T R A V E L : Melaka, Malaysia (Day 2 & 3)

Finally got about to doing the other two days of our short trip! Well, better late than never. :3

DAY 2: 

Did I mention previously that our king-sized bed room at The Baba House did not have any windows? Firstly, not having any windows is kinda scary and it kept me thinking all the worse kind of scenarios. Like what if there was a fire, and we didn't know about it and die burning inside. BUT I'm more than glad those didn't happen. And secondly, since there were no windows, we didn't get any natural sunlight coming through them, and thus woke up in darkness at 9am....
So I would definitely suggest getting a room with a window. (I remember reading somewhere that the body doesn't "wake up" unless there is light. or something along that line.)

And then it was BREAKFAST TIME!
went to try the famous Chung Wah Chicken Rice Balls, and as expected there was already a super long queue along the road...

Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball 
18 Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 0730 - 1500

Just look at all these people braving the sun and patiently queueing... 

At 930am when we reached, we were at where the colourful umbrella is. And it took about 10 minutes to get a seat.

We had half a chicken (for two people) and 5 rice balls each. All you have to do is tell the person how many people is eating, and then one of the uncles will bring the food to you. No hassle at all! 

As expected, the rice balls were very sticky, and after the 3rd one I was just forcing myself to finish it, and it was kind of hard to swallow. I don't know if it serve normal rice though. 

The chicken on the other hand was juicy and soft, although a bit oily. But chicken rice is unhealthy to start with so..... I wasn't really bothered. And there was a big serving of cucumbers under the chicken! 

A meal for two with two cups of iced milo costs about RM 30. 

Since the famous San Shu Gong was just beside Chung Wah, we decided to have dessert even though we were bloated. 

Durian Chendol 
San Shu Gong

Lorong Hang Jebat 75200 Melaka

San Shu Gong is a prominent red building at the junction of Jonker. 

And it also sells many other things like the Malacca white coffee powder. 

(I was the one who dug in first...) 

The Durian Chendol really tasted like durian and it was so shiok having cold dessert in and aircon place.

 But I do not advise having this as a thirst-quencher, as the sweetness of it will just make you even thirstier.

But having a bottle of water after this always solves the problem! 

We then walked around the unexplored areas of Jonker.

With this statue of Mr Malaysia or something. Sadly, he is muscular, but I'm not. :(

 Then I got attracted to this house with a really cute orangutan painting... but got the shock of my life when I reach it.

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THIS IS QUITE CREEPY OK. 

But we still got a picture with it. those black empty eyes are the scary parts actually...

This place actually sells T-Shirts with quirky designs, and apparently condoms made with Malaysia rubber. 

They had this sign that says "Play Safe, Use Malaysian Rubber" with a drawing of a condom. However, we did not go in to have a further look.  

Random temple along the street! 

AND then we found something that would speed up our exploring and enjoy some breeze...

TADAH! a bicycle rental shop cum minimart!

JT Minimart

No. 40 Jalan Tukang Besi, 75200 Melaka

Their namecard so cute right! Plus it has like a little map behind to help you find the shop.

They charge RM3 per hour, and for more than 4 hours it would be RM10. 

In other words, you can rent it for a whole day or more and it would only cost RM 10 per bicycle rented! 

So cheap right! 

So we continued our travels around town on bicycle and it was rather terrifying at first when riding on the road together with the cars, and in the end we decided to just cycle like our bicycles were motorbikes. (We just followed other motorcyclists). 

And we headed to the Malacca River, and away from town it was a flip in scenario and vibe. There was close to no one and it was so quiet for a change. No breeze once we stopped riding, but all was good. although the sun rays on my skin isn't... 

It's a good place for selfies or group pictures or romantic couple pictures. i mean where can you find such clear skies, natural sunlight and water? other than at the beach... haha

A normal picture of us together. Shall keep the romantic ones to myself ;) 

We then wanted to return our bikes and look for Lung Ann Refreshments for some afternoon snacks. 

He took a turn after the bicycle shop and we found it just after the corner!

Lung Ann Refreshments 93/807 Lorong Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

It was pretty crowded at about 2pm but we managed to get a table at the side.

Liang Teh and Lime Juice. Super refreshing! and away from the heat. 

We order one plate of these for 7RM which has 10 sticks. 6 pork, 2 intestines, and 2 liver. 

it was so good we had to order another plate though the wait was a bit too long. 

