Penang - pictures

The island of Penang or Pulau Pinang as the malays called it originally is one of the most beautiful and dynamic places that one can choose to live on. Surrounded by water it is a major port city along the Western coast of the Malay Peninsular. In the old days Penang played a vital role as a port city with ships loading and unloading goods from all over the world.

I grew up on this island and in the early sixties had spent most of my free times on the water front where the man who adopted me was working at the Penang port Comission as a store keeper. I still remember when the first Ferries arrived from Hongkong where they were built to serve the channel crossing. I was taken onboard to the wheel house and had firsthand experience of watching the ferry dock from the bridge.

When ships arrived from India carrying such goods as onions and spices of all kinds my uncle would have one of his workers take me on board the vassel and explore the cargo holds where thick blankets of dust would float the air filled with aromatic smells of spices, onions and dried chillies.

Before the Penang Bridge was constructed the Ferries played a vital role in transporting people and vehicles across from the island to the mainland. Today most of the passengers on the ferries are those who live in the Butterworth and Prai areas or closeby Permatang Pauh. Locals styill take the ferry for nostalgic reasons and the ferry themselves have grown old and some are not running as much as they used to.

From the sea the view of the Komtar structure is symbolic of Penang. This Phalic like symbol stands tall as the first tallest structure and still is the focal point of Penangites as the center where all things began. The KOMTAR is located where Simpang Enam used to be and here there was a huge roundabout where the traffic was redirected to tha various major roads leading out of the city area of Penang Road.

The water front has taken on new faces with upgraded anchoring facility being constructed and floating restaurants lined the Quay. You dont get big ships anchoring along the warfs anymore along Weld Quay areas like it used to be, howwever now you find expensive Yatchs and luxury boats lining the newly constructed berths.