Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011 & Makanthon

Months ago, I signed up for Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) 2011 not for the full run (42km), nor the half run (21km), but just 10km. Knowing my body capacity, I’m pretty sure 10km is the furthest km I’ll run. I don’t run far in life – pun intended.

I’ve been to Penang once, like so many years ago (4 or 5 years?). I was on SuperStar Virgo (cruise) and they only stopped by for a day. So, it was just a day trip in Penang. The only Penang food I had was Assam Laksa at Air Itam, near Kek Lok Si Temple. It was not enough to explore the whole “food kingdom”. I told myself that I must visit Penang again in the future.

I almost went to Penang for Hari Raya holidays this year. The plan was postponed due to my colleagues’ comment, “don’t you dare think about it unless you want to camp on the highway with other drivers for hours”. So, Penang, I will come to you  another time again.

Three months later, I am finally in Penang with Roseling and friends from KL.

Shi Ban, Kelson, Me
Shirley, Rachel, Fred, JJ and Roseling

We went to Penang mainly for:

• Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011; and
• Makanthon (food eating marathon)

Upon arrival, we went for a quick breakfast and then do what tourist do in Penang.

Visit Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera)

RM8 for Malaysians (must show IC)
RM30 for tourists.

We arrived at the top of Bukit Bendera on the first train to witness sunrise. This is the first thing we saw when we reached the patio.

We waited patiently…

After the long wait, the sun thought it would be fun to play hide and seek with the clouds. PIFF..

Although we didn’t witness sunrise as planned, we were pretty disappointed but that didn’t matter because we had lotsa fun during our visit up there. We can always come back again for it in future.

Those who arrived earlier than us had some sleep before meeting up with the rest of us who arrived Penang at around 4.30am. Although we haven’t slept for 24 hours, we were so much energetic than them, who seemed so restless and so zombied. lol

During the whole journey to Penang, there were only two things running in my mind:

Mission #1: Complete PBIM 2011′s 10km run within the qualifying time

Posing with PBIM 2011 before going to the starting line because I know I won’t be able to take picha with it after the run. Sure swarmed by other runners.

Proud to brag that I completed the 10km within the qualifying time (< 90 minutes). So effing proud that I even hang the 10km finisher medal in my cubicle because some colleagues didn’t get it. *evil*

It was the best run I ever had. I enjoyed the run (for the first 75% only). As I was running on the bridge, the wind swept my hair away, with the sea breeze blowing my face. I couldn’t help but to run with my eyes shut……for a few seconds.. It was blissful.

 

#MISSION2: MAKANTHON

I’ve heard so much about Penang food, especially Char Kueh Tiaw. So much that even the Penangnites in my office brag about how super duper delicious Penang Char Kueh Tiaw is compared to the ones we find here in KL.

Even friends in Kuching who have been to Penang, also commented that Penang Char Kueh Tiaw is the nicest and they had to wait like an hour or so just to savour that one plate.

So, to prove them all right (perhaps wrong), my determination for Char Kueh Tiaw hunting is higher than my own heights!

Day #1

After Penang Hill tour, we went to Kedai Kopi Seow Fong Lye, Macalister Lane (Lorong Macalister), George Town for our second breakfast.

Rachel said the omelet here is very delicious.

After collecting our race kits at Queensbay, we went to buy ourselves coconut jelly at Joez coconut jelly, Jalan Dato’ Keramat, George Town.

When I Googled for this place, I learnt that Joez Coconut Jelly has an outlet in KL Sentral!

The best remedy on that super hot sizzling afternoon!

The coconut juice is taken out from the coconut and mixed with the jelly formula, put back into the coconut and chilled. Then, when we open, we get this nice cool coconut jelly.

After our nap in the afternoon, we went to Gurney Drive for dinner. The place was packed!

We ordered the proclaimed famous Char Kueh Tiaw in Gurney Drive.

I find the Assam Laksa I had many years ago at Air Itam is much nicer.

So omaigad! So dem nais!

After dinner, we went to Batu Ferringhi and dropped by Hard Rock Hotel. It is such a cool hotel! Going to stay there the next time I go Penang again.

Day #2

After our run, we went back to our apartment to rest before heading to Air Itam.

