Have Perut Will Travel...: August 2022

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Wednesday 31 August 2022

MERDEKA Day Parade 2022!

It's Merdeka Day!

Hari Kebangsaan, or National Day is the official independence day of Malaysia. It commemorates the Malayan Declaration of Independence of 31 August 1957 and is defined in Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia.

Fondly known as Hari Merdeka or Independence Day, it has been a practice for thousands of Malaysians from all walks of life, as well as age, race and religion, to converge to Dataran Merdeka to together celebrate our National Day each year.

The pandemic put paid to the celebrations of 2020-2021, and with this year's theme of Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama (Malaysian Family: Stronger Together) we were determined more than ever to join in the festivities.

We woke up at the crack of dawn and made our way out of our condo at 7:00am headed along Jalan TAR to its absolute end only to find Dataran Merdeka packed to the proverbial rafters.

All along Jalan Raja were tens of thousands of revellers eagerly waiting for the parade to start, we later learnt that some came as early as 4:30am!

So we doubled back along Jalan TAR and finally found a spot along Jalan Raja Chulan beside the bridge. There we waited for an hour and a half for the parade to start.

The parade started at 9:00am and lasted for about an hour and a half, and we then headed home.

Less words, more footage... enjoy the raucous and joyous parade!

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

N/B: Midway through the parade we switched cameras from the DJI Pocket 2 to the Lumix GH5. It being our first time and all we were unfamiliar with the audio settings, and when we got home, we found the audio to be rather shrill and 'jarring'. Try as we might we could not fix it in post-production, and please accept our sincerest apologies.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Dataran Merdeka - https://g.page/dataran-merdeka-kuala-lumpur?share
Jambatan Jalan Raja Laut - https://goo.gl/maps/jSmxppXizFFB8L4y5

Saturday 27 August 2022

KLCC Walkabout (Megan Avenue 2, Suria KLCC, Simfoni Lake, KLCC Park)

It's the weekend!

Our weekend began with a walk south along Jalan Munshi Abdullah headed to the bus stop in front of Jakel Mall. We had a hankering for some Borsch soup and knew just where to get it.

We were caught by surprise by the sudden emergence of the Rapid KL bus #300 that we did not have time to film it, and hastily got on board. Since it was a double decker bus, we made our way to the upper deck and got ourselves seated at the front.

The bus drove along Jalan Munshi Abdullah then turned right onto Jalan Dang Wangi before it then turned left onto Jalan Ampang.

In a little while we got off at Hotel Maya bus stop beside Wisma Selangor Dredging and walked northeast along Jalan Ampang. At the KLCC intersection we continued northeast onto Jalan Yap Kwan Seng.

We arrived at Megan Avenue 2 and made our way to Central Asia Restaurant to have a Caucasus inspired Uzbek lunch, complete with the Borsch soup we were hankering for.

An hour later we made our way southwest along Jalan Yap Kwan Seng before continuing onto Jalan Ampang at the KLCC intersection. We then walked across Jalan Ampang and made our way into Suria KLCC.

We then exited onto the esplanade outside of Suria KLCC and made our way to the Simfoni Lake, and KLCC Park. We spent some time exploring but the heat was a deterrence for us to continue any further. Also we noticed quite a fair bit of paths and walkways cordoned off, which further cut short our walkabout around KLCC Park.

Oh well, we'll be back some other time when the weather and cordons were less prohibitive.

We then walked back into Suria KLCC and out again onto Jalan Ampang where we waited for a free GoKL City Bus, specifically the Green Line that would take us to Bukit Bintang. After a little wait we boarded the bus and eventually got off at Wisma Cosway across from Pavilion.

We then waited for another free GoKL City Bus, this time the Blue Line that would take us back to Jalan Munshi Abdullah. We caught the Blue Line bus and alighted at the Capsquare bus stop.

We then walked to Semua House to get ourselves some refreshments from the Tea Live stall before walking into City One Plaza to get ourselves a couple of shawarmas for dinner.

With that we end our post for this week, but please stay tuned as we hope to cover the Merdeka (Independence) Day celebrations in a few short days.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

CENTRAL ASIA Restaurant

It's the weekend!

We had a hankering for some Borscht and knew just where to get it. Located within Megan Avenue 2 just a few hundred metres away from the KLCC intersection was Central Asia, an Uzbekistani restaurant that we had read about online.

A diminutive, little restaurant with several tables and two eating berths Central Asia was able to weather the turmoil of the past two years thanks in part to its takeout business. We also read that it draws a fair number of patrons during the weekdays from the many offices nearby.

We carefully perused the rather extensive menu and quickly settled on:

a bowl of Olivye Salad for RM8.50
a bowl of Borsh for RM14.50
a plate of Plov for RM16.50
4 skewers of Shashlik for RM36.00
a can of Coca Cola for RM3.50
a pot of Uzbek Black Tea for RM5.00

We also took away:

Uzbeki bread for RM5.00
Beef Somsa (Samosa?) for RM6.50
Chicken Somsa (Samosa?) for RM6.00

Our flavoursome lunch from the Caucasus came to RM101.50 (approximately USD/EUR23) which was a little pricey by our standards but it being a novelty meal from the Caucasus and all we felt it was well worth it.

