Defining Happy

Chia and I (Excuse my "Allergy Eyes")

Oh dear Chia. I met her on my second day in Penang while I was sitting down waiting for a bus to Penang Hill. She just started talking to me and asked where I was from. We chatted for a while and since the bus was taking so long she offered to take me on a walk around the area to show me around and give me some pointers on how to navigate around the city. We arrived back to the bus station just in time to catch the bus and she made sure to leave a seat so I could sit with her. Along the route she’d tell me to get my camera ready for photo ops of things she thought I would find interesting. Retired, single, and with no children showing me around must have been a treat as she seemed to enjoy every moment of it. So much so that she decided to join me on my tour around Penang Hill. She stopped home to change her clothes and feed her cat and met me at the ticket office which was a stones throw away from her front door. I spent all day with this lady like we hadn’t just met 23 seconds before. She showed me around the hill with pride as she was born up there. We walked into the hotel where she stayed for a night with her brothers a few months prior as they took a walk town memory lane. She had asked the receptionist if we could peek in at the view from the garden of the hotel and the view was beyond amazing.

The way up to Penang Hill The awesome view from Penang Hill

A monkey giving his diva pose....weeeeeerk!

The pictures I took do it no justice. Someone in the hotel recognized her from their childhood and escorted us to a lunch spread they had laid out for the hotel guest. They told us we were just in time and gave us a plate of egg sandwiches and vegetable spring rolls. Free? I’ll take that. Her familiar face also got her a free coffee at another shop and she treated me to an ice-cream cone.

Sharing laughs, stories and a gorgeous view was the highlight of my day. When we reached the bottom she insisted on taking me into her neighborhood to find a vegetarian restaraunt and also to make sure I got on the bus safely. Along the way a few people, to include the traffic police who should have been watching the traffic, asked her in Mandarin where I was from because I looked “unsual”. Stood with a proud stance and told them I was from America.

Our time together ended with Chia treating me to some local fruit from a street vendor and the best Papaya I’ve had in my life. She sat with me on the bench as I waited for my bus to come and we made plans to hang out the next day at Kek Lok Si temple.

What a dope day… Seriously! The Malay people are impressing the hell out of me. Yes, I get looks and stares as with most other foreign countries I visit but instead of acting a dam* fool in response to my different appearance people just come up and ask me where I’m from. I’ve even had a group of girls from Indonesia ask to take a picture with me. Malaysia is made of up many different races and cultures. Since there are people here that are darker than I am I guess it’s a little easier for me to fit in. So at first glance I guess I might look like a local. Well, until you reach the poof on top of my head…that’s when things get a little different.

Me and my poof

I ended my second day by getting medieval on some vegetarian Indian food near my hostel. I mean I man handled that food so hard that I got two thumbs up from some Indian cats sitting in the table next to me. I figured the restaurant was going to be good because not only was it packed but I saw a roach crawling on the counter. Now you guys know those places with roaches usually have the best food. Don’t worry I said all kinds of grace before I took the first bite. ;-)