We started off with a cup of Hazelnut Latte in Cafe 55, near Chulia Street. (read review here ) then head for a Street Art Hunt from her backpacker’s budget hostel in Muntri Street called Ryokan which she shared a room of 4 on a double decker bed for RM35/night only (Air conditioned!). You can even choose if you want to share with girls/guys only or mix haha. But I recommend you to share only with your own kind because the guys room was unfortunately messy than you could ever imagine! Else, share with girls if you don’t mind sharing, they even have double bed for a separate price which you can check out via their website. Online bookings are more preferable since its kinda a hot location for backpackers esp on peak season.
Along the way, we got so thirsty so we drop by the home made ice cream shop just at the corner of a temple along the Armenian Street, open from 10am to 6pm, seriously good stuff man, if only the Mint crushed Soda drink was slightly sweeter, it would have been a knock out, but for two thirsty girls, it was already good enough to quench our thirst on a hot sunny day
Left one is my fave flavor, chocolate and my friend’s Strawberry Sherbert for those who likes something sour. I tried the Gula Melaka flavor way back during the annual Georgetown Festival (every July), seriously recommended for sweet tooth only! For every scoop, it cost you RM6, and RM8 for the Mint crushed soda.
Oh btw, just before you reach Masjid Kapitan Keling (which is one of the oldest mosque built in Penang), at the road on the right side of the mosque if you are facing it, there’s an art gallery opened nearby. We met a friendly Spanish from Barcelona who is a guest cartoonist for 3 month, he is currently taking a four year online degree in communication which he is doing part time, meaning that it will take him 8 years instead to graduate. Phewhhh ~!!
After that we went on to find a few more murals and found a nice souvenir shop for those who is into something vintage , check out the Living Art History shop, they have two shop if im not mistaken, one in Armenian Street and the other one, I can’t remember where lol
That uncle up there will play you some Japanese instrument, I don’t think he speaks Malay, or even english, but you can read the details on the wall behind him. It was somewhere in between the streets that we drop by the second hand book shop near Chulia Street towards Lebuh Pasar, seriously cheap though you may not find a lot of the big names but I manage to get this vintage copy for only RM3 !!
We pass by the China House which im not sure which street it is haha my friend recommended it for those up for some Jazz, they do serve pretty nice looking western savories & pastries, which I haven’t yet taste it, will do that in another trip hehe
Then, we ended our hunt by dropping by the Laksa Penang & Penang Teo Chew Chendol near Chowrasta where you can buy your stocks of ‘Jeruk’ which Penang were famously known for esp the dried Buah Pala.
Well, obviously we didn’t get the chance to have our Nasi Kandar, I’m not a fan of it anyway haha but perhaps I should try that in a specific Nasi Kandar Hunt? LOL!
Thing is, my friend told me about how she manage to find the roads through the smell of the shops along the road, which I tried to use my sense of smell as I try to find her when I first look for Cafe55.
Seriously, it was true! You can even try to listen to the sound of the shops along the streets, you can hear people knocking on woods, or metal, cooking on a pan, I felt like walking inside a movie with all the sound effects! haha but the best part is, it comes with a very pleasent smell (And bad one’s if you got into the wrong road
What I love about coming to Penang every time I went for a Penang tour, is that you can never find the same thing when you walk, you will always discover new things that you never realized when you pass by it. Just like my friend who have been walking on the same street that I took for those food hunt, but never found the shops that I brought her. Just like I didn’t know there is a nice little coffee shops around the corner, also this Amelie Cafe which I have not yet managed to try the coffee here, unfortunately picture are not allowed inside the cafe, which is too bad because the interior was pretty nice as well (but not halalto eat)
Also this hand made Nyonya Beaded Shop next to it which was quite hidden had I not walk along that lane, I think the best way to find it is to find it around Love Lane because its located somewhere in between the roads
And one of the thing about walking through Penang Streets there is that you can never get lost too far because if you do, just look for the Komtar building where the main bus & taxi station are located.
Funny part is that we have toured almost half of the streets before coming back to the hostel where my friend stays, and the same three mat saleh (‘white’tourists) were still discussing where to head instead of just go out there and explore, all they were complaining about is how expensive it is to go to their destination which I don’t know where but seriously with your currency at least 3 to 4 times higher than us, and the price of Penang food is cheaper than you know if you just google it before or just opt for street food which is where most of the delicious food were made with love, and the Rapid Penang (public) bus available to go almost anywhere in the island, there is no way you can say that its expensive lol! I feel like going up to the girls and just give a piece of my mind, but since I was not in a mood to do that I just let them figure out themselves. =P
Mencari Sakiinah 