On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Jonker Street in Melaka becomes a night market. There are hundreds of vendors, plus shops set up cats out on the street to sell stuff. It is so lively!And unlike in Kuala Lumpur's Alor Street, we didn't find white people asking for money to fund their travels around the world.Though we were tired, we walked up and down eating random things and just taking in the sights. I love watching people! It was lovely.And then, it was time to head back - back to Kuala Lumpur and then, back home. In KL, we had a strange experience with a couple who seemed to be would-be con-people, but we didn't quite understand how they worked. We were walking towards Chinatown and the couple were headed in the opposite direction. The man had a phone in his hand and he had Google Maps open."Excuse me, can you tell us where we are?" he began. "I can't understand … [Read more...]
Sungai Melaka and Kampung Morten
I originally thought that the name of the river in Melaka was Sungai. I looked it up later, though, and discovered that 'Sungai' means 'river', so Sungai Melaka is simply Malacca (as it is still sometimes spelt) River.Especially as sleepy Melaka shuts down early on non-market days, the river cruise is a charming thing to do in the evening. It costs MYR 18 per non-Malaysian adult, and at another time, I would perhaps feel that it isn't worth it. In the mood that I was, though, the cruise was quite lovely, just how I wanted to spend a calm evening in a laid-back town.There's such a huge culture around pubs and drinking, isn't there? Pubs and cafes are so romanticised that looking at people sitting by the river and drinking creates a kind of yearning that I cannot help being amused at.In college, I disliked coffee - the smell, the taste and the cost. But it was a taste I … [Read more...]
Colonial Hangover
Taman Negara was incredible, and my mind is still full of the wonder of the forest. Yet, we did have to say goodbye to it when it was time to move on to Melaka.And Melaka was incredible too. A world apart from Taman Negara, I think it was the first city outside India where I felt I would like to live, and I cannot quite lay my finger on why. I know part of what speaks is my colonial hangover.What makes the red buildings in the Dutch Square reach out to me? Why do I find a little windmill charming? Why do I like all those bridges over the Sungai Melaka?Whether I admit to my colonial hangover or not, Melaka won my heart.We stayed at a lovely place, too, which added to the charm of Melaka. An old building that is a minute's walk from the vibrant Jonker Street, Da Som Inn is the first hotel I've stayed at that offers free coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, cereal and … [Read more...]