When in Penang with a bicycle, what do you do? Right: you cycle around the island! The first day, we mostly explored the fantastic old city centre. The second day, yesterday, we started by arranging a number of things that had to get done. Get a new bank card at CIMB which I could not get done in KL in time before we left. Buy a new gas canister, so we can continue to enjoy our coffee breaks on our way. And oh yes, that also meant, buy new coffee because you don't find that in many places. We also had to buy a new set of bike tools, because my multi-tool set got stolen! Stolen, yes... I used a small saddle bag, in which I had the tools and Ellen had a bike light and pocket knife in hers. We left our bicycles outside the guest house during the day, well locked, but when we brought them in in the evening found out that the bags had been opened, the content was gone. Nothing bad, just unpleasant, and probably a good wake-up call to be a bit more careful...
 |
| At the beach in Batu Ferringhi, notice it is cloudy and the sea is unusually rough. Thanks to he clouds, it was actually a cooler day today, perfect for riding. |
Anyway, after 1,5 days in the city, these 2 outdoor people needed something else, so we decided to cycle around the Penang island! About 70km, with some good hills on the way, but luckily without our bags. A very nice ride, although the first part - to leave the city, and to a lesser extent on the way to Batu Ferringhi, was busy, with a lot of traffic. I must say, Penang is a very beautiful city, and it's UNESCO world heritage for a good reason, but it is too busy, there is always traffic, everywhere, and drivers don't pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists at all. A lot of people chose Penang as their place for Malaysia My Second Home and honestly, I don't know if I'd even consider that...
 |
| At the dam past Teluk Bahang |
So once we passed Batu Ferringhi (after a brief visit to the beach) it really became great cycling, up to Teluk Bahang and then into the hills on our way to Balik Pulau. The hills were not too steep, and they were cool, green, with lots of fruit orchards - with lots of durian trees but unfortunately totally not in season now. Wow, this was good fun, this was Cycling with capital C!!!
 |
| Pretty tough uphill stretches |
 |
| View over Balik Pulau |
 |
| And a well deserved laksa lunch |
Once in Balik Pulau it was the highest time for lunch, and we had read about the good laksa there. It was absolutely great! That, together with nutmeg juice... First time ever, I didn't even know it existed, and it was nice too! From Balik Pulau another climb, steeper and longer than the previous one, this time rewarded with, YES, a durian at the top!
 |
| King of the mountain! At the top... |
 |
| With a yummy reward! |
Our dinner today was, for the first time since we left, not a local Malaysian dinner: pizza! Excellent pizza, enjoyed together with some friends (voor de Belgen: 't was met den Tonio!). Now back in the guest house, writing a bit, and preparing to get moving again tomorrow.