Hoho buses offer city tours
THE island’s new icon, the Penang Hop-On Hop-Off double-decker bus is poised to become a hit with tourists.
The bus is named Hoho, which combines the abbreviation of the service and a Hokkien word meaning “good”.
The bus service offers panoramic, rooftop views of 33 selected tourist spots in George Town, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang.
Passengers may choose to stay for a full tour or hop on and off at any stop.
The tour will run seven days a week, from 9am to 8pm daily, through two main routes.
The beach route will pass through Teluk Bahang and Persiaran Gurney, while the city route will go through Persiaran Gurney and Penang Hill, including George Town.
The bus will pass through other tourist destinations such as Tropical Spice Garden, Penang Botanical Garden, Blue Mansion and the Penang Butterfly Farm.
The double-decker bus is air-conditioned. However, the front half of the upper deck is an open-air section.
It can accommodate 60 passengers at one time and is equipped with disabled-friendly features.
Service operator Elang Wah Sdn Bhd group managing director Azhar Nadzir said the company had invested RM11 million for the bus service. The company, he said, expects to sell 300 tickets daily in the next six months.
“A special rate of RM50 will be offered to Malaysian families of two adults and two kids from Monday to Dec 31.”
Tickets are priced at RM19 for adults and RM12 for children for locals. Foreigners will be charged RM45 (adults) and RM24 (children).
Passengers ride free until Sunday.
The buses can seat 60 passengers at one time and is equipped with disabled-friendly features.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Rebranded for new ‘Jeneration’
THE former Traders Hotel Penang has gone through a rebranding exercise and is now known as Hotel Jen Penang.
Hotel Jen Penang is inspired by Traders’ virtual persona — a professional lover of life, travel and discovery.
Hotel Jen Penang is the fifth of Traders’ property to adopt the new brand.
The hotel caters to a new “Jeneration” businessmen and leisure travellers.
Hotel Jen Penang general manager Gavin Weightman said the rebranding would create new standards to cater for the varying demands by its patrons.
“It is revolutionary and all about changing our approach, starting with our employees.
“Some of our staff have been with us for 28 years.”
“Hotel Jen Penang offers the best of services to our guests but with a more intuitive service. It will also be more relaxed and friendly.”
The hotel feted more than 150 guests at its house party by its poolside earlier this month.
Colourful balloons were released during the launching ceremony.
Guests were also entertained with lucky draws, dance and live band performances. There was also a buffet spread for guests.
The rebranding exercise will be carried out globally including in Manila, Maldives, Beijing, Shenyang and Johor Baru until March.
Hotel Jen Penang looking grand.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Sprightly octogenarian finds joy in serving tourists
AT the age of 85, Pheh Seow Joo could just step back in life.
But she will not lay back on her lazy chair and watch from her shophouse the hustle and bustle of Armenian Street which is her home for decades.
Armenian Street is fast gaining popularity among tourists — foreign and local alike who come to admire the architecture and rustic the old buildings radiate.
Instead of relaxing and enjoying the view, Pheh wants a little piece of the action.
“Come on. Help me with these boxes of souvenirs and T-shirts. We need to put them on our five-foot way and start our business,” called the mother of eight to her middle-aged daughter.
It was a Saturday and tourists would throng Armenian Street in droves. Pheh readies herself for a day of brisk business as she takes out an array of Penang-themed souvenirs and arranged it on a table.
Her age does not limit her movement. She worked fast to put together T-shirts and floral-print pants on hangers and placed them on rows of clothes racks.
Many of the attractive coloured T-shirts depict popular mural images such as Little Children On A Bicycle. There are also those in Hokkien words such as BoJio and Buey Tahan, which are popular among youngsters.
Pheh’s energetic character would even put youths to shame. She tirelessly recommends T-shirts of various designs and colours to a steady stream of customers.
Delighted to serve customers, Pheh offers a smile to all although some may not purchase her goods.
If one is not keen on a T-shirt, Pheh happily offers mineral water or the traditional tube ice cream to quench her customer’s thirst.
“I’m happy to be spending my free time selling T-shirts and ice creams to people. It keeps me occupied and I love meeting new people.
“After George Town got listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, tourism started to pick up here. It got better when the 3D murals starting popping out. Pedestrian traffic increased and people noticed the beauty of Armenian Street, thanks to the murals by Ernest Zacharevic.
“That’s when I got to open a stall with my daughter about a year ago. Things got better for me after my rented home here was refurbished to our comfort,” she said.
Her son, Leow Lim Hsu Kuang, 57, said he has never seen his mother happier and the sight of tourists sparked her idea on starting a business.
“My mother is 85, yet she was very gung-ho about it. She wakes up every day with such enthusiasm for the ‘working’ hours ahead of her. She jolts us to help her with all the merchandise.
“The house restoration also gave her the excitement. We have lived here for 60 years, renting this place from the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple.
“Our home was dilapidated and we forked out a lot of money to repair it. Then came Think City’s Physical Upgrading project in 2011 which helped us do repairs on the roof and the wooden structures.
“The project had kept the rental here low at RM400 a month which we are grateful for,” he said.
Leow said his granduncle and late father used to run a charcoal factory at the front portion of their home. The family business ended after their passing.
However, they still distribute charcoal, sourced externally, to the people living in Armenian Street.
“My mother is very happy manning the stall. Just like how this quiet street became busy, so did my mother’s life.”
Streets met Pheh on a busy and rainy day but it did not stop her from working.
In the middle of the interview, the reporter requested to take several pictures of her, which the latter obliged.
After taking a few shots, Pheh brushed her hair using fingers and asked in Hokkien, “Do I look pretty?”
Tourists throng the Armenian Street to purchase souvenirs.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Penang Hill car park ready in February
The Penang Hill multi-storey car park will open to the public by Chinese New Year next February.
PDC Consultancy Sdn Bhd general manager Datuk Rosli Jaafar said the car park, located at the entrance of the Penang Hill Railway lower station, would be awarded a certificate of completion and compliance from the relevant authorities by then.
Rosli said the physical structure of the eight-storey car park had been fully completed.
“The spanking new premises will cater for the influx of tourists locally and abroad during the Lunar New Year.
“It is aimed at addressing the parking woes by visitors to Penang Hill, especially during the festivities,” said Rosli during a media tour to update the progress of the car park in Air Itam here last Sunday.
He said PDC would wait for the utility companies to connect water and power supply before opening the premises to the public.
Rosli added that the contractor had failed to complete the project within the deadline.
The completion date was extended three times, with the last extension granted until Sept 25.
“The contractor was fined a RM5,000 penalty per day, known as liquidated and ascertained damages (LAD) with effect from Sept 26 until its completion next February,” he said.
The extension earlier this year was given after contractors discovered an underground boulder and the big stone was broken into smaller pieces using chemicals as explosives could not be used because homes were located nearby.
A total of 305 parking lots are available for vehicles while 182 lots are reserved for motorcycles.
Among the features of the car park is the commercial area on the ground floor, including 11 stalls, a food court and an alfresco area.
The car park is also fitted with disabled-friendly ramps with direct access to a passenger lift.
Also present in the media tour were Tanjung member of parliament Ng Wei Aik and Jawi assemblyman Soon Lip Chee.
The eight-storey car park has 305 parking lots.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
