Last stop in Malaysia

After spending again some time in a town we wanted to get to the beach, for sure there would also some nice ones on Pulau Penang, but we wanted to get to a different place. So in the early morning we to the ferry to get on Penang and leave Butterworth, it was still dark when we started our way. So this time we got to see a sunrise. Not as beautiful as all the sunsets but also very nice to see.

On the boat we met a couple also going to Cenang Beach on Langkawi. After arriving we decided to share a taxi to our hotels, there was no bus going so there was no other chance.
When we arrived at our hostel we realized that we have chosen a real great place. We had a small apartment in a cottage upstairs. First warning we got there was to leave the windows and doors closed when we are not in the room, because the monkeys there also want to check in.

For sure the first thing we did after checking in and getting rid of our stuff was going to the beach, we picked the right place, a sandy beach, blue sea and sun. The only bad thing was, that there were many jelly fishes around. Be very careful when getting into the water. Bernd decided not to get into the water, he was to afraid of the jellies, I did not think that they may also be poisoning for breads, but you know, Bernd is very cautious.

We spent a lot of time at the beach, we only left because we were almost starving, because we did not walk along the street to find a restaurant, we decided to walk along the beach and from the north end leave and find a good place. Along the beach we took a look at all those expensive hotels, they were so ugly, how is it possible that such a beautiful place like our hotel is so cheap ? And we found a good place, serving tasty noodles. Bernd was crying because his were to spicy, he looked so funny when his face all turned red.

Later we went back to the beach, it felt like we could not get enough of being there, especially it was already evening and time for the sunset, and of cause a great one.

The next day in the morning we rented a scooter, to explore the island. Still lack of the bus here it was the best decision, taking a taxi all the time would be to expensive. Our first destination was the cable car near Telaga. Before getting up on the mountain we walked around in the oriental village, what was actually not really a village, it was build in an oriental way but only having shops and attractions for tourists.

Did not spent to much time in the oriental village, I was talking with a guy having a constrictor, when Bernd decided it is time for getting up the mountain. At least I touched the snake, felt very strange and not as expected. At the ticket counter for the cable car they offered us to buy a express ticket, we did not pick it and it was a good decision. Express ticket, the waiting time got a lot shorter because three older women wanted to take pictures of me and with me. Felt like a star, this time not only Bernd.
Bernd liked the ride in the cable car and surprisingly he was not afraid of the height at all, maybe he at least got rid of one fear.

On the way to the top was a stopover, were we left the cable car and took our first look around. The view from up here was already good and we could not wait to reach the end. We got back to the cable car and before entering the line of people waiting here we saw a sign for the express line and it also was valid for single travelers, so we split up and acted like single travelers to skip the line.

From the top the view was much better, especially we could see the north side of the island, the only bad thing was, that the skywalk was closed due to some repairs and safety reasons. So we could not walk around as much as we wanted to.

We stayed a long time up there and also managed to skip the line when we got back down. With the scooter we went to the next interesting place. The seven wells, a big water fall not far away. Before we climbed up the mountain Bernd bought himself an ice cream and we started walking up the stairs. On the way up a monkey almost stole his ice, we could get it out of his reach just in time, the monkeys did follow us for a rather long time but then gave up, maybe they were waiting for the next tourist and get some food.

It was a long way up, Bernd was totally exhausted when we arrived at the viewing point and got to the river above the waterfall, the water was very refreshing and it was a great place to relax and doing nothing. What we did for a long long time.

Because we could not all the time up at there we went the stairs down, what was a lot easier for Bernd and we got to the waterfall, first thing I did was climbing up the rocks to get to the waterfall and stay below. And after that jumping from some rocks into the deeper water down the river a few meters, but it was not so nice for a long time, we only stayed for some minutes when it started to rain.

When the rain got a bit weaker we got back to our scooter and left the place, planned to go to the north coast to get to the black sand beach. Before we reached the beach we stopped at another beach, to get out of the rain which was getting stronger again. At least we stopped at a nice place, which was nicer than the black sand beach with all the rain.

Our day with the scooter passed by much to quick, so we got back on our way to the hotel. On our way we met with a girl from Shanghai, who got lost and we helped her finding the way back to Cenang Beach. And not only the day with the scooter passed by to quick, also our time on Langkawi, the next day we got to leave Malaysia and get to Thailand.

Malaysian history

We took the bus to leave the highlands and get to the sea and some islands. The place we decided to go first was Butterworth, from where we got a good view to Pulau Pinang, the place we wanted to see.

Since we arrived in the late afternoon we decided to go to Pinang the next day and spent some time in Butterworth, next to the place we stayed was a beautiful temple and a nice beach. We did not go for swimming, because the water seemed not so clean.

After visiting the temple we bought some fresh food at the street, not knowing what it is and got to see a great sunset.

In the morning we took the bus and ferry to get to Pinang, where we took a look at a cool place at the bay. May be good for concerts or some other events.

Pulau Pinang is a historical city with big differences. The first historical building we found was Fort Cornwallis. Most of the buildings from the past did not exist anymore, but it was still interesting taking a look around.

Very interesting looking was kind of a lighthouse next to the fort, having a ships mast close by.

When Bernd went inside of one of the buildings he did not find the way out anymore and thought he would trapped in prison.

He was still confused when he got out of there and wanted to get into the cannon a few metres away and shot out of the fort. A strange idea for a prison break. It took a while for him to calm down.

For both of us was surprising that there is a place called speakers square like they have in Hidepark in London. he speakers get there the warning that they speak there on the own risk, especially when noone likes what they are saying.

We know that in Asia they usually use bamboo for their scaffolds, it's stronger an better as the western metal things, but not everywhere they know how to build up a scaffold.

Next to the bamboo thing was the town hall, still the old building from the British colony.

And there was not only the town hall, we walked along the main street with many old buildings.

Very interesting was it in a Christian church. There were two girls practicing their songs for the mess and they did sound more like happy celebration songs and not so sad or kind of depressive it would be in Germany.

Along the street were places to worshipping for the big religions. Christian, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Again the only place what was closed was the Hinduism temple, seems they only want to have their worshippers in there temple.
We did not go to all the places, the bus passed by and we wanted to go to Kek-Lok Si ( -> wonna know more ?), a bigger temple complex with a big statue staying on a hill.

Before we could enter the temple Bernd saw hundreds of turtles, he was so fascinated looking at them, that he was close to stay here and not going to the temple.

But at the end he followed me to the the temple, especially because I told him that we can go back here to see them again and then he can stay at the turtles as long as he wants.
In the temple were beautiful gardens, inviting to relax and get rid of the daily stress you may have.

Inside the first temple building were several big Buddha statues and along the wall millions of small golden Buddhas.

The decorations of the temples were so nice and Bernd told me that it was good that I made him leave the turtles behind and going to the temple.

From the garden some turtles lead us the way to a tower, where we could climb up the stairs and get a very good view from the top. Worth getting up.

We walked for a while through the temple complex, taking our time to enjoy this place and left the areal to get to Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy.

We could have taken some kind of elevator up, but it was not too far away so we wanted to walk.

This statues right now where only some kind of guardians, Kuan Yin is much taller and stays under a big roof.

Close by was a pond with kois and a small waterfall, there we again relaxed and took our time. The people here now how to build places for relaxation.

Before leaving Bernd decided to ride on one of the dangerous animals around here in the park. The animals were from the Chinese star signs and he picked a real dangerous one

After spending a day here we left the next day in the early morning out hotel to get a ride on a ferry to our next destination. It was still dark when we left, so we got the chance to see the sunrise from Pulau Pinang.