An hour later we emerged from Central Asia eager to resume our KLCC walkabout.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Megan Avenue 2 - https://goo.gl/maps/gwLueMXvJAKWu9gp6
Restaurant Central Asia - https://goo.gl/maps/ac4wCFJyt3UZUjKm9

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Thursday 18 August 2022

New Gear Day (Altech Camera, Berjaya Times Square)

New gear day!

During our recent trip to Penang our little Lumix GX85 broke down. The shutter mechanism was jammed and after asking around found someone who could repair it.

So while waiting for it be repaired we managed to acquire a previously owned Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III as a back-up camera that came with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens from our trusted camera shop, Altech Camera. We did not film that particular visit.

Then we came upon a nifty lens to go with the Olympus EM10, the M.Zuiko 12mm f2.0 lens that Altech had for sale. Without hesitation I hailed a Grab car and headed over to acquire the lens.

Then a few days Danny the repairman called to inform that the repairs were done. He even personally sent the camera to us (since he had an errand to run in the general vicinity) and we were overjoyed that our precious little Lumix GX85 came back alive!

So we thought we'd make a short video on the newly acquired second hand camera and lens, and to celebrate the return of our precious little Lumix GX85.

We will return to regular programming in the posts to come, so we hope you will excuse the diversion.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Altech Camera - https://goo.gl/maps/Xxko6oUWhQc9k4ar6

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Friday 12 August 2022

ETS Train Ride (Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur)

We are going back to Kuala Lumpur!

The last time we rode the ETS to Penang, so this time we rode it back instead.

After spending time at Penang Sentral having brunch at KFC we made our way to the Butterworth station at 12:00pm and ten minutes before the departure time we were allowed to board.

At precisely 12:45pm we left the Butterworth station. The next four hours or so was very pleasant and while Cat took a nap I continued working on our video edits, even managing to render one video.

For a fare of RM80.00 (approximately USD/EUR18) it is double the price of a bus ticket. The ETS does shave an hour off the travel time, and it does provide a difference perspective as it travels through some amazing landscapte. Whether paying double is worth it is debatable.

As we reached the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur we decided to disembark at the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station instead of KL Sentral as it was nearer our home by Grab. We arrived at 5:07pm and with that end our post here.

With that too ends our Penang trip that in our zest yielded twenty posts! We will be going back soon (minus the camera).

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
KTM ETS Butterworth - https://goo.gl/maps/4m1GKqVskLfZorfbA
Penang Sentral - https://goo.gl/maps/U5Qyv59oAKFj8aQ39
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station - https://goo.gl/maps/K2K9GTHziUQvSJsm7

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Leaving for KUALA LUMPUR

We are going back to Kuala Lumpur!

Five glorious days went by in a flash, and we were already packing and getting ready to go.

Since there were no buses to get us to Penang Sentral we had no choice but to hail a Grab car. We had three luggage bags between us and thought it wise to hail a six-seater car just in case.

To our surprise the 'car' that picked us up was a luxurious Toyota Vellfire! We loaded our bags and enjoyed very comfortable half an hour drive across the Penang bridge to Penang Sentral. The fare including toll fees came to RM48.50 (approximately USD/EUR11) which we thought was remarkably reasonable since for the same distance the 'consortium' of Penang taxi drivers would have charged us RM63.40 (approximately USD/EUR14)!

We arrived at the Butterworth station at 10:am and since our ETS train back to Kuala Lumpur was only due to depart at 12:45pm we had plenty of time. We then walked across to the walkway that led to Penang Sentral.

Here we decided to have brunch at KFC. We spent the next two hours here eating as I began the arduous task of editing our videos.

At 12:00pm we made our way back to the KTM ETS station. It was at first very quiet until the ETS train bound from Kuala Lumpur arrived, causing quite a crush at the turnstile gate. The crowd grew massive to the point where the turnstile gates failed and the departing passengers were diverted to the manual gates.

Ten minutes later we were allowed to board, and at precisely 12:45pm we left the Butterworth station. The next four hours or so was very pleasant and while Cat took a nap I continued working on our video edits, even managing to render one video.

Half an hour before reaching Kuala Lumpur it began to rain heavily which forced the train to slow down. As we reached the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur we decided to disembark at the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station instead of KL Sentral as it was nearer our home by Grab.

At ten past five we arrived and again hailed a six-seater Grab car for a fare of RM32.00 (aproximately USD/EUR11). This time a diminutive Perodua Alza picked us up and got us home within ten minutes.

We miss Penang already, and hope to go again but this time without a camera in hand so that we can realise appreciate it for what it is. See you soon.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/NKCPhBhGrd6kCsnw6
KTM ETS Butterworth - https://goo.gl/maps/4m1GKqVskLfZorfbA
Penang Sentral - https://goo.gl/maps/U5Qyv59oAKFj8aQ39
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station - https://goo.gl/maps/K2K9GTHziUQvSJsm7

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Thursday 11 August 2022

NEW WORLD PARK Food City

Penang Day 5!

We made it a point to spend our last night in Penang at a typical Penang Chinese food court. New World Park is a food court that we walked past two nights ago on our way back to the hotel from Gurney Drive, and a place that we had seen quite a few times during our numerous bus rides.

I spent the entire afternoon working on the large volumes of footage we had captured the last five days, and in the blink of an eye it was dinnertime.

We left the hotel at seven in the evening and walked along Jalan Hutton until the intersection with Jalan Transfer where we turned left. We wanted to check out Lorong Popus, a location where we had read online about a possible homestay unit.

