After our breakfast buffet at the hotel, we booked a taxi for RM30 per hour for the entire day. The taxi drivers will require you to book a minimum of 3 hours. This is a good idea if you decide not to rent-n-drive, or if you're not travelling in a big group.
Our first place of interest was the Toy Museum. When Daddy hear that we were going to the Toy Museum, he was literally unimpressed. This was because we had been to the Singapore's MINT Toy Museum and was awfully disappointed. But Daddy was altogether wrong, read on to find out...
The Toy museum was about 25 minutes from our hotel. When we arrived at the entrance, a durian tree with almost-ripe durians hanging on the tree greeted us.
We were taken by surprise when the counter staff told us that the entrance fees for foreigners was higher. Well, at least we were absolutely impressed by the toys the moment we stepped into the museum.
What greeted us was first the life-size figurines of many cartoon characters that we all would know.
All these life-size figurines were imported from Hollywood by the museum owner, Mr Loh.
Just look at all the rows of cabinets of toys.
Ultraman...
Harry Potter...
Tinkerbell
Pluto and Dumbo the elephant...
Snow White and seven dwarfs
Pinocchio
The Beetles...
Stitch...
Popeye, the Sailor man...
Even Casper has a place....
Cinderella...
The Little Mermaid...
Doraemon...
Super Mario...
There were7-8 rows of such cabinets of toys in the museum...And wow, we were indeed impressed! It was worth visiting, once.
Penang Toy Museum Heritage
Address: 1370, Mk2, Teluk Bahang, 11050 Penang, Malaysia
Entrance fee for locals: Adult : RM10 ; Children : RM6
Entrance fee for locals: Adult : RM10 ; Children : RM6
(Note: Entrance fees for foreigners is higher: Adult - RM 30; Child - RM 15)
Last Admisson at 8:30 pm. H/P: 6012-460 2096
Last Admisson at 8:30 pm. H/P: 6012-460 2096
Open daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm including weekends and Public Holidays.
After this we stopped over at the Craft Batik shop, located in the same area as the Toy Museum.
The staff would bring visitors into the Batik factory located behind the retail shop for a short introduction about hand-made batik. Unfortunately, when we arrive the staff were having their morning break.
In the retail shop, there is all kinds of fabric for everyone - dresses for adults and children, blouses, silk blouses, batik shirts, scarves, sarongs, etc. We bought some batik blouses, dresses and shirts for ourselves, grandmothers and our Pastor. Not cheap though, I have to admit.
Next stop, we went to the Penang Butterfly Farm, which was about 10-15 minutes from the Toy Museum. Since we have young children, we thought this is an interesting and educational place as they see the different kinds of butterflies that exists.
See metamorphosis taking place...
More colourful butterflies that flutter around us freely in the park...
Butterflies feeding on pineapples...
Centipedes.
Preserved larvae...
Taking a break...
Tarantulas spider...
Seeing such a strange frog for the first time
A bug with a man's face...
Big caterpillars
Can you identify which is caterpillars and which is the tree branch?
Black beatles, and lime-glowing beatles.
Glowing scorpions
Penang Butterfly Farm
Address: No. 830, Jalan Teluk Bahang, Teluk Bahang, 11050 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 60-4-885 1253
Fax: 60-4-885 1741
Email: info@butterfly-insect.com
Open daily including public holidays: from 9.00am to 6.00pm (last entry at 5.30pm)
Entrance fees: Adult-RM27; Child: RM15 (4-12 years old)
Next, it was time for lunch. And the good thing about hiring a taxi is that you don't have to scout in advance for the famous places to eat. All you need to do is to tell the taxi uncle what you want to eat, and he will bring you to the doorstep.
That's just what we did. We wanted to eat Penang Char Kway Teow and so he brought us to Jalan Selamat.
On route to Jalan Selamat, we passed through Gurney Drive. A place I must visit when I return to Penang again.
We also got to do some sight-seeing, as the taxi uncle introduced us to a street where most of the Penang Tycoons own a stretch of land.
Interesting to note is that Penang is home to many beautiful Church buildings too.
Penang's Methodist Girl's School.
And then, we came to Jalan Selamat. And it's lunch time!
Daddy had his favourite Penang Chendol...
And this Ngoh Hiang is so good, we order 3 plates of it...
Penang Curry noodles and of course, Char Kway Teow. Look at how big the prawns are... and it's fresh too!
Kiddos were most delighted to have sugar cane drinks to quench their thirst on a hot afternoon.
After our lunch, we proceeded to Penang Time Tunnel. We got to learn the history of Penang in an interesting way.
Haha... I have to admit my photography skills needs some polishing.
Well, but we did have a wonderful time.
Next on, the taxi uncle brought us to the famous Peranakan House. It is the place where Mediacorp filmed "The Little Nonya" back in 2008. I can remember it well because I was preggie with David back then when the show was broadcasted.
But this time, we were already getting quite tired, so Daddy caught a quick snooze...
From this visit, we learnt that the Peranakan are very particular about details about almost everything - cutleries, furniture, shoes, clothes, even mourning clothes, hair accessories, etc.
Before we ended our tour, we told the taxi driver to bring us to a place where we could buy local products. And of course it would be the famous Penang White Coffee and Tau Sa Pia. He brought us to Coffee Tree Trading Sdn Bhd. We were able to do some free tasting of the coffee. A quick recall, I think they have almost 20 different flavours of coffee. The flavours include Penang White Coffee, Cappuccino, Latte, Cinnamon coffee, Hazelnut coffee, Durian coffee... yes, even durian flavoured coffee. I noticed that Penang people have a special liking for durians. They will explore durian flavour for many different food or drinks.
Coffee Tree Trading Sdn Bhd
Address: 20-A, Jalan Bagan Jermal, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 604-229-6199
Fax: 604-228-0841
Website: www.coffeetree.com.my
Then Uncle Yap drove us to Lim Wah Thai to buy Tau Sa Pia and I also bought the soup base to make Bak Kut Teh.
WT Lim Food Products Sdn. Bhd.
3A, Jalan Gottlieb, 10350 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: 604-228 1063
Website: www.limwahthai.com
Email: info@limwahthai.com
We returned to hotel by 5.50pm after a fruitful day touring the island. The only regret I had from this trip is that I couldn't go up to the mountain to try the durians since it is now the main season (Jun to August) since we were all not feeling very well. So I have told hubby that "I must come back to Penang again, for the durians."
We enquired with Uncle Yap about a nice seafood restaurant and he recommended one just about 5-7 minutes' walk from our hotel. Turn right from the hotel entrance. But as we walked, we found an old-style hawker centre instead, and decided to try hawker food.
Mommy ordered this oyster omelette, and boil!... the oysters are big.
David had his favourite hor-fun.
And Deborah had beef steak.
Daddy had Penang's Claypot Bak Kut Teh.
And fried Popiah.
According to Papa, it was delicious.
But I had to refrain from it since my throat was hurting despite medication.
And after our tummies are filled, the kids are full of energy... and some mischief.
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