槟城第七周 Week 7 In Penang

2024年4月8日到4月14日 来到马来西亚槟城的第七周

April 8 to April 14, 2024 – The seventh week of our stay in Penang, Malaysia

这是一个相对平静的一周。除了日常工作之外，我俩没有进行任何特别的活动。M&M在白天自行探索城市，晚上我们一同享受美食和餐后散步。

This week was relatively tranquil. Apart from my regular work, the two of us didn’t engage in any extraordinary activities. During the day, Matthew & Megan ventured out to explore the city on their own, while in the evenings, we savored delicious meals together and enjoyed leisurely evening strolls.

我和PJG最近去了滨海公寓附近探查一番。当初计划来到槟城时，这些公寓曾是我们的潜在选择之一，主要是被它们宽敞的落地玻璃窗和窗外的海景所吸引。不过，最终我们选择了Straits Quay的公寓。第一次来这里，感觉还不错，附近有许多餐馆和酒吧，且地处海边。但在周五晚上来访时，这里出乎意料地冷清，没有我们预期的热闹，相比之下，Straits Quay似乎更加热闹些。晚饭时，我们在附近找到了一个大型的Hawker Center，解决了晚餐。

This week, PJG and I also went to explore the vicinity of the Marinetime Suites. When we initially planned to come to Penang, these apartments were one of our potential choices, primarily due to their spacious floor-to-ceiling glass windows and the sea views they offered. However, we ultimately opted for the Straits Quay apartments instead. Visiting here for the first time, the area seemed quite nice, with numerous restaurants and bars nearby, and its seaside location. But when we came back on a Friday evening, it was surprisingly quiet, lacking the liveliness we had anticipated. In comparison, Straits Quay appeared to be more vibrant. For dinner, we found a large Hawker Center in the neighborhood, which took care of our evening meal.

4月12日，星期五，下午我俩去了公寓附近的一个手语星巴克店，我在那里工作了2个多小时。据说星巴克在马来西亚已经开了三个手语店，这是其致力于包容性和多样性的重要行动。这些店铺主要由聋人员工运营，他们使用马来西亚手语（BIM）与顾客进行沟通。我俩去的这家店有一位能够进行正常对话的店员在场，如果遇到聋人员工，可以用手写的方式进行点单。

On Friday, April 12, we visited a sign language Starbucks near our apartment in the afternoon, where I worked for a few hours. Reportedly, Starbucks has opened three sign language stores in Malaysia, a significant initiative demonstrating their commitment to inclusivity and diversity. These stores are primarily operated by deaf employees who communicate with customers using Malaysian Sign Language (BIM). The store we visited had a staff member present who could engage in regular conversation. If you encounter a deaf employee, you place your order by writing it down.

4月13日，星期六，尽管槟城上午酷暑难耐，且马路对步行者并不友好，我们仍然步行了45分钟，前往了一个大型跳蚤市场。这里摆满了各种物品，包括旧硬币、复古音乐唱片、二手书籍、衣物以及各种古怪的纪念品；此外，还有价格便宜的水果和零食。晚上，我们四人前往Gravity Bar，在M&M明天离开槟城前，共同欣赏了一下槟城的夜景。

On Saturday, despite the sweltering heat in Penang during the morning and the roads being unfriendly to pedestrians, we still walked for 45 minutes to visit a large flea market. The place was filled with a wide array of items, including old coins, vintage music records, second-hand books, clothing, and various quirky souvenirs. Moreover, there were inexpensive fruits and snacks available. In the evening, the four of us headed to the Gravity Bar to enjoy the night view of Penang together before Megan & Matthew’s departure for Kuala Lumpur the next day.

4月14日，星期日，早上7点多，M&M搭乘Grab前往机场，准备飞往他们的下一站吉隆坡。而我和PJG则在上午乘渡轮前往与槟城隔海相望的小镇北海。漫步在大街上，很多破旧别遗弃的房屋和空荡荡的街道，让人感觉仿佛走进了《最后的生还者》的世界。在这里，唯一值得一游的也许是著名的北海艺术走廊。在那里，我们见到了些许带有岁月痕迹的壁画，透过这些作品，似乎能够感受到这个曾经繁华后来逐渐被忽视的地区。在北海吃完简单的午饭，坐了Grab直接回到了公寓休息。

On Sunday, around 7 a.m., we saw Megan & Matthew off in a Grab to the airport for their flight to Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, PJG and I took a ferry in the morning to Butterworth, a largely unknown town across the strait from Penang. Strolling along the streets, the numerous dilapidated and abandoned houses and empty roads made us feel as if we had stepped into the world of “The Last of Us.” Perhaps the only place worth visiting here is the famous Butterworth Art Walk. There, we saw some murals bearing the marks of time, and through these works, we seemed to be able to sense the area’s past prosperity before it gradually became neglected. After having a simple lunch in Butterworth, we took a Grab directly back to the apartment to rest.

北海，不是一个值得特意过去旅游的地方。

It’s Butterworth – but not worth.

今天是泼水节，公寓附近的泰国庙和缅甸庙有泼水节活动，本来计划要去看看热闹，结果到了这个日子，竟然把这个活动忘的一干二净！晚上路过这两个庙门前的这条小路时，才感受到今天曾有的泼水节的热闹。

Today was the Water Festival (Songkran), and the nearby Thai and Burmese temples had Water Festival activities planned. We had originally intended to check out the lively festivities, but when the day arrived, I completely forgot about it! It wasn’t until I passed by this small path in front of these two temples in the evening that I could sense the excitement and bustling atmosphere of the Water Festival that had taken place earlier today.