Day 2 - Melaka

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Tuesday 18 January
Up early, breakfasted on tea, toast and the local delicacy of coconut jam (once was enough we might add), then walked around the corner to meet the Guide at the tourist office. The free walking tour took in twelve of the most famous sights and lasted two and a half hours. We learned , where we were staying, Jonker street, used to be the main port and trading area,with riverside berths. Over the years, a combination of silting and land reclamation meant that the coastline moved three or four kilometres further away. Also, the Dutch houses here are extremely narrow and ridiculously long, due to the taxation laws in Holland during the 15th/16th century when taxes were calculated by the width of the frontage of houses. Therefore, sensibly, people chose to build long and narrow.The Dutch left, under treaty with the British, wherein the rich Chinese merchants bought up most of these houses, marrying local Malay girls, whose children became known as the Baba Nyonas a blend of the two cultures, whose cuisine is distinctive to this region. After Another lovely meal in a little street in Chinatown, we strolled home, noting a lot of activity in the shops, in preparation of the upcoming Chinese New Year. Every combination of lanterns and Dragons all in reds and golds, spectacular. Enjoyed a coffee on our roof terrace, whilst watching a fantastic thunderstorm out to sea, (Leo's words, not Paula's), then bed.

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