Weekend Wanderings: Penang Hill

We decided to brave the crowds over the weekend and headed up Penang Hill with my parents. There are a few things that make Penang Hill irresistible: the (rather fun) train ride up, the much cooler weather, the nature. However, we learnt that it is not a good idea to head up the hill on a weekend or a holiday, since the crowds are simply crazy. We waited for nearly an hour to board the train, but thankfully the boys managed to keep themselves occupied: Junior J sketched lanterns that he saw, Lil J peered at the old train models on display, and Baby J munched on his snack.  (If you are headed up Penang Hill, always bring snacks for the kids, because you never know how long the queue is for the train. Also pack drinks, and stuff to keep the kids busy.)

We usually head to David Brown's for lunch (to get there, turn right upon exiting the train station, walk all the way down and then up a staircase on your right). They serve western food, and at Singapore prices, but we love the lawn where the kids can run about. The place is much quieter compared to the food court downstairs, so it's easy to get a table, even on weekends. (Head down to the hawker center for your dessert though, and try the cendol!)

The place is lovely for walking about. There's so much nature to soak in, and the cooler weather up there is a big plus point! 

We finally managed to take a somewhat decent family portrait when we were up there. (I just learnt that the best probably way to ensure the boys are looking at the camera would be to make them all roar like dinosaurs!)

It was a lovely lovely weekend. Here's wishing everyone a blessed Lunar New Year again!

Our Week: Penang

We packed our bags after those couple of days of crazy decluttering and headed up for Penang, so this week has been a "school holiday" for the boys. We've not done much, aside from resting at home, and meeting up with the hubby's relatives for Chinese New Year. The boys have experienced fire-crackers, and also witnessed a lion dance. They've eaten bak kwa, stuffed themselves with mandarin oranges, and collected lots of ang pows. Baby J has been fascinated with the dog and keeps yelling "Nicky!" and crawling over to pat him. 

We also managed to sneak in a trip to the Penang Botanic Gardens. It's been really hot these few days, but everyone had a nice time exploring. They peered at snails...

... picked cannonball flowers, and snapped away at what caught their eye (Junior J is quite obsessive about taking photos these days):

The boys had a good time running off all their energy. I've realized that, even with the heat, they do need plenty of time outdoors, otherwise they tend to get restless! Hopefully, we'll be able to get them out and about across the weekend too.  

Anyway, here's wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year... Have a great weekend!

Our Week: Penang in pictures

We welcomed 2015 in Penang. This time though, we met up with two other homeschooling families and we went exploring together for a few days (they flew up, while we drove up). Moving around in such a large group (8 adults, 7 children) took a little getting used to, and sometimes we couldn't find tables large enough to fit all of us during meals. However, the kids really had lots of fun playing together: trying local fruit and food (ok, this was mainly the adults), folding paper aeroplanes, running around. 

Since we had to take into account naps and mealtimes and cranky tired kids, we opted for a relatively relaxed schedule, with morning outings and late afternoons spent playing at the beach or pool. The first day was spent exploring the Penang Butterfly Farm (our favourite place to visit with kids), and the kids ran about chasing butterflies in the garden, and peered at orchid mantises, stick insects and all sorts of beetles in the indoor exhibit area.  

Magellan Birdwing. 

The pitcher plants here feast on butterflies, going by those we inspected!

Day Two saw us heading up Penang Hill for some respite from the heat. The tram was really crowded, but it was really nice and cool at the top. We went to David Brown's Restaurant, which used to serve really good burgers, however, they seem to have changed their menu. But food aside, we all agreed it was worth paying more for lunch because of the huge lawn in front of the restaurant, where the kids could run (or crawl) freely! 

They were playing "What's the time, Mr Wolf" and had a great time running and screaming.

Baby J was delighted to be let loose on the grass!

We ended off the visit at the hawker center for some really good dessert. Lil J really enjoyed slurping up the cendol! Junior J wasn't too fond of it though, and preferred ice kachang. 

The hubs brought all of us mummies out on the last day to town to shop, while the rest stayed behind to play at the beach. We took a four-seater trishaw around the town to hunt for murals (this is probably the best way to go around town, especially in the blistering heat!), and had lunch at the little eatery on Armenian Street (opposite the kids on bicycle mural, which serves pretty decent laksa). 

I think the kids had the most fun running free at the beach. They buried each other, dug moats, and built sand mounds. Baby J really surprised us as he is normally very timid in nature (he cries if Papa throws him up in the air!), but over here he was constantly making a beeline for the water!

It was a lovely trip, and I loved it that we took it easy and didn't attempt to do too much. I think everyone enjoyed themselves, because now there's talk of doing another trip in the future!

Wednesday Wander: Pottering in Penang

I realize that I hardly do any travel posts on Penang, probably because we mainly go up to visit the in-laws, and the places we visit tend to be rather off the beaten track. Also, most of the food we eat is located on the mainland and not the island, so I thought there was no point doing food recommendations since visitors usually stay on the island.

