Hitting Armenian Street — Daily Dose of Chemo

The famous “Little Children on a Bicycle” by Ernest Zacharevic

I remembered from the previous walks that exploring Armenian Street and its surrounding area would be a day-long affair. I had to cut it short this time. Some of the landmarks had lost their shine, such as the small hotels at Love Lane. And some was due to me being lost in directions in the hot sunlight. I decided to divide the walks into tiny little chunks, stopping for drinks every few blocks or so.

My starting point. Where my Grab ride dropped me.

I took Grab into Georgetown from Tanjung Bungah rather than driving as I was not sure where to park, plus I planned to join up with Anita and the boys in town once I was done. So, I was dropped right by Masjid Kapitan Keling, before walking across towards Armenian Street proper. First port of call was the famous Ernest Zacharevic mural, Little Children on a Bicycle. A long queue was already there. So, only a quick snap before stopping for a wonderful whole coconut juice treat at a cafe just around the corner.

Apparently, this particular cafe was called the Armenian Street Cathouse. I did not however come into contact with any feline. According to the staff, there were upstairs, but I rather enjoy the view at street level. Certainly a lot of things to observe from down there. Once the coconut was gone, it was time to venture forth. I headed towards the North, to Love Lane.

Disappointingly, this part of town had changed. The small cafes were either closed or unkept. Nothing much to stop for, except for a quint cafe where I enjoyed a rather lovely glass of iced mocha. A left turn brought me into Lebuh Muntri. Many small boutique motels here, more faded walls and old mural. Certainly, this part of Georgetown had seen better days. Maybe the distance from the main attractions at Armenian Street played a role in its decline. The motels still seemed to be full of people, but facade looked like it could do with a new coat of paint ...

Anita rang soon after. She and the boys would go up Penang Hill after lunch. That would be another couple of hours, and I could do with some lunch. There were long queues at the nasi kandar restaurant and travelling alone, I just did have the mood to take a seat and wait. I decided to walk towards KOMTAR. Apparently, the top floors had been renovated with new attractions. I might as well give that a go and have lunch there. And the weather was getting too hot as well.

As I was walking the street, it became pretty clear that the number of visitors may have dwindled. Maybe because it was a Monday, or maybe it was the offseason. The buzz was just missing compared to a few years back. The searing sun also did not help matters though the charming cafes lining the streets around Love Lane and Armenian Street soften the struggle. The place was best explored in a small group at a leisurely pace as there were just too many things to see and explore, and it would better be done with friends. There were a few Chinese Clan houses there to visit, but I was rushed for time.

Next stop, KOMTAR.