Penang - this will probably take longer...

... before I have indulged in the island's culinary offerings.

The very touristy peninsula is known for once being connected to the mainland by the longest bridge. That is no longer the case - there are now much longer bridges. Hokkiens settled on the peninsula, among others - that's why a large part of the culture is quite Chinese influenced. But the Nyonya way of life can also be encountered here and there. :)

As already mentioned, everything here is touristy, so we also set out to see the Botanic Spice Garden and take part in a guided tour. In a super small group, we were led through the garden by C E and she shared all sorts of information about the plants with us - the leaves of the 'Allspices' tree taste like a spice mix, as the name suggests.

That some plants can also simply be eaten as salad is not entirely new.

There are plenty of specialties to try on the island:

Ais Kacang

Hokkien Mee

Nasi Lemak

Roti Canai

Chee Cheong Fun

Char Koay Teow

and the list is not complete....

To experience some nature, we went to a habitat on Penang Hill (Bukit Bender).

There is also a temple nearby - the Kek Lok Si Temple, which is quite impressive and installed on the mountain.

The Chinese New Year festivities were still beautifully decorated.

But of course, the beach cannot be missed either!

Once I jumped in, it quickly became clear to me that there must be crystal-clear water elsewhere and I became curious at the same time. Where does all this 'dirt' come from?

I'll definitely find out.

In the hostels, there are always great encounters and I briefly paused and asked myself whether I would also come into contact with so many people in such a short time back home.

Traveling is something special and the encounters here are definitely valuable!