January 4 - Continuation of Island Drive

As we headed out of George Town we stopped at this tiny location to take pictures of the boats.

We than drove on quite a while before making a turn into a tiny road that lead steeply up to the top of Bukit Genting Hill.  Michael's first comment was that the road reminded him of so many roads that he had driven to get to our many Airbnb homes, because we insisted that we had to have best views around!  Only he was so glad he was not driving.  These were not S-curves - but Z-curves,  with sharp steep drop-offs on either side.  The top of this hill is privately owned and decorated.  I believe the restaurant there is also family run.  

This place reminds me of Wisconsin's House on a Rock.  There the guy was a very rich collector.  He built a house on a rock in the middle of nowhere.  As his collections - both type and amounts grew - he just built on more rooms to hold them.  This is the poor man's version.  Weird collections of stuff all set up in little scenarios in the out of doors.

A Buddhist like fountain with a ship replica on top.

Not at all sure what this was for - now empty and on display.

There were some decent views even though it was very hazy.

Miscellaneous tractor - at the edge of the hill.  Hopefully no one will be tempted to climb on it - and cause it to tip over down the hill.

The restaurant and entrance decoration below.

Dining rooms added at different levels.  Flooring made of whatever was on hand.  The floor on the level we were own was metal.  It buckled and groaned every time you took a step.

I had a surprise when I went to put my hand on the railing of the steps and almost squashed this salamander.  He is not a display item - but alive.

A collection of swans and fish.

Originally we were just going to get drinks here - but they had fish on the lunch menu and most places only serve fish for dinner.  I had a hard time choosing the flavoring.  But in the end it didn't matter as they poach the fish alone and add the sauce later.  So the fish is not really flavored - and it was so good!  Michael got battered and fried soft-shell crabs.  We also ordered fried rice and kailan which is a green that was sautéed and flavored with soy sauce.  We all shared - including our driver - and it was all good.  But so far the most expensive meal in Penang.  About $40 USD.

Emanual offered to take our photo here.  This jetty is built on the very side of a steep hill and has no railings.  He wanted us to go to the end - we politely declined.

Through the trees you can see the one rice field that remains in use.  As the Island has become more commercialized there is now less and less farming.  We will go to that rice field next.

After paying we headed down the hill and to the rice field.  Our driver really concentrated on the way down the hill - so not much talking.  

We then drove through a smaller village and stopped for some drinks.   I am not sure if it was the village we saw from the rice field.

We parked in front of this wall art.

My choice for fruit juice today was to try the nutmeg juice.  The drink to the right is the lime and salted prune drink I tried in Melaka.  

This is a white nutmeg drink.  Not sweet and not something I care to try again.  

We stopped a little market on our way out of the cafe.  Above is a photo of the nutmeg seeds. These can be ground into powder.  In Malaysia it is sold as an oil.

Here are the actual nutmeg fruits.

The peals are dried and then processed.

The trees are male and female.  Two stones - female.  One stone - male.  We bought a small bottle to try.  This one had some added sugar - but still smells and tastes very strongly of nutmeg.  

Nutmeg trees.

We were making our way across the mountains to the other side of the island and back to George Town, when traffic on the two way road came to a complete stop.  We were not moving and no cars were coming the other way.  Eventually Emanual discovered that a large tree had fallen over the road and workers were sawing the trunk into smaller pieces to get it off the road.  Eventually we made it home - to full to need dinner!  So just some snacks tonight.