Travels with Zen-Aida » Malaysia

Malaysia: Blue Mansion Hotel in Penang

zda — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:27:15 +0000

Stepping inside the cool front hall of the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion is like stepping into a bygone era. It is easy to imagine the soft padded footsteps of wives, concubines, children, relatives, servants, and hangers-on scurrying in long silk gowns through the high-ceilinged rooms, most likely whispering intrigues behind intricately carved ivory fans.

The sounds of modern Georgetown fade away behind the thick walls of this flamboyant 38-room mansion built by the leading entrepreneur of South East Asia in the late 19th century, Cheong Fatt Tze - nicknamed “the Rockefeller of the East” - for his favorite (seventh) wife. She bore him a son, whom he doted on and made universal heir, much to the chagrin of the other wives and children he had sired. One of the stipulations of his will was that this house would not be sold until the last son died. By the time he passed away, the vast inherited fortune had been squandered and this house had fallen into desperate disrepair. 37 families were actually squatting in the rooms, rent being collected by an aged daughter in law. When she passed away and the completely dilapadated mansion came upon the market in 1990, it was bought by Penang-born architect Laurence Loh, his wife Lin Lee Loh-Lim and a group of local conservationists with the purpose of restoring it using as much of the original fabric as possible. The Lohs, along with a team of artisan experts, dedicated the next years to painstaiking restoration, going to great lengths to retain the original integrity of the construction.

The Mansion had been built keeping strictly to traditional geomantic or Feng Shui rules. During the process of restoration, the house revealed its secrets, such as the back part of the house being raised by one stair in order to give the impression of being on a hill, several gold coins being buried in auspicious corners to attract wealth, and certainly using flowing water in ways that bring harmony to its inhabitants. The restoration efforts of the new owners were rewarded by receiving the UNESCO “Most Excellent Project” Award 2000 as well as many others. In 1992, the Mansion was used as a main setting for the movie “Indochine” with Catherine Deneuve. Currently it a most lovely hotel to stay in.

Interestingly, symmetry seems to be of equally strong importance for buildings built according to Feng Shui principles as it was to Antonio Palladio, the Italian master architect of the 17^th century. But that is just an aside...

If/when I return to Georgetown, I will certainly make sure to stay there again – not only was it a wonderful experience to spend the night with the overhead fan gently swaying the mosquito netting, but also in sipping a drink in the quiet of the central courtyard and being visited by the resident cat, who deigned to sprawl – most unladylike – next to me on the cool marble floor.

Malaysia: Tropical Spice Garden experience

zda — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:37 +0000

Have you actually ever seen the tree from which the cinammon bark comes? Or tasted fresh nutmeg juice (deliciously refreshing, by the way)? These and many other delights await the visitor of the Tropical Spice Garden on Penang Island.

At the main gate, you are given an organic citronella insect repellant to rub on any exposed parts of your body – how considerate! And you are entreated to please not feed the monkeys or any birds you may encounter (I saw monkeys, black tailed squirrels, birds and darling little green frogs sitting on a lilly pad). This is the wet tropics and you can definitely feel this at every step: even in the shade it is easily 30 degrees and the humidity feels like 85 % +, so you are bound to perspire ... no matter, wear lightweight cottons, comfortable shoes and forge ahead. It is worth it!

Turning four hectares of an abandoned rubber tree plantation into one of the largest spice gardens in the world is no small feat. It took the inspiration and determination of David and Rebecca Wilkinson, along with a small team of experts almost two years of intense work to create a carefully planned layout that now feels completely natural. Walking through leafy-tunnels and underneath the dense canopies formed by the trees you can follow three different color-coded trails that lead you along a spice, ornamental or jungle path. This way, you can see all 500 varieties of native and introduced flora from all over the tropical world. Excellent signs give information about the individual plants, their qualities, uses and characteristics.

For example, the elegant light mauve flower with the common name “cat’s whiskers” has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-allergic, anti-inflamatory and diuretic properties and, since the beginning of the 20^th century when it was introduced to Europe, has been a component of the herbal “Java-style” tea. Or the plain Rosy Periwinkle: did you know it contains over 75 alkaloids, some of which have revolutionized cancer therapies, especially in the treatment of acute leukemia in children.

Whenever I come upon a place like this, I get so excited by finding out about the endless possibilities that Mother Nature has given us to feed, clothe and heal us – naturally and environmentally friendly. At the same time, I feel sad knowing that so much of this knowledge is being lost (partly beceause we are turning to synthetic substances), let alone the fact that many of these species are on endangered lists and thus have to be protected.

The gift shop actually has some really original items, including stylish T-shirts designed by the owner, Rebecca Owen, who is an artist in her own right.

The Tropical Spice Garden can be very proud of the many awards it has been winning, as a botanical garden, an eco-friendly venture and as a tourist attraction!

Malaysia: Beautiful Penang Butterfly Farm

zda — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:11:52 +0000

One of my main reasons for coming to Penang (other than meeting up with a cousin who is sailing around the world), was to visit the Butterfly Farm. I had read about it back in the 90s and now my dream has come true.

This live-butterfly sanctuary has been in operation since 1986 and is a leader in terms of research, breeding and conservation of these beautiful creatures. In addition, the Farm is also home to a large number of insects – such as the fascinating “leaf” and “stick” insects – and some excellent documentation on Lepidoptera. First and foremost, though, it is a leading tourist attraction on Penang Island and is a wonderful experience. Even though I have visited many butterfly places, I have never seen this many butterflies in one place. Mostly local kinds, they seem very active, no doubt also because of the natural high temperature and humidity (which is increased by a fine mist every so and so many minutes – a veritable steam bath). There were easily several thousands of the beasties fluttering about, much to the delight of everyone there!

