A world tour of Penang

Selamat pagi (Good Morning!) I’ve been in Malaysia for 5 days now, even though it feels like weeks! We managed to see a fair bit of Penang, the state of the country in which we are in, consisting of partly island and partly mainland, connected by a 14 km bridge!! 14km!! By far the most fascinating thus far is the diversity of culture. For instance, I’ve eaten Malay, Indian, Chinese and Thai for dinner in the last 4 nights… and I’m not talking imitation food, but the real traditional stuff! Delicious! The mixture of religion is also amazing. Within a two block radius in the main city, we visited an ancient Chinese temple, Islamic mosque and Hindu temple - amazing to see the coming together of these ancient belief systems. Visiting the mosque was a highlight, especially having befriended a few of the local Muslim students who are showing us around, and who have answered a million questions about the Islamic religion and lifestyle. It is the closest I can ever imagine to getting an inside look, truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. From our room, we can hear the daily prayers being led, awaken by the sound of a deep almost chant like voice at 5:30am for the morning prayer. The incredible diversity of the area makes for a photographers dream. The towns are splashed with colour, intricate temple designs and old colonial buildings. Food stands line every street, cooking up anything you can imagine and more, beautifully displayed on their carts. Needless to say the tropical flora and fauna are also stunning. So far, the best description of my Malaysian experience is food and photo paradise!