Travelfish correspondent Mark Thompson

Originally from the northeast of England, Mark studied classical music and worked for five years in London as agent and manager to a bunch of temperamental orchestral conductors.

In 2008 he swapped the London music scene for a much more peaceful existence in Galle on the south coast of Sri Lanka, where he was finally able to indulge his inner grammar geek and divide his time between EFL teaching and writing.

After authoring a book on the history of Galle Fort, he continued his inadvertent tour of UNESCO world heritage cities and moved to George Town, Penang in 2011. Mark’s efforts to research and write his next book on the history of Penang have been hampered by too much time spent discovering George Town’s burgeoning arts scene and fabled food culture.
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Posts by Mark Thompson:

• Review: Penang Hill

  First published: 17 Feb 2013
  

  Although much of Georgetown is predominantly Chinese in character, the settlement was actually founded by the British, back in 1786. Remnants of Penang’s colonial heritage are still to be found all over town, from the Palladian splendour of St. George’s Church to the archetypically English Eastern & Oriental Hotel, but nowhere is the British influence … read the full post

• Penang street art

  First published: 14 Feb 2013
  

  Having been declared a UNESCO heritage city in 2008, it is no surprise that Georgetown is now capitalising on this status and establishing a strong reputation for the arts. The Penang Island Jazz Festival and the George Town Festival have become international events, and you don’t have to wander far through the streets of Penang’s … read the full post

• Review: Ko Chai Lai vegetarian restaurant, Penang

  First published: 05 Feb 2013
  

  A vegetarian friend recently asked for a meat- and fish-free char kuay teow at one of Penang’s hawker stalls. Minus the prawns, cockles, pork fat, prawn paste and Chinese sausage, the result was an uninspiring mess of noodles and a few beansprouts in a bland brown sauce. Perhaps the experiment was ill-advised, but there is … read the full post

• Lunar or Chinese New Year in Penang

  First published: 30 Jan 2013
  

  As the state with the highest proportion of Chinese in Malaysia, Penang pulls out all the stops for its Lunar New Year, when the whole island resounds to the bangs of firecrackers and the beat of the lion dancers’ drums. Penang’s strong Chinese heritage makes it one of the best places outside China to experience … read the full post

• Taxis in Penang

  First published: 23 Jan 2013
  

  Across Southeast Asia, bargaining with taxi drivers is often a necessary part of the travelling experience, and can range from being mildly annoying to severely inconvenient. So imagine your relief when you arrive in Penang and find ‘THIS IS A METERED TAXI. HAGGLING IS PROHIBITED’ plastered all over the sides of the red-and-white taxis. Easy, … read the full post

• Penang laksa

  First published: 16 Jan 2013
  

  As the culinary capital of Malaysia, Penang is quite literally bursting with flavour. Many of its famous dishes have almost become synonymous with the island itself, but none more so than Penang laksa, which found international fame in 2011 when it came seventh on the CNN ‘World’s Fifty Most Delicious Foods‘ list. Otherwise known as … read the full post

• Street of Harmony: A walking tour through Penang’s cultures

  First published: 09 Jan 2013
  

  Part of what makes Penang unique is its established mixture of cultures and faiths, but if you are only in Georgetown for a short time, how can you experience all of its varied customs and traditions? Conveniently enough, Penang’s 18th-century town planners have already solved the problem, and a short walk along Jalan Masjid Kapitan … read the full post

• Review: The Daily Dose Cafe, Penang

  First published: 02 Jan 2013
  

  If you’ve come to Penang to experience its fantastic local cuisine, a cafe serving Mexican and Mediterreanean specials may not necessarily be top of your must-visit list. However, like Georgetown itself, The Daily Dose Cafe is a heady fusion of cultural influences, and with its pan-continental menu, great stash of wines and some of the … read the full post

• Review: Ryokan Hostel, Penang

  First published: 26 Dec 2012
  

  There is no shortage of accommodation in Penang but to be frank, many of Georgetown’s tired-looking budget hostels may not really cut it with today’s discerning backpacker. However, Ryokan on Lebuh Muntri is bucking the trend and has successfully bridged the gap between the drab hostels on nearby Lebuh Chulia and the clutch of high-end … read the full post

• New Year’s Eve in Penang

  First published: 22 Dec 2012
  

  As a country with one of the highest number of annual public holidays in the world, most Malaysians like an excuse to celebrate and what better reason than New Year’s Eve? While it is not traditionally known as a party island, Penang nevertheless buzzes at New Year and offers enough different options to make your … read the full post