Georgetown is the main city area on Penang Island. It is a pretty cool place. The cultural mix provides a wonderful blend of food, architecture, and visuals. Areas are as developed and first world as any place I have been. The malls look like they could be anywhere in the US, except for somes of the brands. Today there was line out the door and around the corner for Starbucks. Something I can not understand given that there was another only a couple hundred meters away and a Coffee Bean around the corner. But regardless, Starbucks is live and well here. I had lunch at TGI Fridays and bought a new pair of running shoes at the Nike outlet and paid a US price for them.
Yet earlier today I was at the snake temple. So named because of the resident pit vipers that reside in the trees in the court yard. Highly poisoness, although I dont think fatal, there are a lot of them on the property. There several stories as to why they are there, but now its seems more like tourist draw than anything else. There was also speculation as to whether they are still venomed or not. I dont think thats a verb but it is now. I would like to think so, makes it more fun. The whole time I think I only saw one more, it was the more display one inside, not in the trees in the courtyard. It was nice to see a temple with something different. Also the temples here are mostly pretty small and still in daily use, unlike most of the temples I visited in China.
In Cambodia it was hard to tell if the temples were in real use or not. They were all pretty busy, but most people seemed to be there paying respects to the recently deceased king. So I am not sure if that is what normal turnout would be like or not. In Thailand there are many monks in the temples/wats/etc but not a lot of regular foot traffic coming through. And I am not sure how many of the monks want to be there or are there for education and a bed.
I need to find something to do tomorrow, I am trying to leave some things to do with the group when they arrive. So its time to search for the more obscure things to do in Penang. Flea market anyone?
Yet earlier today I was at the snake temple. So named because of the resident pit vipers that reside in the trees in the court yard. Highly poisoness, although I dont think fatal, there are a lot of them on the property. There several stories as to why they are there, but now its seems more like tourist draw than anything else. There was also speculation as to whether they are still venomed or not. I dont think thats a verb but it is now. I would like to think so, makes it more fun. The whole time I think I only saw one more, it was the more display one inside, not in the trees in the courtyard. It was nice to see a temple with something different. Also the temples here are mostly pretty small and still in daily use, unlike most of the temples I visited in China.
In Cambodia it was hard to tell if the temples were in real use or not. They were all pretty busy, but most people seemed to be there paying respects to the recently deceased king. So I am not sure if that is what normal turnout would be like or not. In Thailand there are many monks in the temples/wats/etc but not a lot of regular foot traffic coming through. And I am not sure how many of the monks want to be there or are there for education and a bed.
I need to find something to do tomorrow, I am trying to leave some things to do with the group when they arrive. So its time to search for the more obscure things to do in Penang. Flea market anyone?
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