here & now :: Malacca, Malaysia

Happy Thursday!

 

Malacca - what used to be an unpretentious retreat for a city girl like me, was now bustling with new massive buildings and malls. From what I remembered when I was still a girl, it is as if it had awoken to the on-going developments of being a tourist hub, now being listed under world heritage city in 2008 (source from google).



malaysian flag flying  high over a christian school



more developments in the heart of the city centre

few of the new things here, a new mall and a new hotel behind

My most memorable experience to take back from this weekend trip was when my family and I walked leisurely to the famous Jonker's street to have our dinner.

We walked through the tourist attractions such as the 'A Famosa Fort', 'Christ Church' (the red church) and museums. It was heartwarming to see each and everyone of us taking pictures together, especially my mom and dad, providing us some bonding time.



malacca & its islamic architecture 

'A Famosa Fort' - the remains of a Portuguese fortress

colourful (and booming with music) tricycles

my sisters and kids have a lot of fun with these trains

on the way to Jonker Street; passing by contrasting architecture

at christ church, vibrating with tourists and locals alike

Jonker Street is one of the tourist attraction there that occurs mainly at night. They sell many varieties of stuffs - colourful tourist magnets, toys, clothes, hair accessories, and of course, local street snacks (durian cakes & barbecued cuttlefish).

We ate at this restaurant and there was already a queue outside when we reached the place. We queued for about 15 minutes and it was worth the wait! The food was really affordable too, it was only RM 5.00 for a bowl and RM 3.00  for dessert!

I was immediately captivated by the restaurant's interiors. It was old and run-down, with the dim lighting and paints on the wall, peeling off as if standing against the test of time. It was as if we were transported back to time, the reminiscent of the traditional Peranakan home.

 It was really nostalgic.

 

also another popular dish; chicken rice balls

 

Apart from being cheap, food was simply ahh-mazing! As Malacca is the center of Peranakan (Chinese mixed Malay culture) I definitely had to try Peranakan Assam Laksa with its bouncy clear noodles, crunchy sprouts, fresh prawns and crispy tofu slice. The broth was made sour-spicy and I loved how they added tuna (exactly like those found in cans!) to the dish. It made my stomach feel so warm and all happy inside! *Yum!*

The dessert Chendol was like the finishing touch to our meal. It had a generous serving of "gula Melaka" (sugar originally from Malacca), coconut milk, beans, green noodles and ice that cooled and refreshed us from our spicy dinner. It was so yummy I had two bowls of it!

The feeling of enjoying a simple dinner in all-vintage environment was an exceptional eye-opener and pure bliss for me. 

It was a great short trip, and what's really awesome about it, we got to bond together as a family, away from everyday life, school or work, that often takes up much of everyone's time and we just focused on being a family.

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!

much love,

rich xxx