Headed back to the hotel for a shower and to get some rest!

Just look at the degree of sunburn..... :(  so please constantly reapply your sunblock if you will sweat a lot or be in the water. 

at about 5pm we again rode our bikes to Capitol Satay Celup but when we reached at 515pm, the place was crowded and had long snaking queues... so we decided to try our luck at Ban Lee Xiang.

About another 10 mins of cycling we reached and parked our bikes outside the shop. There was a queue on one side but a smaller queue on the other side. so we each queued at one side.
Both shops are own by brothers who are a splitting image from each other!

I saw and empty table and half of it was under the setting sun. And requested to sit there, and one of the workers allowed me to, saying if i don't mind the sun. So that was just 5 mins of waiting time. (the boss previously rejected another customer's request to sit there saying it was too hot.)
So no harm asking again right! But i think it is important to keep your eyes peeled for an empty table and immediately request to sit there. if not just wait to be allocated one.

We had 40 sticks in total and 2 cups of drinks. And a plate of fresh cucumbers for a side. 

Costs about 35RM. Not too expensive! 

 We rode back to jonker and returned our bikes. And took a walk around Jonker Street. The crowd on a Saturday night is crazy, and it kind of feels like the olden times we see on tv where everyone would buy things from stalls along the street, and there will be performances too!

(lucky we didn't stay at those hotels around the area or it would be so noisy!) 

Most pubs along the street, and away from the getai area have live bands. And everyone was drinking beer and making merry. Even passers-by stopped to enjoy the free music and take in the cheery atmosphere. 

( i preferred this to the getai though) 

Then back to the hotel for our last night in Melaka!

D A Y  3

Walked to the dim sum place at about 930am on Sunday, and the place was full but we got seats in about   5 - 10 mins!

Low Yong Moh Dim Sum 

32, Jalan Tukang Emas, 75200, Melaka

The dim sum were great and served Malaysian style, meaning I always had dimsum this way whenever we eat at shops. We  either go to the counter to get what we want or the person will bring a huge tray to the table and let us choose what we want.  There wasn't much to choose from and they didn't have certain paus. So i got the lian yong pau. But the pau has incredibly thick skin..... so i just dug the filling out.

But overall it was still a pleasant experience! worth a try if you want cheap dim sum breakfast. 

We then rode our bikes to the faraway place of Baba Charlie Lee. It was about 25 minutes of cycling time, mostly on the main road (which was kinda dangerous...) 

Look out for a brick red house with matching gates and a little sign that says Baba Charlie. It was in a little road, and we managed to find it because of GPS. so maybe spending a bit money on a data plan is good! 

Baba Charlie Lee Nonya Kueh 
Jalan Tengkera, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

 Sneakily took a picture of the kueh available. they have guava too! (on the bottom right) The boy bought some back and he said it was good.

Kueh verdict: My family members and I both agree that we have tasted much better nonya kuehs. and these kuehs, some of it has too much flour and it was rock hard. Glad that I didn't get too many. The bf family however said that the kuehs were good and so were the dumplings. So i guess it depends on the person's preference. :) The kueh lapis (in pink) was not too bad though! 

I think SG's Bengawan Solo kuehs are the better ones i can find locally. But its quite pricey so its not too affordable to eat everyday. 

Anyway, we rushed back to return our bikes and pack our bags and asked for a late check out before heading out for lunch! Wanted to try Nancy's Kitchen but even before it opens for business, there was a long long queue. We queued for about 15 mins and gave up. Then walk down the road to try the Geographer Cafe. 

Geographer Cafe 

Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Melaka Iced White Coffee!! 

Nasi Lemak that costs about RM8(?!?!) I didnt even know the price. But I think its because it doesnt have any meat. Served with brown rice, a definite healthier option! 

The bf said that he read online that this cafe serves healthier food like more veges and brown rice etc! not too sure about that though. but we can always look it up! 

The entrance of our hotel! 

And so this marks the end of our short Melaka getaway and my birthday trip! Even though it was just the two of us, we had fun nonetheless, and travelling with your partner do indeed bring the two of you closer. :) 

So thank YOU for gifting me this adventure with you, I honestly hope that there'll be more to come! x

Melaka is a great place for a short weekend getaway, to rest and relax and do what we do best EAT, and at the same time immerse yourselves in the Peranakan culture and old architecture there. Those are things that are almost hard to find in the City. So I would say that it is really worth the 3 hour bus ride there! 

