Penang Malaysia History Wrapped Up in Natural Beauty and Relaxation

Reader Contribution by Marilyn Jones
Published on August 21, 2014
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A guide points to a palm tree with leaves the size of a compact car. For the past 15 minutes, he has directed our attention to different spice plants as my fellow tour members and I follow close by, walking along paths cut through the jungle. I’m not much of a cook. I feel like a deer-in-the-headlight as he passes around samples of leaves and nuts and invites us to smell them. There are more than 100 varieties of tropical spices and herbs used as flavorings, medicines, dyes and perfumes in the Tropical Spice Garden, situated along Penang’s north-western shores. So I sniff the cinnamon, clove and nutmeg with everyone else.

But then he points to this massive palm tree. I am transfixed. I tune him out a little and start tuning in my surroundings a lot – the heavenly scent of flowers and spice, and plants a hundred different shades of green. Waterfalls, ferns, palms of every description line the paths; flowers including wild orchids splash color onto the green canvas.

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