Penang was the one port we decided to explore on our own. The ship docked right next to the island’s capital, George Town. Since it was just a short stroll into town we set off on our own. Our first challenge was to get past the dozens of taxi promoters offering to drive us around the area. Once we got out of the port area we thought we were safe, but we continued to run into hawkers for several blocks!
We found the town decorated with red everywhere in preparation for the coming celebration of the Chinese New Year. We just wandered wherever our fancy took us, which was fairly successful. We spent some time in the Little India area, wandered into a shop that made custom notebooks, and found a shop that sold fabrics, saris, and other clothing.
Pretty fancy entrance for a fabric store!
I promised to bring back Thai silk fabrics to my crafty friends at home, and really hit the jackpot here. They had silks and cottons in so many gorgeous colors I wanted to take them all home.
We ran across some of our fellow cruisers taking advantage of the local transportation option. After walking around in the extreme heat I was a little jealous, but not enough to climb aboard.
We finished our day with a walk around a park and along the waterfront. We also took a little time to view some of the buildings showing the influence of the colonial era.
I have to admit that there was much more to see in Penang, but the heat and humidity were beginning to make it hard to keep walking around. By the time we returned to the ship my friend and I were both ready for a cold drink and a shower!
Travels with Billie 