We scoped out the area in a quiet neighbourhood and should Hutton Central or Hutton Suites be unavailable for future trips the homestay at Lorong Popus will be a handy backup.

We then headed out of Lorong Popus back onto Jalan Transfer before darting left onto Jalan Dinding. We walked the entire stretch to its end and ended up on Jalan Hutton again.

We walked northwest for a while before turning left onto Jalan Swatow. We had arrived at New World Park Food City!

A large food court with remarkably lofty ceilings that provided excellent air ventilation, we were soon immersed in the sights, sounds and odour of the place. We walked around for a fair bit checking out the food stalls and eventually settled on:

Grilled Lamb Chop for RM21.00
Fries for RM9.00
Char Kueh Teow with Duck Egg for RM9
Tonic Soup with Rice for RM9.00
A large plate of Lor Bak RM13.00
3 Pepsi plus a large Carlsberg for RM28

Our (almost) typical and delightful Penang dinner came to RM89.00 (approximately USD/EUR20) which was a little steep by our standards but it being our last night and all we decided to “go out with a bang”.

We will be heading back to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow and will miss Penang and its food tremendously.
Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/Sa3pp5NKAQgx5pij6
Lorong Popus - https://goo.gl/maps/X9QUxATdAcMYErJL7
New World Park Food City - https://goo.gl/maps/3ma8BRh6nUWjXHEq7

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

PENANG Runaround 7 (Weld Quay - Gurney Drive - Beach Street)

Penang Day 5!

Our penultimate day in Penang, we did not have any specific plans other than having breakfast at Roti Canai Jalan Argyll nearby.

We had actually slept in this morning and arose at a quarter to nine. We eventually got ready an hour later and arrived at the breakfast destination at ten in the morning.

A round of Roti Canai and a drink for everyone came to RM13.00 (approximately USD/EUR3). We then headed to the bus stop in front of the 7-Eleven at Jalan Penang and caught the Rapid Penang Free CAT bus all the way to Jetty Bus Terminal B at Weld Quay.

Here we switched over to the Rapid Penang #101 bus for a fare of RM1.40 each (approximately USD/EUR0.30) to Gurney Paragon Mall at Gurney Drive. We paid the H&M store a visit in search of a T-shirt that I took a liking to, but it was not to be found.

We then hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM13.00 (approximately USD/EUR3) to the Birch House Heritage Building. Located at Dato' Keramat Road, and now part of Penang Times Square it was built in 1908 to house the office of Eastern Smelting.

We all had drinks with fries at McDonald’s for RM18.30 (approximately USD/EUR4) then walked over to 1st Avenue Mall. Here we visited another H&M store and found the T-shirt I was looking for.

We then walked over to the Komtar Bus Terminal and caught another Rapid Penang Free CAT bus to Padang Kota Lama. Here we walked across Light Street and headed to Merlin Hotel.

We had lunch at Nasi Kandar Merlin that came to RM31.50 (approximately USD/EUR7), which consisted of a plate of white rice with fried chicken and a generous sampling of all their curries.

Lunch out of the way we decided to walk back to the hotel via Lebuh Campbell and it being our penultimate day in Penang stopped by Lebuh Keng Kwee to take home three packets of Cendol that we enjoyed at the hotel later.

We hope to have dinner tonight at a typical Penang Chinese food court, so please stay tuned.
Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Wednesday 10 August 2022

SAF Street Pasta

Penang Day 4!

Sad as we were that we couldn't spend more time at the Penang Botanic Gardens we knew we had to make a move on to the next destination.

Inaccessible by public transport we were left with little choice but to hail a Grab car out of the gardens. After consulting with the Moovit phone app we hailed a car to the Adventist Hospital where we could catch a bus to Batu Ferringhi. The fare was RM7 (approximately USD/EUR2), and we reached the Adventist Hospital five minutes later.

Alas we were mistaken and the bus to Batu Ferringhi actually plied a different route along another hospital, Gleneagles. We then hailed another Grab car there for RM7 (approximately USD/EUR2) as well.

After a short wait we boarded what appeared to be the bus to Batu Ferringhi. Sadly we caught the Rapid Penang #104 bus and were very rudely ejected off the bus. We finally caught the correct Rapid Penang #101 bus for a fare of RM2.00 each (approximately USD/EUR0.50).

Evening rush hour traffic was really bad but cleared up after Tanjung Bungah, and we arrived at the bus stop opposite the Golden Sands Hotel in Batu Ferringhi at half past seven in the evening.

If you had followed our previous posts on our adventures to Batu Ferringhi you would have known that we tried and failed to have a meal at SAF Street Pasta, a street food stall that a YouTuber we follow "Ken Abroad" spoke so highly of. Well, this time we came at the appropriate time and were soon ordering our choice of pasta.

I had asked for what "Ken Abroad" ordered; Brendan tried the Carbonara Meatballs and added a bowl of Mushroom soup while Cat fancied the Seafood Aglio Alio. We devoured our plates of pasta with glee and enjoyed it immensely. Together with a round of fruit juices (Brendan had two glasses) our street food dinner came to RM63.70 (approximately USD/EUR14).

