Thursday 17 September 2009

George Town - Heritage site and Penang Hill Railway

Tim is in Penang at the moment so I am publishing my notes written back in feb 09 so he for one can see where I went.

Our bus from KL arrived at 4am (we left KL at midnight) so we sat around KTM Keratapi Tanah Melayu, the Railway station with trains to Bangkok and Singapore from Butterworth.

This is where we caught the overnight sleeper in 1965. An old loco outside of station, seemed familiar, stirring long forgotten memories, which is why I was back after 45 years.

Cup of chai in market area and talk with Aamir then to ferry for early morning crossing. On the Pulau Angsa (built 1980) It was still dark Penang lit up over the water I remembered sea snakes, the Ambulance trip to Taiping hospital, arriving in Georgetown on SS Nevassa, picture of band playing colonel off to tune of 'moon river'

On the other side we killed more time with Roti Canai Murtabak in street side café. pulling the tea. Then at 8am an acceptable time we went to where Staying at YWAM base address above 2nd hand clothing shop.

Had a sleep and then something to eat before looked at parts of the Heritage trail George Town, Penang is a UNESCO world heritage site.

See full size image




In the information centre a very helpful curator showed us books on old Penang , whilst it poured down with rain.

We visited a Temple, passed the mosque and then took a taxi to the station for the trip up Penang Hill Railway, a funicular railway built between 1906-1923.

I didn’t remember changing trains halfway, but bits of the walk around the top were familiar: mosque Temple No church, This is a hill station, like Murree in Pakistan or Shimla in India but on a smaller scale. Used in the Raj for relaxation, An aviary in old Hotel. Giant spiders and monkeys playing in trees cream teas available in a vestige of Raj, called David Brown’s lodge. Drink of coconut milk Old funicular coach. The Taxi there and back again cost too much. The bus would have been much cheaper.



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