2024 Recap : People In My Life

As 2024 comes to a close, I thought I'll just do a special post on all the people who has made my life interesting this year. 2024 is a full year that I've stopped working. Many people have asked me what I will do without a job? Won't I get bored? How do I spend my time? Etc Etc. Fear not people! Boredom is for the unimaginative. Besides my never ending read-list, to-sew list, to-cook list, to-travel list etc, I realised that I've also managed to hangout with a lot of people in 2024 even though I am a self proclaimed antisocial INFJ person who may or may not be on the spectrum..... So here is a recap of all the wonderful person who have crossed my path in 2024, thank you for the memories of our encounter good or bad :P

In reverse order:

Dec 2024: NES came to visit Penang with her family that consist of LeoBit and LeoByte. Had fun spending time with the LeoKids, even though I did made them cry from walking too much. I also started my first Sea Glass art work after spending time collecting sea glass and shells at Tanjung Bungah beach with them. Above photo taken at Upside Down Museum, cause both of us are Squid Game series fan! I've just completed Squid Game 2 few days back :P

Dec 2024: Julie came to visit for a few days. Much anxiety over whether her train from Bangkok will reach Penang at all due to the year end monsoon rain. She finally decided to fly to Penang instead, but managed to take the train back. We also took the train to Alor Setar for a day trip, but the train was super crowded! Above photo taken in front of Sushiya Sunshine Central Mall, Penang cause we find the sushi rather cute :)

Dec 2024: 22 Dec to be exact, my 2nd aunt's birthday. She celebrated her 91 years of old, and kept telling us she is not dead yet! Lol. Next to her is my 3rd aunt, and standing is my 1st uncle's Thai wife. I helped order western food for everyone for dinner. Cousin Ah Hai gave us a ride back after we all visited Cousin Chuan at the hospital with his sister Cousin Doris. It was a super eventful day!

Nov 2024: Me and my cartoon friend in Miyajima Island, Japan. We did almost a 2 weeks trip in Japan, landing in Osaka, and traveling to Kobe, Miyajima, Hiroshima, and finally spending a week in Kyoto. First time travelling with her. Took some getting used to, but looking back at the photo, I think we had a wonderful time. Lots of hilarious moments together :P

Nov 2024: Watching Wicket the Movie with my new found cousin, and having Baskin Robins ice cream after the show. I only knew about her existence earlier this year when Cousin Helen took us all on a day trip to Kampung Agong. Now we have even planned to watch Wicket the Musical next year in Singapore!

Oct 2024: Me with Milo and Kopi cause their owner is camera shy. Was celebrating my 20th anniversary, but husband decided to attend a talk in town after our meal together at True Cost. I took the bus to meet up with my weird friend, and we took the doggies for a walk and drink. For some reason, my heart seems to have soften towards pets this year :P

Oct 2024: AQ surprised visit to Penang! Who would have thought out of all the people in my FIRE chatgroup, he would be the first to visit me in my hometown! Had a lot of fun bringing him around Penang, and hunting down all the food on his to-eat list. Visiting Cat Beach Teluk Bahang was also one of the highlight of his visit. The cats there are just soooooooo cute!!!!

Sep 2024: Husband's Cousin Helen visiting Penang en-route back to Singapore and onwards to Melbourne. She was here attending a wedding, and decided to stay on a few days for some shopping and eating. Took her to Tho Yuan Restaurant at Campbell Street for some of these lovely Hoong Thu Noodles and dim sum breakfast.

Aug 2024: Hanging out with Vim from Singapore at the night market in Tanjung Bungah. Vim was on his exploratory journey back to India from Singapore, and have met my friend Kwong in a hostel in Malacca. My friend though it would be interesting for me to meet Vim, and made him carry 2 canisters of tea with him for me just to make sure that I do meet up with him, lol. So I refer to him as my tea mule! 

Aug 2024: Kwong and me on a ferry from Penang to Butterworth to catch our train to Alor Setar for a day trip. It was his 2nd visit to Penang, and he stopped by for around 4 days. And as luck might have it, I actually followed him to his next destination, Siem Reap! What an adventure that was!

