A Jaunt in Melaka

Sept 1st was a good day to be away. So many things happened just to be away. The main draw was an over night stay in Padang Kemunting to do a wee bit of work with the Turtle Information and Conservation Centre' Melaka.

We car - pooled and Mary was a willing driver, took us safely there and we had good company with Mo too. We came to learn more about the Hawksbill turtles and went home with the promise to do more to save our turtles.

Will post about the turtles soon. In the meantime, do enjoy our jaunt in and around Melaka.

Yummy fish, asam pedas style  for dinner, under a huge tree with melodious keroncong music in the background; kids nearby on bumper cars illuminated  with neon lights. 

Some fisher men were trawling with  nets shaped like a triangle in the coastal waters. Curious, I came up  t examine their catch -  shrimps.

A big, pleasant surprise as we walked past some shop houses along Jalan Datuk Naning, Alor Gajah after  lunch . Looking up, and seeing these nests took me back to my own childhood days. Our shophouse also had many nests like these. Always a hive of activity as the swifts came to make nests ( and its poo markings and droppings too!). The  shop owners  say there is no more activity now as poachers came and  tried to get some to sell  - as bird's nests.  

I wonder. ..  Those invoices, orders, ledgers etc . Too many to recall. All  bundled and stacked . Who needs a computer? ?

One of the owners, 2nd generation  from Bombay, looking after the business. Those were the days...  They used to sell textiles but have branched into furniture, linoleum.  Small town folks are friendly. My friends and I had a lively conversation with them. They even told us that we had missed seeing one of our former national footballer's father, a centanarian who usually patronizes the coffee shop where we had just finished our lunch. Hear this, he's still driving himself around and is  rather fit !

The prize for going out to fish. Under watchful eyes, the man cut the fish  and  took out the entrails.

Beach at Padang Kemunting was lively and not short of pinickers. They were enjoying the sea breeze, set up tents and  families were tucking in their home -prepared food. 

A house opposite where we had drinks before our programme for the turtles began.  Many Malaysian flags were fluttering  as our nation had just celebrated our 55th Merdeka on 31Aug. Happy Merdeka to all Malaysians!

On the way home to KL, the stalls by the roadside  are an attraction. Basketry in the form of food cover, kitchen utility ware, rocking chair, etc . Mo wanted Melaka food specialities to  give away. Cincaluk was on her mind.