Hi all!
As durian season is upon us again, I thought I should update the blog and maybe tell you a bit more about myself!
Name: X, semi-anonymous Balik Pulau blogger
Location: Singapore (for now). My family is from Balik Pulau, but I only visit once a year or less, because of my schedule :(
Languages I speak: English, Chinese...some Korean...und ein bisschen Deutsch...
Questions? Email me using the link on the right sidebar!
So what's been going on in Balik Pulau?
Traffic accidents. And more traffic accidents. Anyone who's been there will know that the curving mountain roads are really treacherous, and that road works have been delayed year after year after year. However, I think the last time I visited, a bridge was under construction. It's really unfortunate that the government has been so slow about improving the safety conditions of the roads.
Urbanisation and development. People are building huge houses in a place that used to be a village of aluminium and wood houses 70 years ago, causing landslides and pollution.
In better news, there is the...
Penang Durian Fair (now till 31 July 2012). Go stuff yourselves! Bring the mosquito repellent...
3rd Penang Durians Masters, 16-17 June 2012. I'm not too sure what this event is. Is it a bowling competition? Are the bowlers using durians to bowl instead of regular bowling balls? (I kid.)
So where should you stay while you're stuffing your faces with smelly durians? I recommend the Upeh Inn. Warning to the picky: this is a shabby inn by many standards. The toilets are shared, there are only a few (4-5) rooms, there are two showers only, with cold water only. It is on the 2nd floor of a row of shophouses, and there are no elevators, so you have to drag your own luggage up to your room. Don't count on there being any air-conditioning. No food or drinks are provided in the Inn. However, it is very clean and cool at night, and across the road there is a market that sells basic Malaysian staple meals every morning. Every weekend there is a night market that sells all manner of food (very exciting) and even some shoes and clothes (not so exciting). There is a bus stop right outside the inn with buses that go to Georgetown. I don't know if the owner speaks English, but you can try contacting them at:
No 858x, Tmn Sri Indah, 33 Jln Balik Pulau, 11000 Balik Pulau Pulau Pinang. Tel: 04-8661670 @ 012-4380873. Email: upehinn@gmail.com
What does "Islamic Inn" mean? Basically not much, just that anything shady that Muslims would frown upon does not happen in the inn, so it is relatively safe. Families who are visiting relatives and cyclists who are touring Penang by bike book rooms there.
Happy durian season, everyone!