lightcycle
Nomad
Thanks!
We need to find an admin to change the title of the thread. We're over four years on the road at this point!!!
[YEAR 7!] Quit our jobs, sold our home, gone riding...
- Thread starter lightcycle
- Start date
Thanks!
We need to find an admin to change the title of the thread. We're over four years on the road at this point!!!
lightcycle
Nomad
Updated from http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw/301.html
Aside from the food, the old town in Georgetown is also known for its murals, some of which are interactive. The most famous are the ones done in 2012 by Lithuanian artist Edward Zacharevic, who now resides in Penang.
A popular activity for tourists is to walk around the town to find all the murals. Or you can take a rickshaw...
This one is titled, "Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat" by ASA
The locations of all the murals are documented on the Internet, but we preferred just asking around. More interactive that way...
Aside from the food, the old town in Georgetown is also known for its murals, some of which are interactive. The most famous are the ones done in 2012 by Lithuanian artist Edward Zacharevic, who now resides in Penang.
A popular activity for tourists is to walk around the town to find all the murals. Or you can take a rickshaw...
This one is titled, "Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat" by ASA
The locations of all the murals are documented on the Internet, but we preferred just asking around. More interactive that way...
lightcycle
Nomad
Not all of the murals are done by Zacharevic. This one is. Titled, "Kids on Bicycle"
"I want Pau" by WK Setor.
Pau is a steamed bun made with white, sweet dough that is stuffed with savoury meats or sweet fillings. My favorite is Pau Kaya, the kaya filling is made with coconut, eggs and pandan leaves and is also used as a spread for toast in the mornings. I got some for Neda and now she's hooked too. It's so good, no wonder these kids are reaching out for some as Neda rides away with her kaya-filled buns!
"Feed the Stray" by Kenji Chai
lightcycle
Nomad
"Lion Dance"
"Children on the Swing" by Louis Gan. Similar style to Zacharevic's mural
Zacharevic's "Old Motorcycle" is his most famous.
It's also one of Penang's unofficial icons
lightcycle
Nomad
Neda liked it a lot, so...
"The Real Bruce Lee Would Never Do This" by ASA (Artists for Stray Animals)
I think they should have named it, "Fists of Furry!". The organization Artists for Stray Animals painted a series of murals called 101 Lost Kittens, and this one above is one of them. They did it to raise awareness for sheltering stray animals. Even though I find the messaging a bit confusing, it seems to be a purrmanent fixture.
Some other artwork found around town
There are also lots of examples of steel rod sculptures (upper right in the collage) bent into a 2D picture, as well as minion-themed murals. Also, more from the 101 Lost Kittens art project.
lightcycle
Nomad
"Little Boy with Pet Dinosaur" by Ernest Zacharevic
This mural is right beside the boy on the old motorcycle painting. I read that someone graffitied the dinosaur behind Zacharevic's motorcycle to make it look like the boy was fleeing the monster by bike. And then Zacharevic thought it would be funny to add the leash and the boy holding onto it as payback!
More Minion murals. Too much!
I thought the ladies inside added a nice touch to the photo
lightcycle
Nomad
Updated from http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw/302.html
"Ipoh. I like the way that word sounds. Ipoh. It just feels good rolling off the tongue."
If you think that's something I would say, you're right. But I didn't say that. Neda was reading off the road signs as we were riding away from Penang and she made this proclamation over the communicator. That's weird. Normally I'm the one that's captivated by foreign words... but Ipoh is not foreign to me. It's where my uncle lives and we're dropping in for a visit this afternoon!
It's a short roadway drive from Penang to the neighbouring state, Ipoh. Even though we leave ourselves plenty of time in the morning to beat the traffic and the heat, we are instantly one hour late for meeting up with my uncle. Malaysia is in a different timezone than Thailand! We spent two days in Georgetown without even realizing that.
A frantic couple of hours later and we are only 45 minutes late as we pull up to the address my uncle sent me. It's a huge house with an even bigger carport. I peer in through the gates at the covered forms of several obviously antique cars. Are we in the right place?
Yes! My uncle saved us a spot in amongst his stable of antique and classic cars
The last time I saw my uncle was when Neda and I got married, 12 years ago. Back then I was a big car nut, so I think he remembers me from that time. We had a great time catching up, talking cars and I was eager to see what was under the covers in the garage.
