Pearl of the Orient

Georgetown Penang, my hometown and look at what they have done to it! It is still as beautiful and as inviting as it used to be and food is still the big draw here where you can find all the food prepared in as many culutre from around the world. But when in Penang you have to bow to the Laksa Penang and the world famous nasi kandar, you can wash it all down with the best of Ice Kachang or teh tarik. No matter how strict a diet you are coming to Penang would mean making sacrifices when it comes to eating.

The people too are like a breath of fresh air compared to Kuala Terengganu as there are so many different ethnic groups here that one cannot help but feel like one is in a wok full of mixed vegies ready to be fried. The Chinese, Malays and Indians, the main group of races here and along with a variety of others such as the Europeans and Japanese and the hosts of visitors from all over the world makes this place a poutpoury of cross- culture and mixture of religions exisiting in harmony alongside each other. It is an invigorating feeling to be constantly dealing with someone who is not of your religious or cultural background and yet walk away feeling well served.

The negative image of the Island is still the fact that it is getting over crowded and the environmental degradation that has been a dilema for the government. However I am sure in due time things will change for the better as the government learn to deal with all the causes of these aches and pains. Penang island is a raleative small area and most of it is either developed or impossible to but the population is ever growing despite the lack of space.

My trip to the immigration went smoothly and my International Passport will be ready tomorrow. I will next have to visit the Indonesian Consulate here and get a visas and if all goes well my next move will be to get a plane ticket to Medan. In Medan a friend of a friend by the name of Ribut (Storm) will be waiting for me to get me to places I need to go. I hope to visit Aceh and od some sketching perhaps fast charcoal drawings and then from there my next move will be made according to what turns up.