Friday, 22nd February

I have arrived in Malaysia, on Langkawi Island.

On Langkawi I have spant just one night - I was in a hurry - my very good old friends from Goettingen, Ania and Tom with their daughter Laura were expecting me in Penang. Unfortunatelly, after my arrival on Langkawi there was no boat to Penang (it is an island, too); that is why I had to sleep here.

I did not know that I was here before

When traveling I always try to avoid chains... but this one was the only one opened cafe at 7 a.m. at the hairbour.

First ferry, than taxi ti bus station...

In a bus to Butterworth; not really crowded. FRom Butterworth there is a ferry to Penang island where my friends live.

The first sight of the George Town on Penang

Here we come!

 Finally after one year brake I met my very good friends, here, in Penang. After some rest we visited a Botanical Garden and a park where so many people were doing sports - even a collective aerobic accompanied by Malaysian music... Really great that so many people do sports in public...

Beauty and the Beast

A typical Malaysian supper in a very viable and crowded place, where you can buy everything to eat you wish... Green mango and papaya salad killed us, was sooooooooo spicy...

Sunday, 24th February

We visited Kek Lok Si Temple, the largestBuddhist temple in Malaysia standing on the top of the hill Air Itam, builded from 1890 for the next 20 years with several temples surrounding the Kek Lok Si.

Kek Lok Si Temple

You buy a piece of a nice material and pray in this way...

(mine are three at the bottom)

... and attatch it to a special tree

Laughing Buddha???

According to Chineese calender, I am a horse. Laura looks like she loves horses, too.

Strange feeling... but you see quite a lot of swastikas in Asia, I saw even more in Indonesia...

After visiting the Temple we went for a walk in Penang, visiting the Small India.

One nice guy took me to a non touristic part of the town, showing me the houses of fishermen. Poor conditions, poor houses, extreme humidity.

A bit shocking offering in a kind of China Town.

And really creative wall painting

Typical for Georgetown post-colonial terracota

Sometimes you find on the street interesting floral decorations

Pinky cakes, offerings.

Monday, 25th February

A bit lazy and relaxed day when I was walking down the streets of Georgetown. Anna and me got ready for our trip to Bali starting tommorow.