We then hopped on another Rapid Penang #101 bus for a fare of RM2.70 (approximately USD/EUR0.60) bound for George Town. Forty minutes later we found ourselves at Jalan Transfer, we walked back and past the hotel to the 7-Eleven at Jalan Penang to get several bottles of drinking water.
With that ends our adventurising for today, please stay tuned for more in the posts to come.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
SAF STREET PASTA - https://goo.gl/maps/yYZKDDxTzSnUS6Br9

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

PENANG Botanic Gardens

Penang Day 4!

We came back from our morning sojourn and spent the day indoors and ordered take-outs from Grab for lunch. Evening came and we emerged from the hotel to cross out another item on our bucket list. Penang Botanic Garden was on the list.

We researched online and could not find a single mode of public transport to get us there, so in the end we resorted to hailing a Grab car. The fare was RM21.00 (approximately USD/EUR5) and the ride took only fifteen minutes.

We strolled along its path enjoying the peace and serenity and drawing in the deliciously fresh air while contemplating whether to take the scenic route. In the end we opted for the “short course” and were done within half an hour.

Established in 1884 almost at the same time of the beautiful Taiping Lake Gardens — one of Perak’s main attractions — Penang Botanical Gardens date back to 1884 and were previously known as Waterfall Gardens from the large, sloshing source of water found within them. The first curator was Briton Charles Curtis — the Curtis Crest elevated walkway at the Habitat Penang Hill is named after him — who transformed a lush valley in an old granite quarry into these gardens at the foot of that waterfall. Even today, Penang Botanic Gardens maintain their original English-style design, with large open lawns hemmed in by hills covered with viridian tropical rainforest. The original colonial interest here was of course spices, but Charles Curtis was also interested in Penang’s native plants. He contributed immensely to the discovery and classification of Penang’s flora, and introduced many plants in these Botanic Gardens. During World war II, the Japanese used tunnels by the Botanical Gardens’ Lily Pond to store ammunition and facilities. In the 2000s, the Gardens expanded to reach 242 hectares of protected areas, a habitat for animals such as macaques, giant squirrels, and dusky leaf monkeys.

We will surely come back on day soon to walk the entire length of this marvellous garden, but for now a street food stall in Batu Ferringhi awaits.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Penang Botanic Gardens - https://goo.gl/maps/brPuAW4YYJbniv6z7

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

WELD QUAY Walkabout (Jetty Hopping)

Penang Day 4!

Today would turn out to be a day of crossing out items on our bucket list. High on our Penang travel list is a visit to the Weld Quay area, specifically the various Clan Jetties. We arrived at Chew Jetty only to realise that we were a little early.

To while the time away we went to a café nearby for some refreshments and a couple of half boiled eggs that cost us RM7.40 (approximately USD/EUR2). At ten o’clock sharp we walked into Chew Jetty and caught a glimpse of what life might have looked like in the 1800s.

Having been a home on stilts on the shores for the Chew Clan community for more than a century and still is now, the Chew Jetty has withstood the test of time and is a strong testament to Penang's commitment to its living heritage. These clusters of wooden houses were built by poor Chinese immigrants who worked near the port during the nineteenth century. These immigrants migrated from the south-eastern coast of China, due to the hardship they faced in their homeland during that era. Later they brought their families over and made this waterfront their home. The Chew Jetty is still home to hundreds of people living in this area today but many have changed their social and economic lifestyle.

Later on we continued on in the same direction until we reached Lim Jetty, one of the six existing clan jetties in George Town.

Also known as Snaeh Lim Kio in the Hokkien dialect, it is the clan jetty nearest to Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda, the ferry terminal. Completely destroyed during the Japanese bombing campaign in 1941, it was rebuilt after WW2. The principle temple at Lim Jetty is the Sun Moon Temple, a shrine for the Lim clan's patron deity, Lim Tai Cor and other deities. The busiest time at this temple is during the feast day of the goddess Mazu, or Ma Cor Poh. Today much of Lim Jetty has made way for development, with a large tract of the waterfront being reclaimed to make a parking lot. Immediately to the south of Lim Jetty is Chew Jetty.

We did not have time to visit the rest of the clans’ jetties and made our way to the bus terminal nearby to catch a Rapid Penang free CAT bus to KOMTAR. See you all soon.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Clan Jetties Of Penang - https://goo.gl/maps/MuJbn4egb2moxiDD7
Chew Jetty - https://goo.gl/maps/R9GMEVPvrYo438XJ7
Lim Jetty - https://goo.gl/maps/8QqS1AyWm4NPBvRt7
Rapid Penang Jetty Terminal - https://goo.gl/maps/dteRXf5Z4aHhXTub6

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

PENANG Runaround 6 PENANG Runaround 6 (Aik Hoe, WELD QUAY, Chew Jetty, Lim Jetty and Beyond)

Penang Day 4!

This morning we were thankfully able to wake up at the crack of dawn. Brendan stayed up the whole night and asked to be excluded from our planned runaround today.

We left the hotel at ten after seven in the morning and as usual walked toward Lebuh Campbell. We continued along headed southeast for about half a kilometre before turning left onto Lebuh Carnarvon.

Our breakfast destination was soon in sight. Serving traditional Dim Sum, Aik Hoe has been in business for many years and is considered an institution to some.

Cat read that the aged husband and wife owners may not be able to hand over the reins of the business to anyone in the family, and Aik Hoe may soon perish from Penang’s kaleidoscope of local cuisine.

