Kuala Lumpur

Cousin Eileen and I decided to visit Malacca and overnight so we can really enjoy the town.  Driving was hair raising to say the least..  Malaysian drivers only know full speed and breaking on your tail.  The road was quite good but the driving was crazy. Despite the excitement we arrived safely at our hotel Jonkers at the less touristy end of the old town. It had a car park which was essential. Not many hotels in the world heritage listed part do. They are old terrace houses converted into small hotels. Ours was pleasant and beds good, bathroom good but windows small.

We explored the old part after grabbing lunch in a genuine old Chinese restaurant. Very home cooking style and nothing flash in decor. We  checked out the Chinese temple, Mosque and the Catholic Church.

I was amused by the paper houses and cars until Eileen put me staight about their purpose. They are for burning so the departed would be comfortable in their heavenly life. Even sneakers and Louis Vuitton bags! Heaven is going to be just like here.

 

We had cocktails at the Geographic Cafe a haunt of famous writers in the thirties, and ate Portuguese influenced food for dinner. Malacca has such an interesting history with colonisation by the Portuguese, the Dutch , the English and unofficially by the Chinese. They actually have a statue of a great Chinese explorer Cheng Ho who sailed across the Pacific, to Australia, and Africa before all the Europeans. The museum was very interesting but the  explanations in English were pretty bad.
I found it very charming and bought some dragon fly earrings to remember it by. I came here with Peter when we were in our late twenties - a lifetime ago

. I always remembered the market with its spices and goat legs standing by the wooden butcher blocks. We didn't visit a fresh food market this time.
Back to KL the next day with more erratic drivers. A party at Eileen's friends home then a day around KL where we visited a mosque again, and happened on a ceremony at the Hindu temple which was very noisy but fascinating.  Kl reminded me of Brisbane in its luxuriant  tropical foliage but the town seems very shabby and disorganised. The footpaths are broken and grubby it seemed in comparison to Malaka. We had a very pleasant dinner in a trendy western style strip of shops near Eileen's place. This area seems very upmarket and bustling.
Next day we have noodles for breakfast and then it is off to the train station and the airport for my flight home.  The train ride was interesting because I met a New Zealander who is based in KL with his girlfriend but who does voluntary work in Sri Lanka. Bryn has since sent me some information in case I would like to do some work with them.
The flight home was fabulous with empty seats around me to sleep across. Air Asia staff were pleasant but not as well trained as the other airlines I travel with though I suspect there is not as many staff. They actually were running down the aisles!