Monkey

Long-tailed macaque at Penang Botanic Gardens
Long-tailed macaque at Penang Botanic Gardens.

The Penang Botanic Gardens is also known as Monkey Gardens, among others, because of its population of long-tailed macaques. They have been there for as long as I can remember. These monkeys would roam in troops waiting for food from visitors. The more aggresive ones would follow visitors with food in their hands and intimidate them into giving up the food. The monkeys are an attraction as much as they are a nuisance. Without them, the garden will certainly lose part of its identity and heritage.

Serenity

Taiping Lake Gardens
Taiping Lake Gardens.

One the second day of the Chinese New Year, Wuan and I went up to Penang after spending two nights in Ipoh. As we approached the exit to Taiping, I suddenly decided that I wanted to just drive around the Taiping Lake Gardens. I have never been there before and it has been decades for Wuan. The detour was worth the time and effort. Despite the sea of cars and visitors, the idyllic scenes exuded a sense of serenity that I have not felt for a long time. We are definitely going to visit the Lake Gardens again, this time to explore the many nooks and crannies, the next time we head up north.