Maiden Mural Painting Trek in Penang

It was supposed to be my first loner travelling experience but never knew throughout my two days one night stay in Penang would be so happening. I never knew I have so many friends reside in Penang.

Why was I in Penang? To have refreshing sexcapade in Penang

Nah, I had a long break to clear my annual leave and since there is nowhere to go, why not go back to my third home, Penang.  (FYI, my dad is from Penang). Actually, I wanted to go to many places but either I don’t have the time nor no one to accompany me. Really, I don’t know why my friends are so easy to get their own friends for travelling and it would be so difficult for my case. So I decided to travel alone this time, which never happened in the end.

The best thing to travel alone is you can do whatever you want without accommodating to anyone. That’s why I departed quite late to Penang.

Everytime I go to Penang, I will always take the ferry instead of the bridge. Aside from catching the sea breeze, another reason is that I always have this phobia that I would crash the barricade at the bridge and plunge into the sea – influenced by Final Destination I supposed.

Sky's blue and sea's green in our yellow submarine. The ferry is approaching to Georgetown

Since I’m not a beach person, so I decided to stay in downtown at 1926 Heritage Hotel at Burma Road. Eponymously, the Anglo-Malay architectural hotel was built in 1926 and it served as home to the British colonial officers and local administrators.

Since it is an old building, so the million-dollar question: Is it haunted?

I think my friends were trying to scare me off said that the hotel is haunted. But seriously, every hotel has its ghost story to share. I didn’t bother much, in fact I had real nice sleep too!

1926 Heritage Hotel @ Jalan Burma

Old but yet comfortable

1926 Heritage Hotel even has a swimming pool

After checking in at the hotel, I rushed to my room and put my luggage and hopped to my friend’s car to kick start my holiday. Actually, there are not many places that I wanted like to go since I have visited most of the tourist spots in Penang, so I just followed whenever they wanted to go.

But there is one thing I still haven’t done before in Penang – tracking those mural wall paintings by Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic. Indeed, his artistic interpretation is rather skilful, nostalgic and yet humorous.

My task of this holiday: locating all of his masterpieces. Nine paintings and I only managed to locate seven, not bad right? I could have located all of them but the time wasn’t allowing me to do so. I didn’t rent a bicycle coz I rather walk slowly and experience the charm of  good old Georgetown, which is recognized by UNESCO as the world’s heritage.

How to locate the mural paintings?

• Get a map to locate the mural (below)

Your useful map to locate the paintings (Courtesy Only Penang.com)

• Ask the locals
• Download Penang Mural app (no thanks to Digi, by the time I finished the tour, the app is still loading to be downloaded

Digi connection most of the time 

• Nonchalantly stroll in tiny streets of Georgetown and whenever you see people congregate, they you are, the mural painting. I’m not joking. You may be surprised how many people waiting for its turn for their Kodak moments with the mural (pix)

The crowds waiting their turn for the Kodak Moment

“Boy on a bike” at Ah Quee Street

“Little Boy with Pet Dinasour “ just next to the “Boy on a bike” mural

“Little Children on Bicycle” at Armenian Street, I guess this mural is the most popular one as it has gone viral in Facebook before

“Reaching Up” at Cannon Street

“Old Man” at Armenian Street, not far from the “Little Children on Bicycle” mural. This is the trickiest mural to be located as the painting is bit faded. So I asked the guy who sells souvenier there where the old man painting is. This is what he said

“Oh dear, the painting is very far from here. You have to walk around 2 km”, souvenir guy.

“Really?!!” me

“Yes. Perhaps, you just look there. Just look in front of you” souvenir guy.

Geez, I was so embarrassed! The painting is just in front of me all the time and I never noticed!

“Little Girl in Blue” at Munthi Street

“Children in A Boat” at Chew Jetty

The others that I didn’t have time to locate:

The Awaiting Trishaw Peddler at Penang Road (Picture courtesy: Only Penang.com)

Heart Breaks at Love Lane (pix courtesy Travel 2 Penang)

Other happenings during my trip:

Went to Kek Lok Si in Air Itam again since it is my KL friends’ maiden trip. Stands on the hill overlooking the island, Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia

Padang Kota Lama aka The Esplanade

Chew Jetty, an old Chinese waterfront settlement at the end of Gat Lebuh Armenian is the largest and most lively jetty. Built in 19^th century, the settlement sits on the stilts literally.

Picturesque view from Chew Jetty

Came to this shop at Ah Quee Street, selling local souvenirs. The item that really caught my eyes at the shop is the Chinese opera paintings. I just love it! So nostalgic but yet modern.

Old shops adorning Armenian Street. I guess it’s more than 100 years.

Penang is enriched with history and culture diversity. The other reason why Penangnites so proud is because of its food! That’s why I promise myself to make a yearly pilmigrage to Penang just for the food!

Otak-otak – cake made of fish meat and spices and wrapped in banana leaf

Pasembur – Malaysian Indian salad comes with shredded cucumbers, potatoes, beancurd, turnip, bean sprouts, seafood with a sweet and spicy sauce

Chee Cheung Fun @  Sin Seow Fong Lye Cafe  My most favourite Penang food. I know Chee Cheung Fun (rice noodle roll) could be found anyway in Malaysia but the Penang’s one is simply the best as it served with shrimp paste sauce!

Ghee Hiang Biscuits and Sesame Oil with a heritage over 155 years.