Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. Serendipity : how BOLT flows.
Chinese New Years Eve in George Town, Malaysia provided us with lots of options for things to see and do. One of the gifts of unplanned, serendipitous travel is the ability to make last minute choices about where to go and what to do. A chance conversation with our hotel desk clerk led us to choose the Penang Clan Jetties for our first New Years Eve in Aisa.
The Clan Jetties were no where on the long list of things for visitors to do on New Years Eve. The jetties are actually waterfront villages, built over a century ago, by the various Chinese clans who settled on the island. They feature beautiful stilt houses that are accessible by long, narrow walkways. The jetties are still home to many of the Chinese – Malay population of Penang.
The jetties were all but deserted of tourists on New Years Eve. Penang’s very large ethnic Chinese population spends the evening in homes surrounded by family and friends. We saw jetty families preparing for and eating their meals. Everyone was friendly and welcoming but we were very mindful that we were walking in an actual neighborhood, not a tourist attraction.
A great benefit of serendipitous travel is never knowing what you will find. Sometimes the best things are found when you get lost. As we wandered along the walkways, admiring the stilt house, not really knowing where we were, a jetty resident came out of his home. He most kindly guided us to one of the most beautiful temples I have ever visited! Enjoy the pictures I took, never finding out the name of the temple (everything was in Chinese).
Leaving the clan jetties, we enjoyed a stroll amidst the New Years Eve excitement on the streets of George Town. Truly a beautiful evening of serendipity!
BOLT: Black Old Lesbians Traveling 