Penang, Pinang, Here I Come

Wednesday 11 January 2017

We woke up and Timbo felt much, much, better. With most of the easy packing done yesterday it was time for the rest of the stuff after breakfast.

As the train to Butterworth was not until 12.50, we had plenty of time to get ready to leave and empty the safe, which was a good thing since the safe refused to open again. It took two lots of people to release it, which gave Timbo less time to do the things he needed to. He has been very strict on his banking, checking it regularly on this trip.

We checked out of the room at about 11.50 and waited it seemed for ever and a day until the taxi arrived, but we got to the station in plenty of time. The train arrived more or less on time, and we had to ask the person in our seat to move. He did not look well pleased.

This train was the KMT Gold service. There was more leg room on it, and for Timbo that matters. I am lucky as I am a young Bärli that I do not have such long hinds as you humans.

We arrived a few minutes after the scheduled time. Timbo said the station at Butterworth is very different to when he and Lang took the train in February 2011. We had to go up only to go back down (as is the way for you humans).

When we got back down people surrounded Timbo saying "Taxi?" to him and he kept answering "No. Ferry." We came to a load of step going up and Timbo thought lots of naughty thoughts, I recognise that look on his face, that is how I know, when a young man in military uniform offered to help him.

When we got to the top, yes you are already ahead of me, there was another load of steps to go down, but another young man in military uniform came over to help. Timbo and I want to publicly  thank these very kind young men.

Well, having gone up then down, back up and back down, you will never guess what comes next. Oh, you did. Yes, we had to go up a steep slope (there is a lot of going upwards in Butterworth) and got to the ferry check in. You then have to give a man your notes in exchange for coins which you then put into the turnstile which is watched over by another man. Timbo was very adept at wheeling his suitcases under and through the turnstile. He can be resourceful when he is feeling well.

We had just missed a ferry, but that did not matter as there are three every hour at this time of day. Once the foot passengers and then the cars got off the ferry it was time for the cars to go on followed then for us paw passengers. 

On board the ferry from Butterworth to Georgetown

The crossing was most pleasant and relaxing, then when we got to the other side, Georgetown on Pulau Pinang (or Penang island), guess what? Yes! We had to go down again as we were up on the top deck of the ferry.

Once we were down we got a taxi and after a very long drive we got to The Lone Pine. After the wide roads in Georgetown we found ourselves on narrow roads twisting and turning hugging the coastline. I was so happy to be back home, well not quite, but I did glimpse the E&O as we made our way here.

The Lone Pine is not like many other resorts, a large shaky scraper hotel. The tallest building is 5 storeys high. Our room, 309, is on the highest level. It overlooks the garden where they hold outdoor events, and beyond that is the narrow beach and then the Straits of Melaka.

He first thing Timbo noticed was he could hear the sea. He loves the sound of the waves. He had a text chat with Special K and then we strolled around the small grounds of the hotel. Then we went back to the room and got freshened up for a cocktail, ‘ferenghi fling’. There are five cocktails listed. We are here four nights. Two of the cocktails are prosecco based. I think the last night will be double cocktail night.

The house speciality cocktails

We went to the main restaurant, The Bungalow, for dinner. This is where we will also have breakfast every morning. Soon it was time for a shower and bed.

Lovely bed. Lots of room for me and (especially) Timbo. Hee-hee!

Thursday 12 January 2017

We had a long sleep. We woke up at 8 and had to rush. Even though breakfast is served until 11, who wants to be last? By the time we got to The Bungalow, nearly all the loungers round the pool were taken. We did not mind, after all we have a lovely large balcony, where we stayed nearly all day. Timbo was recuperating, snoozing, thinking about music, doing a special blog entry of his own, while I was at last catching up on writing my blog, which I have ignored while I have been looking after Timbo.

It soon came round to cocktail time and Timbo chose ‘pine forest’ which he found surprisingly delicious. Then dinner, then shower, then bed.

Friday 13 January 2017

Today was much the same as yesterday. Breakfast then I was hard at work on the balcony with my blog. Timbo was snoozing or thinking about music in his head.

This evening we decided to have dinner in the Japanese restaurant and that was delicious, if a little large. Naturally this was preceded by a cocktail. The poison of choice this evening was ‘frozen baturitas’.

The evening was slightly marred by a business having its annual dinner on the lawn.Timbo could not get to sleep and phoned reception to ask when it would finish. 11 pm. Not good when you are sleepy and even the earplugs do not keep out the noise of the woman shouting on the microphone. I know Timbo is slightly deaf, but that is no reason why he should be forced to hear all the inane prattling going on. I think my cuddles helped.

