Penang Dec 2023

Some places feel less like destinations and more like inherited memories. Penang is one of those places for me.

I first knew Penang through my grandparents. I remember sitting beside my grandfather in warm, bustling coffee shops while my grandmother hunted for Peranakan tableware, somehow always finding one more beautiful piece to add to her collection. I remember the smoky aroma of char kway teow, the clatter of cups, and the way the city seemed to hum with life.

The last time Krystin and I visited, I was photographing a wedding, so she never really had the chance to experience the Penang I'd been telling her about.

This time, we returned with two children but also reinforcements in the form of little S's godparents, Ivan and Jun.

We stayed in a restored shophouse in Georgetown, hoping the kids might absorb a little of the texture and rhythm of Asia.
December in Penang is relentless: the humidity, the crowds, the constant movement.
Armed with portable fans, the kids did their best to keep up, but we quickly realised we'd need to slow down and recalibrate.

When it all became a little too much, we snuck into a hotel pool, much to the delight of the kids.

We didn't eat nearly as much as I'd hoped, but one meal stayed with me: the incredibly gao kopi ping, silky kway teow th'ng and mind-blowing vegetarian noodles at Pulau Tikus Market, so much so that it was worth a revisit on the final day.

In an effort to maximise our time in Penang, we'd tapao hawker food back to the shophouse after the kids were asleep and open a bottle of wine, and continue dinner together.
One South African bottle, in particular, still lingers in my memory.
Good food. Good wine. The people you love.

As we left Penang, Krystin turned to me and said, "Now I understand what all the fuss is about."
We had barely scratched the surface.

Which, perhaps, is the best reason to return.