy

That's my chopstick

Father and Son

This is how he used his chopstick

Our delicious lunch

After the lunch, we headed to Sunway Carnival Mall for a walk while daddy has to settle some work at the supplier office. The first stop is the toy department of the mall as I am looking around a present for Alfred’s birthday which falls next month. I ended taking funny pictures of Alfred as he wandering around the toys corner taking every piece of toy he can hold too.

His first stop

Seem like he interested with the toys

Walking away to the next corner

Does the reaction of Alfred and the giraffe look the same?

Our dinner "Wan Tan Mee"

Alfred pointing at the lantern but I'm busying captured the food, he frown his face when he called me again at me

At the shop buying local biscuits for the family

Love this shoot although Alfred did not look at the camera.. grandma wanted to buy the "petai", a type of green bean with a pungent smell which my hubs love so much cooked with belacan. Ugghh!!

The fruits stall at Bidor, Ipoh

I will be posting more photo in Facebook.