Saturday 14 January 2017

Our last full day. We spent it like every other day except we went for a slow gentle walk along the beach. Timbo was happy as he let the warm waters of the Straits of Malacca rush around his feet. It meant he was all covered in sand but that did not matter! He took some photos, some of them were macros of what nature left on the beach.

The beach at Batu Ferringhi

Two Shells

A dead crab

Two (different) shells

After our walk we started the repacking.

As anticipated Timbo had the two prosecco cocktails on his last night. Timbo thinks the best of the cocktails was his first, ‘ferenghi fling’.

Off to bed and tomorrow I am going home!

Iain d'Eau is going to be back in the E&O!

Ipoh! Ipoh! Hooray!

Saturday 8 January 2017

After breakfast we set about making sure we were ready to go. Timbo had been collecting the free bottled water from the hotels, which made our bags heavier, but it also meant we had loads to drink if we were thirsty.

The check out went smoothly, we got a taxi to the station and arrived in plenty of time. For the new  ETS trains there is a special waiting area with hard seats. Some younger people offered their seats to Timbo but he politely turned them down. Sitting is not always worth it for a few minutes, and it let us walk about a bit. After all, we were going to be on the train, about two and half hours.

When we were called there was a mad scramble. Timbo decided to take the lift with about twenty other people. We got to the platform and everybody was scurrying like ants even though there was about ten to fifteen minutes before departure.

We found our assigned carriage and assigned seat. This was a silver service and that means we stop at more stations, but we also arrive in Ipoh at a decent hour and it fits in nicely with check out and check in at each end if the journey.

When we were booking we wondered why one half of all the carriages seemed to be fully booked. All became clear. Rows from 1 to about 10 face in one direction and the remainder in the other. Most people want to travel facing forward.

Timbo was concerned how cold the train would be. This is because when he and Special K went on the train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta in June 1026 the air con was so cold Timbo wished he had brought his winter coat, hat, scarf, and thermal underwear. Thankfully the KTM is not too bad, just about bearable for a human and very much humanable for a Bärli.

When we got to Ipoh we had to go to a little counter to ask for a taxi, we paid the lady there, and a taxi driver came to collect us. We got to the hotel, checked in. The room was Spartan, Timbo said. This is not quite like the Hyatt, I thought.

The Spartan Suite

Next it was time to put things into the safe. Timbo could not unlock the safe. It had been locked, it seemed by the previous person. We had to get somebody to open it. Timbo was feeling quite tired still, exhausted by this horrid cold. So he had another nap. We woke up to realise it was getting darker and we needed somewhere to eat, preferably near the hotel. An internet search brought up a Belgian restaurant! Timbo said, this has to be seen to be believed.

Now I do not know how familiar you are with Ipoh, but zebra crossings and traffic lights seem to be a bit of a luxury. They seem to be all congregated together in the space of a few streets. SO to cross the road takes courage or sheer stupidity. A bit of each got us across the sort of mainish road outside the hotel. The road we walked along also revealed another novelty. Pavements are replaced by car parking slots along this street.

We made it to the restaurant and Timbo chatted wit the waiter, and wondered why a Belgian restaurant should be here in the middle of Malaysia. A Belgian guy went to Penang, opened a Belgian restaurant there, got bored, came to Ipoh, opened the restaurant. Guess what? Got bored and went off somewhere else. Before he left, the new owner asked him to train the local chefs how to make the food as they wanted it to remain a Belgian restaurant.

I will not say it will set the world on fire, but if you are in Malaysia and have a craving for pork, this is one place pork is on the menu. The other people in the restaurant seemed to be Chinese locals. I rather enjoyed myself, so too did Timbo. We do not know if this is genuine Belgian cuisine or not, but it made a pleasant change. As Timbo was still nursing his cold he did not try any of the Belgian beers, but he would have liked to have had a go.

Me and my pudding

Back to the hotel and bed.

Monday 9 January 2017

Breakfast was as Spartan as the room for the western palate. There were no other westerners at breakfast. After we had eaten and Timbo dosing himself up on medication, we left the hotel with a rough idea where we were going. It was simply a case of following our noses, bunged up or otherwise.

Street signs suddenly throw up European names

Spooky entrance

We made it to the Ipoh Padang, Timbo insisted on taking a photo of me there, so I reluctantly agreed.

 

Me at the Ipoh Padang

Ye Olde Tudorbethan Restaurant

Birch Memorial Clock Tower

From there on it was just go where we wanted, keeping in the shade where we could. 

