Melaka

Spent 3 nights in Melaka Malaysia.  Stayed in the old town which is a UNESCO heritage site.  The UN heritage stamp of approval may be a bit much, although probably a good thing so the area is protected.  Nevertheless it is a charming area full of low level buildings and a living breathing Chinatown frequented by the locals.  The key to Melaka's old town is that it still lives for the locals and is not a tourist zone only.

There is an interesting canal which winds through the city and has a walkway along it.  It is a great walk late at night.  Everywhere I was able to get to feels really safe.

This was a good introduction to Malaysia....the people were friendly and ready to talk and say hello, the locals are sophisticated and hip enough to keep things interesting, and generally the Malaysians are pretty colourful and appear confident and happy.

This dog wanted to bite me so badly I almost wish I could of let him

Lovely canal winds through the length of the city

Countless tourist boats pass by in the evening

Lovely Melaka

Old Town ice desert restaurant

Old Town Mosque

Old Town around my guesthouse

Dr. Gan Boon Leong: Mr Universe - Mr Asia - Mr Malaysia - Mr Melaka

Typical Old Town street at night

School Weekend Trip

Strange sandwich for dinner

Strange sandwich vendor

Melaka Mall entertainment

Super spicy soup - yummy

Sunset from the guesthouse rooftop patio

Melaka at night

My buddy at it again....

Breakfast

Still have not yet posted about Melaka but I hit Kuala Lumpur last night and I have been swept off my feet.  Have only been two blocks away from my hotel so far, up all the alleyways and corners I can get into soaking up the crazy characters who seem to be everywhere...

I'm going to venture further out and perhaps my perception will change.  But give me crazy characters any day to make a city seem human and alive.  Hopefully I find more of them lurking around this giant city.

$1.75 and very delicious.  Includes a priceless view of the KL streets.

Guesthouse

In Melaka I am staying in a guesthouse / hostel where you can get a dorm room for under $10 CDN, a private with two beds and shared bathroom for about $20, and a very nice room with queen size bed and private bathroom and shower for about $30. 

I splurged and went for a private room at $18.

From the street...easy to miss...

Reception

Friendly concierge Carson

Common area where you can meet everybody

Still downstairs

Heading to the kitchen...one of the nicer things about a hostel

Breakfast is served here

And you can make your own food...and keep your beer cold

There is something new baked every day for an afternoon snack

Let's go upstairs.....

Everything super clean here....the owners really take pride

Bathrooms double as shower rooms....very common in Asia

Lots of space to hang out

I am up on the top floor...where I like to be

Front patio near my room....with a great outdoor shower

Nice to shower under the sunshine

Back patio...get's lots of sun and people hang out in the evening

Ingrid comes to Malaysia ever year for the winter

Nice thing about two beds...you can empty your pack and spread out your junk

A little desk is a big luxury in a hostel

Here for three days....really great place to relax

Final Supper

My host Olivia took the poor backpacker out for a final supper last night.  It had to be the famous Singapore chili crab in one of the nicer river front restaurants; a very long established culinary destination in downtown.  Have to admit this place really delivered a nice spicy crab. 

Finally Peter "escapes" from the suburbs of Singapore for a real downtown experience

You would not believe how thick and hard the shell was on this beast

How did this end up on my plate?

Goodbye modern fast paced Singapore....

Onto the bus...getting up at 4:30 AM was BRUTAL

The bridge from Singapore to Malaysia

My new home.....in the historic district of Melaka Malaysia.