With that in mind we made it a point to visit Aik Hoe at least once while we had the chance. Practicing self-serve, customers are expected to choose the dim sum of their choice from the counter. Even though we got there reasonably early most of the choice dim sum had already been snapped up.

We took what was available and enjoyed our breakfast together will a hot steaming pot of Chinese tea. This traditional local breakfast came to RM30 (approximately USD/EUR7).

Breakfast sorted out we continued our morning walk along Lebuh Campbell headed southeast past the Kapitan Keling Mosque onto Jalan Buckingham. We then turned right onto Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling then onto Jalan Cannon Street until we reached the Aceh Street Mosque.

We then turned left onto Lebuh Acheh and continued southeast right to the very end where we ended up at Pengkalan Weld. We turned left and managed to walk across the very busy street. We continued along for a few hundred meters until we reached Chew Jetty.

We then visited Lim Jetty as well, so be sure to watch our video on these two fascinating jetties!

We then wandered out onto Pengkalan Weld and finally ended up at the Rapid Penang Jetty Terminal B where we caught a Rapid Penang CAT free bus to KOMTAR.

We walked over to 1st Avenue Mall and spent a good hour at several retail stores buying a few T-shirts to replace the ones that had gotten discoloured in the wash.

We then walked back to KOMTAR and caught a Rapid Penang #202 bus along Jalan Penang for a fare of RM1.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.20) that took us to Jalan Transfer. We then continued walking along Jalan Hutton till we got back to the hotel. We were then engrossed with doing some chores the entire day and ordered take-outs from Grab for lunch, only to emerge in the evening. Stay tuned for our next posts.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Tuesday 9 August 2022

PENANG Runaround 5 (GURNEY DRIVE and Back)

We're finally visiting Gurney Drive!

Synonymous with Penang Island, Gurney Drive sits on reclaimed land created off Teluk Ayer Rajah, the bay that once existed between George Town and Tanjung Tokong.

Taken from the Penang Fandom website:
As early as 1930, plans were drawn up to build a coastal road which spanned George Town's northern coasts by extending North Beach (the area around Northam Road). In 1934, North Beach was extended by 510 yards into what is now Gurney Drive. The New Coast Road along North Beach was completed two years later. In the late 1940s, land was reclaimed next to the road off Teluk Ayer Rajah, a bay between George Town city centre and the Tanjung Tokong suburb. This reclaimed land would be later known as Gurney Drive. In 1952, at the height of the Malayan Emergency, New Coast Road was renamed Gurney Drive after Sir Henry Lovell Goldsworthy Gurney, the British High Commissioner of Malaya who was killed by Malayan Communist Party guerillas in the state of Pahang the previous year. Initially, Burmah Road was to be renamed as Gurney Road, but New Coast Road was chosen instead.

Our evening began with a walk to the bus stop along Jalan Penang in front of the 7-Eleven. Here we caught a Rapid Penang #101 bus that would take us to the Sleeping Buddha bus stop along Jalan Kelawai. The fare was RM1.40 each (approximately USD/EUR0.30).

We then walked across Jalan Kelawai onto Jalan Concordia and continued northeast to its very end. We were finally at Gurney Drive but found out that our initial place of interest, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre was closed on Tuesdays.

We settled on the first thing that came to view; in this case it was Coco Island Street Food. A lively place, we quite enjoyed our dinner here and an hour later it was time to head back.

We had a little too much to eat so instead of taking another bus back to the hotel we decided to walk the entire distance. We walked along Gurney Drive for quite a fair distance headed southeast while taking in the sights, to the very end before turning left onto Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.

We again walked southeast before walking across Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah past the Istana Kedah onto Jalan Larut. At the next intersection we again turned left onto Jalan Hutton and were on the home stretch!

Twenty minutes later we arrived at the hotel, our feet a little sore but the food in our tummies fully digested.

Please stay tuned for our next posting as we adventurise a couple of jetties tomorrow morning.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/LyX27z6dX3KBnH7F7
Sleeping Buddha - https://goo.gl/maps/WwhjQ2PNojYAeARTA
Jalan Concordia - https://goo.gl/maps/aMSA9UUztcnK3zxPA
Coco Island Street Food - https://g.page/CocoIsland?share
Persiaran Gurney - https://goo.gl/maps/ArNno4vfcQBGfjmb8
Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah - https://goo.gl/maps/7s1T6vjmLP5jsPHk7
Jalan Larut - https://goo.gl/maps/jv7wdjKznefhagrA7
Jalan Hutton - https://goo.gl/maps/5LkU5U5wkJm8xw3V8

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

COCO ISLAND Street Food

It's time for dinner at Gurney Drive!

The whole point of coming to Gurney Drive was to have dinner at the renowned hawker centre here. A tourist trap for sure, but we would be remiss if we neglected to pay this old hawker centre a visit at least once.

Alas, we did not check before coming and discovered too late that the Gurney Drive Hawker Centre. No matter, when life serves us lemons we go on island hopping, or in this case pay a visit to Coco Island Street Food.