This is his pride and joy, a 1954 MG TF, in British Racing Green
He belongs to an antique car club and every month, they all go out for a ride in the roads around Ipoh. He offered to take me around the corner to pick up some food for the day.
"Ipoh. I like the way that word sounds. Ipoh. It just feels good rolling off the tongue."
If you think that's something I would say, you're right. But I didn't say that. Neda was reading off the road signs as we were riding away from Penang and she made this proclamation over the communicator. That's weird. Normally I'm the one that's captivated by foreign words... but Ipoh is not foreign to me. It's where my uncle lives and we're dropping in for a visit this afternoon!
It's a short roadway drive from Penang to the neighbouring state, Ipoh. Even though we leave ourselves plenty of time in the morning to beat the traffic and the heat, we are instantly one hour late for meeting up with my uncle. Malaysia is in a different timezone than Thailand! We spent two days in Georgetown without even realizing that.
A frantic couple of hours later and we are only 45 minutes late as we pull up to the address my uncle sent me. It's a huge house with an even bigger carport. I peer in through the gates at the covered forms of several obviously antique cars. Are we in the right place?
Yes! My uncle saved us a spot in amongst his stable of antique and classic cars
The last time I saw my uncle was when Neda and I got married, 12 years ago. Back then I was a big car nut, so I think he remembers me from that time. We had a great time catching up, talking cars and I was eager to see what was under the covers in the garage.
This is his pride and joy, a 1954 MG TF, in British Racing Green
He belongs to an antique car club and every month, they all go out for a ride in the roads around Ipoh. He offered to take me around the corner to pick up some food for the day.
lightcycle
Nomad
My uncle is 83 years old and still sharp as tack and very active
Although I last saw him 12 years ago, it really has been over 35 years since I saw him regularly when I lived here. Since all that time has passed, he is now almost the same age as my grandfather (his father) from when I remembered him in my childhood. Although he doesn't look exactly like him, so many things about my uncle remind me of him.
When you're in an antique British racing car, you get a lot of attention!
My grandfather was very good with people and knew everyone. His eldest son is exactly the same!
lightcycle
Nomad
Grabbing some food from the local market
When we got back, he had another surprise for me. Quite a few of his cars were already uncovered, so I identified a mid 80s Jaguar XJ6 Series III, as well as an early 70s Ford Capri MK1. But in the corner was yet another covered mystery waiting to be unveiled...
1955 Sunbeam Alpine MK III Convertible - same kind of car Grace Kelly drove in "To Catch A Thief"
I'm pretty sure no else is allowed to drive this car, but for some reason my uncle offered me the driver's seat. Coool! I felt so honoured!
In my head, I was singing the Rush song, "Red Barchetta":
I fired up the willing engine, responding with a roar. Tires not spitting gravel, because I was going to baby my uncle's prized possession. Neda clambered onto the passenger seat beside me and we drove slowly out of the driveway, both of us grinning like little kids. I was looking forward to wind in our hair, mechanical music... that adrenaline surge!
lightcycle
Nomad
Instead, a tired, coughing sound crept out from beneath the bonnet somewhere far ahead of us.
With a shudder, the old girl sputtered and died. Neda's eyes grew wide, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!?". My eyes grew wider than hers. "NOTHING! I DID NOTHING!", I protested. "I didn't stall! It wasn't me! Look, my foot is still on the clutch". I pointed at my left foot planted to the floorboard. I don't even know why I said that. That doesn't even mean anything...
We hadn't made it 200 meters from the entrance of the driveway.
I stared at the mess of unmarked instrumentation on the dashboard. How do you even turn this thing back on...?!?
In the rearview mirror, I watched as my 83-year old uncle slowly walked towards his beautiful darling car that I had killed. It took forever for him to walk those 200 meters. He's 83. In that time, I was replaying the phone conversation he was going to have with my dad:
"How was my son? Was he a good houseguest?"
"No. He broke my car."
"NO! Not the Sunbeam! That's your favorite!"
"..."
"I'm so sorry. Just wait till he gets home... I'll deal with him"
(I'm thinking I'll never go back to Canada now)
I slunk lower in the seat dreading the moment I had to face my uncle's accusing eyes.
