The Sea and sand, the salty breeze rustling through the coconut trees, the sounds of a rooster in the mornings whose duty is to wake the entire Kampung! Fresh seafood that comes from the local fisherman who go out in their small light boats and return in ladened vessels with fish to sell. A slow windy coastal road drive will lead to the city centre where one will find the usual suspects - shopping malls and cinemas! This city though is different in that it is really rich in history indicative by all the conservation ole style shop houses that are narrow but long. Also these long houses are filled with old trades, kebaya making, traditional handicraft work. One can find the most unusual and beautiful pieces of crafts (big and small) to decorate one's humble abode!
There's also places of worship that truly reflect the olden architectural influences from our european masters from the past! You would think that all this would be enough to make your visit there worthwhile. There's more! Food and the activity of consuming it (one of most Asians favourite past time) takes this obessession to a whole new level. Cultural richness intoned in everything you can put into your mouth. If you aren't so adventurous a gourmet there's always modern fast food joints or your usual mamak food that you can get round the corner of any street. But i say - try it...even looking for the good stuff takes you to obscure places with strange new things to see! Like once when we went for famous prawn mee. It was this hole in the wall with only about 5 tables max. There's usually a queue just for a table and an even longer wait for the food to arrive! They are very fast at collecting money though! anyway, it's near this monsoon drain and whilst waiting for your food, you might spy monitor lizards swimming from bank to bank!
The highlight of my visits there is always the night market (Pasar Malam) at Jonker Street. This happens only on Friday & Saturday nights! It a great place to see all things unique about Malacca gather in one place. An event that ties old trade businesses to new world economics and emerging tourism! Such a fascination! You just stroll through...checking out wares on sale. You can find the old school games or gaming items that you thought lost in our modern society! Along the pasar malam you will also see different clan associations - i.e. Hokkien Clan. This type of association appears in most part of asia where people from the same dialect group/province etc can meet and catch up (i have even heard of them tracingyour family tree route back to China). During the pasar malam these clan halls are filled with members and non members (public) partaking of "making society" through karaoking, line dancing etc...
The result is a colourful, bright, noisy environment at the pasar malam that only a chilled beer to live music can cure! So find a table at the one of the many pubs for a R&R session. Kick back and listen to the live band (usually one guy) belting out hits from all eras!
If this is too busy for you then head down to the seaside for some seafood and cool night air..watch the stars and drift quietly into a state of contented bliss! hmmm...just the thing to get away from the hustle and bustle of our regular lives!
Try it! My mommy's there now!
1 comment:
Photos photos!!!
Post a Comment