#aabc Penang Takeover

Thanks to AirAsia and Penang Global Tourism, I was in Penang last weekend for an adventure to experience and explore Penang cuisine, heritage, culture and more. 

#1: Welcome To Pearl of the Orient! 

My last visit to Penang was like two years ago for my very best friend's wedding and I'm barely remember whether this is my 4th or 5th trip to this food paradise city but then, I still love to return again for more.
For this particular event, total of 16 #aabc members were exclusively invited - 10 from Kuala Lumpur, 2 from Kuching and 3 from Kota Kinabalu. All those from Kuala Lumpur and Kuching were arrived earlier whereas for us three from Kota Kinabalu, we arrived pretty late due to flight delayed for almost two hours. Upon arrived, we immediately check-in into Olive Tree Hotel, threw our luggages and get ready for seafood dinner.

#2: A very new hotel in the island - Olive Tree Hotel 

Restoran Bali Hai

#3: Restoran Bali Hai

For our first night dinner, we were brought to this Restoran Bali Hai located along of popular Gurney Drive Seafood. Stepped right into the restaurant, we were greeted with vast of fresh live seafood aquarium tanks consists of lobsters, prawns, crabs, fishes and lots more, which I can relate that is looks alike to most of the seafood restaurants in Kota Kinabalu. 

#4: What we had? Chilli crabs, salted egg crabs, butter prawns, fresh fish, petai and more. 

#5: Group photos of #aabc. [Photo Credit To: Amir Nawawi]

Address:

90, 90A, 90B, 90C, 90D,

Persiaran Gurney Georgetown 10250,

Penang, Malaysia

Open daily

Here comes our real adventures on the second day. Besides 16 of us, we were joined by another 10 amazing Penang bloggers. Divided into 5 different groups, each group being assigned to finish 5 challenges - the best breakfast in Penang,  heritage trail, eat Penang style, guide for tourists visiting Penang and what resemble Penang.

Being in Group 1, teamed up by Calista Liew, Ana Jonessy and Jian Goh and not forgetting yours truly, we were joined by a Penang food blogger, Ken and he led us all the way in order to complete the assigned challenges.

#6: When most the other group went for either roti canai or toast, Ken brought us to Sin Seow Fong Lye Cafe for chee cheong fun and char koay kak for best breakfast in Penang. 

#7: To travel around Penang, ride on their free shuttle bus

#8: We even ride the unique heritage mode of transportation, ferry from George Town Island to Butterworth and back and we got to see clearly of their famous iconic, Penang Bridge.

#9: That's us with the local! [Photo Credit To: Ana Jonessy]

After more than 10 years later, I can't believe I will be back again for another sae ferry ride. My virgin ride when I was still in secondary school having vacation with my family.


#10: Eat like Penang in Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Kuih where dipped fried popiah (spring roll) in Asam Laksa soup.

All the 5 groups managed to finish the assigned tasks on time. And before they decide to announce the winner, we were brought to Queensbay Mall for AirAsia's Battle of The Year 2015.

#11: AirAsia's Battle of The Year - The biggest street dance competition in the country 

Then, it's time for dinner at Yeng Keng Cafe in the bustling Chulia Street along together with the rest of the Penang bloggers. Yeng Keng Cafe is well-known for its delicious and scrumptious Hainanese cuisine and coincidentally, the chef who prepared all of our dishes is from Kota Kinabalu. Known as Chef Tan, he is claimed to be the oldest chef in Penang.

#12: Hainanese dinner at Yeng Keng Cafe

Thats's explain why I can't be a proper food blogger cause overall for me, the food taste pretty fine and good for me but for the rest, they said either the food were so-so only or kinda disappointed.

Ended our night by lucky draw to the 10 amazing Penang bloggers who have been working so hard with us to finish the 5 challenges and the three lucky winners got themselves flight ticket to Medan, Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu. As for the team who won the challenges, the prize is flight tickets to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Super envy with them!

Although my group didn't win anything, but we have one the most amazing time having fun travel and eating around Penang. Not forgetting, I would like to extend my gratitude to Ken for his passion to bring us around Penang without involvement of his car.

#13: Thanks to AirAsia and Penang Global Tourism once again for the goodies

Planning To Travel To Penang?
AirAsia is flying directly from Kota Kinabalu to Penang with two flights daily.

So what are you waiting for? Hurry up book your ticket for another food, heritage trails and street art adventures.

P/S: I'm using my new toy, Sony DSC WX-500 (a compact camera eventually) and honestly, I found out my mirrorless camera, Sony NEX 5N which I have use for more than three years perform better than the compact one. What do you think?

