While this trip comprises both Singapore and the Malaysian city of Malacca, it was actually the latter that I was more excited about. I had been to Singapore a number of times but never Malacca. It had always been on my bucket list and I was thankful that I finally had the chance to set foot on this remarkable place. The Singapore leg of this trip, however, also proved to be extremely enjoyable even though it was a repeat of my previous SG trip. … [Read more...]
I was the only tourist at the time. There were some believers standing by the entrance, holding lighted joss sticks, and whispering words of prayer. All of them were outside. And then it hit me: Are tourists even allowed to enter this temple? Fortunately, the answer was Yes! I was at Xiang Lin Si Temple along Harmony Street at the heart of Malacca Chinatown in Malaysia. It puzzled me why I was the only one inside the temple at the time. I approached a staff member working at the temple and asked whether it was okay to go around and he said 'No problem.' Whew! I thought I unintentionally trespassed! Apparently, it just so happened that devotees were just praying outside; they would … [Read more...]
The crowd was starting to grow bigger at Cheng Hoon Teng Temple grounds. By the gate, vendors greeted tourists with invitations to see and buy the peacock feathers in their gentle embrace while another group sat behind a set of bouquets. Beyond the gate outside the main prayer hall, tourists walked around the complex while carrying cameras around their neck or in one hand. At the front porch and inside the hall, Chinese locals, oblivious to the snapping and clicking of the metal gadgets, gathered to light incense sticks and offer prayers for the departed loved ones. It was around nine in the morning. I was tucked in one far corner of the site, seated on the ground with my back … [Read more...]
I had never been inside a Hindu temple. I had seen a number of Hindu temples before: in Singapore, in Penang, in Kuala Lumpur. But I had never been inside one. I only had a chance to stand outside with my head tilted and my mouth open as I admired the facade and overall architecture. When I learned that there's one along Harmony Street in Malacca, I got so thrilled thinking that the time had come that I get to step into a place of worship for one of the oldest religions in the world. I thought it was my lucky day! And lucky day it was not! The Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple was closed when we visited. Poor me, indeed. Once again, I was an outside lover. … [Read more...]
A dark grey dove glided through the air into the mosque and perched atop a fountain in the middle of the pool. I looked at my friends Asta and Ces and, without saying a word, we just stood there and watched it. Two muslim men sitting on the perch were watching us, too, as we watched the bird. Don't get us wrong --- we've seen doves before. (One of our neighbors used to keep dozens of doves as pets in his backyard.) But, I don't know, we just liked how regally it stood on the second layer of the fountain before us. Just one of those trivial things that delight me, I guess. We were at the courtyard of the Kampung Kling Mosque (or Masjid Kampung Kling) in Malacca. We stood on a slightly … [Read more...]
The street is known by many names. Locals have three names for this long road, one for each segment: Jalan Tukang Emas, Jalan Tukang Besi, and Jalan Tokong. Why they have to "divide" the street and give it three names is quite beyond me but it really is just one long, curved street. Tourists usually call it "Temple Street" because of the number of temples that stand on its edges. But my favorite among all its names --- Harmony. … [Read more...]
Carrying an empty stomach, the Poor Traveler and his poor friends Asta and Ces hurried back to Jonker Street to find a place to have dinner at. Unfortunately for us, the restaurants along Jonker were all closed for the day. It was already past 9 o'clock and we have just finished the Malacca River Cruise, for which we spent much time waiting in line. While street foods abounded the famous street that night, we were looking for a place where we could sit down and have proper dinner. We had walked the length of the street twice to no avail; we decided to look elsewhere. We turned onto the adjacent street, parallel to the river, and found a bright spot --- a cafe, which was still open to … [Read more...]
The very long queue in front of Hoe Kee Chicken Rice Ball extended down to Singapore. Yes, that's an exaggeration but it was long enough to push my friends Ces and Asta and me to deliberate for several minutes whether we would like to try this evidently popular restaurant or not. While the long line was truly encouraging as it was a testament to how good their food could be, it was also discouraging at the same time. There we were in the middle of Jonker Street, under the bright and fierce Malaccan sun, wondering how long it would take us to secure a table if we chose to dine there now. Our minds were saying "Go for it!" but our grumbling stomach was disagreeing! It was already 2pm and we … [Read more...]
The Chinese New Year was very much alive when we were in Melaka. An enormous Chinese water dragon, dangling over Jonker Street was spitting cold water into a small fountain to the delight of tourists and locals alike. Darkness was slowly blanketing the UNESCO World Heritage Site but Jonker Street was just starting to get a life of its own. … [Read more...]
The queue at the jetty for the river cruise stretched several yards. Backpackers and families composed the long line and excited conversations filled the air as we the queue moved slowly. After a couple of loading batches of tourists, it was finally our turn to step on the ferry. I guess it is not a secret that the Malacca River Cruise is best enjoyed in the evening as recommended to us by Asri, our hotel owner. … [Read more...]
I am not an authority in budget travel. What makes me a poor traveler isn't the lack of finances but the many troubles I meet on the road. This blog is a diary of a traveler whose time is always wasted getting lost, whose trips are always challenged by heavy rain, and whose bowel movement always gets in the way. I make mistakes, lots of them. Poor me. Yes, you'll find mistakes on this blog. But here's hoping you'll learn from them. More about me.
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