George Town, Malaysia

Going across the border into Malaysia was quite exciting this is my first over land border crossing. It was really easy too. The mini bus drove us to the Thai customs were we were stamped out of the country and then drove us across what looked like a bridge to the Malaysian Customs where we had to take all our luggage to do the usual scans and stamps and that was it i was in Malaysia!

At first i couldn't quite put my finger on what was different we were driving through some fairly empty countryside it was quite flat and fairly green. Then it hit me- we were on a motorway! this is the first motorway i have been on since leaving the UK. The only thing that came close was the short journey along the expressway into Bangkok from the airport.

And there are no longer any corrugated slums along the side of the road, eventually i could see in the distance what looked like housing estates, admittedly in the middle of no where but short blocks of streets with houses!

The trip into George Town did not take very long in fact i think the whole trip including customs was probably only about 3-4 hours long.

George Town is not how it sounds, it is really a big place. I am staying in the China Town area in a hostel called Banana that was recommended to me by some chaps in Hat Yai who come here regularly to renew their Thai visas. The sun is starting to go down once i am checked in so i just have a little wonder around the local streets. Just round the corner outside the Chinese temple there is a stage set up and a play been acted out- it looks quite interesting with all the traditional Chinese costumes and obviously they are talking in Chinese!

At the end of the street is the Cathedral, a Church and across the road from that a nunnery. I also find the local mosque and a Hindu temple (though i had no idea that is what it was at the time) This is my first sight of a Hindu Temple and it is highly decorated, really lovely.

So the next day is the real sight seeing. There are two free hop on hop off tour buses here, one that does the historical sites and one that does the religious ones. As its Sunday neither of them are running so its a walking tour for me.

The first place i head for is the Fort Cornwallis. This is the landing point for Sir Frances Light and the British East India Company which led to George Town being the capital of British Malaysia. There are a whole load of impressive colonial buildings on the way, the fort is also closed today but that's OK as there is nothing inside except a mock up of and old campsite!

It is whilst wondering around the outside of the Fort that i meet Wan (at least that's what i think his name is- how awful is that!) He is an elderly Chinese Malaysian who gets chatting to me. He spent many years living in England with his English (Yorkshire) wife, first in Derbyshire and later in Sutton Coldfield of all places. He decides he would like to show me around his hometown.

Just behind the Fort is the the clock tower celebrating the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria, and just up from there is Malaysia's very own Downing Street. This is the financial district and is full of familiar banks such as HSBC and The Royal Bank of Scotland!

After much convincing i decide that i will let my new friend show me some of the sites further afield, i know this may sound like a really stupid thing to do but i like this guy and i don't feel any danger from him so i get in his car and we go first the Thai Buddhist Temple, OK so i have seen plenty of these but this one look different its does not have all the glitz of the ones in Thailand. Across the road from there is the Burmese Buddhist Temple which is totally different again.

Our next stop (after a quick drink in a seaside cafe) is a really beautiful Chinese Temple. My guide explains that these places are not really temples they are associations. Yes the Chinese population comes here to pray but there is more too it than that. Wan feels that the Chinese people in Malaysia are treated like second class citizens (which considering their hard work is what made Malaysia what it is today is despicable- obviously this is my guides bias opinion!) It is apparently much easier to get on in life as a Muslim and so if a Chinese child shows academic promise (backed up by report cards) the association will pay for them to receive a better education right through to university. I cannot say if this is how it is this is just how Wan views it.

The only place i have not been yet is a Mosque so that is next on my list. Wan drops me off at the main one (just around the corner from Banana) this is the only place of worship he will not enter he is going off to have a drink at Banana it turns out he knows the owners and may see me later. So i head off into the Mosque alone. I do of course cover up with the garments provided and have no sooner set foot in the place when i am accosted by a chap wanting to show me the way (religiously speaking of course) he is a nice chap and very earnest and given the amount of bad press Islam gets at the moment I don't blame him for wanting to explain it in a way that doesn't involve jihad or suicide bombers.

Whilst there a group of Muslim women arrived they spoke to my guide in absolutely perfect English, turns out they were from Iran and oh they were so pleased for me that i had come to the mosque to learn about Islam (?) they each shook my hand and smiled so much i felt quite guilty that i had really only just come to have a look about!! I managed to lose my guide when a group of unsuspecting Spanish tourists arrived and got myself back to the guest house quick!!

Wan was still there having a beer when i arrived so i sat with him for a bit and he told me more about his life (used to import Swiss watches for a living) and he has decided that we are going to Batu Ferringhi (the beach) for food.

Whilst sitting there we make a new friend- Dana!! (yay hi Dana finally caught up with you on the blog!) She is waiting for the bus to go to go somewhere (i forget now!) but its not working and we drag her along with us! Lol she couldn't get rid of me for about a week after that!!

We are both going to the Cameron Highlands next only i had planned tomorrow but Wan convinces me that it is better i stay in George Town another night and then Dana and i can go together- its better that way.

So we had a final dinner with Wan again the following evening and said our good byes and it was off to the Cameron Highlands!