T R A V E L : Melaka, Malaysia (Day 1)

He kept asking "what do you want for your birthday?"
And honestly I don't know what exactly I wanted, so two weeks after my birthday,
I finally said "Let's go Malacca."

And so we did!
We went from 19 July to 20 July 2014 (Fri - Sun).

DAY 1 (19.07) 

I initially didnt choose 707 Inc. for the coach ride because we can't choose seats and I didnt want to sit alone or with someone else. But he booked it because it was a straight bus and doesn't have any pit stops. And we managed to sit together (right behind the driver) and the leg room was super spacious. I could lift up the leg rest and still put my bag in the front! We overheard from the drivers that it's a new bus, therefore its engine is powerful and the bus is clean. I was thoroughly impressed!

Interior of 707 Inc Coach 

We left Queen St. Bus Terminal at 8am sharp and cleared both customs by 9am. And even though people on forums said it would take 4 - 5 hours, we arrived at our destination at 1130am! Do the math... which means it only took 3.5 hours.

We were famished and the bus went past Restoran Tengkera Duck Noodle, so we walked back to find it.

Jalan Tengkera Duck Noodles
No 33 Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/2, 
Taman Kota Laksamana Melaka, Malaysia

We had dry duck noodles with kuey teow and the noodles were cooked till it was a little chewy but not sticky. I found that the sauce on the dry noodles were a bit bland and not quite what I was expected. I would prefer a more flavourful or saltier version. However the soup was good, it had enough taste and a slight herbal flavour to it. I guess I've had better versions of it in JB.
It's not too bad, but maybe our expectations were just too damn high based on other online reviews. heh.

And since I have yet to top up my UMobile card and find time to change the SIM card... we walked to our hotel via the long way and it was a torturous walk under the scorching sun. Needless to say, I was complaining all the way while following behind him. Bless him for his patience with me (sometimes) :3


The Baba House
125 - 127 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 
Jonker, Malacca / Melaka, Malaysia 75200

He booked a room with a king bed with basic amenities and daily breakfast for the both of us from Agoda.com. I have never slept in a king sized bed and boy was I excited to have that much space! According to him, this was a Peranakan mansion turned hotel. The place had a really rustic feel with nice peranakan furnishing at the lobby. Very beautiful sight.

King Bed Bedroom 

Their basin is outside the toilet which is small but still okay. And they have this little side window to the bathroom. I don't know what is it for but it's kinda cute. Also, our room had no windows which made me wonder we would know should there be any emergencies, and we don't have natural sunlight to tell us that the sun has risen. But it didn't bother him as he thinks that it provides the kind of privacy he likes. So I guess it wasn't much of a problem. Oh the door was a little hard to open and it doesn't auto close and lock so it gave some issues. :/
But the hotel is located at quite an ideal location, after several rounds of walking we figured out different shortcuts here and there. And since it isn't right smack in the center of Jonker Street it was relatively quiet in the night.

Jonker 88
No. 88, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200, Melaka,Malaysia
Close by 6pm 

Jonker 88 had many good reviews online and such, so we headed there for a second lunch! The place was pretty crowded at about 1pm with lots of tourists. We ordered chendol and assam laksa to share, and I found out its really hard to take pictures of food because he can't wait and digs in immediately the moment the food is laid on the table. so... i took picture of what the indian couple who is sharing our table ate.

Passionfruit Ice Kachang, Chendol and Nasi Lemak with Curry 

Assam Laksa

Dessert wise, the chendol was icy and sweet just like how it should be, and it did manage to satisfy his liking for it :) Food wise, the assam laska was very spicy, even the couple before us didn't finish their bowl. The soup was flavourful and sour enough for my liking, and had huge chucks of fish meat in it. Other than being too spicy it was yumz. I overheard the indian couple saying that their curry is way too spicy too, but i dont know about that. 

He paid for our meal, and said it was slightly pricey. I think the chendol was close to 6RM. :O Probably because it has became a tourist spot and they can charge more now. But since its a popular place its worth just one visit when we're there, so at least we can say that we have been to Jonker 88 :D

Christ Church 

Jalan Gereja, Bandar Hilir, 75200, Malaysia, MY

0830 - 1700 (free admission) 

Headed over to Christ Church for some sight seeing under the sweltering heat! We saw a lot of heavily decorated trishaws along the place, and they are offering a ride around the little area for 20RM. We didnt take it though.

