姐姐, 哥哥 & 弟弟: Visiting Penang Bon Odori Festival 2013 (日本盘舞节) , Markings George Town (Trishaw Man and Kungfu Girl mural) and Water Ubah at IJM Promenade

Penang Bon Odori Festival 2013 (日本盘舞节)

Our second Bon Odori Festival at Penang. This year our focus is on the games booth where visitors catch fishes and bring home whatever you manage to catch. And if you caught nothing, you get a consolation of one fish to bring home. It's RM2 to get the little net for your try (need to buy the coupon book of RM20 though). We waited more than 45 minutes for our turn, we reached the Esplanade when the sun is still shining bright and it was dark by the time we leave this games stall.

The children in concentration trying to catch the little fishes on their own. The fishes are really clever in dodging and it's not so easy. It's easier to break the net, if you're too rough.

In the end 弟弟's net broke and he got the consolation fish. 爸爸 helped 姐姐 to catch her fishes and got 3 fishes.

I think they have balloon catching games booth, but it was too crowded and we didn't go. The children say they want to be back next year to catch fishes.

They're so happy with the fishes, every photo has them holding onto the fishes.

Stage with dancers in beautiful kimonos in the background.
Too bad our angle didn't capture MPPP building this year, must remind 爸爸 if we attend the next one.

Photos while watching the dance performance

Our main aim was not food at all, since everything tasted so-so only. There's more local food than Japanese, so no photo of food this year. Looks like most young people really enjoyed the celebration as they were dancing together. Initially we didn't want to wait for the fireworks. But the children discovered the playground there and we ended up staying until fireworks display at 10pm. We're part of the 15000 people there :)

Beautiful fireworks, this one is not the usual ones for Chinese New Year. It looks like diamonds in the sky :)

Markings George Town

We don't go to George Town often, and missed out on the Markings George Town metal sculpture. Looks like lately there's been more metal sculptures installed around George Town. We're in town today for food, The Mugshot Café at Chulia Street. The children really enjoyed the kiwi & honey yoghurt and bacon & egg bagel for tea-time. They asked to be back for more. Well, it's pretty nice for the kids but not-so-comfy for us adults as the chairs and tables are really low (see mr big at the back :P)

Kiwi & honey yoghurt, mango & walnut yoghurt, cream cheese & smoked salmon bagel, bacon & egg bagel.
Drinks are hot mocha and cappuccino.

Do not know if it's really true to scale. From here, 姐姐 is 137cm and 弟弟 is 122cm with their slippers. It seems very far from the previous time they measured their height so suspect it's not accurate.

We parked at Love Lane, and feel so insecure due to the notorious snatch theft recently. Policemen were doing their rounds but it is better to be careful.

Then it's Markings George Town the weld iron wall caricatures everywhere. We didn't bring a map stating which sculpture at where, so we were kind of walking and driving around and stopping when the children spotted one. It's like treasure-hunting and the children thinks it is fun. Except when we parked our car for cendol dessert and started walking around, that they started to complain too about sore feet. Honestly everything's quite a distance away and George Town heritage area is not a few streets like in Malacca but practically the whole town, so it's not feasible to walk to find the Markings. Next time, we'll do it more like drive-and-stop so that the children don't complain so much :)

Carnovan Street. Description: The counter of the pawnshop is typically higher for security.

ChuliaStreet. Description: At the turn of the last century, many shophouses were turned into cheap hotels, making this internationally known tourist strip very popular with backpackers.

Cheating Husband @ Love Lane. “Where’s my husband?” Description “The local Chinese say the richmen who lived on MuntriStreet kept their mistresses here, hence the name ‘Ai Cheng Hang’ or Love Lane.”

Narrowest Five Foot Way @ LorongStewart

One LegKicks All @ Lebuh Muntri. Description: The ‘black-and-white’ Amahs were Cantonese domestic servants from Guangdong who did all kinds of household chores and would refer to themselves with wry humour as ‘yat keok tet’ (One leg kicks all).

Rope Style @ Jalan Pintal Tali. Description: Rope Walk was named after the rope-making activities on the street.

CintraStreet. Description: Here you’ll find traditional Cantonese restaurant serving Dim Sum.

CintraStreet. Description: In the early 20thcentury the slightly risque reputation of this area was further enhanced by the presence of Japanese camera shops which were suspected of covert spying activities.

Three Generations @ Kimberley Street. Description: Kimberley Street is famous for its hawker food. Some stalls have been here for over 3 generations.

Sungai UjongRoad. Description: Barbers used to operate here. Shorn hair was simply swept into the PranginCanal.

Komtar in the background.

Kopi-O-Kau @ Kimberley Street. Description: One tall, double shot, decaf expresso. ‘Kopi-O’-Kau!

It's stopping for desserts next at Penang Road Famous Chendul (it's the name of their stall, haha). But it's quite delicious. It's not on the main Penang Road by one tiny side road (I forgot the name, update later la).

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul by the roadside

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul at All Season Place is RM3.90. I think it's RM3.10 at the roadside.

After that, we tried looking for the Trishaw Man mural which we haven't found even passing through Penang Road several times. While looking, saw more of the iron wall caricatures. A tourist family asked us where is a certain street (in Mandarin) and the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, but really sorry to them that we do not know :P Well, we didn't grow up in George Town and have not completed the tourism spots yet, and of course we don't know the old street names.

Jimmy Choo @ Muntri Street. Description: This is the place where the famous shoe designer, Jimmy Choo, started his apprenticeship.

Win WinSituation @ Muntri Street. Description: Muntri Street was named after the Orang Kaya Menteri of Larut, Perak, NgahIbrahim. The tin merchants of Penang worked very closely with NgahIbrahim as LarutDistrict was one of the major suppliers of tin at that time.

Hainanese temple at Lebuh Muntri

And finally found it, Trishaw Man mural at Penang Road. Right at the beginning of the road, opposite the St Francis Xavier Church. There's a group of trishaw waiting for customers there, so it's probably depicting that scene. Since we took so long to find it, 爸爸 took more photos than usual.

Trishaw Man @ Penang Road

We couldn't find the mural at Lebuh Muntri too, as it's quite far a walk. So we drive around looking for it and found it. This is really a narrow street, so should park at the beginning of the road and walk there.

Kungfu Girl @ Lebuh Muntri. It's right next to the heritage Goldsmith's Guild.
The children say the girl on the mural looks scary.

Later I realized after compiling the photos that these murals and caricatures are meant to introduce the heritage icons to us, but we were totally ignorant. Of course, because we didn't have a copy of the tourist brochure :P It's like 对牛弹琴, feel quite bad about it.

Water Ubah at IJM Promenade

This is new and will be here at IJM Promenade until end August. So we take the opportunity to drop by as soon as we can.