My Posts on Penang:

• Penang's Art Street, Wall Paintings & Steel Sculptures 
• Old Penang Guesthouse

Penang's Art Street, Wall Paintings & Steel Sculptures

Date of Visit: 15th & 16th September 2013

What attract both local and foreign visitors to visit Penang is to witness the delightful fusion of the East and West that rich in history and culture and also for its bewildering arrays of mouth-watering eats. That's what for my past trip but currently, what attract me the most was for its vibrant showcase of these unique and beautifully painted art street, wall paintings and steel sculpture across the heritage area of George Town city.

Thanks to London-trained Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic who started off of these amazing and creative ideas by painting these colourful murals within the inner city and later, his footsteps followed by the local artists and cartoonists which helped to generate awareness of the rich history of the streets. 

Playing hide and seek with these colourful art street and wall paintings was indeed very fun and fascinating but make sure to do some homework beforehand or the best suggestion, grab a map to know where the arts are in order to save time and also reduce the chances of missing out some of these art. We're lucky enough to meet some helpful and friendly local people who gave us maps while we're in the mode of hunting for these arts.

#1: Random mural in front of the main gate of the bicycle shop who gave us the map at Armenian Street

#1.1: "Lion dance" mural 

#1.2: Beautiful mural we stumbled upon

#1.3: Snail mural

#2: “Reaching Up” mural along Cannon Street - painted by Ernest Zacharevi

#2:1: Another random artwork at Cannon Street

#4: "Newly Wed" mural at Acheh Street

#5: Minions painted on a concrete traffic bollard in Soo Hong Lane, off Armenian Street. Penang "lang" are indeed crazy about these minions. Minions merchandises are being selling anywhere around the town.

#6: "No Animal Discrimination Please" mural at one of the small alley of Soo Hong Lane - This is part of 101 Lost Kittens project to create awareness over the issue of helping fnd home for stray animals

#7: "I Can Help Catch Rats" mural at Armenian Street

#8: “Little Children on a Bicycle” mural at Armenian Street - One of the popular and famous mural that almost everyone looking for.

#9: "Cats & Humans Happily Living Together" mural at Pantai Street. This one not easily spotted.

#10: "Skippy, the giant Cat" mural at Armenian Street Ghaut.

#11: "Please Care & Bathe Me" mural

#12: "Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat" mural along Armenian Street Ghaut

#15: "Shade Me If You Love Me" artwork along Victoria Street

#15.1: We were being told that this is the latest mural.

#15.2:"Old Master Q" mural in one of the alley of Victoria Street

#16: "Amah & Asoon" mural located at the entrance of Chew Jetty

#17: "Brother and Sister on a Swing" mural at Chulia Street Ghaut. The lane is now called Step by Step Lane. It was painted by a talented local Penang artist, Louis Gan who is hearing impaired.

#17.1: This kung-fu minion mural located just nearby the "Brother and Sister Swing" mural

#18: My favourite photo - "Children Playing Basketball" mural Chulia Street Ghaut. It was also painted by Louis Gan.

#19: “Boy on a Bike” mural at Ah Quee Street - painted by Ernest Zacharevi

#20: "Bruce Lee's cat" mural

#20.1: "Our Art is Dying" mural is incomplete

#21:"Bee doo bee doo minion" mural situated at Ah Quee street.

#21.1: Located just opposite of the above minion mural

#22: “Little Girl in Blue” mural at Muntri Street

It took us two days to hunt for all these murals around the street and not all the murals we managed to spot cause they were dotted all over the place. The best time to hunt for all these murals is as early as you can cause besides to avoid the scorching hot sun, you might need to queue up in order to pose with these murals as there will be lots of other tourists who will be there for the same reason. If you haven't visit any of these yet, better be hurry cause some of the murals seems to be faded away. It's kinda sad when I bumped into few of them and they were not really clear to be seen, such as the following:

#23: "This Old Man" mural on the wall of a shophouse facing Armenian Street. Apparently, no one noticed about this mural at all.

#24: "Children in a Boat" mural - totally faded away in Chew Jetty

Besides the above murals, Sculpture at Work, the company involved in the creation of the steel-rod sculptures, pooled together a team of creative minds and local cartoonists to design quirky caricatures to decorate the city's walls by sharing the scenes of life in Penang. Here are some of the steel sculptures which I stumbled upon:

#25: Then & Now of Coppersmith Street

#26: Rock Candy

#27: Where's My Husband?

#28: 5 Star Budget Hotel

#29: Hand-Pulled Rickshaw

#30: Steel sculptures are dotted all over around this UNESCO World Heritage Site

#31: More and more. There are plenty of them.

#32: The map given by the local. Only the murals are being shared but not the steel sculptures.

If any of you would like to have this map, you are welcome to leave your email in the comment box or email me at dtdianateo@gmail.com.

[Credit To: Penang Travel Tips, Gallery - Time Out Penang,