The other life OF GEORGE TOWN

GEORGE TOWN, THE CAPITAL OF PENANG (MALAYSIA) IS CONSIDERED A LIVING MUSEUM WITH EXTREMELY UNIQUE AND COLORFUL ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURE FROM EAST TO WEST REPRESENTING THE ERA OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE FROM THE LATE 18TH CENTURY. WANDER AROUND GEORGE TOWN, STOP TO TAKE PHOTOS ANYWHERE YOU LIKE, ENJOY ITS ARTISTRY WITH ALL YOUR SENSES AND "BUY" THE WHOLE STREET IF YOU CAN!

SERENITY IN THE OLD TOWN

George Town is a peaceful city at night. Most shops open late in the morning and close by 7 or 8 pm. In fact, the largest market in George Town is only open from 7 am until 12 pm. There are very few eateries or cafes open late at night. There is no force shoping on the quiet streets. Still, in the early morning, the old town feels like it is lit up by the peaceful, ancient shops that line the streets.

Fitting with the peaceful atmosphere, local people seem to be nice and happy with their simple joys, not chasing material possessions. No matter how well-developed the tourism industry and how many tourists travel to the east, it is impossible to pull the locals out of their daily routine. Visitors who hold up a camera to capture someone sitting on the porch will receive a very gentle smile. Here you will feel compelled to suddenly abandon fast living, forget your daily worries and practice how to live slowly and peacefully. The most pleasant way to enjoy the neighborhoods is to slowly saunter down the timestamped streets, just as the locals do.

While wandering around, there is a century-old house that you must visit: Pinang Peranakan villa. The first owner of this house was Mr. Chung Keng Quee from Fujian. His first wife was from China, but when he arrived in Penang, he took a second wife, who was Penang-born, to form a “peranakan” (meaning “half-blood”) community. According to historical sites, “the Peranakan people also have different names: “Baba” for men and “Nyonya” for women. The Peranakan people quickly blended in the indigenous community, traded well and became a wealthy class who built streets and houses in a unique architectural style combined of Chinese settlers, indigenous people and European cultures under colonial period, bringing a distinctive and diverse architectural form.” Mr. Chung built this house for his second wife and their children. Over the years, the mansion still retains a beautiful example of the blending of the splendor and sophistication of Chinese architecture and the exquisite and luxurious details of the British, showing the flourishing life of the Peranakan people.

THE MUSEUMS AND A TRAVEL IN TIME

Has anyone told you George Town is a paradise of museums yet?

I held a small map in my hands, walked around George Town and visited extremely interesting museums such as Glass museum, Camera museum, 3D Trick Art museum and Upside Down museum. Among all of the museums I visited, the Wonderfood

STILL, IN THE EARLY MORNING, THE OLD TOWN FEELS LIKE IT IS LIT UP BY THE PEACEFUL, ANCIENT SHOPS THAT LINE THE STREETS.

museum was definitely my favorite with hundreds of replica dishes to help travelers better understand Malaysian cuisine. The museum is divided into 3 main sections: Info Zone is for information about daily dishes of indigenous people, the art of table setting and how to combine dishes in a meal; Wow Zone has giant-sized imitation typical dishes such as cendol, laksa, curry mee, rojak, char kuey teow, that simply make you say “wow”; Educational Zone helps raise awareness of how certain dining choices can have a negative impact on the environment.

And that is not all! The Street Art area, with lively murals inspired by the daily life of the locals, is the perfect place to attract art lovers. Weaving into small alleys, you will suddenly realize you are smiling when you see a playful painting on an old, flaky brick wall. My impression of George Town is that there are high quality “made in Malaysia” souvenir shops, craft shops, local tailor stores, décor shops, used books shops, fine cafes, elegant restaurants and more. I felt like going back in time when I entered a space displaying antique items collected from everywhere - watches, dolls, sewing machines, radio receivers, teapots, and wine bottles - or when I got lost in the Edelweiss cafe inside an old British house embodying the beauty of a “half-blood” with an eye-catching appearance and a calm, deep soul.

If in other tourist destinations, restaurants and stores often compete to become more prominent on the local scene, here everyting coordinates as if the whole neighborhood had been carefully arranged with an ingenious hand or a delicate mind. Every door, every brick wall, every picture like the “characters” in a movie are telling visitors a fascinating story together about a travel in time.