He finally arrived at the driver's side door. He leaned down and gave me a sheepish smile, "I forgot to put gas in the car."
OMG! SO relieved!!!!
This turtle belonged to my grandfather. When I saw it, I laughed with surprise
This is the first thing I've seen that reminded me of my childhood in Malaysia. When we used to visit my grandfather, I would play with this huge turtle statue on the floor. When my grandfather died, many items in his house went unclaimed by all his children. They were all going to be tossed away when the place was sold, so my uncle, being the oldest of his siblings, decided to keep most of the things. I guess out of a sense of duty or preservation of history.
That turtle is a lot smaller now than how I remembered it back when I was 8 years old...!
The turtle wasn't the only thing he kept. My grandfather kept binders of newspaper clippings and faded B&W pictures spanning decades before my uncle was born. I saw a picture of my great-grandfather for the first time, as well as several ancestors that my uncle didn't even know the names of.
He told me with a smile that he had now become the archiver of the family history. The duty of the eldest son.
Later on that day, my uncle and aunt took us on a short tour of Ipoh
There's not a lot of things to see in the city, the main attraction for tourists is the Ling Sen Tong Temple. It's claim to fame is that it's carved right into the limestone rock of a karst formation, similar to the ones we saw in Krabi province in Southern Thailand.
Chinese temples are very colourful. Lots of red.
With a shudder, the old girl sputtered and died. Neda's eyes grew wide, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!?". My eyes grew wider than hers. "NOTHING! I DID NOTHING!", I protested. "I didn't stall! It wasn't me! Look, my foot is still on the clutch". I pointed at my left foot planted to the floorboard. I don't even know why I said that. That doesn't even mean anything...
We hadn't made it 200 meters from the entrance of the driveway.
I stared at the mess of unmarked instrumentation on the dashboard. How do you even turn this thing back on...?!?
In the rearview mirror, I watched as my 83-year old uncle slowly walked towards his beautiful darling car that I had killed. It took forever for him to walk those 200 meters. He's 83. In that time, I was replaying the phone conversation he was going to have with my dad:
"How was my son? Was he a good houseguest?"
"No. He broke my car."
"NO! Not the Sunbeam! That's your favorite!"
"..."
"I'm so sorry. Just wait till he gets home... I'll deal with him"
(I'm thinking I'll never go back to Canada now)
I slunk lower in the seat dreading the moment I had to face my uncle's accusing eyes.
He finally arrived at the driver's side door. He leaned down and gave me a sheepish smile, "I forgot to put gas in the car."
OMG! SO relieved!!!!
This turtle belonged to my grandfather. When I saw it, I laughed with surprise
This is the first thing I've seen that reminded me of my childhood in Malaysia. When we used to visit my grandfather, I would play with this huge turtle statue on the floor. When my grandfather died, many items in his house went unclaimed by all his children. They were all going to be tossed away when the place was sold, so my uncle, being the oldest of his siblings, decided to keep most of the things. I guess out of a sense of duty or preservation of history.
That turtle is a lot smaller now than how I remembered it back when I was 8 years old...!
The turtle wasn't the only thing he kept. My grandfather kept binders of newspaper clippings and faded B&W pictures spanning decades before my uncle was born. I saw a picture of my great-grandfather for the first time, as well as several ancestors that my uncle didn't even know the names of.
He told me with a smile that he had now become the archiver of the family history. The duty of the eldest son.
Later on that day, my uncle and aunt took us on a short tour of Ipoh
There's not a lot of things to see in the city, the main attraction for tourists is the Ling Sen Tong Temple. It's claim to fame is that it's carved right into the limestone rock of a karst formation, similar to the ones we saw in Krabi province in Southern Thailand.
Chinese temples are very colourful. Lots of red.
lightcycle
Nomad
The statues outside look like they are part of an amusement park! This place must be popular with kids.
There are a few cave temples in Ipoh, this is the most visited one. Despite it being so over the top with its colours and statues outside, there are a lot of worshippers inside who take this place very seriously.
