Heritage Sites - Malaysia, Penang

I have always been fascinated by heritage sites and historical places (possibly due to the face that I am a history major). Whenever I travel, I would read up about the history of the country and its culture, and also look out for historical sites I can visit. Because we are a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, we are constantly adapting and changing to current trends so that we can stay relevant to the world. Our motto is practically "change is the only constant". Over the years of my existence, Singapore has torn down buildings, build higher buildings and developed new spaces that sometimes I myself do not recognise anymore. So many historical buildings and places torn down and redeveloped to become something else. Maybe that is the reason why I value historical places so much.

One of the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites closest to Singapore is located in Malaysia, Penang. I travelled to Georgetown, Penang about (I think), 6 years ago? Back then, Grab has not yet existed. So my friends and I decided to rent a car and drive around town. Crazy thing was, it was a couple of months after getting my license. There are so many things to see and learn in Penang! 

Penang used to be a thriving port city and a capital of the Straits Settlements back in the 18th and 19th century under British rule (before Singapore took over as the capital in 1832 😏). Because of British's colonisation, that led to blend of cultures that displayed itself throughout the city. Penang was therefore inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its "unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia". 

Here are some postcards that I received from Penang over the years. 

I hope to return to Penang sometime in the near future! After this whole COVID-19 has ended...

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