Bangkok to Penang: 24 hour International Express Train

zda — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:28:36 +0000

Nowadays, the internet is the source of instant information and this is especially true for travel news. I forget how I found www.seat61.com but in no time, I was intrigued by the very detailed account of how to get from Bangkok to Butterworth, which is the railway station to get to Georgetown on Penang Island in Malaysia. Mr. Mark Smith, a British career railywayman, has set up this site about trains worldwide in such an easily accessible manner, that I was instantly convinced. Why not, it is only 24 hours from point A to point B? And this is not any fancy Orient Express Nostalgic Luxury train. This is the real thing, second class and all.

In Bangkok, I had therefore purposely taken a hotel in Chinatown, nearby the Hualamphong Station. Basic and clean is the simplest description I will use for the “Hotel Chinatown”, but then, it was also only 30 Euro/night. And it had air-conditioning, essential in 34 Celsius humid heat. Walking to the station in the morning to get my ticket, I passed through the recycled car parts district – if ever you wonder where the nuts, bolts and other small scrap metal ends up, well, here it is, neatly piled up in umpteen corners of little shops – and was soon standing in the large domed hall of the main train station. The benign portrait of the King of Thailand gazed upon the leisurely activity of travellers getting their provisions in the twenty or so little shops. This must be one of the few train stations where there are real orchid plants adding a touch of class to the otherwise very functional architecture of such places.

After getting the information from the internet confirmed by a pretty Thai employee speaking quite good English and told to get my ticket at the foreigner’s booth nr. 1, I happily paid 1210 Baht (about 25 Euro) for a lower berth, second class (the only direct wagons) on the International Express Train Nr. 35, leaving at 14:45 on track 5.

Punctually, the 10 wagons slowly made their way through the suburbs of Bangkok for a good hour. New, glittering skyscrapers could be seen in the distance, but we pass vast expanses of semi-industrial, half-finished constructions.

My wagon was very clean but seemed easily 30 years old. Every two seats facing each other converted into two berths – upper and lower – with space for luggage in a metal contraption on the aisle. Let us just say that the name of the designer of this layout will be lost to us in history and we will not miss him, alas.

A train steward came around, checked the ticket and proceeded to refund 20 Baht to each passenger in this wagon: We had no air-conditioning, only old-fashioned but efficient fans. In good Chinese train tradition, vendors came along selling drinks and various kinds of prepared foods. Slowly, conversations started up between the travellers – a group of three English young women finding much to share, coming from northern Thailand and going to Kuala Lumpur, a Spanish couple on their way to Borneo, a Chinese man talking endlessly on his cell phone, quiet Thais – and we all settled down.

Eventually, the train gathered speed and we start to travel through open but fairly populated countryside. Not much is cultivated yet, just tropical greenery accented by various types of palm and banana trees and, unfortunately, small waterways largely full of refuse. About two hours out of Bangkok the rice fields start and will be dominating the scenery, along with banana and palm tree plantations throughout the journey. Often I also see wild bougainvillea, frangipani and hibiscus. The houses – many huts – reflect a very modest lifestyle, poor even in parts, shanty town structures that often occur close to rail tracks everywhere in the world.

Darkness comes soon and with it, delivered to my seat, a dinner which I had ordered from the steward earlier: Chicken curry on rice, a vegetable dish and miso soup, a slice of fresh pineapple for dessert, all for 170 Baht (3.50 Euro). Freshly prepared and quite tasty. After dinner, the steward makes the berths with sheets, a pillow and a coverlet – all fresh. Blue curtains are hooked in and give a high degree of privacy and definitely a “Some like it hot” feeling. I expect Marilyn Monroe as Sugar and Tony Curtis to pop out of a top berth any minute...

By 9 p.m., the wagon is absolutely still. I am comfortably ensconced in my berth and can give myself over to the swaying clickety-clack, clackety-click as the train speeds over the surely still British-built tracks. Every now and again I peek out into the darkness and see astonishingly many lights of small villages and towns. As this train is an International Express, it has limited stops and speeds through most empty stations. The moon shows the silhouettes of palm trees and the dim lights from the train throw a ghostly shadow on the tropical countryside.

It is barely dawn at 6 a.m.. when the steward comes around with the one-choice breakfast (also ordered the evening before and delivered to the berth): two eggs sunnyside up, a small sausage, one each tomato and pineapple slice, two pieces of toast, butter and pineapple jam, a non-descript yellow juice and tea or coffee (120 Baht, approx. 2.50 Euro). It is time for a cat’s wash-up, meaning a quick moist wipe will have to do the trick this morning. By the way, the toilet facilities are well, yes, clean-ish, and there are two sinks with running water for the entire wagon.

The time between 7:30 and 9 a.m. is spent at the Hat Yia Junction station with Thailand-Malaysian border formalities, meaning that everyone has to debark with all their belongings and exit Thailand and enter Malaysia. Don’t complain, just do it.

Eight wagons go off in other directions and we continue with two wagons and a different, smoke belching locomotive. The stewards have taken the berths away and cleaned up of sorts and left. There is a new Malaysian crew and no service. Even the water supply of the wash basins is gone. There are more stops, locals disembark, others get on.

The countryside seems more cultivated: Papaya plantations and tree forestations alternate with the rice paddies. Even the palm trees are mostly in orderly rows. The green seems even more intense – we are, after all, in the wet tropics.

And then, suddenly, the end of the journey approaches: We arrive in Butterworth only 30 minutes later than scheduled. This train station is totally charmless and functional. The best thing that can be said about it is that is connected by covered track to the ferry terminal to cross over to Georgetown.

Would I have given up this journey for the comfort and speed of a flight? Never! After all the way is as much the mean as the end....