24 hours in Penang | Mick’s Place, Peranakan Mansion, Cat cafe… and finally Red Garden

I am feeling very happy in the new hotel, which is in the heart of Georgetown on my favourite street “Love Lane” who doesn’t like to be on a street called that?! It’s hard not to love it. Supportive, patient and encourage chats from Europe are also helping a lot so thank you! 23 Love Lane is very small and homely, they serve afternoon tea in reception every afternoon where the guests can socialise. It’s easy to get to a raft of places that were on my must visit list from a trusted sage on all things Penang from there so i started ticking them off again. They’ve all been winners so far!

Mick’s Place at the other end of Love lane was my first foray into the night on my own, all the way at the other end of the road. Not that far, but i needed to ease myself in gently and it’s a tiny very friendly place that was perfect for me to get some confidence back. They do a small but perfectly formed menu of home cooked local food and some delicious

puddings. You can also leave your mark there alongside the scores of others that have been before. So i duly left my stamp on the wall, you’ll have to see if you can find it if you ever visit! The next day was more wandering around Georgetown, there is so much to see! I have wanted to go into a cat cafe since i arrived in Asia, curious to see what they are all about. Obviously cats, but i find it odd that a continent that has many stray cats would prize them enough to have cafes dedicated to petting them. As there doesn’t see to be a lot of love for them generally. I went up to eat first, the cats hang out in a different area. I was greeted by a seriously cute coke float and chocolate cake all decorated in cat shaped chocolate sauce and cocoa. More cake that looks much better than it tastes, but it was very pretty! Then on to see the cats… On the face of it the room is a kitty cats dream with a ginormous climbing frame and all sorts of frames around the room for them to stretch their feline legs on. But there seemed to be a basic lack of accounting for the things that cats love to do most like perch and observe the comings and goings from a window ledge, with one little kitty desperately trying to angle from a walkway to see what was going on in the street down below. After a serious sugar rush i walked down to the Peranakan Mansion, a veritable treasure

trove of all things Nyonya. Including a 50s wedding dress that looked like my grandma’s – although a much shorter version of it! There was a room from each era that that house was inhabited by the original family, the 50s was the

was the last one. I love some of the traditions that i have observed as i have travelled round these countries. For example a bridal wardrobe in the Nyonya house was laden with extravagant clothes but in other countries like Finland was simply a practical gift of handmade furniture for the happy couple to use throughout their lives. Gifts with real meaning and use throughout the lifetime of a marriage, not just for the sake of it. There was a well laden kitchen with all sorts of antique gadgets and implements of Chinese and British heritage stowed away in there. Including a collection of beautiful tiffins, i want

one! Plus a stunning and extremely extensive jewellery collection, everything was made of gold in these houses at one point even spectacles, buttons, scissors and ear cleaners. The Peranakan Mansion had it’s own goldsmith as they had so many things made out of gold, and the women weren’t allowed to go out unescorted so it made life easier. I was very tempted to buy a ruby but thought better of it they were all from Tanzania. Maybe i can add a trip there to get one at source! 😉 I had a personal tour of that area, the guide was very knowledgeable and after a trip advisor rating i think! The Peranakan Mansion is laden with all sorts of treasures architecturally, including some very British stained glass windows. A family temple out the back which wasn’t in as good repair is still owned and tended by descendants of the original family that owned the house.

Plus astonishing amounts of ornate furniture and artwork. There are cupboards inlaid with mother of pearl and ivory, as well as traditional games, household items and toys. And a collection of “English” vases quite unlike anything i have ever seen in a period

English house. It’s hard to imagine what it was like to live in as there are modern buildings and life happening just under the sprawling balconies. But it does adhere to the same building principles as The Blue Mansion on the other side of town. The Peranakan Mansion is on the same side of town as the harbour so i went to the 3D interactive museum while i was there. Something to visit with kids i think, as there were some brilliant 3D photo opportunities that

were a bit lost on me with an audience of one grown up! But some lovely ladies let me take their pic posing with Spiderman so you can see what it’s all about.. The harbour side is just down the road from the UNESCO protected Clan jetties. These are wooden jetties that were first established when the British brought Chinese miners to Penang to help them mine precious metals. The Chinese had the skills and expertise that was needed for the port to flourish so they brought their families to live in Penang. Houses built on land were subject to tax which the jetties on the water weren’t, so these very enterprising families decided to set up home there instead as it was much cheaper. The jetties are protected now and most of the families have since moved onto dry land, but some are still inhabited by the descendants of the original families. I wasn’t prepared for such a voyeuristic experience. I only went on to one jetty in the end as i felt like i was intruding in people’s homes. Many of the houses had been converted into shops or makeshift cafes and restaurants so the families can try

and make some money out the round of tourists. All of the tiny houses came straight off the middle of the wooden jetty walkway with many of the ones that are lived in having signs on the front that asked for no photos. A request that was being ignored by the group of Chinese teenagers that were going to town on poses as they disrupted their way down the jetty. I did have a huge chuckle out loud at one point where there was a group of local kids playing on an empty lot. The smallest one with a dog lead around their head barking like a dog. Kids are the same the world over! There were lots of ladies sat on their porches trying to sell fruit and water etc. I wanted to buy something from all of them, they really didn’t look like they wanted us to be there and i wanted to

make it worth their while for having me. So i bought a drink and a snack and hurried away, hopefully leaving them to a peaceful evening. The jetties are open to visitors from 9-9 to allow them some private time at least. I looped back round to Lebuh Leith on the other side of the city to finally make it to Red Garden for dinner. Popping into the chocolate museum beforehand. If you are ever in Penang don’t waste your time! The “museum” is free but is simply a room that has a loose story of the making of chocolate drawn on the walls. This then leads through to a huge shop full of really awful tasting chocolate. Where you will be guided round many of the different types to taste them buy a very keen and enthusiastic “tour guide”. I politely tried all the ones that i was offered and then skulked out when she wasn’t looking. I am a feeder who adores chocolate, but i couldn’t even find anything to buy just to shut her up it was terrible. And explains a lot about chocolate cake in Penang! Totally tasteless, grainy. No redeeming features whatsoever sadly. Feeling a little disheartened, i went next door to Red Garden. This had better be good! And it was… There is a plethora of choices for dinner here, in a lively and friendly environment. With live music on most nights i think. I was overwhelmed by choice and ended up just picking the line that was biggest with the most locals in it. Generally a sign that it’s a good place to eat! It was a typical “i’ll have what she just ordered” moment as the man didn’t seem to speak much English. It was a pho style noodle dish with prawns, egg and oodles of chilli. I became famous once again as the Chinese family next to me took pictures of me eating with chopsticks! Feeling a little off colour, i called it a night early. I needed some rest ready for a day’s exploring the island again with my travel buddy. A super tired cake lady, signing of for some pre trekking snooze time Baci a tutti x x x x