Penang Now and Then - In Search of Name

Beautiful shots of Penang from a peer of mine insist me to put my own. Here are some pics during my visit to my old school in Balik Pulau a few months ago. The interesting twist is that I put forth some old ones, courtesy from Arkib Negara Malaysia (National Archive), to see how was Penang back then in colonial times, developing from a small port town to now a bustling modern UNESCO World Heritage Site.

First stop, downtown Georgetown. Took 4 hours walking to circle the vicinity I called 5 Trails of Light -Lebuh Pantai, Jalan Penang, Jalan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, Lebuh Farquhar and Lebuh Light. 

Lebuh Pantai (then Beach Street), 1906.

Darn, this street's name escapes me. 105 years later. No much diff. save rickshaws for cars

Monument to commemorate a colonial judge

Closer look at the immemorial Lady Justice

Penang harbour back in 1906. Observe the two pier roofs to the right.

What it looks like in 2010.

Interior of the pier. I sensed a memory of lively scenery  trapped within its roof...

Fort Cornwallis at Lebuh Light possesses one of the best spot in Penang. In fact, this is where Francis Light landed and built the first settlements of British colony in Malaya. He gave his best shot for opening Penang, now mine with my camera:

Fort Cornwallis - The flag-raising site.

Same scene. Year 1786. Mountain to the far right-below is all that left.

Group of old guns faithfully defending Penang for eternity...

A cannon ready to blast ships to cinders

Gone flag and disused cannon...

VOC and Jawi labels. The Dutch and Malay sultan  really valued this gun 

The year it was made. I believe it stands for "Wassup Gangsta".

Statue of Captain Francis Light - The Man himself. A fitting recompense for his early death.

Detail of Capt. Light's shoes.

Standing and casting present shadow over the southwestern edge of the fort.

Fort Cornwallis back then 1906. Arrow shows my standing point above. Note the moat used to enclose the fort.

Victoria Clock tower. Refurbished and ever sublime.

I stopped at the Protestant Cemetery to visit Light at his grave. The atmosphere was spooky and chilled me to the bone. And it was at 2 pm broad daylight! Eeriness exudes from every crack and corner of the colonialists' final resting place. I couldn't bear the thought, took a few shots and hastily left.

Penang Protestant Cemetery - Path to the forgotten past. Click here to feel the fear.

'Thriller' music video should have been made here.

"Rest in peace Captain"

Flesh and blood amidst bone and dust...

During my walk, it came to me the thoughts about the long gone people, especially Capt. Light and their contribution to make Penang of what it has become now. They worked on great plans based on some old grand design, and their name live forever because of it. Surely Capt. Light has a bad reputation  in Malaysia, and so is Hitler. It's up to us on how to bring up our names, for that shall survive and evaluated by future generation, the unborn and beyond...    

RESPECTO.