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.