Monday, August 4, 2008

Melaka Trip Again - Aug 08 (Day 2)

At the Warong where we had breakfast, there was this Belimbing tree growing beside the table where we sit. Since I have nothing to do while waiting to be served, I took this picture of these Belimbing fruits.

Instead of sightseeing the common tourist spots, we walked along Sungai Melaka (Melaka River) this time.
Walking along the riverbank offered very interesting views about Melaka in a different dimension. The location is away from the fuzz and buzz of tourists and ceratinly gave us a nostalgic feel about Melaka. Also, the air was cooling and breezy after a brief shower, making the walk easy and relaxing.

Water mill - for decoration purpose only.

Can you see the Maritime museum (ship-like structure) at the far end and the new observation tower on the left?

The Heren, a guest house located along the riverbank, and within the vicinity of Jonker street.



This building with Dutch influence is under restoration.

Sungai Melaka

Rather scenic, isn't it?


The river has been cleaned up, riverbanks are paved and there is this boat service to offer tourists a glimpse of Melaka river and and its surroundings.


Nicely paved riverbank

Red painted old shophouses along the Sungai Melaka




Beautiful and sexy Baju Kebaya (Kebaya dress). Its design is so much feminine and cultural compared to the Baju Kurung, which is just straight cut all the way from shoulder downwards






Luxurious dessert - Bird's nest with herbs, only to be served for the rich. For me, I just take photograph and watch them eat! :(

Bird's nest (saliva) with 2 slices of Ginseng


Church of St. Francis Xavier, built in 1849








After the rain, the Birds of Paradise looked refreshing....
and the Jasmine flower seemed glowing with glee.


View of the river behind the ornamental fence built along the river.



No, this ain't food for Male vitality! Just pet for the brave!

I still remember that my grandma used to buy some chicks for rearing, just a few months before Chinese New Year. By the time these chicks have grown up, they will be just in time to be slaughtered and put onto our table as food during Chinese New Year reunion dinner. Nowadays, it is easier and more convenient to buy chicken from supermarket / wet market. Most importantly, we don't have to slaughter the chicken ourselves.

Adorable rabbits.
For longevity, get a tortoise as pet. If you make it into a tortoise soup, some men believe the soup will help make the men's vital organ hard as the tortoise shell, get what I mean?

Cruising along the river

A shabby house around the riverbank


A Surau with its windows wide opened. People definitely felt safer in older days. Nowadays, every house have high walled fence and iron grills on all windows and doors.


Peeping inside the surau via its windows. Do you notice those carpets? Can you picture young students sitting with their legs crossed on the carpets, with their Songkok (hats for the Malays) on, while the ulama (religious teacher) teach these kids about the teaching of Al-Quran?
[Wonder how many ulama teachs true Islamic teachings in surau and mosques these days, instead of teachings infused with racism]



Old houses along the river

A wooden chicken shelter. Obviously, chicken droppings will conveniently drops into the river.

Fortunately, people don't use the water from the river to wash. Otherwise, these clothes will be contaminated with Salmonella (germs) from the chicken droppings. Scary!


The Almighty (from left: Teck, Rick, Edwin, Faisal, Nick, Mark & Ray) looking down at us from the Jabatan Pasar (Market bridge), while Kieren and I were busy taking pictures, inclusing theirs.


literally means "The Market Bridge"

A mosque - Masjid Kampong Hulu



Pillars of these shops were still used as outdoor advertising. The one which is closer is a Chinese liquor shop whereas its neighbour is a Chinese medical hall selling chinese herbs and sundry.

Not many stores specialise in selling school related items like school bags, uniforms and other sundry left like this in town these days.
Wooden blinds were once common sightings in shops to screen out the glaring afternoon sunlight.

A shoplot bazaar selling fresh fruits and vegetables. No more such shop in city anymore.


The few handsome and the gorgeous (Ahem!)


A chinese talisman printing on the wall.


Very traditional looking Chinese shop selling biscuits in Big glass containers (on the right)

Notice how the lions' eyes staring back at you?

The color choice of this temple is very Manga (cartoonish) like!




Sama Sama Guest House. There is a Sleeping Buddha statue with wind chines at the window, so charming.

Entrance of a beautiful Tea House. Steamed Bak Chang (Glutanous rice meat dumplings wrapped in leaves) were available for those who fancy it together with drinking tea.

A bronze bell in the courtyard of the tea house.


Marky was caught touching a historical artifact. Bad boy!

The building beyond the courtyard is a museum but we were not in the mood to visit it. Next time perhaps.

Tea house



Ceiling structure of the tea house

The black wooden divider /blinds at the background is dated back to the Ming dynasty.


Orang Utan House offers very nice Malaysian made T-shirts

A cute, down to earth lounge with a slight colonial feel
Fancy some fridge magnets or colorful slippers as souvenirs? Oh Oh, some Malaysian Chinese have a superstition that couple in love should not buy any slippers for their partners or the relationship will not last long. Hand off from the slippers guys, unless you want to dump someone! Ha ha!

Care for some mouth watering Portugese styled egg tarts? They absolutely looked inviting and yummy!


Cheese tarts. So many flavors to choose from.

Portugese styled egg tarts on upper rack. Conventional Egg tarts and Siu Pao (Baked dumpling on the right) on the lower rack. If I can afford and have the stomach room to fill, i want to buy and eat them all!


Kuih ondeh-ondeh are for those with sweet tooth. They looked so appetising, wrapping in banana leaf! Kuih Ondeh Ondeh is a dessert made of pandan flavored glutanous rice paste, shaped like a ball with coconut sugar filling and coated with fresh shreded coconut. When you bite it, the coconut sugar filling will burst out into your mouth (you can almost hear the sound of "bursting"!) and fill your mouth cavity instantly with the sweetness and flavor of the coconut. :P

A chicken rice ball shop- Restaurant Famosa, where we had our lunch. Food was not so good
that day. Some rice balls taste sourish, reminded me of cold rice fermentation and risk of Bacillus poisoning
Mobile vendor selling steamed peanuts colored with tumeric. RM2 please, uncle! What, price already gone up to RM3? Inflation, Inflation!