Hi I have been Penang for a few days now. I am staying in a little guest house in Georgetown, the capital city, it is clean comfortable and basic plus it gives me somewhere to rest my head on a night so it is ok. Georgetown is what i think many of you think KL is like. A busy asian city with people, cars and motorbike coming form every direction. I think i need a few lessons form the locals in crossing the road. They all seem to weave so causally in and out of the on comming trafic. I think i must look like a rabit in the head lights trying to find a big enough gap which will allow me to run accross. Penang is the oldest of the Straits settelments, predating singapore, and Georgetown is littered with colonial remains. Today the chinese influence is predominant. China town forms the hub of the city. It has a very used feel to it. The aging buildings are decaying in the humidity and hawker stalls are littered along the road side selling everything from friut to the local delecasies. However, chinese is not the sole influence. Georrgetown has a very vibrant Little Indian where the brightly colored shops waft insence into the air and you are never far from the local sounds. During my stay I have done as most tourists do and head for the sights. I think my favorite was Penang hill, Malaysia's first hill station, and 5 degrees cooler than see level thank goodness. The view was spectacular. I do not think my photos will do justice, the clouds got in the way. I was a little disapointed with the beaches they were a bit dirty and not as nice as every one claimed. Nevermind to I have the Tioman Island for spectacular beaches. It is Back to KL tomorrow before going on to Melaka. I penang is an interesting and diverse city but i have left a few other area to explore when I return. Helen