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2014.12.10 | 本頭公巷

[Volume 9 Issue 12, #1974]
The Arts Street @ Armenian Street, Penang
友: 係唔係第一次嚟檳城呀??
我: 唔係啦, 我嚟過幾次㗎喇!!
友: 係呀?? 咁你對上一次嚟係幾時??
我: 中三嗰年..
友: ... (=.=")

哇哈哈哈!! okay, 我諗我個朋友會請願我回答佢「係」, 先覺比較恰當囉.. 因為呢二十年嚟, 檳城真係好大變化, 而我確實係非常之impressed於呢個小島嘅改變.. 以前我哋都係去昇旗山呀極樂寺呀呢幾個地方, 不過呢一兩年嚟, 最為(尤其國內)遊客所「津津樂到」嘅, 應該係呢一條叫做「藝術達人街」嘅本頭公巷莫屬啩?? 於是, 食過晚飯之後, 朋友就帶我哋去㹶一㹶.. 終於可以親眼一睹近年來社交網站上非常火紅嘅東西了.. 嗯, 好嘅, 確係充滿懷古藝術氣息嘅一條街.. 我有影咗啲相(如下), 我曾到此一遊哦~~ :p
Friend: So, is this your first time in Penang??
Me: Of course not, I've been to Penang several times before!!
Friend: Really?? When was your last visit then??
Me: Form 3!!
Friend: ... (=.=")

muahahaha!! okay, i guess the friend would probably think it's more appropriate for me to might as well tell him "Yes", since Penang has changed so much over these 20 years.. i was indeed very impressed with the changes on this beautiful island.. years ago, we used to go to places like Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si, but i guess in these couple of years, the Armenian Street has become the hottest attraction for (especially Malaysian) tourists huh?? and so after dinner, the friend took us there for a walk.. i finally got to see the real thing of what has been so "big" on social media these couple of years.. hmmm, okay, a very retro and artistic street.. i took some photos of them there (as shown below), i have been there.. :p
Art Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, PenangArt Street @ Armenian Street, Penang

91 comments:

  1. Hahaha, nice one!! I like the term of "took some photos of them to show I've been there!"

    Skip the rest, I jump to picture four to comment, compare those mural arts and this ironic one, I like this one more, because according to the history of it, those mural arts are just "arts" drawing by foreigner artists, but this ironic is different, every ironic rods they make over there are according to their local history, which I think they're more meaningful!!

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    1. I got the a catalog from one of the hotel I visited last time, they've provide this catalog with locate of all these mural arts place, but I wasn't that excited about the art thing, but this iron rods one is I wanted to find the most, but some are very difficult to take picture, because some of the stalls are blocking it (tak kan you ask the person to close down his shop just let you take picture mah) so I think that's kind of waste, people not much appreciate that!! =[

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    2. yeah, same here!! i actually also like those iron rod more because the work is more creative and also humorous reflecting the culture of Malaysian and Penang.. those paintings are more about what the authors felt when they were drawing at that moment..

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  2. Morning morning and salam everyone.. Tomoro public holiday, and many people taking leave on Friday too.. Are you taking leave on Friday too? Me no wor, still sei-sei-ha coming to work leh.. Ok, usually my first paragrapgh is introduction and reporting myself la.. Belum masuk “ching tai” yet..

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    1. Ok, so today’s about Penang? Call me jakun, I’ve never taken pictures with murals before.. i know la murals and wall pictures very “hing” now, those 3D thingy, like you “got eaten by a shark” those kinda posing.. Call me even more jakun, I’ve never seen them in real before, all also from pictures posted by bloggers or friends in FB jek..

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    2. I have to agree Pg has indeed changed a lot.. My last time there? Errr, I think Form 4 or 5 too.. After that no more.. Go there not for fun or macam tourist also.. Go there to visit my granny only.. Stayed at home most of the time.. and eat kuey teow thn’g and loh mee only.. If say wana go tourist spot, I only know 2-3 places – Kek Lok Si, Penang Hills and Komtar.. Oh dear, malu wana say also, hehehehe...

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    3. About 3 years ago, I went to Penang with my colleagues, for the company annual dinner.. But we never stopped at any tourist spot la..Coz the venue was at Georgetown.. We just stopped by for the famous kuey teow thn’g and rojak and forgotten what food already at the famous high clock tower.. Errr, I also dunno what I’m talking, kekekeke..

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    4. Of course before going back to KL, we stopped by somewhere to buy the famous tau sar peang and nutmeg and whatever.. That dragon ball biscuit thingy..

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    5. I clicked all your pictures from 1-8, and really call me jakun, I’ve dunno any of them.. Bikin malu wor..

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    6. wah, like that you have been to Penang more often than me lor, haha.. but then actually also no intention to go to all those Penang Hill ah, Kek Lok Si ah already lah.. that day we went to the foot of Kek Lok Si, just to eat the laksa but when friend asked if we want to go up, errr, all also don't want to make noise, so we just left!! muahahahaha~~

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  3. Walao, diam diam sneak to Penang huh. I agree, nowadays these street arts are the "in" thing to see in Penang. I personally find them more interesting than Kek Lok Si and Penang Hill. Some might argue this is a bad thing, when the traditional heritage is losing out to modern art. To me, I think anything that brings more tourists to visit Penang is a good thing. And not all is lost, Georgetown itself is already full of heritage, Khoo Kongsi, Little India, Nyonya house, Fort Cornwallis are all around that area..

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    1. Hey I will visit Penang soon and very muka tembok! So you can bring me to all those places in SK's album?? *wink* *wink*

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    2. Here you ask for tour guide, your reply to Mak Glam's reply on your comment, you offer to be tour guide. Apa lah...
      Thambee's photos all from Armenian Street, not that hard to locate ;)

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    3. hehehe, diam diam sneaked there because it was a last minute plan.. luckily we went there at night, so i guess not many people around so i could just snap photos of those paintings without difficulties.. and yes, actually the thing i like about Penang is that, it's very clean and then all the old buildings are being preserved and converted for commercial use - NICE!!

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  4. Me too , haven't been to penang for ages. Never seen those stuffs armenian St before. Most of time , it's laksa at air itam, kek lok si and etc. Used to go very often during my childhood when I was still in ipoh.

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    1. eih, when you go back to Ipoh can just go to Penang since it's just nearby mah.. a good place for your vacation during the school holidays woh..

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  5. Love the mural paintings there. It seems a trend everywhere , even in Singapore.

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    1. yeah, i gotta agree with you.. it's like EVERYWHERE!! haha..

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  6. The trishaw pix caught my attention. Was it a drawing or the real thing ? Looks real good.

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    1. oh you mean Photo #4?? nope, not real one like the bicycle in Photo #7.. Photo #4 is all formed by using steel rods, you see those lines?? they are not drawn onto the wall but are rods twisted to form the shapes.. nice huh??

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  7. Mentioning about Penang, makes me think of foods as there's lots of yummy foods there, keke....

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    1. oh yeah, when one goes to Penang, surely cannot miss the food there!! :p

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  8. 这个我嬴你,我绝对有超过20年没踏在Penang的土地上!

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    1. 嘩!! 那你一定要再去, 因為改變很大哦..

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  9. I have seen people taking amusing photos of themselves posing with the murals. I must make it a point to visit Armenian Street if I go to Penang.

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    1. haha i am not one of them, okay?? i never pose but just snap photos of the murals.. :p

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  10. Good Afternoon Bloggers! Wow! Another blog post to make me jealous. I thought only Claire makes me jealous with all her non stop visits to Penang! Aiyeeerrrrrr!

    I love Penang and will always love Penang. From there I came and to there I shall return!! I think I will retire in Penang so I better be nice to Penang bloggers now.

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    1. yes, when i was in Penang, i thought of Anay only!! he always tell me about his hometown and his childhood in this beautiful island..

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  11. Thambee you should have hired me to show you around Penang! Without me, you have not seen enough lah. You just ate ate ate and ate only.

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    1. Don't just offer to show Thambee only lah..

      How about us, Anay's friends also. Hahaha

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    2. Sure you are most welcome! For Mak Glam, I need more time preparations and roll red carpet to invite!!

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    3. hehehe, so Anay wanna organize a bloggers trip to Penang?? :p

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  12. I went to Penang but didn't check them out. Hahaha

    Am I a clueless visitor? :P

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    1. lina, you should make a trip to Penang (not to run) and enjoy as a tourist, since it's school holidays now ^^

      Penang is a nice place to shop and eat, as well as the beaches around.

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    2. to be more precise, Lina just went to Penang to RUN only lah.. of course these murals were not in her itinerary, hahahaha!! :D

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  13. What happened to the bloggers nowadays? They no longer spam all the number of each photos!!! So I should spam and clinch the #1 throne in the chart. Hi hi hi

    Photo 1 - I was shocked to see the Chinese words beneath the Amernian Street sign post! Since when we had the Chinese words without any objections from the federal gomen?

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    1. Photo 2 - It has become a popular trend to see shops selling curios, souvenirs and antiques! I should open a shop too since I have so much rubbish at home!

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    2. Photo 3 - It is so homely feel to use chalk-boards to write menus and directions like old days schooling. I suspect this board must be hanging at a cafe near Beach Street, judging at the pointed arrows!

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    3. Photo 4 - This 3-D using iron roads is a brilliant idea to save the rusty scraps at the junk yards from going to a waste. You made me feel that the Penang folks are getting more artistic over the years! I am so proud of my hometown!

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    4. I agree that the stained glass beside made the Lion Dance art look more vibrant and interesting! Once I worked in a office in Penang and the toilet door was stained glass too. I enjoyed sitting on the toilet bowl for hours to see the rays of colurful lights beaming onto me! So shiok and heavenly toilet!

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    5. Fuyoh! This innovative band players are smart and should be called the band "From Mama's Kitchen". This reminds me about myself playing with my mum's pots and pans when small. What songs did they play and where?

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    6. Photos 7 (Aiks I missed typing Photo 5 & 6)
      This photo of children on bicycle has been snapped and posted over a million times around the world now.

      Congratulations for being the 1,000,001st person to post this. Muahahaha

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    7. photo 8 - What rat? I didn't see any rat but a tail. The rat should put a bottle of mineral water to shoo away the pussy!

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    8. I think we just change the way to spam la, no longer spam at each photos.... :)

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    9. there are a few reasons i guess.. either it's school holidays, or everyone already tired of my blog!! muahahaha~~

      #1.. yes, we are a multiracial country, and it actually make sense to see all languages on the road signs huh?? or at least heard inside the LRT lah..

      #2.. and your shop will be very popular, and we shall see Anay on youtube and facebook everywhere!!

      #3.. Beach Street?? errr, i took this photo at Lebuh Armenian dei~~

      #4.. oh yeah, instead.. no wonder this street is also called the Arts Street!! it's actually a great stroll along and i enjoyed it..

      #5.. yucks!! you spoilt the thing lah.. you associated stained glass with bangsai!! tsk tsk tsk

      #6.. yes!! they are amazing with the tins and cans and wok covers!! they indeed sound very professional too..

      #7.. errr, is there a prize for me for being the 1,000,001st person to post this?? Muahahahahaha

      #8.. adoi, Anay needs to change his spectacles lah.. the rat is hiding at the other dark corner of the wall dei~~

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  14. oh dear... my comment went missing... sigh...
    Ok, what did I write just now.... alright.. something like this...
    Next time I will go and check out the rat... I also didn't notice few times I was there... and I was saying that it would be great to rent a bicycle to cycle around.. provided that there are no cars here and there...

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    1. Actually I din't notice the rat also if SK din't mention, haha! Usually people just focus on the big fat cat....

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    2. actually our friend brought us to each of these murals, and pointed us where we should see and take photos.. with a local guide, that really made going around Penang so much easier~~ :p

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  15. Wow! That is really a very, very long time since you have been to Penang! You did not execute your signature jump in Penang?

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    1. hahaha, i didn't pose at all during the trip.. just took photos of the murals and went away~~ :p

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    2. SK, really? Sounds so rush....

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    3. hehehe, not rush actually but nothing much to pose for lah~~ :D

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  16. I went to Penang for shopping and beach only, I didn't check at the street art or wall mural too. Always, I wanted to go there, but Jin Jin said jam and hot. Very soon, JAMY will go to Penang again. This time, I will spend time at the beach too. Hopefully, I can convince Jin Jin to bring me to the places that SK went.

    SK, how come no drop by Taiping? Don't you wanna meet Taiping aunties? Bad, SK!

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    1. I am sure SK will show off the Penang food pictures soon. Please share what you ate in Penang, ok?

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    2. KL to Penang is just like Perak to Malaka. Far la! No wonder you didn't go to Penang in the past 20 years. Just like me la! Ten years only go to Malaka once.

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    3. SK loves to take picture in Penang, just like Yannie loves to take pictures in Malaka, because so many years only go once. Sure have to take pictures for memory . Right? I plan to do photo books of my trip to Malaka too. Are you planning to do one as well?

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    4. hehehe, actually wanted to stop by Taiping for lunch but then because of the heavy breakfast in Penang (you know lah, so many things to eat in Penang mah), we ditched the idea.. else, i will invite all the 4 Taiping Blogging Diva to meet at Casual Market, hahahaha!! in the end, we stopped by Bidor to eat the famous duck noodles instead..

      i didn't take a lot of photos in Penang, not enough for a photobook leh.. somemore i just take photos of the places and didn't pose for photos.. so not going to do photobook for this trip lu~~

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    5. Yannie, what to do? Our 魅力 not enough to make Sk and friends stop over at Taiping.... We are all aunties already ma! :((

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    6. Ya la, Hayley, we all aunties, no single and available, adui! Sure SK and friends no interest to come to Taiping. We have to go sulking at the corner now.

      By the way, I just test the water last night, Jin JIn still does not want to drop by places like SK went. Sobs......

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    7. hahaha, don't say like that lah.. i really have plan to ask the 4 Taiping Blogging Divas to come out if i drop by Taiping one leh.. you all so sayang me mah, i know that one, hehehhehe!! :D

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    8. SK, cheh, 听住先啦!xD

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    9. aiyoh, so sad lah you said like that~~ :(

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  17. What rat? I can't see the rat!!! :(

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    1. the rat is hiding at the dark corner of another wall.. maybe you should get Jayden to help you spot it :p

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  18. seriously u haven't been to Penang for 20 years?! u miss out alot of good food!
    but nowadays the char kuey teow price has also increased alot...but is still as good with succulent big prawns!

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    1. hahaha.. so this time i ate as much as i could lah.. the Lorong Selamat CKT you mean?? hmmm, i shall blog about it later~~ :p

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    2. But the one at Lorong Selamat, people said it's being too 'commercialized' cause of the popularity. Not worth. There are other CKT which is better than this one at Penang.

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    3. hmmm, i will be blogging about the food and of course this Lorong Selamat CKT, post out next Tuesday~~ :p

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    4. haha...looking forward on ur blog post tomorrow!

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    5. so how?? you'e read that post already?? :D

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  19. 其實我喺睇“單戀雙城”認識呢條街,但喺就未親身到此一游過。

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    1. 冇睇“單戀雙城”, 不過睇好多facebook而認識呢條街~~

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  20. Hmm, you should have answered this way 'of course not, I've been to Penang several times before, BUT that was many many years ago la!' With the BUT, people will get less 'shock' with the answer, haha!
    Anyway, from KL to Penang is like 4 hours (average la), kinda far la, so 难怪 you seldom go to Penang la, somemore busy with works... Unless got special occasion or matters to attend to, or got some one close staying at Penang la. But from Taiping to Penang very near, just less than 1 hour, so I actually frequent Penang, but usually just go shopping and eating, day trip, go in the morning, come back in the evening.
    We don't go those tourist places like what you mentioned, Penang Hill nor Kek Lok Si, we prefer shopping malls, LOL!

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    1. But many years ago, when I was still schooling (probably secondary school time), we used to take bus to Butterworth then take ferry to reach the island, then go shopping and also Kek Lok Si. That time no fancy and big malls yet, what popular back then was Prangin and Komtar. Now, these 2 became 落后 and became a bit 'lala' already, I think I went there 3 years ago, all changed, very less people and those shops also macam one kind only, LOL! Now, Queensball and Gurney are more popular and better.

      Armenian Street I went before, once only, just to take photo with the brother-sister cycling mural, the rest no time to go and explore, I brought Aden along that time and it was hot, so hard to walk around and take photos. Now got a lot already, like what you've seen. Actually this mural thingy is a hit lately not just at Penang, Taiping also got (a few only la), even Ipoh.

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    2. Did you buy any souvenirs near that street? They have like keychains, notebook, shirts and etc. Smart eh?
      And the street (as well as others nearby) are very narrow right? Like just one car can pass at one time.

      The brother and sister cycling one, now Taiping also got one, duplicate version but looks exactly the same, haha, at Kopitan cafe in Aeon. Then the big cat one, I saw my friends posted before, but I don't have the time to go and take photo yet, I think no chance already la! I love this one cause I love cat =)

      Actually at Penang not just this street is popular, those bridges also, what 姓林桥 la and so on, all based on surnames one, those are very popular also, and can rent bicycles and explore the town ourselves, I see many 鬼佬 doing that, 好像很写意~ Being a tourist can do that la, for local very rarely, since we probably already seen Penang and who can tahan cycling the hot weather? xD And can be kinda dangerous, you know la the security level at our Bolehland.....

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    3. So I wonder what else will you share with us regarding this Penang trip? Hehe, I am sure you tried their local must-eat food too ya?

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    4. I agree with Hayley, Taiping is just an hour drive to Penang, we can go Penang a few times a year . So we are not walking under the sun or exploring Penang like SK anymore.

      We just go straight to the mall or beach or makan saja.

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    5. Same for KL folks going to Malaka like that. When I was in Malaka, we had no problem walking and exploring Malaka like tourists. Hehehe! May be we think we only be there ten year once only. So we appreciate the time there, we didn't mind walking under sun already.

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    6. that's true lah, Penang is like 4 hours drive from KL, so we won't be going there like you ladies go there from Taiping.. but i have to say, Penang really changed and developed a lot, when i first enter Penang from the bridge, wow, it feels like Singapore, haha!! and i really like how they still preserve all the old buildings and many are converted into commercial use.. over here, all must roboh and then built new ones, haiz!!!

      errr, this time just mostly makan only, didn't go to touristy places except for the Armenian Street (because we have not been there) and also no shopping lah.. meet up with friends to makan and minum only leh, hehehehe!! even when we were at the foot of Kek Lok Si to have the asam laksa, we didn't care to walk to Kek Lok Si also~~ :p

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    7. True, just like KL people go Malacca, day trip pun jadi.

      SK, of course changed a lot la! You have not been there for so long! You used which bridge? The new second bridge? That one really got the 'Singapore' feel cause still new and less cars, hehehe!

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    8. hahahaha, really a long time lor.. and good that i find that the changes are impressing me a lot.. especially love the co-existence of the old and new in Penang, very beautiful~~ :)

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  21. Wei wei wei.......go penang ..mana tambun biscuits for me? *muka tembok china mode* joking la.


    Since form3 ah...school trip leh...lol...mine also similar last time...first time see penang was school trip. Not sure form 3,4 or 5. Went to the usual plcs....kek lok si..gurney

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    1. tambun biscuit?? aiyah, that day got one box on the table, forgotten to give it to you dei, hehehehehe!!!

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    2. Box only issit LOL.... no la....just pulling your legs la.

      Go Penang sure will buy those back plus those heong peah and "saat kei Mah". Duno the glamer name for it. Egg biscuit? LOL

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    3. wah, box only?? hahaha, are you expecting one container of tambun biscuits from me?? hahahaha, eih, like that have to pre-order one month ahead in order for them to have the time and resources to give you one container woh~~ :D

      errr, you confused already?? heong peng and saat kei mah from Ipoh right?? Penang is the tambun biscuit woh~~

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  22. Paiseh...been several times to penang after that but never been to armenian street. Saw many people post up pic of the place. Maybe one day will make it there to the streets.

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    1. errr, when was the last time you went to Penang?? i guess the Armenian Street has just started to be a hit these few years right??

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    2. last time ah...two years also i think...chasing bbw LOL Tarak go to the street there and cari . Only walk across from the hotel to the place where the BBW was held. makan also street food near the hotel . There la...ter -ate the horrible oyster. Bluek. made me sick whole day.

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    3. aiyoh, must find one nice day you ask Kaldip to bring you to go north to Ipoh and Penang for makan trip lah.. one shot eat all the things during the trip, hehehehe!!

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  23. SK, good that you took the pictures at night - for a change because all that I've seen were taken during the day. Thank you for sharing.

    I wonder how are the murals being protected. Are they left to the elements? Sad. I thought they could have a coat of vanish or something to maintain the freshness and to prevent the background wall from deteriorating in quality.

    Love the third shot - reminds me of a precious piece of that blanket (a work of art, love and hardwork actually) gifted by my paternal grandma.

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    1. errr, yeah, those murals are not protected and left to the elements.. but good thing is that, none are vandalised!! if these were to be placed in KL, imagine that!!! hahahahaha~~ :D

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