This place is swarmed! I bet all those customers are runners for PBIM as well. *lol*

The last time I came, the assam laksa was RM2.50. Today, it’s RM3.30 already. Nonetheless, it’s still the cheapest assam laksa eaten in Penang.

After our fishy lunch, we went biscuits shopping along Air Itam.

Shi Ban stopped by one of the tricycles to get himself some muar chee (glutinous rice balls coated with crunched peanuts and sugar).

I dropped by one of the shops to grab some portugese egg tarts. Love it!

We went to Kek Lok Si Temple. Had to climb so many steps up! Good thing that the steps were covered and surrounded with little shops selling goods. So the journey up was not so hot and boring. lol

When we reached the outside of the temple, a generous tourist gave us their tickets for the lift ride to the very top of the temple where the huge Buddha is at. We were overjoyed! But we didn’t know that the tickets were only for the ride up. *LOL*

This picha was taken by Marvin and there’s a funny story about how this picha was taken.

A group picha of us 5. Fred and Rachel were at the bottom waiting for us.

After our temple tour, we headed back to town and dropped by Padang Brown Hawker Centre for lunch/high tea.

Every where we went were all packed!

We picked a lok lok table.

Eat first, pay later.

I really love Penang Otak-otak. It’s so much nicer and fresher! They even have fresh fish in it!

I still prefer Kuching’s popiah =x

After our heavy high tea, we went back to our apartment to sleep. It was such a relaxing and enjoying holiday. All we do is eat and sleep. And that day we sorta overslept till pass dinner time. =O

While waiting for everyone to get ready, the guys went online surfing for places to eat – Seafood.

We had our dinner at Zealand Nite Seafood, Persiaran Gurney. It was our very first place with no crowds! It must be us who were late for dinner.

3

Winter melon soup & Lotus soup

The soup were awesome! After a long tiring day, these soups are just as good to boost our inner energy.

We ordered kailan (local vegetable) and fresh boiled octopus.

The octopus were dem fresh and dem nice with its chili sauce!

We also had this butter fish fillet which was tadly okay only and the lala (clams) were dem nice! Love the spicy sauce.

These were the highlights of our dinner:

Fawesome huge crabs cooked in sweet and sour sauce. These crabs are so dem huge! The claws were almost as big as my hand! :O Too bad the crabs were a little overcooked as the flesh got stuck on the shells a lot >.<

This pork leg is my favourite among all the dishes above. The fatty jellyish natural gelatine with its sweet tender juicy meat. Bliss ahhhh…

Day# 3

On our last day in Penang, we went for Char Kueh Tiaw for the last time.

Kafe Heng Huat along Lorong Selamat is known for its long waited Char Kueh Tiaw and its Red Hat Cook. When I entered the shop, I couldn’t help not noticing the Red Hat aunty in dress and leggings! Dem chio ok!

Another reason why the Char Kueh Tiaw is famous and said to be one of the nicest, I believe those charcoals must have played a big part in the fame in making.

This plate of Char Kueh Tiaw costs us RM7.50 a plate!! The most expensive Char Kueh Tiaw we had throughout our whole trip in Penang.

This small plate of Char Kueh Tiaw consists of 3 big prawns, many thin slices of Chinese sausage, some raw clams, fat bean sprouts and some spring onions.

Well, the ingredients we see is the price we paid for, tastewise, I still prefer the one at Padang Brown Hawker Centre.

Aiyo… Why Penang Rojak so dem nice one??? Any rojak we ordered are just as good. No complaint.

Every Penang Otak-otak we had are delicious. Really satisfied man..

Every single day in Penang, I had a fair share of Penang Char Kueh Tiaw, Penang Rojak and Otak-otak. I gotta admit Penang food is as dem good as Kuching’s.

Cin cai (simply) go to any shop and order their food, all nice nice one.

Order, eat, pay, satisfied.

It’s the end of the PBIM and Makanthon in Penang. Although the main reason we went to Penang was for the marathon, however, it seems like we ate more food than we had to burn on the bridge. LOL

This is not the end of our Makanthon, we took the ferry and left Penang Island and continued our Makanthon in Ipoh before heading back to KL. Well, that’s another post……………….when I’m done digesting :3