Life in Penang settled into a rhythm pretty quickly—and apparently blogging wasn’t part of it! It’s been a while!
Most days look like this: morning walks (now runs!), coffee, reading and catching up on news, lunch, maybe an excursion, dinner, then another walk in the evening.
Walking is the star of the show here. Our condo in Waterside Straits Quay is perfectly placed—love looking at the marina, light traffic, smooth sidewalks, and beautiful new bridges connecting to the Andaman Island development. We cross one bridge, journey across the newly created Andaman island (lots of shade from newly planted trees), cross the other bridge, then turn around and head back. We also love the waterfront path near our place, especially in the evenings when families, joggers, kids on scooters, and dog walkers all come out. Lively.
Andaman Island itself is fascinating to watch—it’s still being built, and will eventually be 760 acres, and we can see new land literally taking shape day by day. Ships are dropping rocks and other material while multiple dredge’s are pulling ‘land’ from the bottom of the ocean and spraying it to help form the new island.
Because the heat is intense, midday is mostly indoor time. Our building has three rooftop pools, but they’re warm and mostly unprotected from the sun, so we don’t use them much.
Outings. Friday’s Modern Living Expo turned out to be… not so modern! Mostly appliances and furniture for locals, and it seemed we were the only visitors who’d yet arrived. We made a polite loop, explored the building a bit, and headed home. The building was a a hybrid (green) conference center with a park and sports field on the roof.
Saturday we explored a nearby grocery store (Lotus’s—yes, that extra “s”!) and attempted to find Penang International Church. After wandering around in peak heat, we found it… and immediately called a Grab home. Worth it though—we really liked the church.
Midweek we headed to historic Georgetown—murals, shops, street performers, gelato (of course). The weather cooperated, and we walked the whole way back, logging just over 12 miles that day!
We’ve also met an Irish couple in our building and connected with longtime locals through friends—always nice to start feeling like you know people.
Yesterday was our best day here yet. Longtime locals—friends of friends who’ve become our good friends—graciously showed us some must-do highlights. We started with a wonderful lunch of fish, shrimp, chicken, and beef. Then we visited a durian orchard; the fruit is famously smelly and has a proper way to eat it, so it was a treat to learn about it and finally try one (it’s the end of the season so fortunate there was a ripe ones left!). After that, we enjoyed a beach walk to dip our toes in the warm Indian Ocean, followed by tea and biscuits at their home. The day ended with dinner at an outdoor food court featuring stingray, dumplings, and chicken shawarma. Such generous people—and though Michigan is familiar to them, we hope to return their hospitality one day.
Today is laundry and packing. Tomorrow we drive KL and Monday we start our flights home. We will definitely miss Malaysia.
Okay, this is long enough. Thanks for reading! Hard to believe that this time next week we’ll be freezing in Michigan with the rest of you!
View from condo, looking left (Andaman Island in the distance)
View from condo, looking left (Andaman Island in the distance)
View from condo, looking forward (Andaman Island in the distance)
View from condo, looking forward (Andaman Island in the distance)
“Out and back” course to Andaman Island
“Out and back” course to Andaman Island
Andaman Island concept plan (source: https://www.buro247.my/culture/art-design/andaman-island-penang-buro-home-worthy.html)
Andaman Island concept plan (source: https://www.buro247.my/culture/art-design/andaman-island-penang-buro-home-worthy.html)
Throw-back of our course around Kuala Lumpur park (KLCC)
Throw-back of our course around Kuala Lumpur park (KLCC)
On bridge - walking towards Andaman Island (riverfront park under development)
On bridge - walking towards Andaman Island (riverfront park under development)
Construction underway
Construction underway
Monitor lizard - also saw many jelly fish and…
Monitor lizard - also saw many jelly fish and…
sea otters, and…
sea otters, and…
birds, and…
birds, and…
cats, and…
cats, and…
more birds!
more birds!
Condo pool
Condo pool
Another view
Another view
Condo entrance/court yard (first 2 floors - stores, restaurants, grocery)
Condo entrance/court yard (first 2 floors - stores, restaurants, grocery)
Home Expo adventure
Home Expo adventure
Where is everyone?
Where is everyone?
Conference center rooftop garden (wait until it rains!)
Conference center rooftop garden (wait until it rains!)
View of the area from rooftop
View of the area from rooftop
Seque
Seque
Walking around the Gurney Mall (cool fish display but where are the horses?)
Walking around the Gurney Mall (cool fish display but where are the horses?)
Evening waterfront park
Evening waterfront park
Evening waterfront walk
Evening waterfront walk
Streets of Georgetown!
Streets of Georgetown!
Multiple dredges provding land for the new manmade Andaman Island.
Multiple dredges provding land for the new manmade Andaman Island.
Georgetown
Georgetown
Georgetown
Georgetown
Georgetown
Georgetown
Violin music playing in the background
Violin music playing in the background
Georgetown
Georgetown
More cats!
More cats!
Yep!
Yep!
Georgetown
Georgetown
Blue mansion (as seen in Crazy Rich Asian film)
Blue mansion (as seen in Crazy Rich Asian film)
Walk home from Georgetown
Walk home from Georgetown
You do have to watch your step
You do have to watch your step
Former school
Former school
Looking back towards Georgetown
Looking back towards Georgetown
Only another 45 minutes until we’re home!
Only another 45 minutes until we’re home!
This will be a large waterside park!
This will be a large waterside park!
Dredging operation - building Andaman
Dredging operation - building Andaman
From bridge-nearly home!
From bridge-nearly home!
Made it home - photos of cats never get old!
Made it home - photos of cats never get old!
Walking after dinner - little kids ride these around the complex in the evenings
Walking after dinner - little kids ride these around the complex in the evenings
:)
:)
Until tomorrow!
Until tomorrow!
Bye!