Walking around Malacca

Day 11

We walked beside the river - see extra - and had breakfast at a local cafe. Busy place. I stuck to tea and toast, the rest were more adventurous. Then the shopping began, as goods and food are much cheaper here than Singapore. Shoes, tops, rattan items, dried fruits. This building design caught my eye. A blend of Dutch, Portuguese and Malay in the architecture. The Dutch taxed on the width of the buildings, so they are all very narrow and long. Some have inner courtyards which are sunken, to allow the rain to drain away.

Lunch - a traditional dish of chicken rice balls, which was delicious. Chendol with Durian for dessert. Then the Yonker Walk around the old part of town. Every building is different, so interesting. Mosques and temples right beside each other. Victorian tiling in the mosque, and a tour of the Taoist temple.

In the afternoon we visited the Baba and Nyonya Heritage House, learning about the Peranakan traditions. Excellent tour by Christina, wearing Peranakan dress - see extra.

Dinner at Tong Sheng. Crab, fish, langoustines in a cheese sauce. More delicious new tastes.

Then on a tip off from Lady Findhorn, we visited the Majestic Hotel. What a classy place, colonial influences.

Final stop was to experience Durian fruit. You smell it before you see it. - see extra. Big discussion on quality before purchase. The taste , well concentrated galia melon x 10 at least might describe it. Not sure it is really my thing, but I have now had the initiation ceremony!

Many thanks to Colin who guided us around today. We learnt so much.