Weekend in Malacca

I had found a small sewing machine on a second hand sales website and negotiated a good price for it so arranged to meet the owner on Thursday morning. He lives at Tampines but offered to meet me at Paya Lebar MRT which was very convenient for me. Only problem was, when I got there I could not find Kelvin and my sewing machine. He didn't answer his phone or respond to txt messages so I eventually returned home empty handed and bemused.  That afternoon I was at a pd session and I gave the money to a colleague who lives in Tampines in the vain hope that I might still get my bargain if she could collect from his house. That night I did get an email from him explaining that he had been a passenger in a taxi that was involved in a car accident on Wednesday and that he had spent the next 24hrs sleeping off concussion in the hospital. How's that for timing? Fortunately for me he hadn't lost his memory and he is still keen to sell so with any luck Judie will have it by next week. The best thing about the pd session was that everyone got to see how well decorated the Nursery classroom at Bishan Branch was and when we got back to Kovan the rest of the staff helped me do likewise in our classroom. Now I have 5 cute little balloon monkeys swinging across the vines that are strung criss-cross below the ceiling. It was a good team effort and there should be more of it. 

On Monday morning we caught a coach to Malacca. We were half an hour late departing (must be on Malaysian time) but  pleasantly surprised to discover the seats were like Jason  recliners. On closer inspection we found they were all a bit dodgy, luck of the draw if you got one that actually moves into a preferred position (typical Malaysian style - looks good but might not quite function as expected).  We have been in Singapore too long, have to remind ourselves the rest of Asia is not the same. 

Right by the busy Singapore docks we crossed over the Tuas Second Link Expressway into Johore, Malaysia. This bridge was built in 1998 to reduce the traffic congestion on the original Johore Causeway and takes you well west of the city of Johore Bahru. Very soon you're passing by palm oil plantations on a dual lane expressway. It is still a long journey, took 5 hrs to reach Malacca even though it is less than a 300kms journey. After checking in to the Mahkola Hotel we took to the streets on foot, after all this is a Monday and we need to keep up the walking routine.  

We followed the town walk map which took us through the cultural highlights of the town  

 Portuguese Town Square

 In Chinatown

 Year of the Dragon

 All the trishaws are decorated in this manner

 Original Stradthuys (Dutch Town Hall now Museum

And then up to the ruins of St Pauls on the hill. We found a bride and groom their having their pre-wedding photos taken. 

Still walking steps on a Monday

Stopped by Geographers Cafe for refreshment in the Jonkers St area renowned for the quirky art galleries, quaint antique shops and Nyonya food outlets.  

We finished up at Harpers Restaurant for dinner with a table overlooking the river for dinner. Sounds very romantic, and it would have been if the plastic bags hadn't been floating in the water and the buses hadn't kept disgorging tourists by the bus load at the fort  on the bank directly opposite us.  Food was good though, even if they did serve the vegetable sides for our main course with the soup. Once again we are reminded that we are, after all, in Malaysia.  

Back at our hotel we went directly to the lobby toilet, knowing it would be a pedestal rather than squattie.  We  found ourselves in the hotel bar and the only members of an audience for the group of singers who just opened their first set.  We had to sit out the whole set and pretend to be enthralled. Well how can you get up and leave? Listened to covers of Michael Bubble, Dionne Warrick, Olivia Newton John ( special for us I think) and  Dianna Ross. Thank goodness they left Celine Dionne off the list. They were actually very good but not what we were after, would rather have watched more Olympic fencing (just kidding).  How is it that if we ever get to catch some live Olympic action it is table tennis (fair enough), archery or fencing?  Not exactly  action packed.  They will probably introduce darts next,  just so I can catch that on tv. 

Next morning after an all you can eat complimentary buffet breakfast we visited the Ethnology Museum and then walked along the river where you can see they are making big efforts to improve the connections between pathways and general ambience of the area. 

It is very hot though, so before long we find ourselves in the big new Mahkola Shopping Mall bargain hunting. We now each have a suitable bag for the Nepalese porters to carry for us in December.  Both of us had some shut-eye on the trip home.