April 21st, 2025
We were just here on the Viking world cruise and we did several of the touristy things so we booked another food tour through Tours by Locals. The boat docked at 8am and apparently we had some heavy rain last night/this morning but it was done by the time we got up. Our guide met us at 9 right in front of the terminal. This was a food and architecture tour.
Our view today from the balcony.
Several government buildings & banks close to the port and the clock tower. All built by the British when they occupied Malaysia.
Our first stop was close to the port and was a “breakfast” stop. Our guide, Poh, told us to bring our appetites but the issue with any breakfast is that we never eat that meal so we are never hungry when we first get up.
Our breakfast came from a food cart that is in the center of the business district. Our guide said that lots of business people come here for their breakfast before going into the office. We had coconut rice wrapped in a banana leaf in a cute triangle. The rice had Sambal for spice, boiled egg and dried anchovies. We also had a potato samosa that was deep fried. You are supposed to unwrap the rice and mix everything together and eat it with chopsticks. Not what I consider breakfast but tons of people were eating it. It did have a little kick to it and we ate some but not all. We also both had hot tea. Kathy had regular which is filtered, stirred rapidly to aerate and cool, I had Chia tea. They put condensed milk in all their teas so it was very sweet.
An elevated covered walkway in the business district.
After this stop we headed to Poh’s car and off to the next site. which was in the shopping district.
Our second stop was a Chinese coffee shop. We were offered coffee which Kathy said was excellent but since I don’t drink coffee I was given a glass of iced nutmeg juice. It was good and you really did not taste the nutmeg. The Chinese coffee house was really several food carts and then an open area with tables. Our guide went to each food cart to get us several items. The people that own the shop collect rent from the food carts, keep the area clean and they also are the only ones that serve drinks.
The restaurant looking out and one of the food carts that cooked for us. Most of the food carts did take out besides just serving the people in the restaurant.
First we had eggrolls, fried tofu, shrimp fritter and fried pork. We had 2 dipping sauces with one being savory and 1 being hot.
Next was a plate of noodles with fried egg, shrimp and mine had roasted pork and Chinese sausage.
When Poh went to pay she had to pay 4 different places. One for the drinks and then the 3 different food carts she got food from.
The reflection of one of the buildings in the reflective doors.
Some street art. Penang has a whole section dedicated to street art.
We then walked through a wet market. The wet market was closing up. They open at 5am and close around noon. Here is where you can get chicken, fish and beef. Also plants for cooking to add spice to the dishes. There were also several stores in the wet market for dried spices and dried fish.
There were also several stores selling pickled fruit. We each got 3 to taste and I was not impressed but then again I am not a big fruit eater. Kathy liked it. Our guide said that they eat the pickled fruit like crazy and consider it a snack. They sit watching TV and eating a whole bag. While we were there we did see someone come and put a scoop of each type in a big bag. Personally I would rather have potato chips.
More street art
Our next stop was for one of their sweet treats and it is peanuts rolled into a rice wrap. Kathy and I split one and it was good but very dry.
I bought some to take home. Not very sweet but lots of nuts in them.
Our next stop was another food cart that has been in business since 1937.
Here we had another bowl of noodles with onions and red peppers and chopped mackerel. It was a little too fishy for me. The 2 containers in front were iced treats that Malaysians eat a ton of. They both had crushed ice, which does not last long. The one on the left had mung beans and lots of “jellies” in it and the one on the right had green noodles and coconut milk. Both were very sweet but definitely did not see the fascination to them although we saw tons being ordered. The texture of the “jellies” was slimy. I can say we have tried it but no desire to have it again.
Kathy and Poh at the food cart. Also more street art.
As we were walking back to the car Poh pointed out the Hard Rock Cafe shop. I confess I did not know there was one in Penang. I asked Poh if we could stop for a minute even though I knew this was not a shopping tour but a food tour. I ran in a got a t-shirt, yes another t-shirt!. Kathy resisted the urge. I told Poh the stop was all her fault since we had not recognized that we were at a Hard Rock.
The last stop was along the water. Poh actually went 2 different places because she parked her car in front of one so she had to buy something there.
It was roasted pork and shrimp fritter with a sauce. I had one piece of pork and then got a little nervous about the quality of the meat so I did not have anymore. Plus the fact that we were already stuffed.
Last stop was for another sweet treat.
It was for the “famous” ice jelly which had lots of shaved ice and what seemed like yellow jello and a couple of fruit “jellies” and a lemon half. The lemon made it a little sour which was good and it was quite refreshing even if the texture was strange. The price was 5.00 Malaysian whihc is 1.25 US.
Poh explained to us that we were in the clan jetty section of town and that these were homes built on stilts that had been in place since the 19th century. There are actually 7 clan jetties in Penang.These are immigrant formed communities bound by shared surnames. The government tried to tax the clan jetties for their homes but they found a loophole since the homes are over water or mud depending on the tides. The jetties have long narrow piers taking you out to the homes. Each jetty has its own temple.
We visited the Tan jetty. The boat tied up to the dock on the right is the clan fire boat. Each jetty has a fireboat and if something happens on one jetty they all go to help that jetty.
One of the other clan jetties on the left and some of the houses. For years they had no running water or electricity and had to go to town to get water and carry it back to the jetty. Now they have both but they have no toilet system and Poh showed us one of the “outhouses” that just had a hole cut in the floor. So everything goes in the water including their brown water from showering. Hard to see people fishing off the jetties knowing that info. The other interesting fact about the jetties is that they are protected by the Triads from China and they all pay a protection cost.
As mentioned before we have been to Penang twice and this is the first we heard about the Jetties. Also you can only visit 2 of the jetties the others do not like visitors.
I confess seeing and hearing about the jetties was the highlight of the tour for me.
We made it back to the port by 3pm and we did not venture back out since it was very hot outside.
One of the old British buildings along the port and the cruise terminal as we set sail.
Our next stop is Langkawi, Malaysia which is another port we visited on the Viking cruise last year. Hoping to go scuba diving but we will see how that works out.