PENANG, MALAYSIA (day 78)

Malaysia's Island State of PENANG, is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. It is known as the PEARL OF THE ORIENT  for its natural beauty.  It is multicultural with Colonial Architecture, Chinese Communities (67%are Buddhists or Taoists, some Christian), Indian Temples (mostly Catholics), & Mosques (30% Malaysians) the remaining people are a mix of other religions.

PENANG is home to 13 million people. It is ruled by the same Constitutional Monarchy as KL. The Monarchy is made up of 11 states. 9 out of the 11states have Sultans, KL has a Sultan PENANG does not. Sultans inherit their title and are supported in style by the state. Rather than get into the complicated layers of government in the 2 countries it should suffice it if I say that the only level of government that the people get to vote for are their representatives who are on the level of our congress. They do not choose their King & Queen who are figureheads and they do not vote for their leader in Parliament.

Today our tour took us to GEORGE TOWN we road in a Trishaw & had tea in the INTERCONTENTINAL HOTEL.

FIRST WE VISITED THE CHAW JETTY

 THIS IS VILLAGE THAT IS INHABITED BY 1 OF 7 CLANS IN PENANG

THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN LIVE IN THIS VILLAGE IS TO BELONG TO THE CHAW FAMILY
IN COLONIAL TIMES THE MAFIA UNDERWORLD OPERATED OUT OF THESE VILLAGES

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE VILLAGE ARE MOSTLY "GOLDEN"

meaning they are older & they do not use these  boats much for fishing anymore when the tide is in they use them to supply BURMESE freighters with water

A SHOP AFTER OUR HEARTS

KHOO KONGSI TEMPLE
IN GEORGETOWN
apparently they were mafia who used their money for the benefit of the people

WE GOT TO LEAVE THE BUS & ENJOY TRISHAW RIDE (TOURIST BUS) TO THE HOTEL 

AFTER TEA "AND" WE WENT TO VISIT THE THE TEMPLE OF THE RECLINING BUDDA

THIS IS ONLY A VIEW OF ONE CORNER AT THE ENTRANCE

OF THE BUDDIST TEMPLE

THE TEMPLE IS MAGNIFICENT 

THE RECLINING BUDDAH IS 108 FT, IN LENGTH

ACROSS THE ST. FROM THE RECLINING BUDDAH A BURMESE BUDDHIST TEMPLE

JUST AS MAGNIFICENT

BUDDHISM WILL HEAL THE WORLD

WHEN YOU MAKE A WISH AN RING THE BELL THE BELL RESOUNDS INTO THE UNIVERSE AND YOUR WISH COMES TRUE

Tomorrow PHUKET