Straight to Melaka
The historical
city in Malaysia is the perfect getaway for tourists tired of Singapore’s set
pieces and Kuala Lumpur’s bustle
There were originally three Straits Settlements:
Malacca, Penang and Singapore. While Singapore has become a First World island
nation and Penang has become a major electronics manufacturing hub, the
modern-day Melaka in Malaysia has become a quiet backwater kept alive by
tourist trade. This is especially ironic when you consider that Melaka was a
major trading centre as early as 15th century, and was thriving when the
islands of Penang and Singapore were still uninhabited. Since then, however,
other cities have eclipsed Melaka as centres of commerce and, except for a
brief revival in the late 19th century on account of a rubber boom, Melaka had
to wait till the 1990s to be repositioned as an easy weekend getaway for both
locals and travellers in the vicinity.
After Melaka’s elevation as a Unesco World Heritage
Site in 2008, the town authorities have done a good job in preserving and
presenting its diverse past. Portuguese churches and battlements compete with
Dutch houses and administrative edifices for prominence; English mansions and
Peranakan (Straits Chinese) shophouses challenge each other on the banks of the
Melaka River. But where is the true Melaka? The answer lies not in any one
location, culture or remnant. It is to be found in the cross-pollination of
ideas, tastes and styles that have endured over the centuries and given the
melting pot that is Melaka its unique flavour.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the local
cuisine. First among these is the Nonya (Peranakan) fare. Less spicy than
Penang, the Melaka Peranakan dishes are no less delicious and flavourful. For
the discerning gourmand, no trip to Melaka is complete without a visit to
eateries like Nancy’s Kitchen, Kocik Kitchen and Hoe Kee Chicken Rice Ball. The
Lemak Nenas Prawns, Nonya Laksa, Tofu with Minced Chicken and the ubiquitous
Chicken Rice Balls are not to be missed. Equally delectable but with a bite
that reveals its Indian ancestry is Kristang cooking. Deriving its name from
the eponymous creole that mixes Malay with archaic Portuguese, this cuisine
fuses Indian spices, Malay curries and Portuguese dishes. Melba at the Hotel
(Hotel Majestic) and Restoran de Lisbon are the two best options to savour
minced fish croquettes, semur (beef stew), sambal kambrang (sautéed prawns in
sambal), asa (baked seabass) and soy limang terung (brinjals in soy and lime),
before finishing off the meal with a kek sugee (sooji halwa).
For those who would like to enjoy a western take on
staple Malay preparations, Geographers’ Café, Sid’s Pub and The Daily Fix offer
ramen, sambal pizzas and fusion burgers. And if you happen to visit over the
weekend, there’s Jonker’s Walk, a street that comes alive at night, where you
can sample radish cake, oysters in garlic, satay, durian tarts, shaved ice
cendol and charcoal ice cream.
The remnants of historical buildings provide another
insight into the forces that have shaped Melaka. The earliest traces are to
seen in and around Bukit China (Chinese Hill), where 12,500 graves across 25
hectares stand testament to the over 500 years of Straits Chinese residency in
Melaka. Worth visiting nearby are the Poh San Teng and Chen Hoon Teng temples,
the latter being the oldest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and noted for its
woodwork. Closer to the main town are the ruins of the Portuguese fort of Porta
de Santiago. This is the ideal spot from which to make the trek up Bukit St
Paul to visit the evocative remains of the church.
On the other side of Bukit St Paul is the Stadhuys, a
Dutch townhall dating back to 1650, and the adjacent Dutch Square with its
blood-red shops and cafes. It is the most popular pick-up spot for a nocturnal
ride on a trishaw, with its psychedelic lights, papier-mâché replicas and
blaring loudspeakers.
Last, but not the least, one has to immerse oneself
in the local culture to experience the beauty of this resurrected town. While
signs of Peranakan culture are everywhere — and The Baba & Nonya Heritage
Museum, Malaqa House and Tham Siew Inn Art Gallery are must-see — it is
generally believed that the Chettis, descendants of Straits Indians who married
Malay women, are the oldest ethnic group here. The Chetti Museum and Sri
Subramaniam Thuropathai Amman Temple are worth visiting. There’s a thriving
Malay culture to be experienced in places like Villa Sentosa and the syncretic
Masjid Kampung Kling, with its multitiered Hindu Meru roof, Moorish tower and
the Dutch and English tiles that adorn its floor. The proximity of this mosque
to the Buddhist Chen Hoon Teng Temple and the Sri Poyatha Venayagar Moorthi
Temple has prompted the locals to rename the area Harmony Street.
Melaka is the perfect getaway for the tourist who is
beginning to tire of the setpiece attractions of Singapore or the expansive
bustle of Kuala Lumpur. It achieves the marriage of preserved tastes and traditions
with evolving aesthetics and comfort — the best a place can offer.
Ateesh Tankha
The writer is a traveller who
divides his time between Singapore and India.
ETM9SEP18
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