Nine Emperor Gods Festival

Yes, we were late to work on Thursday. Having taken our Long Service Leave on the Wednesday, we didn't need to be back from the Penang Reunion until Thursday afternoon. All was going to plan until Air Asia cancelled our flight and we were held up for 3 hours. Peter stood in for me until I could get to my class, Eric had a spare. 
We noticed a number of Taoist temples in Penang last week celebrating a festival that required a vegetarian diet for 9 days. Crowds gathered in the evenings and food stalls were very busy.

 from our trishaw

It seems they were also celebrating the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, as does the local Hougang Tou Mu Temple on Serangoon Rd. This festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar.  The Nine Emperor Gods are spiritual mediums believed to dwell in the stars in heaven and to travel through the waterways, so ritual processions are held from temples to the seashore or river in celebration. The festival begins with the welcoming of the gods into the temple where they are to be worshipped for nine days and entertained with opera performances. It ends when the gods are sent off on the ninth day. Followers are expected to abstain from meat in order to purify their bodies throughout the celebration.

Apparently observance of this festival is declining outside China but that wasn't apparent as I walked home on Sunday evening. A huge procession of more than 18 vehicles, many decked out in lights and loud music made its way from the temple that was bursting at the seams with devotees respecting their Emperor Gods. The Hougang Tou Mu Temple happens to be the oldest Nine Emperor Gods Temple in Singapore. The procession to the Serangoon River was to welcome the deities. I watched devotees carry statues of accompanying gods and the sacred urn from the temple through the front gates and load each, with much exaggerated swinging and swaying, onto the vehicles before climbing aboard themselves. Below are images of just one God being transported.

After the ninth god, followed something quite different so I suspect it was the temple urn. 

It took at least an hour to send them all off and just when I thought it was all over I was surprised to see a number of deity guardians appear ready to form a welcoming party for another arrival. They were quite frightening to the uninitiated. It had been a long day and I left them to it. 

Meanwhile Eric joined a number of other MAE colleagues at a social gathering after work at Sque Bar in Clarke Quay. We have finished 2 weeks already of term 4. I was just too tired to make it, after seeing the procession I wandered on home and nested on the couch.
On Monday Eric had his regular 6 monthly check up so I was the only one to join the walkers. Luke called while I was on the train to tell us he has won the manager's job at the new Superstore opening in Darwin.  We are not sure of all the details yet but it will open in about a month in the Mitchell Centre. He has bought a motorbike and goes for his licence on Friday. He's very excited and why not, this is going to be a more interactive experience for the customers and he seems to have just the right skill-set for the job. 

We walked one of my favourite routes; The Southern Ridges from Kent Ridge to Harbourfront. Peter was also missing, visiting his son Tim in Korea. Maria brought her sister and nieces from Perth which boosted our numbers and lowered the average age considerably. The old girls kept up though.

In the evening we had Richard and Kathy over for dinner. Richard recently returned from Aust with a leg of lamb so we roasted it in our bench-top oven and I am pleased to say it was delicious.

And in all of that, some would say I have omitted the most important event of the year; the AFL Grand Final. Working all weekend means we don't get an opportunity to see it but I was very happy for big brother Col who is a keen Hawks supporter. No doubt we will hear a very unbiased match round up at the wedding in a few weeks. We were invited to watch a replay on Tuesday at Michael and Deb's but it had to be cancelled as it appears he has let his membership to the cable channel slip. 

Penang Reunion

Jim Crisp had threatened to have a welcoming party waiting for us at the hotel when we arrived at about 12:30am but thankfully they had all sensibly gone to bed.  Eric says he couldn't have handled an even later night (but we all know he would have joined in if others were being social).

Over breakfast we caught up with most of the others in our party. Kevin and Fran (Melb), Lynley and Alison (Stanthorpe, Qld) and their daughter Jo (Bris), Bob and Barb (Boambee NSW), Jenni and Glenn (Wamberal) with a party of 4 more travelers, Jim and Joan (South West Rocks), Di Reynolds (near Port Macquarie), Bill and Robyn (Woolongong).  After breakfast we hired 2 small buses and took an Island tour that revisited a few sites particular to our groups' memories. The drivers looked a bit bemused about some of the addresses which included the new Hostie (All Ranks Mess on the island) the homes of a few families who had lived on Penang (Chippy Chop and Hillside), the old school and its annex sites, popular makan stalls etc. We finished up right out at Batu Ferringhi Beach and beyond to Teluk Bahang where the fishing fleet moor and the entrance to the National Park. We visited the Butterfly House and the Batik factory on the way back. When we returned to town we assembled by the pool for refreshments and a swim with Wayne and Pauline (Sg) who had just joined us. We all had dinner at the makan centre along Gurney Drive.

