A Place I Call Home

Last trip to Penang was totally a spontaneous trip. It was a short 2 days trip but with a company of good friends and unplanned schedules, I enjoyed it very much. Penang has changed a lot however from the other point of view, we can also say that this place hasn't change much. The cultures, the traditions, the friendliness of the Penangites and the traditional buildings are well kept and preserved. I'm proud that Penang has earned the Best Heritage awards and this charming little town is a town where I was born and grew up in.

We went to Penang Road and started wandering around the area. Houses like this still remain the same. The design of the houses are very unique and even the tiles on the floor are well kept. I have never noticed all the architecture of the building when I was living there, nor I have walked around Penang acting like a tourist.

Khoo Kong Si, a very welknown Temple or house own by the Khoo family. Years ago, the Japanese wanted to buy this place but was refused even the offering price was high. This place is all hand crafted and I especially like this lamp hanging in front of the temple. I remember when I was a teenager, this was one of the famous places we went for portrait shooting. I too have some pictures taken there where I looked so young and shy :)

We then went to Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. I didn't know this place before this trip. This mansion apparently was there for decades but it s a house of the rich. Recently it was repainted into this stricking blue and part of it was tranformed into a hotel. The rooms are very interesting, all of them have different themes and designs. I regretted that I didn't listen to my friend's advice to book a room there during my stay.

Penang is a nice little place where we can relax, get away from the crowded city life. There are many natural spots to explore to, from the beaches to the hills. This is a place I'll always go back to.