Friends, Penang Botanic Garden, and KL

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to rest and recharge from our first leg of the trip. Time to relax by the pool or soak up the sun on the beach was enjoyed by all and many took advantage of the resident reflexologists to sooth our sore feet. That night we went out for one last dinner with Dr. Lyons as he was to return to Delaware the next afternoon. After dinner we explored the local markets on the street for any last minute souvenirs from Penang.

Monday, we spent the morning and early afternoon talking with the Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society. The Friends (FOPBGS) are a non-government organization started in 1995 with the aim of increasing public awareness of plants and the environment. They provide many educational programs throughout the year for school children, special interest groups, and anyone of the Penang community concerned with caring for the environment. With only one paid staff member, they were truly an inspiration to us. They shared stories of their struggles and successes in there short twelve year history and showed us around the Botanic Garden. We learned of the newly planned Bamboo Garden and other renovations scheduled for the next few years. We also saw some unique plants of the region. For many of us, it was the first time to see these plants. The Cannonball Tree, Couroupita guianensis, with its fruit and flower emerging directly from the lower trunk was particularly amazing. The garden had display houses like most botanic gardens, but unlike conservatories in North America full of glass and cooling equipment, these were merely cages to protect the plants from the monkeys and shade the tender plants from the intense sunlight. We took a short break at the garden shop and enjoyed a cool drink. Some even tried a tea made from the Cat Whisker plant (Orthosiphon stamineus). After the short break at the garden shop, our time in the garden to quickly came to an end. As we were going to the van, we were sent off by a small troop of monkeys by whom many of the locals know the garden as Monkey Park. It was a fitting end to a great morning. We could not have asked for a better host and guide to show us around the Penang Botanic Garden.

We left the gardens and headed for the airport to drop Dr. Lyons off for his flight home. We said our goodbyes and had lunch that had been arranged for us at the hotel. After lunch we learned that our exciting train ride had been switched to an "exciting" ride in a van to Kuala Lumpur (referred to as KL by the locals). We took it in stride and reminded ourselves that things happen and "Hey, we're in Southeast Asia!" No one was upset about that. Those who could sleep made the most of the five hour drive while those who were not able to grab a nap had a great view of the oil palm plantations that seemed to endlessly line the sides of the highway. After the five hour trip we were greeted by the Petronas Towers as we entered KL and were happy to find our Royal Bintang Hotel and its welcoming beds. The final picture of the slideshow was taken from one of our hotel rooms the first morning in KL. The life of a Longwood Fellow is a hard one at times...that morning was not one of those times. We all send our greetings and wish you could be with us on this amazing journey.



Barnabas, Bob, Dan, Jackie, Lorrie, Matt E., Matt Q., Yoko