Today is my day to do some sightseeing around Penang. If this city is any indication, Malaysians must have some strange fascination with snakes that I don't quite understand. I caught this fellow harrassing this poor creature on a stage in one of the parks. When he was done driving the poor python mad, he passed the hat around. I think I can be forgiven for not subsidizing such behavior.

I was told that I needed to visit the "snake temple" to see something unique. Well, unique isn't quite the word for it. This is a working, Chinese temple with snakes curled up all around the altar. I would have liked to have taken some photos inside, but there were people praying and I wanted to show them some respect.

To add to the oddity of this temple, I had trouble finding any explanation for the snakes. There was one sign which was only in French and Japanese. (???) I'll try to explain what little I culled from it.

The temple was originally named the "Temple of the Pure Cloud" and is the only one of it's kind in the world. (Thank God) It was originally built in honor of a monk named Chor Soo Kong who was said to be some type of miraculous healer. Well, some guy in the 19th century named David Brown felt that he had been miraculously cured in some way, shape, or form and donated the land the temple sits on. The building was then made with public donations.

Soon after the opening, the snakes mysteriously started to appear on the temple grounds. Rather than give them the boot, the monks let them hang around and they are now

a big tourist draw. You can even have your photo taken with a snake around your neck for a fee. (I passed)