There are many areas in Penang with streets lined with hawkers and coffee shops, including Penang Street. Sitting down at one coffeeshop we were able to order the famous Penang Street chendol, as well as some rojak, both were quite decent, and the cold chendol especially welcoming in the hot afternoon sun.

Penang/ Malaysia Visiting this island whose city and island bears the same name – was rather exhausting – the heat and humidity was overwhelming- I visited the sites of interest – there was a market selling clothing for Muslim men and women –Penang has also Christian and Buddhist centers of worship - I was also able to buy at the market my trinkets fridge magnets and pickled fruit – they use a currency called Ringgits which is about 4 Ringgits to one U.S dollar-there was a Chinese celebration going on- Chinese priests chanting with drums –Malaysia I was told is 80% Chinese and the rest is Malay and Indian – so therefore Penang has sections exhibiting these cultures- I glimpsed into the Chinese temples which all had an alter with food such as fruit and bread for the Buddha-I also found my way to the China town on stilts – this particular section of Penang are homes built on stilts on the water – so they don't pay the Penang real estate tax – as the tide goes out the smell is of a pungent algae mixed with sewer -the residents of these homes do not use a working sewer system rather they pollute the waters with their human waste- this stilt town has some small stalls selling food and handmade handicrafts – I bought a small replica bicycle with an actual chain- I then visited a home (Pinang Peranakan Mansion) once used by a Malay woman and her merchant Chinese husband – this attraction was also visited by the British royal family – the Prince of Wales Charles and his wife Camilla- the home is opulent with Chinese artifacts and furniture- and well taken care of – you can see the dining room and bedrooms and center courtyard- Penang also displays a section of the harbor which is surrounded by a fort with canons – probably built by the Portuguese who had visited this island- the city is clean and there is hardly any litter – what made an impression on me however were the men who rode the bikes with rickshaw like seats for the tourists who they peddle around the city – they are mostly of Indian descent – I felt sorry for them – carrying overweight tourists through this sweltering city – I came away with an impression that Penang is a city with a people who are busy and buzzing around