First sip of Penang: OldTown White, OldTown Nan Yang

As of Monday, 9:00pm, New York weather read:

Temperature: 12°C (54°F)
Precipitation: 36%
Humidity: 95%
Wind 12mph

I felt the humidity without consulting the weather app, for one, my hair was damp and frizzy. But I relished the wetness as it reminded me of my one-month Southeast Asia trip, starting with Malaysia (Chinese New Year in Penang, Malaysia).

Arrival, Kuala Lumpur

January 31, 2011: Kuala Lumpur

The photo on the left was taken when I landed in Kuala Lumpur, after a 5+ hour flight from Seoul. From here I would take a connecting flight to Penang. Groggy, tired yet exhilarated (I am here), I stepped into the humid dawn. It was 5:17am and drizzling. The air smelled pregnant, full of water. My pores gulped the wet air. I hate to be overly dramatic, but at that moment, I thought, “Ah, rejuvenation. I am once again in a humid country where 10 years down the line, Forever young, I will be forever young…” (“Forever Young” video link).

I was, after all, born in Taiwan and a firm believer that staying hydrated is the ultimate youth serum.

The first stop, after my friend Adrian picked me up from the airport, was a visit to OldTown White Coffee. The Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia-headquartered kopitiam/restaurant is the largest local chain, and according to Adrian, serves the best coffee in town. The brand’s website boasted its signature blend mixes three types of premium beans.

Haters can hate and even tell me coffee with condensed milk is not real coffee, but I say shuck. The coffees, I had OldTown White Coffee – Gao (特濃,extra strong) and Adrian had Nan Yang (絲,extra silky), were both delicious. The silky smooth texture of Nan Yang derives from filtering the coffee through extra fine cloth bag, think pantyhose. Supposedly the extra step makes the coffee smoother.

Old Town Coffee, Penang

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