Penang Times

I have been enjoying Penang, trying different foods. I had Dim Sum for breakfast, and discovered why I have never mastered chopsticks. I use the wrong fingers - the second and third, instead of the third and fourth. I didn't drop everything down my front as usually happens.

I moved hotels today - from a down-at-heel 2 star to The Blue Mansion, Cheong Fatt Tze.

I am sitting in the Blue Mansion using the hotel internet for free. I have just come in from having supper with my friend, Doreen. We also walked around the Gurney Drive Mall. Of course, we ended up in a bookshop. This time I controlled myself.

The Blue Mansion was built by a Chinese millionaire at the end of the 19th century. It has many courtyards, stained glass windows and windows with louvred shutters. The courtyard outside my room is quite warm, but my room is almost chilly..

In my room called "Sinketh" there is a a big ceiling fan, a double bed with small tables on each side. The bed lamps are large ceramic pots with shades. There is hardly enough room to put my alarm clock and glasses' case on one of them. There is also a dark wooden table. The walls are so thick that there is a cupboad set into one. It contains yellow and blue china bowls.

I have my own bathroom, which is behind the bedroom.It has a big white bath (called a "long bath" here). There is a shower above the bath. And really hot water. It was lovely to have a hot shower.

I have a small fridge, with tea and coffee things (the instant kind) and a kettle, on top. There is also a sideboard with a large mirror, a vase of flowers and an old clock which stopped 2 o'clock aeons ago. All this is much more luxurious than my other accommodation has been.

I joined the 3pm tour of the house. The house is a traditional Chinese courtyard house, but has Western features too. The guide filled us in on classical feng sui principles which dictated the location and design of he house, the art deco stained glass windows, the gold leaf decorations on the carved wooden screens, the decorative exterior reliefs made of pieces of porcelain. (One of these includes Mary on her donkey on her way to Bethlehem with Joseph. Strange as the owner was not Christian.)

The central point of the house where the "chi" or its cosmic energy is strongest is marked by potted plants. Directing and balancing the chi of the house and its location is what classical feng sui is about, it is not simply interior design. The effect has resulted in a house which provided comfortable living conditions in a tropical climate, when there was no air conditioning or electricity.

There is a smallish ginger cat with a very loud miao. It has a malformed tail. It seems friendly and allowed me to stroke it. I don't know if it is part of the establishment or has simply wandered in from the street. (I am having cat withdrawal symptoms.)

For the first time since I have been in Malaysia I have seen a mozzie. I haven't put on an repellent so I will stop right now as I come up in itchy red bumps when I have been munched. So I am signing off.