This is the flag of Malaysia, with stripes like the US flag but also the crescent moon of the Muslim religion. You see the flag everywhere in Melaka so you will soon learn to recognize it.
If you are new to Asia and Malaysia, like two members of my family who were our guests, you need to get clear the races religions and geography, later the history of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Singapore is mainly Chinese and did not choose to leave Malaya but was forced out when Singapore was a small place, not the skyscraper city into which it has transformed. After the separation, Malaya was called Malylsian. Singapore is an island off the southern end of Malaysia linked by a causeay to Johor Bahru (meaning new Johor) in the Malaysian state of Johor, and a bridge.
Malaysia is mailand, Indonesia is islands. M M and I I. Not quite, Because Malysia also has small islands, and half one of the larger islands, but that will get you started visually if you are a stranger to the region.
You can take a 'free' guided walk of Melaka, paying whatever you think the guide was worth as a tip at the end. Same as in many cities. (The one in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, was wonderful.)
However, map in hand, you can proceed at your own pace on a self-guided tour.
Rain and Umbrellas
What if it's raining? Remember your umbrella. Our hotel had large free umbrellas to loan out. That protected our luggage from the car parked in the street outside the front door into the hotel. you can see the rain on the umbrella in the picture.
I took a photo of the umbrella. That gave me hotel's address and phone number. Handy if I got lost.
Our hotel was by the welcome arch at the start of Jonkers Walk.
Jonkers Walk or Jonkers Street
Jonkers Walk is not a riverside walk but a street of shops and restaurants running from a welcome archway, beside the Heritage hotel, down to the main square on the river.
The next day, we had breakfast opposite the hotel, then walked along the street. Remember to bargain. What have you got to lose. We saw a baseball hat with the word Jaguar and the Jaguar logo on it. The asking price was 12 Malay ringgit. Five to the UK pound.We offered ten and the seller immediately accepted and started wrapping it up and held out his hand for the money.
(Not to be confused with Indonesian rupiah which are thousands to the pound. Maybe about 16,000 to the pound.)
Night Market
The night market in Jonkers Walk (street) takes place from 6 pm to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, which is why hotels cost more on those days. Kiosks fill the street which is pedestrian only with one-way systems slowing traffic. You can see the night market and have dinner and still be back in Singapore by midnight or one a.m. if you are lucky.
We stayed and saw the start of the night market. We went to a restaurant, bulldog, which opened at 6.30 and we left about 9.30 ./m. or ten, reaching the crossing back to Singapore about midnight. We had cleared both sides of the crossing (leaving Malaysia and entering Singapore). But we had a puncture which delayed us.
Statue In Courtyard
This muscly man attacted our attention. His statue drew us in and we also admired the statues of bullocks. The statue shows a man who is also a politician. He was born in the 1930s and now in 2020 is in his mid eighties. He was champion many times including Mr Asia and Mr Universe. His statue is said to be in several other places and I read that his family have control over Jonkers Street. His name is Gan Boon Leong.
Hard Rock Cafe
We took our son and daughter in law for a trip from Singapore to Melaka and showed them all the sights. We passed Hard Rock cafe. I wondered who would go there, with so many local places to try. That night out son and daughter-in-law went out for an evening together. When they got back, I asked, 'Where did you go?'
The answer was, 'Hard Rock cafe.'
After all the foreign sites, relax in the comfort of something familiar.
Christ Church, Melaka
The red Christ Church, in Melaka is the central landmark.Take an umbrella which protects you from either rain or sunshine.
Chocolate Shop
Walk to the right and you come to the chocolate shop. You will not find your usual chocolates but all sorts of unusual flavours and packages. Ginger chocolates,
We took a river boat tour which was fabulous. In addition to a welcome breeze, and a chance to sit yet see a lot of buildings, we spotted unusual places. An ice cream parlour facing the water, enticed our attention. We walked back to it later. It was diagonally across from Hard Rock Cafe.
When we arrived there was a queue of people. just four seats squashed around a couple of tiny tables. My order, durian ice cream, could not be fulfilled. However, I tried three or four different flavours and they were all tangy. we waited forever, because the girl had to keep changing eveyrthing for the different flavours, but it was worth the wait. Strawberry, blueberry and blackberry, maybe lemon or kalamansi which is half way between a lemon and a lime.
Ice Cream
Painted Houses
Decaffeinated Tea
You might get nearly run over by a trishaw. However, mostly they are playing loud music and flashing lights.
Tired of walking? You could catch a trishaw.
Useful Websites
https://www.malaysia.travel/en/us/places/states-of-malaysia/melaka/baba-nyonya-heritage-museum
https://findery.com/ChangesInLongitude/notes/meeting-mr-universe-in-malaysia
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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