 Site of the old junior school annex on the island which was closed and initiated the move to Air Base Butterworth

 Crisp's Chippy Chop home currently up for sale and worth a pretty penny (ringgit)

 on the Teluk Bahang jetty, seen better days

 batik factory

 butterfly house

 Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

 Some girls never know when to call it a night. Barb took the photo, she's just as guilty

Tuesday morning some people opted to visit the Air Base at Butterworth and after much rigmarole they did eventually gain access. They were pleased to see how well maintained much of the infrastructure was, including the school which is now converted into visitor quarters and some outlets for local businesses who support the military (t-shirt and logo printing for example). Others took a later bus and just visited the All Ranks Mess (which used to be our Boatie) and the streets where our old homes were. Like 5 years ago they found some immaculately renovated and others left to decay. We chose to stay in Georgetown and wander the streets enjoying seeing the continuing restoration work under the UNESCO guidelines, which covers more than 1700 historic buildings within the core zone. The street art project, which began in 2012 continues to grow with both wrought iron caricatures and paintings which number more than 50 now. We also did a spot of shopping which inevitably took us back to Sams Batik. 

 Massage chairs were popular in Komtar

 current view from the spider-like pedestrian bridge on Penang Rd

 one of the iron artworks

 one of the paintings

 nicely restored shophouse

In the late afternoon we all met around the pool. Our planned assembly in the hotel foyer after that was a hoot because a number of the boys surprised Bob by buying the same shirt as he had done the day before (just as they had done 5 years ago) only even more were involved this time. 

 the originals

Then we took a trip down memory lane, heading to the Hong Kong Bar (starting point for Eric's surprise 30th birthday party and at least one staff function). A number in the group swore they had never been there but we were able to prove otherwise as the photo albums revealed. Our rather noisy group took over the place and we enjoyed sharing anecdotes of the days in Butterworth and roasting Bob who has put so much time and effort into organising this reunion.

 Jim told Peter Pan stories

 Billy told Sonics stories

 Jenni spoke about running Harriets

 Look what I found! Something to help us all remember more details of those stories.

And this is how good we look now!

 The whole lot of us

We all wandered back up Chulia St to dine at the Kashmir, another popular choice back in the 80s and still serving good food. Some went home to bed, having to catch early flights the following morning but a good number arrived in the makan across the road from Red Rock just in time for last round drinks.

There we some who couldn't remember going to Kashmir too! But look at this.

 and later in the night

 Miss Sultry

On Wednesday morning, while some began to head off to other destinations, we made our way to the Botanic Gardens and found the small path that leads off from the gardens into the forest. We confirmed with some young locals that this was in fact the path to Penang Hill (833 meters above sea level) as it was completely unmarked. We were assured it was the correct path and that it should only take us about an hour and a half. This path is a seriously steep hiking trail, with hundreds of steps at the beginning, going straight up. Thank goodness it was a cool morning.

 In the clouds

Eventually the path joins up with the road leaving you another 3 1/2 km to get to the top. The gradient is so steep in places the cars are doing 3 point turns to navigate the hairpin bends. Eric estimates we walked about 6 kms and climbed at least 750m. I can't argue with that, only confirm that we were drenched in sweat and weary long before I got to the top. It did take us the hour and a half. 
On top you find Southeast Asia's oldest British hill station (1700's) with offers a cool respite from the city. The original name was Flagstaff Hill because the flagpole at Bel Retiro Bungalow, the home of the Governor of Penang at that time, was used as a signal transmitter. Today we are in the clouds and the views are very limited. On a good day you can see all the way to Langkawi apparently. 

 Final stretch

 stuffed

For all that effort we only stayed a few minutes before making our way back down on the funicular railway. A journey that takes all of three and a half mins! 

We,took a taxi back to our hotel and and had Char Kway Teow from the stall just around the corner voted best in Penang 2012. It was very nice too. 

After a shower and relax we joined Di for a walk into town. Walking again, I can't believe it! I went shopping while the two of them went to hunt down some more of the street art in the old quarter. 

I met up with Eric later so he could carry home my parcels. No, not really, but I did get an outfit for the Bollywood theme night coming up at the end of the year. By the time we got home from that walk my feet were killing me and I had to get to the pool for a swim. We reassembled as a group and made our way back to the Hostie for drinks and an opportunity to purchase t-shirts for the 19th Sqdn (the current RAAF detachment stationed here). Just for memories sake, not because anyone needs another t-shirt. We all had dinner at DeHappy just down Macalister Rd. They had a great range of food, their specialty seafood so Bob and Eric tucked into black pepper crab again. I was most taken by the way they offered take away in little boxes at the entrance. You select what you want, the colours on the boxes indicate the price. 

Back at the hotel we assembled in our room, this is the last night for most of us so we didn't want to waste an opportunity to tell one more story. Besides the boys wanted to show off their new shirts.

 but did you need that hat too?

Even though we get a complimentary breakfast in the room deal, most mornings we have been found at Pelita Nasi Kandar Restaurant just down the road. They do all manner of roti and murtabak with fresh juice or coffee and milk tea in the mornings. If you get there too late the menu swaps to noodles. We shared our last breakfast there once again then made our way reluctantly to the airport. 

We needed to be back at work for a 5pm start and figured we had plenty of time to fly out at midday, go home to shower and relax first. Unfortunately we discovered at the airport that our flight was cancelled. Next available didn't leave until 3:40pm. We were going to be late, oops!