 

The magnificent railway station

We went beyond the usual confine of the Concubine Lane area and strayed into Ipoh’s Little India.

Choose your matching sari for your elopement motorbike.

While we were there we saw a wonderful printing shop. The man chatted with Timbo and showed him some old printing presses he has, one of them about a century old and one about as old as Timbo.

The printing shop

It was getting much, much hotter and we were both sagging. Timbo because of his cold and me because of my fur. Ipoh was really hot. We had a nice ice cream (‘ais krim’ in Malay, in case you need to know) that revived us and, stopping off only at a 7-11 near the hotel for urgent supplies, we got back to hotel and napped. W also had to go back because the battery was low in the camera and Timbo had forgotten to bring the spare he carries with him. Silly old Timbo!

We had decided to try a place called “plan b” we saw in the old town area. So we walked fairly briskly there, that was possible as it had turned cooler now the sun was almost setting. It took about twenty minutes. Again the food will not set the world on fire, but two courses and mineral water for only about 70 ringgit or £12.50, that is not at all bad.

A much slower walk back to the hotel, full tummies do not make brisk exercise a good idea, and bed.


Tuesday 10 January 2017

Today at breakfast there was a mature while couple who sounded British in the hotel. We never saw them again! Had Timbo been well we could have organised a trip or two whilst here, but a last minute attempt was fruitless. Next time, do not get ill, Timbo!

We popped out again, following a slightly different route into the old part of Ipoh and took more photos, this time with sufficient battery power!

Recycling, Ipoh Style (1 of 2)

Recycling, Ipoh Style (2 of 2)

(Informal) Portrait of a Bärli as a Young Cub

Selamat Hari Krismas & Tahun Baru 2017!

Wm Jacks & Co., (M) Sdn Bhd

Considering Timbo was not very well only a week ago, I was impressed how well he handled the extreme heat in Ipoh. When we checked the internet later in the day, we found out January is the hottest month of the year here.

Golly! No wonder I felt warm under my fur.

We were not the only ones who found it tiring

Timbo got some more medication just in case he needs it, but I say his cold is almost gone.

Back in the room and packing up suitcases better for tomorrow.
As it was our last night Timbo wanted to find somewhere nice. On the internet there was a restaurant that had good recommendations overall but not somewhere we knew. We went out but could not find it. It was supposed to be only 200 metres away but where it was supposed to be on the map was waste land. So we went to a nearby Vietnamese restaurant instead. It was OK, but at less than 50 ringgit (under £10.00) there are no complaints.

Back to the hotel and a solid sleep was wanted.

Interlude in KL

Friday 6 January 2017

We went to breakfast late as usual. It is nice to take time. Timbo packed lots of water for the journey. We took our time and he rested a little bit. Timbo had reserved the taxi for midday and we clashed with the children leaving school early as it is Friday. It did not take us long, however, to get out on the open road. The driver had a special machine that took the road toll off him as we came to both the toll booths. We made excellent time and arrived a little before 2.30.

The room has a walk in shower and bathroom. Timbo likes the extra space. He told me of his favourite hotel in Berlin that has the same sort of arrangement. The view was not fantastic, but there was a park below that looked quite pleasant.

After we had checked in and unpacked as chief as we needed, Timbo went to the Business Centre to try to book the train journeys. He only managed to get so far and got no further or else the Malaysian train website did not have an English option. The lady tried to help us on the lap top and despite trying several browsers we got nowhere. So we used the Business Centre's Windows desktops and it worked. For both journeys. Timbo was very happy.

After another rest, poor old Timbo, we went to see if he could buy some posh toiletries he likes that were running down. They did not have them. Timbo was not best pleased. It was not that far from the hotel, so it was not a big waste of time.

We had dinner in the posh restaurant called 'thirty8' because it is on the 38th floor. It also had a view of the Petronas Towers, if you were sitting in the right place. 

The view of the Petronas Towers

It was scrummy nosh and I thought perhaps Timbo was getting a little bit better. We went to bed and this time he slept more soundly than ever before since he caught this cold.




Saturday 7 January 2017

We did nothing in KL, merely rested Timbo some more. I thought a short rest after breakfast would revive him and it did. We then went down to the pool and Timbo sprawled himself out. He sounded less poorly though he kept saying his chest was not good.

Once the sun was well behind the other buildings we went back to the room, showered and got ready for dinner. We decided to try the other restaurant in the hotel, 'JP teres'. It was a sports bar as well as a restaurant. Timbo liked it there apart from the football, the large TV screens, and the volume they were playing at. Back to bed, and I am sure Timbo is much, much better now. He is being nicely grumpy again!