Down memory lane - Georgetown.

Last night, I drove through Georgetown, the town I grew up. During my younger days, I used to walk to Campbell street and Penang road. These are the two main roads fill with shops and it was always bright with many shoppers filing up these two roads until late in the night.

In the town area, there was a few cinemas. The Cathay Cinema, the Odeon, the Majestic, the Rex theatre and the new world park and many more line the streets around these two main roads. Hawkers also line the streets and doing roaring business.

Last night, the images of these great places lie in ruin and most of the cinemas has moved to the Malls like the Prangin Mall, the Gurney plaza, the I-Avenue,etc. The malls have taken away the lights and the shine from these two roads and make the heart of the town like a ghost town with most of the places in darkness.

Another reason for this happening was the creation of new township like Farlim, Bayan Baru and Tanjung Tokong. These township also draw away the crowds and pull the traffic away from the town center.

Gradually, the town was reduced to what it is today. A shade of her glomerous past. The damage have been done and it will take a long time to revive it to its glorious old days. Yes, the process has just began and as O drove through the town, there are spots of activities and the spark is getting brighter by the day. The foreigners are coming back to enjoy its great history and heritage.

It was a town for the back packers but it is now attractive to foreign investors who have been live in this great place. The town is now revive to attract tourist from all through Asia and Europe. Being designated as a heritage site has propel the island into a group of tourist who are poetic and enjoy great cultures and history. Romancing the past is an enjoyment for many.

In the Chinese saying, the Fung Shui is turning in a circle and every 19 years , the good fortune will return. Hopefully, this is the case for Penang. The brightness will return and the shine will come back. The light will chase away the darkness and the beauty will return.

Namaste.