Melaka and Penang
Hello hello
We have been quite busy since I last got to a computer. On Tuesday morning we left Singapore to go to Melaka. We went to far on the bus to the express bus terminal so we had a bit of an adventure trying to get back again. Not a good adventure either.. a mixture of aching calf muscles, pouring rain, heavy rucksacks and Ben ripping his trousers from slipping on a drain cover made us pretty glad to be settled on the express bus by the time we got there. We had to get off at the border in Singapore and then again at the border in Malaysia to get our luggage checked (except they just waved everyone through) and finally got to Melaka about 2 hours later.
We stayed in a beautiful hostel called Eastern Heritage. The windows had shutters that looked over the street and the staircase and lots of wooden panels and screens were from around 1900. We had a look round Melaka in the afternoon without enjoying it much. I think we were both a bit stroppy and tired. We cheered up when we went for dinner at a place called Capital Satay. They have lots of tables all with a huge boiling pot of Satay Sauce in the centre. You get a tray and go to the counter to choose your meat/tofu/veg on sticks (6p each) and then you stick them in the sauce and when they are cooked you take them out and eat them. It was amazing. Apparently it is a local speciality of Straits Chinese people who live in Melaka.
Yesterday we had a lazy day because we thought there wasn't going to be a whole lot to do. We had breakfast and chatted with a girl from Belgium and a guy from NZ and then we all decided to go to the cultural museum together. It was inside a replica of the Sultan's Palace (called an Istana) and it was spectacular. They had lots of information about Sultans and what clothes they and the princes and princesses wore. Not so much any more, but a few hundred years ago there were many many different ways of tying your headdress and each one was only to be worn by people of a certain rank. This along with certain people only being allowed certain foods, certain places to go, certain colours to wear, must have been very confusing!
We stopped and had lunch next to the river where there were two huge fat lizards sitting next to us lying in the sun. As we walked down the river after lunch, there were crowds and crowds of people waiting. Lots of school children all in traditional costume and waving flags. We asked someone what was going on and they said the King was coming! We found a spot and sat and waited for a bit and then boats started coming down the river. There are 10 sultans and three governers in Malaysia and they take turns having five years each of being the King. They were in Melaka for a conference to decide whose go it was next. A little boy came up to me and gave me a Malaysian flag so I could join in (I felt very special :)). There was lots of cheering as the boats came by and all the Sultans were waving and smiling. up at the town square they had laid out red carpets and a huge banquet under a marquee where all the officers and dignitaries were waiting for the Sultans and their wives to come back up the river. They all had differently tied headgear on but I could not distinguish which type meant what!
Yesterday evening we got on the night bus to Penang. It wasn't very full but the airconditioning was leaking really badly so everyone was sitting on the same side of the bus.. We slept some of the way then we were jerked awake at half past five and told to change buses (well I think that's what he was saying..) so we grabbed all our stuff and jumped onto the new bus. When we arrived in Butterworth it was about 6.30am but there were lots of people waiting for the ferry and one turned up pretty soon. We got to Georgetown and walked through the town to find a hostel. The girl we met in Melaka had recommended one to us so we went to look for it and just as we got there at about 7am the guy was opening up and said we could have a room straight away so we went in. We ended up falling asleep for a bit but now we are awake and ready to explore Penang. We will probably stay a few days as there seems to be quite a lot to do.
Hope everyone is doing OK at home :)
We have been quite busy since I last got to a computer. On Tuesday morning we left Singapore to go to Melaka. We went to far on the bus to the express bus terminal so we had a bit of an adventure trying to get back again. Not a good adventure either.. a mixture of aching calf muscles, pouring rain, heavy rucksacks and Ben ripping his trousers from slipping on a drain cover made us pretty glad to be settled on the express bus by the time we got there. We had to get off at the border in Singapore and then again at the border in Malaysia to get our luggage checked (except they just waved everyone through) and finally got to Melaka about 2 hours later.
We stayed in a beautiful hostel called Eastern Heritage. The windows had shutters that looked over the street and the staircase and lots of wooden panels and screens were from around 1900. We had a look round Melaka in the afternoon without enjoying it much. I think we were both a bit stroppy and tired. We cheered up when we went for dinner at a place called Capital Satay. They have lots of tables all with a huge boiling pot of Satay Sauce in the centre. You get a tray and go to the counter to choose your meat/tofu/veg on sticks (6p each) and then you stick them in the sauce and when they are cooked you take them out and eat them. It was amazing. Apparently it is a local speciality of Straits Chinese people who live in Melaka.
Yesterday we had a lazy day because we thought there wasn't going to be a whole lot to do. We had breakfast and chatted with a girl from Belgium and a guy from NZ and then we all decided to go to the cultural museum together. It was inside a replica of the Sultan's Palace (called an Istana) and it was spectacular. They had lots of information about Sultans and what clothes they and the princes and princesses wore. Not so much any more, but a few hundred years ago there were many many different ways of tying your headdress and each one was only to be worn by people of a certain rank. This along with certain people only being allowed certain foods, certain places to go, certain colours to wear, must have been very confusing!
We stopped and had lunch next to the river where there were two huge fat lizards sitting next to us lying in the sun. As we walked down the river after lunch, there were crowds and crowds of people waiting. Lots of school children all in traditional costume and waving flags. We asked someone what was going on and they said the King was coming! We found a spot and sat and waited for a bit and then boats started coming down the river. There are 10 sultans and three governers in Malaysia and they take turns having five years each of being the King. They were in Melaka for a conference to decide whose go it was next. A little boy came up to me and gave me a Malaysian flag so I could join in (I felt very special :)). There was lots of cheering as the boats came by and all the Sultans were waving and smiling. up at the town square they had laid out red carpets and a huge banquet under a marquee where all the officers and dignitaries were waiting for the Sultans and their wives to come back up the river. They all had differently tied headgear on but I could not distinguish which type meant what!
Yesterday evening we got on the night bus to Penang. It wasn't very full but the airconditioning was leaking really badly so everyone was sitting on the same side of the bus.. We slept some of the way then we were jerked awake at half past five and told to change buses (well I think that's what he was saying..) so we grabbed all our stuff and jumped onto the new bus. When we arrived in Butterworth it was about 6.30am but there were lots of people waiting for the ferry and one turned up pretty soon. We got to Georgetown and walked through the town to find a hostel. The girl we met in Melaka had recommended one to us so we went to look for it and just as we got there at about 7am the guy was opening up and said we could have a room straight away so we went in. We ended up falling asleep for a bit but now we are awake and ready to explore Penang. We will probably stay a few days as there seems to be quite a lot to do.
Hope everyone is doing OK at home :)
posted by alicestronaut at 3:39 am
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