Famous Laksa
We got up even later today at 0900 and headed out around 1100 to explore briefly, before meeting a friend at 1200. Our old school mate, How Chiet, has been seconded to Penang from base in Singapore. We wandered to Lebuh Keng Kwee which is home to one of Penang’s best laksa. There were three places that used the words “Penang Road” and “Famous”; two for laksa and one for cendol.
As the first laksa place we visited was full, we wandered to the opposite end of the road to an empty shop. To our surprise, it turned out to be awesome. The gravy was thick like bolognaise sauce, unlike the clear soup I had seen at the first shop.
As the cendol came in takeaway containers, we suspect they were brought in from the “Famous” cendol outlet.
Text continues after this gallery.
-
- The shop we ate at; confusingly there were others that used the words “Penang Road” and “Famous”.
-
- Laksa; so awesome and thick, it was nearly like a fish bolognaise.
-
- Cendol.
-
- Queue for the Penang Road Famous Teochew Cendol.
Penang Hill
After lunch How Chiet drove us to Penang Hill. It was around 1400 and the queue was horrendous. Lesson: Penang Hill is best visited on weekdays!
It took an hour for us to get to the cable car for the several minute ride up to 833m elevation where it was a little cooler.
The queue amongst the crowd was a real Covid-risk. But with an incubation period of 2 days for omicron, it would be the perfect time for me to get it. [Edit: But I didn’t.]
We wandered around for about an hour enjoying the cooler climes and the various views of George Town and the mainland. Reluctantly, we joined the queue to go back down. With a waiting time of an hour, we understood it is still faster than walking down. Plus the fact that some of us didn’t have the best footwear for a walk downhill in mixed terrain.
It was around 1730 when we reached the lower station and too late to visit Kek Lok Si temple nearby.
Text continues after this gallery.
-
- Old portal to the Penang Hill funicular station.
-
- I’m surprised we didn’t catch Covid-19 queueing in a confined area.
-
- View from Penang Hill.
-
- Temple on Penang Hill.
-
- Gate House. Sitting empty but it could have been a nice cafe.
-
- The funicular track and tunnel as we waited to descend.
Gurney Drive
How Chiet drove us to Gurney Drive, a famous waterfront hawker area. Strangely, it wasn’t as I remembered. First, the sea (or mudflat at lowtide) was gone due to reclamation. The open-air hawker centre was nowhere to be seen but instead, I saw a nice covered hawker centre.
As it turned out, the open-air hawker centre I remember was only a short walk away. It started raining quite heavily as soon as we reached it though. Fortunately, we managed to have our meal under shelter of a large umbrella.
Our host-for-the-day dropped us back to our hotel. I apologised repeatedly for having him spend 2h in queues with us but I think he was pleased to have caught up with us.
-
- The hawker centre I first saw and didn’t recognise.
-
- The hawker centre we ate at, which I remember from a previous visit.
-
- Gurney Drive is lined with malls and apartments.
