Malacca

"Hot" has just acquired a new meaning in Malacca (or Melaka), due to the sun hitting like a  hammer the visitors exploring this ancient and cute town.

Malacca is a pure blend of many different cultures. Our beautiful hotel is a sumptuous traditional Baba-Nyonya house. The Baba-Nyonya themselves are a mixed culture of Chinese and Malay. The stroll in Jonker walk ends with a huge Chinese Dragon hanging over the main crossroad (the not-so-photogenic Rabbit year is over).

The streets of the old town are full of Chinese heritage (temples and shops) and lead to the main square sporting a Stadthuys and a church. Climb the Fort hill and find what remains of Malacca's Portuguese and Dutch glorious past in the old days of the spice trade.

The gastronomic and shopping expeditions were also pretty successful. I totally fell in love with Malacca's pineapple tarts and I bought my own kebaya and a couple of cheongsam (qipao).
While I have no doubt that my stock of pineapple tarts will soon be gone, I am still wondering if there will be any occasions to wear Malaysian traditional clothes back in my side of the world.