Coco Island is a bright and lively food court that more than made up for our earlier disappointment. We took turns strolling past each foodstall before eventually settling on:

Wat Tan Hor for RM11.50
Fruit Juices for RM11.70
Pork Chop for RM18.00
Fries for RM8.00
Fish & Chips for RM16.00
Penang Rojak for RM13.00
20 sticks of Satay for RM29.00

We admit that we went a little overboard. The delightful dinner came to RM97.20 (approximately USD/EUR22) which in our minds was a little steep given that we did not even have a beer. However with the location in mind we would have anticipated the bill to be a little high.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Coco Island Street Food - https://g.page/CocoIsland?share

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

PENANG Runaround 4 (KOMTAR, BALIK PULAU and Back)

We're going someplace new!

We emerged from the hotel a half an hour later after settling my grumbling tummy and made our way to the bus stop along Jalan Penang in front of the 7-Eleven. Here we caught a Rapid Penang #201 bus to KOMTAR for a fare of RM1.00 each (approximately USD/EUR0.20).

We were planning to visit an area of Penang Island that we’ve never been to, that is Balik Pulau. In order to do this we waited for the Rapid Penang #401E bus right at the last lane of KOMTAR Bus Terminal.

We boarded the bus at twenty after eleven in the morning and paid the fare of RM4.00 each (approximately USD/EUR0.90). This bus ride promised to be loads of fun since it would take an hour, passing through areas such as Gelugor, Sungai Nibong, Queensbay Mall, Bukit Jambul, Penang Airport, Teluk Kumbar, Genting before eventually arriving in Balik Pulau.

We arrived in Balik Pulau an hour and twenty minutes later, and after consulting with the bus driver about where we could have lunch, we got off at Pekan Kongsi.

Here we strolled along this tiny town before deciding on lunch at Nasi Kandar Roundabout. We had an excellent round of Nasi Kandar, Brendan and I had rice with fried chicken while Cat settled on fried noodles. Together with a round of drinks our lunch came to RM25.70 (approximately USD/EUR6).

The weather was getting warmer, so I decided to get a haircut at the local barber, Sri Mun Barbershop. A young Indian gentleman attended to me and the haircut cost only RM13.00 (approximately USD/EUR3).

We walked out the barbershop and narrowly missed a Rapid Penang #401E bus. Another bus came along, the #502 bus but we were told it did not go to KOMTAR.

We eventually caught another Rapid Penang #401E bus some time later and again paid the fare of RM4.00 each (approximately USD/EUR0.90). The bus ride took a little over an hour before arriving back at KOMTAR Bus Terminal. We got off and headed to the Maybank nearby to settle a banking matter, and then walked back to the hotel.

We will be going on yet another walkabout later in the evening, so please stay tuned.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/Sa3pp5NKAQgx5pij6
Komtar Bus Terminal - https://goo.gl/maps/kiMomEA7ye3HuNVU6
Pekan Kongsi - https://goo.gl/maps/qF6GYCAZXtLwyeq6A
Nasi Kandar Roundabout - https://goo.gl/maps/yJFsDQnnRd9kDLz97
Sri Mun Barbershop - https://goo.gl/maps/whiGjiVwKXQFrpEH8

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

PENANG Walkabout 6 (CHOWRASTA Market Hunt)

Penang Day 3!

We had meant to be up early this morning but overslept and only managed to leave the hotel at five past nine. First order of the day was to have breakfast at a renowned toast bread stall nearby, and for that we walked across Hutton Street in front of the hotel and continued southwest along Jalan Penang.

We arrived at Hutton Lane Roti Bakar soon after and joined the long queue to place our order. We all had the same set of toasted bread with two half boiled eggs perched on top.

Breakfast together with a round of drinks came to RM18.00 (approximately USD/EUR4). We then walked across Jalan Penang and headed to Jalan Chowrasta to begin our market hunt, the first in a long while.

Taken from Penang's fandom pages:

Chowrasta Market at Penang Road, within George Town's UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Malaysia's oldest markets and one of only two markets in the city centre, the other being Campbell Street Market. It is also notable for the wide variety of Penang's fresh produce sold within, from pickled nutmegs to tau sar pneah (Penang's famous bean paste pastry).

The area where the market now stands was originally part of a massive Indian area in George Town. In particular, ethnic Tamils from southern India began settling around the area in the mid-19th. century. It was within the vicinity of the present market where the Tamils sold fresh produce and livestock.

In 1890, the George Town Municipal Council built the single-storey Chowrasta Market. It was eventually replaced with the present Chowrasta Market in the 1960s. The market building was later renovated between 2013 and 2017, as part of efforts to rejuvenate and expand the aging market. The renovation works were completed as of January 2017.

We began our stroll along Jalan Chowrasta from the intersection with Jalan Penang to its end, before doubling back. A great assortment of items and wares were on sale, but nothing struck our fancy.

We then entered Chowrasta Market proper, and Cat stopped by a pickles stall to get a packet of pickled mango and papaya that cost RM7 each (USD/EUR1.60).

We then strolled its length all the way to the back. Here we found all kinds of fresh meat and poultry on sale artfully arranged in one corner of the wet market. To the other end were freshly caught fish, squid, and all manner of food from the sea.

Alas, we were not able to buy anything here since we did not have the ability nor the inclination to cook during our trip to Penang. We then rode an escalator up to the first floor but found only two clothes stalls doing business.

We quickly made our way down and walked out of the market onto Lebuh Tamil headed southeast to its end. We then turned right onto Jalan Kuala Kangsar to take in the sights of the morning vendors selling a variety of items and wares including clothing.