Jul 2024: Nothing eventful happened -_____-   I think my mum went for her 2nd cataract surgery, and I was involved in George Town Festival 2024. More on that coming up soon!

Jun 2024: Me, Bo and Julie at a floating market in Ayutthaya, Bangkok. I went with my friend KC from Singapore to visit our Thai friends, and we also travelled to Hua Hin with Julie's sister on this trip. You can read more about our adventure here. 

May 2024: My morning walk buddy and me, celebrating her birthday breakfast at a cafe in Straits Quay. We are both of the same age, and used to go to high school together. I think she is the only friend I have left whom I am still in contact with, and who still lives in Penang.

Apr 2024: My Dearest KC and me, and a cafe somewhere in Korea! This is our 2nd trip together to Korea with her Korean Class teacher and classmate. This time, I even went with my husband. Had a lot of interesting experience on this trip. You can read more about our adventure here.

Mar 2024: 3rd aunt's birthday tea at a bakery in Tree Square together with Cousin Helen. I also treated her to a staycation at the Hompton Hotel. Since 2023, I've decided to always bring her to a staycation on her birthday. The first one was to Courtyard Marriot in 2023, and next year we are going to Neo+ downtown! Looking forward to it. She will be going on 82!

Feb 2024: Trish and Tom stopped by for 2 days in Penang via their cruise to Singapore. Photo taken at Jason's Peranakan Restaurant where we had our lunch. I was their unofficial tour guide for 2 days, and later on I also met up with them when their cruise docked in Singapore! Aren't I an awesome tour guide? We even had a traditional reunion dinner together with my husband at Putien Singapore, with YuSheng and everything. Looking forward to seeing them again in Manchester UK in 2025 on our way to Edinburgh and Scotland! Woohoo!

Feb 2024: While I was back in Singapore, my ex-teammates invited me out for dinner. I always feel touched when my colleagues remember me and ask me out. The three of them are from my BA Team at the last company I worked with. Thank you for still wanting to hang out with your boss! Lol. I guess I wasn't fierce enough!

Jan 2024: Kwong's first time visiting me in Penang. Photo taken on a crowded monorail at Kek Lok Si on our way to see the giant Goddess of Mercy. Actually this is the same monorail I took with AQ in Oct 2024, but it was pretty empty then, lol. Anyway it's always fun hanging out with Kwong. Hope to see him soon in Singapore in 2025 before he heads back to the States again. 

And that concluded the list of people that has enriched my life in 2024. There were also so many brief friendships and strangers I met along the way, from Cassandra whom I met for Tea in Kyoto, to Chork our TukTuk driver in Siem Reap, or even the nice old lady I chat briefly with in front of a restaurant we both wanted to eat but was closed in Uji, and the kind Namba Station ticket uncle who was so nice to me. I hope 2025 would be equally exciting and memorable as 2024 was! 

Penang Thaipusam 2024 - Gold and Silver Chariots

You could hardly get bored during Thaipusam. There was just so much to see and soak in! And one of the highlight has always been the kavadi bearer. Plus I really love all the vibrant colour you can see during this festival!  

You could almost mistaken that you were in India! 

And to see so many people participating was really something very powerful to witness. Ah, the power of faith!

Soon the chariot was about to arrive. You would know it even before it reach. There will be signs! Like the cracking of coconuts on the road! Lots and lots of coconut! Sometimes you wonder if it will ever end. If you get frustrated waiting, feel free to go down to the road and help them! 

I managed to capture some of the atmosphere of the coconut breaking in video :)

Chinese, Indian, tourist, locals, doesn't really matter! It's one of the most fun part of the festival! The other of course are the dances along the path. Most are done at night cause well, it's just so hot in the day time. Most heavier kavadi bearer also walk during the night time when it is a lot cooler. It's a long way to walk, and there are a lot of steps at the end of it before the reach their final destination. 

More coconuts breaking!

Finally, the chariot arrived. The first was the gold chariot. It looked so grand glittering in the sun. It moves at super slow speed as worshipper make their offering and asking for blessing from it. The priest attend to them all. Some even hand up their babies and kid to be bless.

