Multicultural Melaka
Old town centre of Melaka, Malaysia
I’ve seen many a weird sight while on the road with the Oldies, but this one has got to top the list: monkeys on the motorway! I’d dozed off on the flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur and woke up in a rental car headed to Melaka, just in time to spot a troop of monkeys hopping around on the verge. What next? Fish flying overhead? Well actually, that was exactly what I saw next…
Melaka has a colourful history and its present day version is also colourful, in every sense. Like these trishaws for example. They come with all the bells and whistles too – and loud music and gaudy LED lighting at night. All a bit mad, but a bit of fun too.
Yes, it was rather touristy, but fascinating all the same. I loved the hotel the Oldies chose. In the old part of town, Hotel Puri was originally a large house belonging to a wealthy Paranakan (Chinese-Malay) family. It was like staying in a museum. There were even rooms with displays of photographs and artefacts from bygone eras. I was staggered to see old photos of the Japanese invading Malaysia – on bicycles. I kept a closer eye on those trishaw drivers after that!
I had never seen anything like the so-called ‘shop houses’ in the old town centre. They are quite a mix of architectural and cultural styles – from European to Chinese to Malay – but the overall effect is certainly colourful and attractive.
Melaka was, in the past, known as the Venice of the East. I liked the sound of that! And I certainly enjoyed strolls along the water with the Wingless Wonders, stopping off occasionally for a drink at one of the many riverside bars and restaurants and watching the world motor by in a steady stream of water taxis and tour boats. Lovely… until I spotted a huge snake, swimming along the opposite side of the river. Although I was glad it was far away, I was horrified to realise it was so big that I could clearly see its tongue flicking from that distance! In spite of the barman’s reassurances to the Oldies that the snake was totally harmless and ‘they often slither past the tables here’, I steered the Dynamic Duo away from the river from then on. Herself didn’t take much steering, believe me!
Her Ladyship also didn’t moan too much about having to cover up from head to toe when we went to the Masjid Selat Melaka, Melaka Straits Mosque. This was one mosque she couldn’t wait to visit.
Built in 2006, it stands on stilts just off a man-made island and is designed to appear to be floating on the water. Beautiful! I was particularly taken by the 30m high minaret which doubles up as lighthouse. Now, isn’t that a great idea? Sadly, it looks like the development of the surrounding port area which appears to have come to a standstill and is slowly going to rack and ruin, was obviously not a great idea after all.
The Oldies’ best idea of the trip was to visit the Jonker Street Night Market. Twice. It only takes place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and we were lucky enough to have two nights in a row of this feast for the eyes – and the palate. Alongside all the delicious looking offerings on display, I found the best invention of all: shrimp and baby crab lollipops. Gosh, if I only could have got my wings on a couple of those, I’d have been through them lickity-split!
