We reached Georgetown of Penang on 30/4 noon.
After checking into Chulia Heritage Hotel at Lebuh Chulia, we started our walking tour around the old streets of the city immediately. The hotel is situated at the old quarter of Georgetown, where many historical sites and tourist hotspots situated.
First stop was the Line Clear Nasi Kandar stall for lunch, then the famous Penang Cendol as thirst-quencher.
Later we visited some famous street wall painting by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. Due to sudden showers, we managed to walk for about 2 hours. The heat was also the cause of exhaustion.
In the evening, we met Fr. Julian at College General at Tanjong Bunga. Fr. Julian was the former Parish Priest of our parish who left for further study in Rome in 2007.
He returned to Malaysia after completion of his Master's degree and serves as a lecture in the college.
Fr. Julian showed us to the new exhibition room of art works by the late Rev. Fr. Reutens, a treasure he left behind for the local church and a legacy of a priest who honoured and praised God through art and painting.
We also visited the renovated/restored Chapel. Fr. showed us the many relics of the Saints inside the Chapel. Hong and Li were impressed by the rich heritage and Vietnanese saints of the Catholic church.
Later, we had dinner together at a Nyonya restaurant nearby. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter and tales. Hong and Li, Tony and Susan were touched by the genuine friendliness and simplicity of Fr. Julian.
On the second day, we went out for sightseeing but was spoiled by the rain. We were prevented by the rain from visiting the Kek Lok Si, but not the delicious and famous Penang Laksa at the market place.
We visited the Batu Feringgi beach in the afternoon. Being a public holiday (1/5), the traffic jam was horrible.
At night, we were overjoyed to meet up with our God-daughter Agnes, husband Gary and their 3 lovely kids.
On 2/5, we left Penang for home by ferry. It was the only means of transportation between Penang and mainland before the opening of the first 13.5-Km Penang bridge in 14 September, 1985.
A second bridge (24 km) was open on 1 March 2014. We used this bridge 3 days earlier for our journey into Penang Island.
Through the journey, I noticed the quality of the second bridge is lower than the first bridge. The paint job of the road dividers and protective railings were of sub-standard -- looked cheap.
After leaving Penang, we stopped at Action One curry paste factory at Permatang Tinggi Light Industry Area to collect our order.
Action One (A1) is the first company which produced packaging curry paste 25 years ago. According to Lily, the proprietress who runs the company with her husband, the formula came from her mother-in-law who was a Nasi Lemak seller. Her stall has many customers.
Later, Lily's husband decided to produce curry ingredients in paste form. After many years of hard work, with quality original materials, the packaged paste has established itself a strong market share.
However, imitators trailed behind soon. But we always recognised: Action One A1 is the original and the best, not any other A1, Best 1 ... or No. 1.
We stopped at Ipoh for lunch ... at our favourite Kg Simee coffee shop for our roast pork and best porridge before continuing our journey home.
We reached home at about 9:00 pm. Thus concluded our trip with Hong and Li.
Praise and Thanks to Our Lord.
( see pictures in Facebook)
我们在30/4 抵达槟城。
办理好酒店住宿，我们马上开始了旅游行程。我们的住的酒店- Chulia Heritage Hotel，坐落在槟城市区中心的老街部分，附近就有好多历史性及游客必定的景点，都是步行范围之内，非常的方便。
第一站就是到嘛嘛饭档，享用道地的印度午餐 - Nasi Kandar，然后到著名的槟城潮州煎堆（Cendul 椰糖椰浆冷饮）。
过后，我们观看的著名的槟城街道壁画。我们参观了大部分有立陶宛画家 Ernast Zacharevic 原创壁画，拍了好多的照片。
我们走了大约两个小时，但天不作美，下了一阵雨，打断了我们的行程，不过还很满意。
傍晚，我们的到槟城大修院拜访我的前任本堂廖神父。
廖神父在2007年离开加影圣家堂，到罗马进修教会历史硕士文凭。完成课程后，回到马来西亚，到大修院任教。
神父热情的迎接我们的到访，也带来我们参观了刚完成的展示馆，里面收藏了一位已亡神父Fr.Reutens 的许多画作。这些画是他留给本地教会的宝贵珍藏，也是他透过绘画来光荣天主的史记。
Hong 与 Li 对天主教会及越南圣人事迹留下了深刻的印象。
过后，我们到附近一家娘惹餐馆共进晚餐。大家开怀的分享了许多生活故事及趣事，充满笑声及喜乐的度过了一个美好的晚上。真得要谢谢廖神父的抽空陪伴。我们的四位客人都对廖神父的真诚友善及随和，表示赞赏。
隔天，我们继续观光。到了极乐寺，一阵大雨，打乱了我们的行程及旅游兴致，但却不能阻挡我们享用了当地市场一档美味的槟城咖哩面（Penang Laksa）
晚上，我们很高兴能够见到乾女儿钧钡一家人。他们的三个可爱的孩子，令我们喜乐开怀。
2/5号早上，我们乘搭渡轮离开槟城。
渡轮是在槟威大桥还没开通之前，来往槟岛及威省的唯一交通工具。随着13.5公里的第一槟威大桥在1985年通车后，我们就没有再使用渡轮了。
第二槟威大桥在今年的三月一日也正式通车，来往槟威也更方便了。三天前，我们就是使用第二大桥进入槟城。旅途上，我发觉第二大桥的品质上，会比第一大桥逊色。两边的护卫栏杆及中间的分割护墙，漆料可真是差差差，看起来真的是廉价极了。
我的途中，在怡保停留用午餐。我们回到狮尾新村的旧地方，享用流口水的烧猪肉，及著名的猪杂粥，然后才继续行程。
我们在晚上九时正抵达家门，也意味着澳洲朋友的旅程正式结束。
感谢天主，一切顺利。
（更多照片 Facebook ）
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