We reached the intersection with Lebuh Kimberley and turned around to walk down to the other end. Cat found a quaint batik blouse and shorts suit that she fancied and paid the shop keeper RM30.00 (approximately USD/EUR7) for it.

We then made our way out of Chowrasta but stopped by a fruit stall to get a bunch of bananas and half a watermelon for RM13 (approximately USD/EUR7).

We then headed back to the hotel, but be out and about again, going on a run-around, so please stay tuned.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/Sa3pp5NKAQgx5pij6
Hutton Lane Roti Bakar - https://goo.gl/maps/BUYbu79qFE4Ebs5J6
Jalan Chowrasta - https://goo.gl/maps/Bx4J7oB9vujBfed26
Walk@Chowrasta - https://goo.gl/maps/kPt3h3aratWACcwA7
Chowrasta Market - https://goo.gl/maps/KWWD8nnu1Fh3TxN89
Shin Huat (Pasar Chowrasta) - https://goo.gl/maps/Qhu8p6VAKvDscDsC8

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Monday 8 August 2022

PENANG Walkabout 5 (Pengkalan Weld, JETTY Food Court, Lebuh Armenian)

We're off on another walkabout!

We spent the entire afternoon in our apartment unit and once the temperature had cooled, we were raring to go on another walkabout. We left the hotel headed southeast along Jalan Hutton before walking across Jalan Penang and onto Lebuh Campbell.

Campbell Street was named after Sir George William Robert Campbell, who served as the Penang Inspector General and subsequently, the acting Lieutenant-Governor of Penang between 1872 and 1873.
When the street was created in the mid-19th. century, it was known as Sin Kay and Sin Kai in Hokkien and Cantonese, respectively. Both terms meant 'the new street'.

However, Campbell Street gained a seedy reputation soon after that. By way of pun, both terms, Sin Kay, and Sin Kai, came to refer to the fresh 'chickens' (prostitutes) brought into the courtesans’ quarters along the street. Another Cantonese term used to refer to the street was Fa Kai, which literally meant 'Flower Street' - also a euphemism for the prostitutes along the street.

For similar reasons, the Malays called the street Jalan Nona Baru and Jalan Makau. Jalan Nona Baru meant 'the street of new maidens', while Jalan Makau referred to the coastal city of Macau in China, where most of the Cantonese prostitutes came from.

We continued southeast along Lebuh Campbell all the way to its absolute end and crossed onto Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling headed southwest for a while before turning left onto Lebuh Armenian. We walked past the famous "Kids on Bicycle" mural by Ernest Zacharevic before reaching the end of the street that led to Pengkalan Weld.

We had arrived at The Jetty Food Court!

We had a hearty meal and doubled back along Lebuh Armenian. Since there was no one around we quickly took the opportunity to take some wefies with the "Kids on Bicycle" mural before continuing northwest. A "kedai bundle" caught Brendan's eye, and he spent a little time browsing the various second-hand shoes on display.

We then reached the end of Lebuh Armenian and turned right onto Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling before quickly turning left onto Jalan Kampung Kolam. We then turned right onto Lebuh Carnavon before making another quick left turn back onto Lebuh Campbell.

We were on the home stretch upon reaching the end we turned left onto Jalan Penang where we visited the fruit stall from the night before. Apart from some fruits we also got a packet of steamed chickpeas. We then doubled back and walked into the 7-Eleven to buy a large six-litre bottle of drinking water.

We then walked across Jalan Penang onto Jalan Hutton and back to the hotel. With that we end our walkabout and promise you many more to come.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/LyX27z6dX3KBnH7F7
Kids on Bicycle mural - https://goo.gl/maps/i5xCtRRs8DfvfN7x7
The Jetty Food Court - https://g.page/thejettyfoodcourt?share
KeninCaliq Bundle - https://goo.gl/maps/jdCjERXApJ7t5bzy9
7-Eleven Jalan Penang - https://goo.gl/maps/C1miQtYD7eHLEoxy5

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

The JETTY Food Court

Time for dinner!

The whole point of going on our walkabout this evening was to have dinner here at The Jetty Food Court. Cat read about the rave reviews it received from the online community, so it naturally piqued our interest.

Alas not very many stalls were open on a Monday evening, and we made do with the stalls that were available. We eventually settled on:

Char Kueh Teow for RM5.00
Fried Chicken for RM10.00
Wanton Mee for RM6.00
Sotong Kangkung for RM13.00
Vietnamese Spring Rolls for RM10.00
Dry Bak Kut Teh for RM16.00
Yam Rice for RM2.00
Drinks (including a large bottle of Heineken) for RM27.50

Our sumptuous Penang dinner came to RM89.50 (approximately USD/EUR20) which in our minds was very reasonably. If I had a bone to pick it would be about the Dry Bak Kut Teh that I had, which was a little to salty. Overall we enjoyed our meal and would not hesitate to recommend The Jetty Food Court to anyone seeking a quick and easy way to sample the local cuisine.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
The Jetty Food Court - https://g.page/thejettyfoodcourt?share

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Kek Lok Si

Kek Lok Si!

We got off the Rapid Penang #201 bus at the Air Itam Market and walked a short distance to the alleyway near the Kong Min school. After a few breathless minutes walking up the steps we decided to turn back, and headed to the foothill car park area of Kek Lok Si that was situated rigth beside the Kong Min school.

