Saint John’s Hill

The first thing I saw on waking this morning was a lovely full moon.

We have settled into a routine which generally involves doing some Duolingo (Richard is doing German, I’m doing Spanish), exercise in the gym and pool, writing up this journal and editing video.

And of course, we’re still exploring. Today we discover there’s a bit of an event happening right across the road from our apartment. Marquees have been erected with tables, chairs and a small stage, occupying a slip road on a corner outside an office building. On the stage are four lion dancer costumes. Ooh! There are people setting up a sound system and I go over to ask what it’s all about. I find out the time the lion dancers are performing and we head off for our usual breakfast.

At 10:00 I return to see what’s happening and now the marquees are filled with people, all wearing lanyards, some wearing t-shirts bearing the branding of the insurance company whose shopfront we are out in front of. Generali. I doubt I am allowed to enter the barricaded of area so I make my way along the median strip separating the slip road from the main road camera in hand ready for action. Several minutes later, as the dancers make their way towards the building entrance with me keeping pace, I am confronted by a number of staff inviting me to enter the sacred space and get a better vantage point. It was explained to me that this was the official re-opening of the office following a complete refit and the ceremony was to bring good fortune to the business.

For dinner we make our wake to the Portuguese Settlement, an area of Malacca recognised as being an enclave of residents descended from the Portuguese who lived here in the 16th century. There is a small area of mostly seafood eateries here. We negotiate the touters all vying for our custom and circle back around to a small place sitting a little away from the rest. We like his prices and his non-touting methods. His menu is simple, a choice of fish cake, stingray, chicken wings or squid. All baked in peri-peri style sauce and served with cucumber, onion, tiny limes, and bread. We both reckon this was the best meal we’ve had so far. And far cheaper than we were expecting at $25 including 2x beers eachLæs mere