Close up look. So grand!

Next comes the silver chariot, which is actually the original chariot of the Penang Thaipusam. Some of the older people actually waited for this before making their grand offering. Again, non-stop cracking of coconuts on the road! Truly a magnificent sight! So too is watching the MBBP army cleaning to road after every round! Lol. It's almost like a sporting event!

Close up of the silver chariot. 

I even got a video of it moving super fast to catch up to the gold chariot in front.

After watching the chariot, I was stuck in town as the buses to my home was cancelled due to road block. I was thinking  maybe I have to walk home. I went to have lunch, and then proceed to walk as far as I could. I managed to walk till Burmah Road when I saw a bus approaching. I took it all the way to Gurney, and was stuck there again. I've been out since early morning, and my mobile battery was running low. I was wondering if I have to hike home from Gurney :( Bet before that, I try calling a Grab, all the while watching as my battery drain itself. If my phone goes dead, I'd have to walk home. And it was an hill hike too! Luckily, I managed to get a Grab at 12% battery life! So happy to be able to get home! I'd have love to join the night time festival near the botanical garden, but imagine how I would get home after that? Lol. I don't even know whether the bus would run at night! Maybe one day in future, perhaps not alone, perhaps with friends, I would one day join the festival at night again, just as I did long time ago as a kid :)

Penang Thaipusam 2024 - Preparations

I parked myself at the front of 1st Avenue Mall as it has a platform, which means I have a great view of the road where the procession was supposed to pass. Even in the early morning, the whole road was filled with people and buzzing with activities. Above, an indian lady pouring turmeric powder over a pile of coconuts. 

Lots of devotees, all dressed up and walking towards the temple.

Dances with peacock feathers on their head. They would stop and dance in front of each temple as they walked pass. Everyone was making their way to the temple at Botanical Garden.

A van filled with musicians playing traditional instrument drove pass.

Smaller chariots making their way thru.

Lots of worshipper walk up to make offering to it.

Hero of the event, the MBBP workers. They are the hero behind the scene, helping to clean up the coconut shells after it has been offered. I was amazed at how organised they were in clearing the road in order for the processing to move forward! I guess they do it every year, but it was my first time watching them in day light! Kudos to these team!

Many people assume that Thaipusam is an indian festival. But in Penang, the Chinese also participate in it. A small offering of coconuts outside a Chinese shop house along Magazine Road. 

A Chinese Chariot going by which Chinese devotees. 

Interestingly, I stood near where the cows were being prepared! While waiting for the chariot, a lorry with two cows turned up.

The cows were lead down from the lorry, providing me with much entertainment while I stood and wait. The cows also provided much entertainment and distraction to the crowds of people there.

The keeper, dressing the cows up for the festival. It was wonderful to watch how gentle he was in treating these beautiful creature!

The keeper even changed his clothing in preparation for the festival once he has dressed up the cows! 

These cows are actually there and probably at other strategic location. For chariots pulled by cows, due to the long journey and heat, they change the cows along the way so that the cows are not tired from all the work.

The crowd at Magazine Road before the chariot arrive.

Penang Thaipusam 2024 - Start of Day

Super early morning, after sending a friend off at the airport, I didn't want to go back home and be alone with my thoughts. It so happened that it was Thaipusam day 1, and since my bus was passing by the center of town, I decided to drop off and watch the festival after so many years not witnessing it.

Above I googles the route of the procession. They even have an app to show you where the chariot is in real-time! I though that was rather impressive, until the app kinda crash and stopped working, lol. Must be the high load. Thaipusam is a super grand festival in Penang island. For one or two days, the whole of Penang island stood still to witness this magnificent event. 

I dropped off near Gama supermarket, and immediately saw mountains of coconuts arranged along the route. My aunt has recommended that I watch the procession here. But since I was super early, I decided to walk towards the procession to see what else was interesting there. 

