in the swim : The Bus Ride (Updated)

Hi everyone

On the second day we took the double-decker hop on hop off bus. This time we really had to plan where to go and what to see. There are many places of attractions that made you spoiled for choice.

Anyway we chose the Entopia the butterfly farm and the spice garden.

Other than that we were quite satisfied sitting in the bus and having the overview of the places along whichever road the bus would ply.

Just sitting in the bus on the upper deck will give you a good view of places along the bus routes. We did not get down at most of the stops on the city route. My idea was to take picture of places which have connection to my past. It was difficult to take photographs from a moving bus. Shaky as the bus tried to move through the traffics. And at times the bus moved too fast for me to recognize those places which were of interest to me because landscapes have changed.

At one point I was wondering where was the house in which I stayed with my foster parents. Where were the rows of the big angsana trees lining both sides of the road . During flower season the road would be like a yellow carpet. And where was 'my' bus stop?

I hardly recognized the road which has been widened. Of course time has changed the state has progressed. Both sides of the road where the house was now have become bustling business premises.

Me stupid or what still looking for the trees.

When the bus was approaching the hospital area I kept my eyes fixed to get a glimpse at the nurses hostel. My memory must be failing because I only realized it was there when the bus had whizzed past. What connection has it with me. I was not a nurse. I did not stay there before. So why. Well to tell the truth I was very often smuggled into the hostel by my sister. Those days the student nurses hostel was strictly out of bound to outsiders, male or female. We stealthily broke the rules when in desperation but gleefully remembered now ha ha.

When the bus slowed down at a junction there was a road sign pointing to Suffolk House. Hey that rickety old and anytime can collapse colonial house was behind my old school. The students were warned not to enter the area it was not safe, I remember. It must have been restored now otherwise why the sign. That got me eager for the bus to pass by my old school. Ah not yet.

The bus went in a different direction and passed by the new (at least to me its new) state mosque. It continued to the foot of Penang Hill (I hiked the hill twice before, though not to the very top) and back the same road to the town centre.

I know I miss taking photos of some of the places like the botanical garden where me and my friends used to do frogging (catching frog for dissection practice during biology class).

And a friend's old house where I had a few times taken lunch there had vanished. Still remember how spicy was her untie's sambal udang kering.

I also realized the area where once was considered a posh area is now overwhelmed by wealthier homes. My rich classmate (she already had a car and drove herself to school at th..a..a..at time!) who lived there served us bird's nest soup on Chinese New Year. I sure remember because that was the first time I tasted birds nest soup haaa.

The Penang State Mosque

This school was very hebat during my school time

Hill railway

Below are pictures of the famous Kapitan Keling mosque which was founded in the early 1800s after undergoing many renovations through the decades here is how it looks now.

In the the sixties one of my grand uncles lived within the complex of the mosque. We had to enter through an small door which faced the Chulia street. To reach where his place was I remember we had to pass by some graves. We made his place a transit whenever we were in George Town. The mosque was also a favorite for my late father to do his Friday prayers when he pi Tanjung ( we who originate in mainland Penang refer George Town as Tanjung which means promontory)

The picture were taken late in the evening at the end of the day as the bus was ending its journey. But here is one picture which I managed to get before we reached our final destination on that day.

Guess what?

Here, the above picture enlarged and cropped . . .

That 's a school. Hmm a boys school.

The last two years of my schooling was here. I remember we girls had to play football for the orientation ha ha right there on that field. Wow that was how many umpteen years ago. Lots of memories good and not so good. All in all I enjoyed my school time here.

Earlier in the day we were on the hop on hop off bus plying the beach route when we passed by the famous and beautiful Penang beaches. My photography certainly do not do justice. What can you expect when snapping from a moving bus plus the weather was not so bright.