Reclining Buddha Temple at Burma Lane, Pulau Tikus, Penang

This morning we went to The Reclining Buddha Temple for my mom's second death anniversary prayer. My parents were staunch Buddhist so I have to carry out the rites due to filial piety. My husband went to invite the monks for the recitation. After that I gave them an ang pow each. They walked out without knowing that I was behind one of them. To my surprised he opened it and he didn't look happy about the content of RM5. He looked at me in a very unhappy manner. Then the man mending the temple with a cap who followed them quickly told me that I was supposed to put RM20 for each monk. I 'paid' the difference of RM30. I was wondering what had happened to Buddha's teaching? Are they not supposed to demand a certain amount. From what I know was that they should not even accept the ang pow if they are true in their Dhamma. Anyway, I paid as demanded but it is kamma that will follow them. This will be the last time I will engage the greedy monks.

Bali versus Batu Ferringhi

For these few months, my family and I have been staying at my Bayu Emas Apartment which is situated at the end of Batu Ferringhi. The beach is a stone's throw away so my husband and I walked to the beach nearly every evening. We had enjoyed swimming in the sea until recently. Recently was like since January. We were disappointed as it was a sea of muddy water. None of the tourists dared to go into the water. What a big shame it was as most of the tourists, whom I happened to mingle with, swear that this will be the last time they will come here but instead they will divert to beautiful Bali. I believe they will as I myself highly recommend Bali especially Kuta, Nusa Dua and Blue Point.

The stretch of beach at Kuta is never left to rot like Bat Ferringhi. It is well kept. Early in the morning we took a walk to the beach and it was only 6.30am but I saw uniformed sweepers cleaning the beach. Mind you not one but many. They were busy sweeping and scooping up the rubbish into plastic bags.

At Batu Ferringhi, what we see now are a stretch of black rotted dead leaves, plastic bottles, plastic bags, cans....and amazingly no one scoops them up. They were left to the waves to do the job. Talking about saving the environment, I wonder what the MPPP is doing? I see them until 7pm or even until 7.30pm everyday but they are only there to monitor the beach boys. Why can't they see the filth?

Pearl of the Orient????? Mud of the Orient to be precise. Aren't we suppose to help promote tourism here? Instead the tourist, foreign and local, are driven away. One tourist lamented that he came here NOT to be coop up in the hotel but wanted to enjoyed the sea.

Thanks the Penang government for letting the contractors to dump the mud excavated at the new link at Monkey Beach. Why can't a site where no tourist goes be picked? Penang is getting sick and dying.....cough, cough, cough