Penangites ride to mark World Heritage Day
It is a day to celebrate two special events for Penangite Kuan Pin Seah – George Town World Heritage Day and his birthday.
Starting on an early morning bicycle ride with other cyclists, the 57-year-old Kuan celebrated his birthday by touring the heritage enclave and enjoying hawker food along the way.
Yesterday was a state public holiday for Penang and the cyclists enjoyed their morning ride in the relatively quiet streets.
“It is a special day for all Penangites and me, especially.
“As a Penangite, I think it is important for us to take the time to appreciate our own culture and heritage. George Town is a special place with a homey feel and I hope it can always stay a wonderful city,” the retiree said.
Kuan was among 80 cyclists who joined the fun ride on four different routes around George Town.
To ensure social distancing, they were divided into four groups.
Led by local tour guides, the groups were taken along different routes to enjoy local delicacies, some light shopping and soak in the sights and sounds.
Kuan, with his friends, Cheam Cheng Sooi, 58, and Andy Pong, 51, started at City Hall, Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling and Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong before heading back to City Hall.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) bicycle patrol enforcer Muhammad Zamer Mohd Noor, 31, who guided Cheam’s group, said the Penang Heritage Ride was organised by Penang Link Bike and BikeMaxx cycling team with the support of MBPP.
“This ride was meant for everyone to have fun and celebrate George Town World Heritage Day.
“We hoped the cyclists learnt something new about Penang as our home and as a heritage city.
“It was also a good opportunity for them to support local merchants and enlivened the tourism scene in Penang once again,” he said.
Event organiser Ken Yeoh said it was not an ordinary cycling event.
“We had local tour guides to brief cyclists about the history of the places we visited in humorous ways.
“We collaborated with shops to conduct workshops on things such as learning how to make sourdough bread, gelato ice cream, traditional kuih and torpedo soup (an exotic and spicy soup consisting principally of a bull’s penis).
“These are things that we, as locals, miss out on but tourists delight in,” he said.
Another cyclist, Penangite Lee Saw Ping, 57, was spotted with friends from Kuala Lumpur.
“I brought my friends around and gave them a brief history of Penang before taking them to popular spots to enjoy Nyonya food and street food.
“By bringing them around, I feel grateful having grown up in a town with so many living heritage treasures and buildings,” she said.