Here we stumbled upon (what was in our minds) a new and much appreciated addition to the temple, a new inclined from the foothill car park. This saved us an immense amount of time and energy well worth the RM16 fare (aprroximately USD/EUR3.60) that included:

an inclined lift to station 2
a buggy ride to station 3
another inclined lift to station 4

Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, and an important pilgrimage destintaion for Buddhists from most Southeast Asian countries. Kek Lok Si means "Sukhāvatī Temple". In Hokkien, Kek-lok literally means "supreme joy", itself a translation of Sukhāvatī, a paradise. Si means "temple". This venerable temple has also been translated as "Heavenly temple", "Pure Land Temple" (Sukhāvatī is one of the pure lands), "Temple of Supreme Bliss", and the "Temple of Paradise".

We took the inclined lift, then a buggy before riding the second inclined lift all the way to the top to see the Guan Yin Temple. From Wikipedia: "In 2002, a 30.2-metre bronze statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, was completed and opened to the public. It replaced the previous white plaster Kuan Yin statue which was damaged due to a fire a few years earlier.

The bronze statue is located on the hillside above the pagoda. The statue is complemented with a 60.9 metres three-tiered roof pavilion (with 16 columns made of bronze supporting the pavilion) which was completed in 2009.It is the tallest Guanyin statue in the world".

We then wandered around the zodiac themed garden and took some wefies at the little man-made waterfalls. We then rode the inclined lift back down to station 3 and took a stroll along the columns of Buddha statues before taking the buggy down to Station 2.

After a while of strolling we took the last inclined lift back to the foothill car park and walked back to Pekan Air Itam. An experience not to be missed if you visit Penang, this and Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera) are the two main landmarks that we recommend to everyone without hesitation.

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Pekan Ayer Itam - https://goo.gl/maps/M1tLVwVLwKeDCYAk8
Kek Lok Si Temple Car Park - https://goo.gl/maps/k68vJPwvzqCaQrbn8
Kek Lok Si’s Pagoda - https://goo.gl/maps/dQUjbL1PBNjr5de5A
Kek Lok Si Temple - https://goo.gl/maps/tPsCXddRm7dTMNjE6
Guan Yin Statue - https://goo.gl/maps/CkG8f1TBATdgCr5LA

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

PENANG Runaround 3 (Kopi Tiam Tawfid Pawanchi, Kek Lok Si, Pekan Air Itam, KOMTAR)

It's our wedding anniversary!

We were married on this day twenty-four years ago at the Kuala Terengganu Catholic Mission, and to be perfectly honest with you it was the best day of my life.

So to mark the occasion today we planned a trip to the venerable Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam. We got up reasonably early and were at the Penang Road bus stop by a quarter to eight. We caught a Rapid Penang free CAT bus and within minutes arrived at KOMTAR.

We then made our way to our new favourite budget breakfast stall, Tawfid Pawanchi. A packet of nasi lemak, a packet of fried noodles and a couple of doughnuts together with a round of beverages came to a mind boggling RM7.70 (approximately USD/EUR2).

All done we waited for and eventually settled on the Rapid Penang #201 bus that would take us to Pekan Air Itam for a fare of RM2.00 each (approximately USD/EUR0.50). Half an hour later we arrived at the bustling village and navigated past its crowd of morning shoppers before arriving at the foot of the hill that led to Kek Lok Si.

We spent the better part of an hour at the revered temple before making our way back down and into Pekan Air Itam where we stopped at an unnamed Chinese food court for a second round of breakfast. A bowl of Kueh Teow Thng, a plate of Char Kueh Teow and a diminutive Western breakfast (with toast, eggs, bacon, and sausages mind you!) together with a round of beverages cost RM24.50 (approximately USD/EUR6).

We then stopped by a fruit stall next door to get a bunch of bananas for only RM5 (approximately USD/EUR1) before catching the Rapid Penang #201 bus for the same fare of RM2.00 each (approximately USD/EUR0.50) back to KOMTAR.

At KOMTAR we stopped by a camera shop to see if our little Lumix GX85 could be repaired. Alas it was beyond the shop's expertise and so we walked back to the hotel. However instead of going in we walked past the hotel and headed to Maliia Bakery to get a bagful of their excellent and fluffy buns for RM10.80 (approximately USD/EUR2.50).

Next door was 126 Hui Ong Cafe, and we took away an assortment of Siamese fried goodness that came to RM24 (approximately USD/EUR5). We will be on another epic walkabout this evening, so be sure to stay tuned!

Lastly, we feel that it is our civic duty to remind everyone that while masks are now optional outdoors, it is still mandatory indoors!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Hutton Suites Hotel - https://goo.gl/maps/Sa3pp5NKAQgx5pij6
Penang Road Bus Stop - https://goo.gl/maps/PSCNjkk6yRNjxLro6
Komtar Bus Terminal - https://goo.gl/maps/mSpZ6C418JQJK6uf8
Kopi Tiam Tawfid Pawanchi - https://goo.gl/maps/LvwzSZ59ETmUYuM8A
Pekan Ayer Itam - https://goo.gl/maps/M1tLVwVLwKeDCYAk8
Kek Lok Si Temple - https://goo.gl/maps/Vn3Lz59icVJU31zL9
Maliia Bakery - https://goo.gl/maps/PHyenAXyFKTyM8bB9
126 Hui Ong Cafe - https://goo.gl/maps/trjuBiqywWxhGJtm9

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.