We then walked up a few flight of stairs from the back of the church and up a hill, heading towards St. Pauls. Albeit tiring, it was a scenic walk and good exercise. He volunteered to carry me up some stairs which was so sweet, and I couldnt reject. (I was just v lazy... :X)
We got to see parts of Melaka from up the hill and enjoy some breeze that was absent (!!) at the bottom.

St. Paul's Church
Jalan Kota, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia
Daily (Free Admission)

And old fire engine that was moved from Melaka to Singapore and back here again.

Another flight of steps before reaching the church located on the top of St. Paul's Hill

Really cool old man who does his paintings on recycled paper. 

Kudos to being environmentally friendly!

The now roofless church built in 1571

His favourite singer in all of Melaka. This guy has a rusty voice, somewhat like Rod Stewart. 

And we spend some good time sitting there at the side and listening to this guy :) 

I know this has no link, but somehow there were many skinny cats around. 

So happy that I finally get to plant my butt on somewhere and rest! 

and at the same time listen to some good live singing. 

We later walked down the hill to Mahkota Parade, a brown building easily visible from the top of the hill. So we basically just walked towards it. There, we tried the highly raved about Millie Crepe from Nadeje Mille Crepe. They have many outlets around the area too! 

Nadeje Mille Crepe

G-23B, EG 4 & EG 5, Ground Floor, Mahkota Parade, 75000 Melaka

Opening hours: 1100 - 2200

http://www.nadeje.com.my/

(Do note that it is facing the outside of the shopping mall!) 

Look at the types of mille crepes they have! I was spoilt for choice! 

but he limited me to only having 2 pieces.....

So here's the Original, and the Strawberry (which contains alcohol), but i honestly can't taste it. 

He always can't wait to dig in and has the first bite most of the time! 

the crepes had good flavour and were soft and nice. Not too much cream in the middle too. 

Really yummy! It's not the usual "cultural" Melaka kind of food but is still a good try! Each slice costs about RM 9 if I did not remember wrongly. 

Anyway, since we had much time left and wanted to rest our sore feet, we went to catch Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes in their Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) on the 5th floor of Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall! First off, the mall was huge and it had little crowd probably because it was before 5pm on a weekday. The cinema was pretty empty, and the seats were confortable too! We brought student priced tickets which costs RM 8 each!!

Then we walked back to our hotel, and through Jonker Street again, this time at night. There were many stalls along the road now, which is closed for entry to vehicles. I heard that the night market opens only on weekends though. 

This is the junction where we pass almost everyday!

As you can see, there are stalls at the road side now!

This sotong (squid) was very crispy on the outside and wasn't too rubbery on the inside. They had a pretty long queue, and each costs RM10. 

We went back to the hotel to unload and then headed for dinner nearby!

Pak Putra Tandoori & Naan Restaurant 

Jalan Laksamana 4, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening hours: 1600 - 0100

We've read countless online reviews about this place, and decided it was worth a 9min walk from our hotel. Upon arrival on our first day, we tried walking to our hotel via the main roads and we walked past it. But it took a good 20 minutes! And under the scorching sun, I was complaining till no end.... and then! we found out that there was a back entrance and Pak Putra was probably just 3 minutes away! YES to that! 

He ordered the well-known Tandoori chicken with planta nann and I had butter chicken and garlic naan. And also fresh watermelon juice!

The tandoori chicken looks a bit shrivelled up it wasn't too dry and the sauce on the side has a good tangy kick to it! 

The butter chicken has a good thick and creamy sauce. And the buttery flavour wasn't too overwhelming. I preferred this over the tandoori though. 

The naans were good too as it wasn't too thick. It was a happy meal for us!

I asked to sit inside though, as it was too dark outside, which was lighted but a few lamps. But it is a normal thing in Malaysia where people would just sit outside even though its dimly lit. Our meal together costs about RM 30. 

Then off we go to the hotel for an early night's rest. The walking and the sun was honestly too much. 

Day 2 and 3 will be done in another subsequent post!

Picture Credits:
Interior of 707 Inc : x
King Bed Bedroom: x