Our Morning in Melaka
Up this morning before breakfast at the guesthouse so we went for a wander along the river. It is quite beautiful especially in the morning where there is hardly anyone around and no traffic which was a change from last night.
Back for breakfast at 8.30 but there did not seem much action on that front so we decided to head back to the Indian place from last night as we noticed they had breakfast. It was already busy with locals lined up on their bikes for takeaway and tables filled with families. We found a seat and decided on Chai tea and roti canai for my and Ron had a Egg Dosa. Like dinner last night it was hot and tasty and we enjoyed every mouthful and for 5.70RM $1.95 aus a bargain.
As we headed off we started seeing the trishaws.. Now we have seen many of these over the years in Asia but nothing matches the colours and noise these make. All decorated with bright umbrellas, some shaped like butterflies all covered in plastic flowers, love heart seats just amazing to see especially if you get a group passing by. To add to this they all have speakers playing music now one would expect quiet soothing music but no these played loud disco hits including an old bloke riding a long to Ganman at full blast. A real sight to behold.
The plan was now to go to the Ethnology Museum and see also the Museum of Beauty which showed a range of concepts of beauty from different cultures. Sadly we discovered it was closed for renovations for 12 months..very disappointing. So we wandered along what I named museum street…Museum of Government, Islam, Architecture, Stamps to name a few.
Sadly none really interested us so we wandered along to the old fort and then up the stairs to St Paul’s. there were tourists by the hundred and in the middle of it all was a couple having their wedding photos done, oblivious to the crowds the photographer moved them into different positions and snapped away. The view was stunning and you could see across the whole city. Back down the stairs and headed back towards town. Time to check out and meet our host Robert.
Best Place for Lunch in Melaka
Robert picked us up and we dropped our bags, had a quick chat and then he dropped us back to Jonka st. This place was insanity, thousands of tourists everywhere, umbrellas being poked in your head, shopkeepers calling out just madness. We wandered along and went into one shop to try the local delicacy Pineapple tart but once we were in we realised it was Egg Tarts they had, not a problem as Ron and I both enjoy them too, so we brought some of those, and also a piece Pineapple Cake which can only be described a the lightest shortbread I have ever eaten around pineapple jam. The trick is not to take a bite off it as it crumbles so you pop it all in your mouth and the flavours unravel….it was a mixture of buttery sweetness, probably a good thing we only got one it could become addictive.
We wandered a bit longer then decided it was time for lunch, no I am happy to wait to get into a restaurant but have never seen anything like here, we noticed it yesterday when we passed a satay place and the line was down to the next corner but today there were some people lining up for 500 metres to ge to to places in the hot sun. We wandered along and decided no matter how good the food we weren’t doing this so although we had a food map of sorts we decided to go off the beaten track and find somewhere. We found a lovely restaurant which we discovered was actually on the river and then we sat down and looked a the map and laughed as it was on the map too. We looked the the Nonya delights on offer and settled on having a few small dishes to try so a Kari Ayam Nonya (chicken curry ) with potato which was so tasty lovely flavours but not to hot, Ayam Goreng (fried chicken) which was ok but not too much flavour, Cal Cai (stir fried veg) never go wrong with this and an egg dish that was fried eggs done in soy sauce and spices again really tasty. Finished off with our Portuguese Egg Tarts we dined like kings for 47.50rm or $16 Aus.
We then headed back out into the heat not a wise decision after a while the crowds and the heat were too much so we went into a Paraken jewellery museum. it was quite spectacular and the explanations about what it was all used for was interesting, filled with photos and exquisite pieces and air conditioning 🙂 it was a nice way to spend and hour or so. We had a chuckle at a family with a grown daughter who fell in love with a necklace and she was asking her father why she didn’t have something like it he told her she was only allowed copper not gold because she was not a good daughter lol. She said ok if you promise to buy me one I will be a good girl from now…the other was a group of girls from Singapore who commented on a photo where the groom looked every happy but the bride not so. I explained that if they looked at her she only looked about 13 and it was probably and arranged marriage and was expressing how she felt, once they realised that they looked at the photos differently and that said so did I as I actually hadn’t noticed until they pointed it out.
From her we decided to head back home for a swim. Robert only lives about 1.5kms out of the centre but it felt more in the heat. We had a chat, got changed and then headed down for swim. The pool is beautiful set amongst trees and really refreshing we spent and hour there, Robert left for soccer training and we came back up with the intention of heading out later for dinner. we watched a bit of tv then the footy came on so we git ti see the saints game but sadly I was shattered and headed to bed.
