This is the second time that I visited Penang. My first visit to Penang should be about at least 5 years ago when I travelled with a Chinese orchestra which I was then playing in for a music camp in Penang. I remembered that the people of Penang are hospitable, sincere and friendly. My impression of the people of Penang still remains after my recent visit to Penang.
My friend cum travel companion and myself travelled to Penang by plane. We were travelling with Malaysian airlines. The service has been good, albeit I wish I could have a choice not to take rice with chicken curry for lunch. The stewardess apologised that there was only one selection of meal on board the economy class cabin, and that is rice with chicken curry. I was a little envious when I saw the family sitting in front of me eat Western meal, and I was trying hard to figure out why. I think my friend cum travel companion must have been wondering why I keep looking over the seats in front.
I browsed the in-flight magazine on the flight, after meals had been served, and realised that all meals served on the plane will be halal, and if one were to have special request for the meals, one needs to inform the airlines at least 24 hours before the flight. This shall be something I will bear in mind. I figured that on the economy class cabin, there was not much selection of food to choose from, and if one prefers not to eat spicy food on the flight, one needs to inform the airlines early. Please correct me if I am wrong though.
We reached Penang at about 1 p.m. on 2 Nov 2004 (Tuesday). There was a delay in the flight and so we had reached Penang about 15 minutes behind schedule. When we reached the airport, someone from a travel agency was waiting for us. He was to be our chauffeur to bring us from the Penang airport to the hotel. It takes about half a hour to travel from the airport to the hotel that we were residing in. The hotel, the City Bayview Hotel Penang, is located in Georgetown, capital city of Penang.
We checked in. I was admittedly a little upset that there was no safe box in our hotel room. I had wanted to keep the valuables in the safe box. I called for assistance from the hotel, and the staff who had answered my call directed me to keep the valuables in the safe deposit boxes located a the back of the front desk. Looking back, it was a much safer idea to keep valuables there than in the hotel room. At least I know that there will be someone at the front desk who will watch out for the things in the safe deposit boxes 24 hours round the clock. Security was pretty sufficient there. To open the safe deposit box, two keys are needed. One is kept by me, and the other by the hotel's personnel.
I quite like the view from the window of our hotel room. It faces directly to the sea. If I look to the right, I could see a view of a part of Georgetown. What I like about the view is the fact that it faces the sea. I love looking at scenes of open spaces.
After unpacking the luggage, my friend and I decided to walk around the neighbourhood. We wanted to get some things from a supermarket, so we figured that we needed to go to a shopping complex nearby to do the shopping. One of the hotel staff helped us with the directions to get to the nearest and perhaps most well-known shopping centre (Komtar) in the area. I was pleasantly surprised that the hotel actually publishes its own locality map. The staff gave us a copy of the map, and it has proved to be rather useful.
If I am not wrong, we ended up shopping in Prangin Mall. We did not shop in Komtar in the end. Since I am not a lover of shopping, I shall not write much about our shopping experience in Prangin Mall. Perhaps my friend cum travel companion might write about our shopping experiences in Penang in my other blog, a blog that both of us share?
In the early evening, it was raining. Strangely, during our stay in Penang, it seems to often drizzle or rain in the early evening. We decided to eat in one of the restaurants in the hotel. We had steamboat in one of the restaurants.
We also decided to register ourselves for a day tour to some of the attractions in Penang. There was an office of a travel agency just located in the hotel lobby, so we made enquiries. In the end, we were recommended to go on this tour package that takes us to places such as Penang Hill, Kek Lok Hill, Botanical Gardens, Batik factory and Pewter factory. The tour was to be scheduled on 3 Nov 2004.
Tempted by my friend's recommendations, I went for a full-body massage at the massage and spa shop that was located within the hotel premises with my friend after dinner. It was rather refreshing, though I was rather disoriented when I first started receiving the massage. Afterall, this was considered my first full-body massage.
After the massage, I remembered that my friend and I walked past the lounge in the hotel's lobby. My friend said that the music was nice. In my mind then, I supposed that we could visit the lounge on one of the days, though I am not keen on alcoholic drinks and the cigarette smoke that hovers about the lounge. Afterall, maybe this could be one way to celebrate for my friend on her birthday?
At the end of the day, we were back in our room. I started reading this book titled Morrie in his own Words by Morrie Schwartz just before I went to bed.
I think I had a slightly difficult time trying to get used to the hotel's mattress and pillow. Afterall, I think my own mattress and pillow back at home were more able to give me and my back the kind of support I would prefer. Whatever it was, I survived anyway. Maybe I must learn not to be too choosy?
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