Years ago, my husband bought into some time-sharing vacation club. As a result of trying to use up this year's room nights, we came to Penang quite unexpectedly. Paying for express bus ticket of $35 each, we were freed from driving. The journey lasted six hours with two stops.
It must have been ten years ago that we drove from Silver City to Batu Feringgi to meet up with my husband's Japanese host family. Twenty years ago my husband took part in a cultural exchange program which allowed him about three months in Japan. He met many wonderful people from that country.
While there are still many old buildings, the Heritage Building Society did a good job in getting some of them spruced up. Penang is famous for street food. We had some beef noodle and Char Kuey Teo(fried rice noodle with egg, cockes and prawns) from Ho Ping Restaurant on Penang street. We have some Chendul ice (an Indian dessert made up of green soft sticks, ice crystals and coconut extract in liquid and dark sugar) in another nearby eatery.
We took advantage of the CAT(Central Area Transit) Hop On which is free to get around the town area. The bus is air-conditioned and it runs in a circuit around 19 bus stops in the central business district. We saw a budget hotel that boasted of $99 providing two free breakfasts. If that means a private twin sharing room with attached bath, it is pretty good for Penang. We read that in the year 2011, there were 17,000 successful applicants of MM2H, a program that allows foreigner to have yearly visa to stay in this country. For this group of people who love my country, Penang is the top choice of residence. Apart from the choking traffic jams, this is a very nice place. I guess retirees do not need to rush any where, so even traffic jams do not affect them if they live away from town. Suppose if a British person draws pension in pounds, the exchange of let's say 5.5 would enable him to live very comfotably here.
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