Hungry Ghost Roadshow Penang Idol sings out of tune at Church Street Ghaut

Well, here is one very sporting Penang Idol wannabe singing out of tune a golden oldie love song duet with the pretty and lovely lady singer like Paula Abdul of 916 Entertainment at the Hungry Ghosts Festival at Church Street Ghaut, Penang. Like the panel judges, we the Penang Simons(Simon Fuller the creator of American Idol and Simon Cowell) and local Paula Abdul voted out (XXX) and censored him.

By the way, if you are wondering why the streets name in Penang have so many Ghats which are spelt as Ghaut in English or Gat in the local Malay language such as Macallum Street Ghaut, China Street Ghaut, Acheen Street Ghaut and Chulia Street Ghaut. you can learn from List of Penang Streets Names

So the Ghaut or Gat is actually GHAT as you will know that Penang rich heritage can be traced to the Bengali and Gujarati from Indian Origins who were the early traders and migrants who came to Penang, Malaysia through the port in Penang Island, especially at Port Weld. These Ghats can be mostly found to line across the Weld Quay Road (or the local name Jalan Pengkalan Weld) as these are the steps leading to the seafronts for the disembarkation to the island for the ships and boats that called at the port with their cargoes and spices especially during the merchant East India Company reign in the South East Asian Regions in the 1600s.  Below is the little definition of ghat provided by Wikipedia.

As used in many parts of South Asia, the term ghat (Bengali: ঘাট ghaţ, Hindi: घाट "steps") refers to a series of steps leading down to a water body, usually a holy river. In Bengali-speaking regions, this set of stairs can lead down to something as small as a pond or as large as a major river.

For a little bit more of history of British India, I found this blog by Mr Vinay Lal very interesting for your reading pleasure and adventure into the Indian History, Cultures, politics and religions.Thank you Mr Vinay Lal.


So here Bigfoothill set sailed to Penang Island from Bukit Mertajam on the mainland of Malaya(old name for Peninsular Malaysia) and landed out of tune with the singers and sank steps into Church Street Ghat in my automobile driven through the Penang Bridge which was once being one of the longest bridges in South East Asia.

With so many ghosts parties in Penang during this Seventh Lunar Month of the Chinese Calendar, like the one nearby QEII  at Church Street Ghaut, let us go to Churches in and around Penang on Sundays to be with the Holy Ghost.

Long Hibernation and Weddings

Bigfoot went into hibernation mode at the hill.  The period of inactivity and low metabolism was to conserve energy due to scarcity of food available at certain time of the year.   Actually not.  Bigfoot was actively having plenty of food and feasting at Chinese Weddings, Malay Weddings, Church Wedding and royal weddings.  Really missed out the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Duchess Kate but somehow, I was glad to catch glimpses of the Royal Couple's visits to Canada on BBC channel recently.

Had some wonderful time clicking my Sony Alpha 380 DSLR camera and recording on Sony Handycam DCR-SR47 the brides and grooms and their families, relatives and friends during the customary rites and wedding ceremony and reception.

Tang Yuan is a dessert made of glutinous rice flour roll into rounded ball and boiled with sweet broth.  Some balls are dyed in different colours.  Some are stuffed in the center with nuts and other ingredients.  In Chinese culture, it is prepared and eaten once a year to welcome winter during the Dong Zhi or winter solstice.  By consuming it, one becomes a year older.  Today, this dessert is popular at many Chinese hawkers fair and restaurants, and can be eaten all year round.  On this wedding eve, the bride and bridegroom will offer prayers and bowls of Tang Yuan broth to the God of Heaven and are fed this Tang Yuan to signify growing up or Manhood and Womanhood.

Red paper cutting with Double Happiness and Dragon & Phoenix designs and Chinese Inscription, A Hundred Year Everlasting Good Couple

Romantic Bear Couple in Traditional Chinese Costumes.

The Journey to fetch the bride across Penang Bridge

The Wedding Car

The wedding entourage

The twin roses to pin on the Groom's suite by the Bride

The bride's veil is to cover the bride when she is presented to the Groom which in Chinese's Culture to signify her purity and a virgin bride. In today's fashion and contemporary, the veil becomes a piece ornamental dress and part of a head gear.

The desserts and beverages to welcome the groom's entourage

Traditionally, the Chinese couple will have their wedding bedroom beautifully decorated and some good elements are placed on the bed and in the room. Hey Mickey and Minnie, Bedtime.

A blessed couple having a Money tree sprouting in their toilet.  USD and Euro rolls. For richer and for poorer...till as long as we both shall live

Bear Couple lives happily ever after and bears children yeah!