I just returned from two days in Penang, Malaysia. Andy had a long layover there, so I found a cheap flight on Malaysia Airlines and joined him. I'm feeling a little depressed to be back in Hong Kong. I know that part of reason is just natural, post-holiday blues, where the sights and sounds of home seem so dull and ordinary compared to the place I just left. There's no way the same-old, same-old can stack up against visiting somewhere new, and experiencing it with enthusaism and fresh eyes. But I think the other part of my depression is real: it's because I fell a little in love with Penang, and I miss it already.
It doesn't make much sense to me. I'm covered in mosquito bites. The island has some huge, hideous bugs running about, the kind you see featured in nature documentaries or horror movies. The morale-destroying heat and humidity is not helped by the strong, sudden downpours. It's not the cleanest place I've ever seen and a lot of the shops and restaurants look like they're housed in former garages. The streets are choked with traffic, sidewalks are rare, and motorbikes are apparently exempt from traffic laws. But, despite all this, I felt more soul and energy in two days in Penang than I have in six months in Hong Kong.
I acknowledge that a lot of the pleasure I had in Penang came from our hotel, the Eastern & Oriental (E&O). But, can you blame me? The photo above was taken from our room. Yes, that's what we woke up to each day: sunshine lighting up palm trees heavy with coconuts, swaying by the seawall of the Strait of Malacca. The history and beauty of the E&O make it practically a tourist destination in itself. I'll have more about it and the rest of our visit in future posts.
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