However, while I've not written much about the hubby's hometown, it is very much part of our family's life. Penang is a messy mix that sometimes borders into cultural chaos: it has its own charm, it has all that good food, it has a rich history, but you can see how parts of it are slowly falling into decay. The new shopping malls tend towards uniformity, and have been springing up like mushrooms, and you get the feeling like you've been transported back to Singapore when you venture inside. The old malls are left to slowly die off, and you see empty, abandoned houses, some in ruins, around the town. But mess and decay aside, there is so much to love: the variety of food, the old shops nestling amidst new up and coming cafes, the murals and art that dot the corners of the town. And of course, we love it because it was where the hubby grew up. I realize I should write more, about this Penang that we know and love, because it is not what you really read about. 

Anyway, for this trip, we spent most of the time staying with the in-laws, but we moved to a hotel in Batu Ferringhi to join a friend and her kid who were visiting. Batu Ferringhi reminds me of Sentosa in a sense: the beaches, the touristy vibe, the expensive food. It is a great place to stay if you have kids and want them to have time at the beach or by the pool, however, the food there isn't fantastic. It does have a huge pasar malaam (night market), which we love to explore, as not only does it sell the usual imitation goods, but also paintings and reproductions. We love the butterfly farm that is nearby too. 

Most of the good food is based in town, so we headed down to town one morning sans kids (except the baby), and had a nice time walking around. We had laksa and cendol, in the cafe at Armenian street opposite the bicycle mural, and both dishes were pretty good. We explored the old shops, admiring the pretty colours and tiles gracing the front of the shops. One of the places we love to visit (my friend included) are the old householdware shops, that stock everything from plastic buckets to all manner of kitchenware, and it's interesting (at least for us) to wander through these shops looking at the stuff they sell. (A side point: have you noticed how deep some of these shops are? I love how some of them have these tiny little courtyards in the middle, and how high their ceilings soar.) We popped into Chin Seng Leong on Armenian street, which stocks all manner of vintage findings, from old telephones, toys to clocks and bicycles. We also browsed at various shops selling various pretty things. 

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by Him Heang at Burma Road to pick up some tau sa piah for friends, and had to queue for that. And we also had to queue for apong (malay pancake) on the opposite side of the road (more on apong over here). The apong was good, but the wait was crazy! (Apparently the two stalls selling the pancakes are run by brothers, who no longer talk to each other.) 

Anyway, will blog more about Penang in another post, and all our previous posts about Penang can be found here. Meanwhile, have a great week!

Weekend Wanderings: The Penang Ferry

We've been away visiting the in-laws over in Penang, and the boys have been having a really blessed time hanging out with their gramps. One of the things they really enjoy is riding the ferry that brings them across from the mainland to Penang Island. 

Perhaps it is every kid's fascination with boat rides. Or that you can spot jellyfish, or even large prawns in the water. Maybe it is how you can stand on the deck, taking deep breaths of the salty sea air, while the wind whips through your hair. The ferries are old, but that ride is always calming, and we always enjoy it. 

This was the baby's first ferry ride, and I was wondering if he would be afraid. Turns out, the lil boy loved it! The older two were busy climbing up and down the steep staircase to the upper deck, and just gazing out to sea. 

Anyway, I realize I hardly have any proper posts about things to do in Penang! Perhaps I'd get down to sharing more one day, since we've been there countless of times with the kids...

Thankful Tuesdays: In Penang

We've been in Penang, and staying with my in-laws for more than a week. Thus far, most days were spent at home, since the boys have been sleeping and waking up late. However, on a few good days, we've managed to venture out to explore. We've gone hunting for the murals by Ernest Zacharevic:

Walked about the streets a little...

Ah Kong really has been having fun with the boys.

... indulged in the pleasures of playing together...

Kiddy rides. Fun even though Mama refuses to put coins in them.

... and exploring together:

They love poking the leaves and seeing the water droplets form.

We've been treated to a whole range of yummies from street food (Oh mee sua kor! Oh laksa! Oh char kway teow! Oh yummy duck mee sua!), to loads of local fruits (both boys are not fond of durian, like their Papa, much to Mama's disappointment), to Ah Ma's soups and dinners. 

Sometimes, meals end with some food fights. But friendly ones.

Junior J figured out that the ice bits could be spat out from the straw, and an all out war ensued.

The boys have been showered with lots of love and attention from their grandparents. Ah Kong brings them on walks:

This was a shophouse filled with all sorts of curiosities.
But it turned out they were not for sale.

And Ah Ma spends all the time she can after work playing with them, and cooking for them.

They've taken naps in the car, tired from their adventures.

Sometimes, these naps come with flowers in hand. Sometimes, without. Sometimes, naps get skipped, because counting jellyfish in the ocean while riding the ferry is more exciting and important.  

I am very thankful for the time spent with family, even though we are away from home. And to know that the boys are so very loved. 

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