Streets of Melaka

Going to Melaka (or Malacca as it was named by the Dutch/British) is a breeze if you take the highway northwards. Remember to get your arrival card at the checkpoint or better yet, fill it out before the trip cos it takes ages to fill out.

Now you will need the Touch N Go card when you go through Malaysian immigration.

Once you're past customs, get ready for 3 toll-collection stations before you get on the East-West highway proper. Head north to Kuala Lumpur and whatever you do, do not flash your third finger when a Malaysian comes bearing down on your tailgate at 140km/hr on the right lane.

Get off here....the road to the pusat bandar (city center) takes 15 to 20 minutes cos traffic is really slow.

Park here, but watch out, you need to buy the coupons for parking (same system as Singapore's) or you get the summons from the Matar Matar.

You will pass here and the Peranakan Museum of Melaka.

Turn left here

....and walk down this street

check out the architecture

as you get to the main street, often closed to traffic for the Pasar Malam (night market).

Traditional candy in a block, he is hammering pieces of it out with a chisel.

Must Eat: Melaka Chendol

we think he used to be an air steward, either that or he stole one of the life-size Malaysia Airlines cut-outs and stashed it in the back of his shop.

the secret is the Gula Melaka sugar

More street stands

Dried barbequed cuttle fish in spices ... yummy

Old Melaka

Malacca of old...the forlorn vestiges of its colonial history stand atop a city that builds its dreams on the future. A tourist city that appears disjointed at once and yet recognizable as the Melaka of the British, Dutch, Portuguese and Straits Chinese...you don't have to look too far for it, but you wonder how much longer it would remain.

Family Visit Part 3: Kelly's Courtyard Beijing

Just off Xisinandajie, in the western part of old Beijing city, is Bingmasi Hutong. The hutong, also known as an alley, offers you an invaluable experience of a slice of local life amidst true blue Beijingers.

Bingmasi Hutong, the end of the street leads to the main Xisinandajie

At first, you don't quite believe you did the right thing booking a place in a hutong....

...but once you see the iconic corner dustbin, make a left to a yet smaller alley, Xiaoyuan Hutong, and keep going. Kelly's Courtyard, all of 9 quaint yet modern, refurbished rooms, sits at the cul de sac. Kelly and her husband John (above, left) are excellent hosts, being native to Beijing, they told us where to go for duck, which buses to take and pretty much answered all our questions. It helps to speak their language of course, but English can still get you far enough if you must speak it....
It's something you would never expect in the middle of congested, smoggy Beijing.



...Daniel war froh because there was free wifi.

As the sun goes down, you can sit on the roof terrace with a bottle of local beer, Yanjing (S$1), way better than Tsingtao which is not local and costs a little more

The April temperature was perfect, cool and dry

and three days later the meihua (plum blossoms) started to waft across the city

Sehr schon!

Family Visit Part 2: Trams and Buses Hong Kong

Chugging up Victoria Peak

Clacking down Causeway Bay

After dinner, Tom and Daniel

Lan Kwai Fong

On the Star Ferry back to Kowloon