Picture: This is the 91-year old Chinese man who runs his chemicals shop in Penang. He was searching for some clove oil for us�... I am surprised he can find anything at all in this mess, but believe it or not, he knows where most things are!

We spent about four days in Straits Quay Marina in Penang on the way up to Langkawi and then on the way back down south, we spent another two weeks there. It is the most modern and upscale place we ever stayed in Malaysia. We like living in a little luxury for a short while. There is a fashion mall, including a grocery store and many cafés and restaurants around the marina. Sam's grocer is so handy that I stocked up with four cases- 1 liter bottles of water, juices and other heavy items that we don't want to carry on our backs either walking or biking. The place reminds us of western society. People walk, play and relax on the walkway next to the marina, which extends along the shoreline for quite a distance. Ted and I went to see an opera at the convention center one Saturday night, which was about five minutes walk from our boat. The opera was done in western style but sung in Malay with Malay music. The singers and musicians were very talented and it was professionally done. I enjoyed the art and culture so it was very entertaining. Surprisingly, Ted liked it too, although opera is not usually his "cup of tea".

We have lots of mobility while staying at Straits Quay Marina. We could ride our bikes to the stores and church. (Penang is the only place in Malaysia that we could find a Catholic church. The majority religion is Muslim and some Buddhist.) Also we were able to take the bus to Georgetown, the center of the old Chinatown in Penang. Georgetown still has a large Chinese population and they have many small shops, from hardware to motor repair and of course, eateries. Ted loves the hardware stores; we would walk up, down and all around to visit every hardware store in the area�... ugh, so hot and boring. I guess it is necessary to find parts for the boat. Oh, there is a chemical shop in town that is run by a 91-year old Chinese man. He has every kind of chemical under the sun. It is dark and dirty inside the shop where plastic sacks and bottles of chemicals are stacked everywhere. The smell of chemicals just about knocks a person on her knees. There is only a small pathway winding around between the chemical piles to the back, which is where he usually sits. He got up from his chair when we came in and we could see his back was bent and his neck was tilted to one side, and he walked rigidly to get the chemical that we requested. As he moved, his body gradually limbered up. We could buy rust remover, mold stopper, fiberglass shiner and even oil for human consumption. We actually bought two liters of coconut oil from him for a few dollars amongst all the deadest, toxic chemicals. The coconut oil is good quality and we are still alive! He has a huge, thick, Bible-like book as a reference for his chemical usage. In any Western country, his shop would be outlawed. He couldn't find the clove oil that I wanted so we will have to go back. I use a few drops of clove oil in water as a solution to clean the wall, floor and wherever to keep the mold away on the boat. Clove oil also get rid of any gum irritation or temporary stop tooth ache.

When we came back from Langkawi, we settled in once more in Straits Quay and almost felt like regular residents there. I did my yoga routine in the morning by the pier along with all the morning joggers, walkers, bikers and workers on the premises. We had some meals around the marina. The food was great and the price was reasonable (compared to United States). Fish and Chip for two people was under twenty dollars.

We met a Dutch couple, Roderick and Yvonne on s/v "Happy Bird" from the Nederland. They are waiting to cross the Indian Ocean to South Africa and then Europe. We enjoyed some friendship and company. One day I went to the Snake Temple in Georgetown with them while Ted was working on repairs on the boat. They seemed to be knowledgeable and confident sailors.

Ted took advantage of the air conditioning and did many indoor repair or upgrade jobs. He installed an "AIS" (Automatic Identification System) transponder so other ships can identify us when they are close and we can see them in our screen. An "AIS" is required on boats in many countries, such as in Thailand and Singapore.

On the eleventh day of Chinese New Year, we took the bus to Georgetown and join in celebration of Chinese New Year. They celebrate the New Year for fifteen days here, the tradition way. We have never seen so many activities happening at the same time! All the museums, associations, mansions were free and open to the public. There were five different stages set up on the streets and performances throughout the afternoon and late evenings. Our two favorites performances were lion dance and Cantonese Chinese opera. Two people were operating one lion, a person held the head and other the tail. They set up steel posts various heights. The two people inside the lion outfit would prance from post to post. Each post had a small, 12-inch diameter platform on top. Sometimes the person on the lion tail would hold up the other person to make it look like the lion was standing on its hind legs. All this on top of the steel posts. The strength and skill of the dancers was amazing to watch. When we were listening to Chinese opera, I told Ted that I could easily live in Penang because I could join yoga and the Chinese opera groups. But then again, Ted and I are easily fit into any community because we like people and activities. All and all it was a special day and we will always have a warm feeling about Penang.