Inside, you overlook the cartoony statues and marvel at how they've turned this cavernous space into a temple
It was nice to get out of the heat. My aunt and uncle have probably been here tons of times, so they waited for us as we walked around
lightcycle
Nomad
These cave temples are a mixture of Taoist and Buddhist. Here are some Buddhas carved into this pretty lantern
Buddhism originated from the Indian subcontinent, while Taoism comes from China. Most of the cave temples in Ipoh are Taoist, but Ling Sen Tong caters to both.
The bearded guy on the horse is Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism
s
We asked my uncle if we could try some Ipoh food, so he took us to the city centre to try some local delicacies.
No, we didn't go to the place on the left. Although there is truth in advertising.
Ipoh is known for it's bean sprouts (Nga Choi in Cantonese), so we went to a restaurant and had a meal of chicken with bean sprouts (Nga Choi Gai). Or rather, bean sprouts with some chicken. We had a huge heaping plate of bean sprouts to share amongst the four of us and a smaller plate of chicken with some rice to wash our palettes with!
Yummy bits.
Ipoh is also known for these huge citrus fruits called pomelos. Yummy... melons.
My uncle bought one for us for our journey. They're huge. About the size of a person's head. I'm not sure where we'll put them on the motorcycle, but we'll have to figure it out soon because tomorrow will be a long riding day.
acg
Adventurer
Gene,
Your posts remind me of my childhood. I spent my childhood in Malacca when my father worked in Malaysia. We then moved to Singapore when I was 7 to begin my formal schooling (my family were Singaporeans). I moved to the States in 1988.
I plan to bring my wife and 3 sons to visit Singapore this Christmas. I enjoy reading your posts and seeing the pics. You have an eloquent and witty way in describing your experiences. Can't wait to show them the wonderful sights of Malaysia!
Your posts remind me of my childhood. I spent my childhood in Malacca when my father worked in Malaysia. We then moved to Singapore when I was 7 to begin my formal schooling (my family were Singaporeans). I moved to the States in 1988.
I plan to bring my wife and 3 sons to visit Singapore this Christmas. I enjoy reading your posts and seeing the pics. You have an eloquent and witty way in describing your experiences. Can't wait to show them the wonderful sights of Malaysia!
lightcycle
Nomad
lightcycle
Nomad
Updated from http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw/303.html
We leave Ipoh bright and early, headed to Kuala Lumpur today. I'm a bit excited. So far, nothing in Malaysia has sparked any childhood memories, but I'm sure seeing my old hometown again will re-kindle a few of them.
Leaving the limestone Karst formations of Ipoh and heading south
The western coast of Malaysia is fairly flat. The main north-south highway provides a rapid corridor for travel up and down Malaysia. However, it's been so long since we've ridden any interesting roads (since Northern Thailand, I think), so we duck into the Banjaran Titiwangsa (Titiwangsa Mountains), which is the central ridge of mountains making up the back bone of the country.
Stepping off the highway, we take a twisty road as it climbs up into the mountains
We quickly shed the warm Ipoh morning. It's replaced by chilly mountain air as the road twists and climbs higher and higher. We're heading towards a hill station called Cameron Highlands. It's very popular with the locals because the colder climate provides a respite to the unrelenting heat of the lowlands. My parents said that due to the clear-cutting performed by farmers in the area, the climate in Cameron Highlands has steadily grown warmer over the last few decades.
We leave Ipoh bright and early, headed to Kuala Lumpur today. I'm a bit excited. So far, nothing in Malaysia has sparked any childhood memories, but I'm sure seeing my old hometown again will re-kindle a few of them.
Leaving the limestone Karst formations of Ipoh and heading south
The western coast of Malaysia is fairly flat. The main north-south highway provides a rapid corridor for travel up and down Malaysia. However, it's been so long since we've ridden any interesting roads (since Northern Thailand, I think), so we duck into the Banjaran Titiwangsa (Titiwangsa Mountains), which is the central ridge of mountains making up the back bone of the country.
Stepping off the highway, we take a twisty road as it climbs up into the mountains
We quickly shed the warm Ipoh morning. It's replaced by chilly mountain air as the road twists and climbs higher and higher. We're heading towards a hill station called Cameron Highlands. It's very popular with the locals because the colder climate provides a respite to the unrelenting heat of the lowlands. My parents said that due to the clear-cutting performed by farmers in the area, the climate in Cameron Highlands has steadily grown warmer over the last few decades.
Last edited: