German traveler declares Penang the best

GEORGE TOWN: A German man has traveled to more than 100 countries but still feels Penang is the best.
Juergen Herbet Friele, 77, said he fell in love with the island after coming here to work in 1970 when the economy was booming with multinational companies (MNCs) setting up shop then.
The former German Honorary Consul said his first thought on arriving was "I want to retire here" and has since gained Malaysian permanent residency (PR).
He said Penang was the perfect place for him as he had many friends here and noted his 83-year-old wife was a Taiping lass.
The former Malaysia German Society (MGS) Penang branch president admits he has been Malaysianised as his favourite fruit is durian.
"I love to eat 'Musang King' (a popular durian breed) lah," he told theSun when met recently to showcase his book Born to Travel where he records 50 years of adventures around the world.
Nonetheless, a gripe Friele has with island life was the traffic congestion around the George Town area.
"A driver was considered to be speeding if he drove more than 40km an hour in the 1970s, now this is considered slow," he laughs.
Friele said his favourite country to visit is Italy as the people there were very friendly and easy going.
"There is lots to see," he said and made a checklist of natural wonders and modern fashion for visitors to experience there.
Regardless of his broad travels, Friele admits there is no place like Penang and will miss the island when he returns to Germany for family meets.
"I am happy when I return to Penang and have even booked a niche in the Western Road Cemetery," he quipped.