Our weekend finished off getting tangled in a Hindu festival on our way up a hillside to tour the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. The Thaipusam festival involves carrying milk pails and other symbols of burden up a hill to a temple, in the case of Penang. Depending on the burden or the devotion of a participant, one might also resort to bodily piercings from which to hang other burdens. Before heading out of town, we swung by the Cheong Fatt Tze mansion, or blue house as it's better known. Once a Chinese immigrant, Cheong Fatt Tze became a self-made man, working to own a good portion of Penang by the end of his life. His house, which was left in ruins after his death, has recently been restored to it's former glory (and vibrant color). Should you find yourself in Southeast Asia in the near future, I would highly reccomend a trip to this charming, little island.
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