Day 28-29: Melaka

The past two days, we just killed time.We spent most of the day indoors, watching a movie on the laptop, figuring a bit out about Borneo and ventured out in the afternoon only after the morning thunderstorms had passed at 3:30.

We decided we'd take these opportunities to try to find Lonely Planet recommended restaurants. Note to self: Lonely Planet does not tell you if some restaurants are a bit of a trek away. We discovered this only after walking and walking and walking and walking and finding one recommended restaurant closed, and walking and walking and walking and finding another recommended restaurant closed. What does 'walking and walking and walking' equate to? Apparently, 9 kms! I do not like having to work so hard for my dinner. What am I? A modern day cavewoman who has to track and hunt down her food? That's why we invented delivery!

Then, the next day, when we finally made it to that restaurant - it was only okay. We gave it a 5 of 10.

In other killing time news, finally got a chance to take out the ukulele and work on a few songs. So far, although I have it with me, I've been way too embarrassed by my lack of ability to play anything to take it out (and I've discovered that people see it and immediately want to jam with you. I hate to tell them, I'm sorry, previous to this ukulele I can only jam if its in jazz form, and no I cannot play whatever song you immediately as me to play).

I've always figured, I play a bazillion instruments. Ukulele can't be that hard. In reality, probably not that hard, but now I've got to pull up memories from music theory days and remember and play chords. I'll show you ukulele. I will become your master! I've got 6 months.

Tomorrow - Borneo.

Day 27: Melaka

After spending all morning figuring out the whole 'where to next' question, we decided we'll go to Borneo in 3 days and just stay in Melaka until then.

We leisurely stepped out in the afternoon to actually go and see the Straits of Melaka. For some reason, this isn't actually listed in any forum or any tour book as something to go and see. Without the Straits, this town wouldn't be renowned. However, to get to see the Straits, you have to walk along a pier, through multiple restaurants, and a place where you book rooms by the hour. It's a quiet place. Not a lot of people. Clearly a place where you feel comfortable getting a room by the hour - a karaoke room that is! The place had some weird hallway that you walk down, hearing one bad song after another, creating a cacophony of karaoke sounds. Straits of karaoke if you ask me.

The Straits themselves are only interesting in that you can say you've seem them. Not great water. Not a great sight. But its still filled with tankers and ships everywhere, reminding one of their importance.

We decided to try to go and find some old Sultanate (which we ended up only finding on our way home), but in the meantime, actually climbed up to the top of a hill to St. Paul's church, where Father Xavier use to stay when in Melaka (and was even interred here for 9 months before heading to Goa for his final resting place). We then got a chance to go explore Chinatown in the daylight. This area is for these Baba (Straits-born Chinese), filled with temples like the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, covered with intricate vignettes carved into the roof (we missed the Sunday night chant unfortunately). I can see why most of the guesthouses are based in this area. It's quiet, charming, and filled with character. I wished the little old Baba woman with the kids playing outside while we had a beer wasn't closing up shop for the day - she looks like the kind who can really cook.

We stopped by the night market again, and this time hunted down something called Cendol. It's a shaved ice treat with jellies, coconut milk and sugar cane syrup. It looks a little like ice cream with green wormy things on them that's all a bit wrong - but it tastes oh so right!

Melaka also has these 'trishaws' - which is your traditional rickshaw + decorations + flashing lights + boom box stereo system. These are not only everywhere, but you see people actually in them! I keep wondering how you pick one? Do you pick it based on the design (Hello Kitty & Frozen seem to be in the top two spots for decor, but I did see a cool Spiderman one)? Or do you pick it based upon the music (dance club, Let it Go, Abba)? Not that we'll get one, but I'd like to know just in case I'm ever asked. I think I've got to pick it for the music, provided its not Hello Kitty. I don't think I can be seen in Hello Kitty unless there is some sort of reason - like Hello Kitty onesie for a onesie party.

I get the feeling all we are going to do for the rest of our stay is just find more yummy food and maybe walk a bit more. Nothing wrong with that. 

Day 26: Melaka

Melaka is a cool town. Such a odd combinations of cultures that should not have been combined but now work together in an odd post-colonial way. Such an interesting history about this place as well. As you walk down the street, you walk by the old Malay Sultanate's palace which became the seat for the Portuguese viceroy (or whatever he was called) when they took over. It overlooks the remnants of O Famosa, the Portuguese fort built to protect and mark the territory of the Portuguese (and was later torn down by the British during the Napoleon Wars when they had 'temporarily' taken over the city to protect it but, like a child who likes but doesn't want to give back a toy, decided that they liked the idea of destroying it a bit better instead); however, almost right behind it is a huge Dutch windmill and the Melaka river. The riverfront looks as though it belongs in Holland, surrounded by Dutch architecture. 

Then, in the middle of the whole thing is a replica of an old Dutch sailing vessel that currently houses the Maritime Museum. Inside was just lots of reading for me (moral of the story - Straits of Melaka is the easiest passage between the Indian and the Pacific Ocean, lots of trade, 68 languages spoken there at a given time, Portuguese decided they wanted it, implemented lots of taxes and trading rights on certain goods, then the Dutch wanted it, and then the British wanted it. Over time, with all of the taxes, et al, the trading capital slowly moved to Singapore and Melaka became an expensive but 'worthless' property to the British. Thus ends today's "Sarah's interpretation on history" lesson. 

In the evening we trekked over to Jonker Street, which is in the China-town of Melaka. The Chinese actually came to Melaka in the 14th-15th century to protect Melaka from the Siamese. As such, these Chinese folk try to distinguish themselves from more recent immigrants. Additionally, their cultures merged with the locals forming something called Nonya cuisine. You'll also find a lot of Malay-Portugese food as well. What does that have to do with Jonker Street? Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night (it was Saturday), they have a huge night market filled with goodies and stalls. 

The different kinds of fried squid and crayfish on sticks (as in, see the outline of them), fried oysters, local nonya food, regional dishes like 'popiah' which is basically a Malaysian interpretation of a spring roll (bigger, fatter, yummier), etc. 

Then, our favourite thing about the whole Jonker Street experience - public karaoke. It was so bad, so good! A whole big outdoor stage with lights, with a 100 person audience, and serious older folk singing Malaysian songs. That was just the one outdoors. We passed at least one more public karaoke that was indoors AND a Malaysian line dance studio. It was country line dance but with Malaysian music. The two didn't seem to go together, but that seems to be the theme for the day.