It was my first time going to the festival in day time. I used to go at night when I was a kid. We were always at the Botanical Garden area waiting for the chariot to arrive at the foot of the temple. And the chariot was always late. After witnessing the processing this year, I now know why.... lol. Anyway, as I was walking along the road, I saw many stall with food prepared. At first I though these were for sale. Then I saw some people just walking up and being offered packets of food or drinks. So I did the same and got myself a pack of fried bee hoon and noodles for FREE! Wow! So all these food (vegetarian of course) were all prepared and given away for worshippers! How cool is that! A full day of free food!

Since it was a super hot day, there were tonnes of water available too. But since I brought my own, I didn't take any from the stall, only the food. I ate my nice beehoon while waiting for the chariot somewhere at Magazine Road, just outside 1st Avenue Mall. Fried beehoon is such a simple dish, yet the version in Penang always brings me back to my Primary School Days. I ate the same dish everyday when I was in primary school. 

There were also small worshiped tables set up outside smaller indian temples along the way. I was even contemplating whether to just follow the route of the chariot and walk all the way back Gottlieb Road area! If only the weather was not that hot!

The app to track where the Chariot was! Note, the app works even if the chariot doesn't appear to be moving. Due to the overload of offerings by the devotees, the chariot move at a turtle speed. It takes forever to go thru a single road. It is amazing that they can even make it to the Botanical Garden temple by night fall!

Penang International Museum Day 2024 - Penang Diocesan Museum

Next museum I visited was the Roman Catholic Diocesan Museum. I didn't even knew such museum existed in Penang if it was not for Facebook. Some say social media platform is bad, but I think it's more like how you make use of it. If you're just doom scrolling away, then it rots your brain. But if you are using the information in real life, I think it's not a bad invention! Anyway, the museum was just a few meter walk away from the Penang State Museum, next to the Church of Assumption, which I found out is the oldest church in Penang after visiting the museum :P You can see the above structure outside.

Outside the structure, there are also some historical artefacts you can explore.

I've always associated Penang with the British, never then French. So I was quite surprise to see and read about the above here. Nice! French influence!

After exploring the compound of the church, I went inside to the museum. Entrance if by donation, and I think I dropped 10rm here? It's up to you, but there is a receptionist there eyeing at you! God is watching!

I think there are about 2 or 3 stories of the museum. It was super detailed in documenting the history of the catholic church development in Malaysia, with information all the way from Thailand. I learned so much about the spread of roman catholic and their mission in Malaysia from this museum. It also has a record of all the church and priest that have served, and also some of the missionary schools in Malaysia, mainly focussing on North Malaysia. 

A well displayed of RC artefacts are also available here. Very detailed and fascinating to me!

Almost all the artefacts here are linked to some historical event from the past. For such a small museum, it held a lot of value and treasure!

I didn't know there are mobile priest kit too! Above is one such kit. You can bring it anywhere with you and still perform a complete ritual with it. How convenient!

There were also some text which I found fascinating and beautiful. I spend a lot of time here. Even though I can't read most of it, it's always a pleasure to look at beautiful, text, calligraphy etc. It's a special bond between a bookworm and words. 

Beautiful display above <3

I was also rather delighted to see many displayed of stained glass in the church!

I'm a super fan of stained glass, practically going to Europe to view these beautiful work of art. 

The stained glass here were just as nice. It's strange that they don't promote of this little gem of a museum. I realise that Malaysia actually have beautiful places of worship, but you seldom see them in tourism information places. I wonder why is that. I for one would be interested in them. 

More stained glass :)

And more :)  I didn't even took all of it! Just a majority of it. 

And lastly, at the end of the museum, there was a display of novelty items. Above some handiwork which was rather cute. There is also a museum shop. The attendance there asked me which church I was from when I told her I was from Penang. She was rather taken aback when I told her I was not a Christian, but that I used to played at the compound of the Church of Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus when I was a kid. She was pretty much lost for words, so I left the museum after talking to her :P  I feel that maybe she can only operate based on an expected script, and that I was probably outside her expected scripting, lol. Still, it was a very nice museum. I would recommend it for visitors who are interested in the history of the Roman Catholic church in Malaysia.