Penang Getaway - Kek Lok Si Temple

(Daddy recounts)

This is the concluding post to our short getaway to Penang. Besides the Penang Butterfly Farm, the Kek Lok Si Temple is the other touristy attraction that we had gone to. 

We couldn't pack too much into our itinerary, simply because we had to ensure there was sufficient time set aside for Ash & Ayd to thoroughly enjoy the Hotel's water play area, and also the Adventure Zone at Golden Sands Resort.

Kek Lok Si Temple, or Buddhist Temple of Supreme Bliss, is reputedly the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia, and no trip to Penang can be complete without paying it a visit at least once.

The temple is located near the Air Itam market, and one can choose to lumber up the narrow steps leading up the hill to reach the temple. Well, we didn't choose that of course. Not with 3 monkies in tow! So we took the next best alternative.

We drove up.

As we entered the temple compound, there is a turtle sanctuary pond with hundreds of turtles all crammed inside. One can purchase some kangkong for RM1 to feed them but we didn't stop for that as the monkies wanted to continue climbing up the temple stairs.

There are many different sections to the temple with various prayer halls. And one particular area had the Wishing Ribbon Tree, where one could make a small donation and pick a ribbon relating to what you wanted to wish for. It could be for health, wealth, academic success or happiness for your family.

And once you are done choosing, you hang it on one of the Wishing Tree's branches.

And of course, say a silent prayer hoping it'll come true.

People say the higher the ribbon is hung, the greater the possibility that your wish will come true.

Enough said. Haha.

There are also Wishing Candles that one can purchase too - to shower blessings on the entire family.

And while the boys were busy observing their Kong-kong light the candle, Ale was rather chirpy with the vast space in the prayer hall.

And she seemed to have conjured up her own way of smiling nowadays. I asked her to smile for the camera and she gave me this.

Haha.... I may be biased, but it looks cute to me all the same.

Kek Lok Si Temple is also well-known for its towering Kuan Yin (or Goddess of Mercy) located on the hillside of the main pagoda temple.

And in order to get up to the hillside, there is a funicular train which brought all of us closer to the 30.2m tall bronze statue.

But it was not the statue that the monkies enjoyed most. Rather, it was the open green spaces there that they enjoyed.

There were also statues of the 12 zodiac animals, which made them all wanting to take a photo with their respective zodiac sign.

Monkey!

Doggie!

Tigger!

Yet more statues for them to goof around. :P

And even when we took a breather in the pavilion...

The goofing never ceased!

At least it stopped in the funicular train while we were on our way down... all because the boys wanted to take a video clip of them making the journey downhill.

It was a pity that we didn't get to enjoy the bustle of the Air Itam market located just below of the Temple. I have read of many fantastic reviews of the various food stalls there.

I think I just found myself the perfect excuse to head back to Penang again!