Back in Taiwan!

I'm back!

Well, sorry I haven't been as diligent as I had hoped in keeping you guys posted every day. My camera's SD card picked up a virus, so I've been battling this virus for a while. (Note to self: always set the card to "write protect" when connecting it to a strange PC!) I was worried that I might lose all my photos, but they're all safe and the virus is gone (I hope).

Anyway, on my last full day in Penang, I started out by returning to the Protestant Cemetery and taking photos in case I missed any from my previous visits. I was surprised to see a photographer, a bride in a wedding dress, and a few assistants there taking wedding photos! (Didn't see the groom there, though...) I might imagine Westerners doing so, but not Asians, who are often quite superstitious about cemeteries and death.



At one point while photographing graves, I realized my Cambodian krama (the red-and-white cotton scarf I use to keep the sun off my neck and the sweat off my brow) was missing. I went back to look for it, and found it on a grave. I realized that I had taken photos of all the graves around it, except for that particular one. It was almost as if the person's spirit had pulled the scarf off me, saying, "Hey, you forgot to photograph my grave!" Creepy, huh?

Afterwards, I decided to go to the storied Eastern & Oriental Hotel, the fanciest in Penang, which is just around the corner from the cemetery, to splurge a little with a cocktail in the bar to celebrate a successful trip. Sitting in air-conditioned comfort in the lap of luxury as I sheltered from the noonday heat sipping a cocktail was a nice way to pass some time.



Then I walked around town a little more. Here's the Penang Clock Tower:



The walls of Fort Cornwallis:


The Guanyin Temple:


Then back to the hostel. And the next day: to the airport and home.

Soon I'll make another post showing some of my favorite pictures that I have left out.

Graving in Taiping

Today I went to Taiping, a city about 88 km away from Penang, to visit the Taiping War Cemetery. This cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery honoring WWII soildiers. While in Taiping, sitting on the bus, I happened to pass by another cemetery, Taiping Christian Cemetery, whose location had been eluding me until today...none of the online descriptions of its location were detailed enough, and some were dead wrong. So now I've been able to pinpoint its GPS coordinates for the Find A Grave site! So today's trip paid off big-time. And the entire round trip by bus and ferry cost me all of US$5.17!

Yeah, I know this probably bores you (unless you happen to be a Find A Grave member, that is).

Anyway, I'm too beat to post any pictures now...kind of in a hurry to go relax for the evening, perhaps drink a beer.

Will post more later.

OK, I'm back.

Here's Taiping War Cemetery:


And the elusive Taiping Christian Cemetery:

Taking a break

Today I decided to take it easy. I hurt my foot walking up some stairs, so it's a little sore, and I didn't want to go running around frantically trying to cram a lot into the day.

This morning I went to see a few sights around town. I went to Khoo Kongsi, a Chinese temple for members of the Khoo family.


Then I went to a nearby mosque (forget the name...I'll fix it later), which is famous for having an Egyptian style minaret.


Then I walked through Little India, passing by the Sri Mariamman Temple:


Finally I took the bus to Penang's most famous Chinese temple: Kek Lok Si. The bus ride took an hour but it was worth it to see the beautiful pagoda there.



Tomorrow I'm going on a little road trip...taking a bus to nearby Taiping in search of the Taiping War Cemetery and Kamunting Road Christian Cemetery. It'll just be a day trip. I'll be back by evening, and hopefully in time to post something about it.

Graving and Eating

Penang is known for its food. A Malaysian island, close to the border of Thailand, whose population is largely Chinese, with a significant Indian population, and which, as a former part of the British empire, has a long history of international trade. These add together to form a vibrant food culture with an unbelievable variety of tasty treats.

I started the day with some dim sum at a local Chinatown restaurant up the street from the hostel I'm staying at. A tasty way to start the day.

Then I went back to the Protestant Cemetery to take more photos before heading to the Jewish Cemetery. Penang once had a small but active Jewish community, which sadly has dwindled practically to nothing. Standing testament to their life and contributions here is this small and oft-overlooked cemetery.



