The warm afternoon would be better off spent in an air-conditioned mall but as it was officially our last day on Penang Island, it wouldn't do the UNESCO site any justice if we didn't make an attempt to check out its famous street art murals!
Hence, here we were at Armenian Street! Frankly, the street art murals can be found anywhere but the highest concentration is along this stretch.
My adoration for quaint little temples means i couldn't resist stepping into the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple which was built in the 1850s to honour the god of prosperity; easily the most popular god for Chinese.
Despite the rather narrow facade, the internal compound was huge! Managed by a board of trustees formed by four separate societies, this was a collective effort said to be one of its kind.
I didn't venture further in although the panels detailing before and after restoration were interesting enough to pique my interest for a revisit should i ever return to Penang!
Back on the main street again.
With what looked like Tibetan prayer flags fluttering on the ceiling, it appeared to be a house with eye catching curios like the old-school children mini pianos on the wall.
Postcards for sale at RM 2 each; stamps can be purchased and the shop can help to post for free! The problem is i don't think many people have the postal addresses of friends in the modern age; we prefer email address.
First art mural - a gigantic face with an expression said to mean "teach you hokkien". I was thinking it should be "talk to you in hokkien" rather than "teach you to speak in hokkien".
Showcasing multi-racialism (in art form) in a country that is very similar to our little red dot; Singapore.
A dancing lion jumping out of the wall - okay, not that realistic although the colours were vibrant enough to attract quite a number of people to take picture with it.
Street food - i wasn't crazy and definitely wasn't crazy enough to have claypot curry fish balls under the hot sun! That would be a sure way to get sore throat when i am back to Singapore!
Devastated that they couldn't get the muah chee man on a scooter near Kek Lok Si temple, Alex and a friend's son were ecstatic to see this famous muah chee mobile vendor and had to get a packet each!
It wasn't even half as comparable and Alex had to throw away more than half away! I have the feeling that most stalls have the tendency to put the word "famous" in their publicity materials. So, seeing a queue is still a better gauge even though we had been wrong before (back when we were in Malacca).
Rent a bike if you are too lazy to walk!
Another vendor selling postcards - the old fashioned way can be heartwarming in the past; i remember receiving post cards from overseas friends and it's always a nice feeling to read how things have been for them in that small space.
Pity my handwriting was incomprehensible most of the time and i am too accustomed to using the "backspace" on the keyboard nowadays! Even when i write minutes, i depend heavily on a laptop!
Though gaudy, i thought this was a ingenious way to carry the 1.5 liters bottle!
Traditional looking shophouse that housed a fusion restaurant serving cheese fondue, german B52 sausage, laksa soto ayam, vegetable curries, just to name a few.
Old books, as mentioned!
Same like the postcards, reading is facing death albeit slower as you still couldn't avoid books as a school-going child. Even for me, i had not read a book for close to 2 years. p.s. that could explain why my English is going from bad to worse.
Dark, dingy with metal shutters that could act as a torture tool if you know how to make use of it; the exterior had a vast contrast from the interior as the former had pieces of vividly coloured tees for sale!
Again, they featured the iconic street art murals of old Georgetown.
Magazines that belonged to my parents' era when they were still kids! Would you buy a copy? I might if i have a themed (retro etc) home.
As i was more in a rush to cover Chew Jetty before the sunset, i didn't bother stepping into commercial entities but in this case, a few friends walked in and the reason was simple.
Hint: they noticed a large cardboard and this created a "need".
A couple of them couldn't resist the supposedly famous premium durian ice cream! I couldn't remember how much although i did steal a bite and it was actually pretty good with a natural durian taste.
Handmade hair pin - not sure how much as vendor was just starting to lay out her wares. I wouldn't bother checking the price too as i don't REQUIRE hair pins. When my fringe gets too long, i prefer a hairband.
Art gallery - i should have gone in and maybe i would be able to purchase a few pieces to adorn the empty white walls in my home.
I don't know what you call those blankets, made up of multiple pieces of random fabric, in English; i remember having a few of them when i was young and they were so comfortable.
Interesting chairs!
Got my rainbow ice ball from a stall on the left; the second time i had this nostalgic dessert in my life and it was much easier to enjoy it this time. For review and more pictures, click here.
The details and colours of the roof decorations were head-turners! The two big Chinese characters (宝树) translated into precious / treasure tree; piquing my curiosity on what laid beyond.
The notice indicated an office next door which i couldn't find; likely they have closed for the day. As people were still exiting from the gate by pulling the shutter open, i decided to try my luck!
A beautiful building known as Cheah Kongsi; "one of the oldest Hokkien clan associations in Penang"! I think this same building was featured in quite a number of travel shows too!
As they were already closing for the day, i couldn't enter anyway and guess i had better made my way to the main street and continued my journey towards Chew Jetty.
Mini dreamcatchers - suitable for those who can sleep anywhere and everywhere; a skill i am not blessed with. Without a bed, i find it extremely hard to fall asleep.
Pikachu in the midst - Pokemon Go wasn't launched yet when i was in Penang! Now, i guess anything pertaining to Pokemon characters would have a surge in sale although the craze has somewhat tapered down in Singapore.
Manual fans - hm..... would it be easier to use a normal fan? Such small yet repetitive movements can result in a inflammation of tendinitis, i thought.
Not sure if you can see the metal art of a story teller that made up the gate; storytelling is a trade no longer seen as television and internet have completely hastened its death.
One of the most famous street art murals (Kids on Bicycle) as it correctly expresses the simple joy among the young siblings; simple pleasure of life that has been overtaken by kids glued to phones and tablets.
Its fame was determined by a natural queue!
The group can be humongous as seen from this 20-person primary school congregation! No way am i going to spend my time waiting when there's so much we have to cover.
Street busker using household appliances like kettle etc to make music; collections seem to go towards a children home in Southern Thailand.
Armenian Street comes alive every Saturday from 5 till 9pm! So do plan it in your itinerary if you wish to soak in the atmosphere comprising of traditional foods, street performances and stalls selling creative arts and cultural products!
A local ginger cat mural (Skippy) on the wall; from its perspective, we could have been downgraded into "mice" status!
Touch of local life; from this photograph, you would never have imagined it was just a stone's throw from the bustle and noise from the busy touristy street.
Another cat mural (Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat) - at one glance, i thought the artist's intention was to show a feline with its gaze up at the clear blue sky.
It was not to be; the eyes were eyeing the fish dangled by a mice! There were a number of art murals i didn't manage to catch but if you are interested, do check out the map i have appended below.
Lastly, a visit to Ming Xiang Tai pastry shop! For photos and review on its trishaw egg tart and crispy kaya puff, click here.
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Location
Lebuh Armenian,
Georgetown, Penang Island,
Malaysia
Map Showing Locations of Mural Art
As above. The ones with a circular red label denote the locations of the public street art mural with the exception of E which isn't in a public area. It is in the Ghost Museum!
For my itinerary of the short 3-day, 2-night trip to Penang, please click here.
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