As I walked up to the gate, the cemetery caretaker, a kind man, let me in and pointed out a few of the more notable graves. About half of them have inscriptions that are completely in Hebrew.

Then I continued on to search for the Western Road Cemetery. I decided to take a shortcut, and ended up taking a long-cut. I knew what streets I had to go to (Western Road and Brown Street), but forget asking around: the locals have terrible sense of direction, and I was steered wrong. Then when I came to the right intersection, the cemetery itself turned out to be hard to find.

After walking a kilometer each way along Western Road, I came to a furniture store called American Accents. The people there must speak English! I went in, and the nice Chinese couple who run the place told me how to find the place. Even after following his clear directions, I still ended up going on some dead ends. I walked up the road toward Youth Park. A British couple drove by and offered me a lift: they didn't know where the cemetery was, but I told them to keep driving until I saw graves. 50 feet up the road, there they were!!

Now I had to find the gate! Turns out I had to walk all the way back to the main road (Western Road). And there, in an innocuous driveway, right at the Western Road/Brown Street intersection, was the cemetery. The only sign on the road is a faded, easily overlooked sign saying, cryptically, "Jamb Jln Utama Cemetery No-6". Whodathunkit?


No English signs at all, odd for what is supposed to be the largest Christian cemetery in Penang, with the graves of many British colonials and military personnel. It was right there all the time, but it's so hidden (you can't see the graves from the street) that it took me an hour to find it! (This is why I do my graving trips solo...it tries people's patience!)

Here's the gate:


Seems I forgot something...Oh yes: food!!

On the way to the cemetery I found a true gem of a hawker center. On the way I had asam laksa, a spicy, sour noodle soup that's a local specialty.


On the way back, I stopped at the same center and had koay tiao, a fried noodle dish popular through much of Southeast Asia.


Now I'm getting hungry again!!

First day in Penang

I've arrived safely in Penang!

After taking the airport bus to the downtown area, I quickly found a room, and set out on my adventures.

The first thing I did was visit the Protestant Cemetery. It's an eerie place, filled with shady frangipani (Plumeria) trees and crumbling tombs covered with weeds and plants (I identified some Ficus and Bauhinia among them). Odd thing to see the Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa), the Buddha's tree of enlightenment, growing out of some of these Christian tombs.


Here I found the grave of Thomas Leonowens, the husband of Anna Leonowens (The King and I).


Just behind the cemetery is another one, the Roman Catholic Cemetery. Very few of the graves there are still readable. I spent about an hour photographing tombs in order to preserve the information online at Findagrave.com. This way, genealogists, family members and historians can find the information.

Afterwards, I was growing hungry. I rent to Krsna Restaurant, which is the new incarnation of the old Krishna Vilas, a restaurant I visited once 19 years ago. The food was every bit as tasty and cheap as I remembered it, but it's no longer the a dingy hole it once was. Generous portions of rice, dal and vegetarian condiments, served on a banana leaf, for about US$1.15. Can't beat that!


Around town I passed by some famous landmarks, like Kapitan Kling Mosque...


...and Cheong Fatt Tze:


Tomorrow one on my missions is to go to the Jewish Cemetery!

Trip to Penang

A week and a half ago I went with Robert, Kate and Katannya on a spectacular overnight camping trip to Beidawushan. I haven't had the time to write about it yet, so for the time being, please check out Robert's blog Pashan. He has a superb entry, which includes the adventure we had after descending from the mountain. I'll put up my entry after I get back from Penang.

Yes, that's right: Penang. Every year around this time I make a solo trip to Southeast Asia for a few days as a reward for making it through the rigors of the Busy Season. Last year I went to Bangkok. This year, Penang. Now is when fares are cheap, destinations are less touristed, and weather is good.

Why Penang? Because it's a wonderful destination for photography. And because, Penang being a major site of colonial history, I can indulge in my unusual hobby: graving (also known as cemetery research). For instance, I'll be seeking out the graves of famous people like Sir Francis Light (founder of Penang) and Thomas Leonowens (husband of Anna).

I leave tomorrow (Friday) morning. I will report updates from there!