A DAY IN MALACCA :)

This post is dedicated to Andrew, a British friend wherever he is!

10 August 2019

Early morning, I woke up in a hostel near Kallang Stadium in Singapore after celebrated my birthday and Singapore National Day. So hurried, I went to Queen Street Bus Station then went to Larkin Bus Station. I found a bus to go to Malacca City from there. 

I had made an appointment with an old friend, he was a friend in Junior High School who worked in Malacca at that time. He promised me to stay in the same hostel as long as I stayed in Malacca. He agreed. I reached the capsule hostel around 4 pm Malaysia time. After checked in, I called my friend to get ready and he said he was on the way to the hostel. My pod was upside and his was downside. Beside our pod was an Indonesian who worked in Pahang as he was on holiday to celebrate Hari Raya Haji. 

I cleaned up and had some rest while waiting my friend to arrive in the hostel. I opened my Skout application. If you have no idea about Skout, click here. I have been using this application since 2015. I have "met" some awesome people from this application. I am still in touch with some of them. 

Alright, I found a profile of British guy named Andrew. He lived in Malacca. I clicked "hi" to him and surprisingly he said hi back shortly. He seemed so friendly. We talked on the chat and we exchanged out WhatsApp number. In short we made appointment to meet up the next evening and he said will bring me go around Malacca. I was so happy. 

My friend arrived around 6 pm and after he cleaned up, we (me, him and an Indonesian guy next to our pods) went to eat dinner. Me and my friend agreed that tomorrow morning we will rent a scooter and go around Malacca with it. We also planned to pray for Idul Adha in the Malacca Straits Mosque. I had collected some contacts of scooter rental agent in Malacca. That night we enjoyed the music in front of hostel and had coffee before we went to sleep. 

11 August 2019

It was Hari Raya Idul Adha (Hari Raya Haji). I woke up at 6 in the morning. I knocked my friend's pod but no answer. After a few minutes I tried to knock again, but still no answer. Damn! Finally we cancelled our plan to pray Eid at Malacca Straits Mosque. I went back to sleep for a while and woke up again around 8. I showered and got ready for the adventure on that day. Because I had super short holiday, I don't want to fail this plan. 

While I applied make up, I knocked my friend's pod few times. Still no answer. I tried again and again until he raised from the pod. 

"What time is it now?" he asked, still looked sleepy. 

"It's almost 9," I answered curtly.

"I am still sleepy, I talked to my wife the whole night," he told me while sat in the edge of his bed.

"Are you joining me today or not?" I asked madly. 

"Okay, I will get ready," he said lazily. 

When he was showering, I left the room to have breakfast beside the hostel. I left him a message on WhatsApp that I will find some coffee and breakfast and asked him to join me as soon as he finished everything. 

I enjoyed my kaya toast, fries and coffee that fine morning. The cafe was full of people having breakfast with families and friends. I was all alone ha..ha.. sad. Suddenly my friend called me.

"I am sorry I can't join you to go around Malacca today, I am not feeling well," he sounded regret.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier so I can leave to the town early?" I was so mad to him.

"So sorry," he said and I ended the call angrily. 

Seriously I was so mad to him. I thought why didn't he tell me earlier. Why did he make me waited for that long. It was 10. My mind went to Andrew and I tried to text him. 

"Andrew are you busy this morning?" 

"No, I will be busy in the evening so I may cancel our meeting, sorry."

"Hmm..actually my friend is suddenly not feeling well, so I have cancelled the scooter trip. Shall we meet up this morning?"

"Great then, send your location please."

I sent him my location and lucky he was three minutes away from where I was. Wile I waited for Andrew, I sent a cup of coffee and fries to my friend, also make sure he is okay if I leave him. 

In short, Andrew arrived with his car. We greeted each other and he asked me which places I wanted to visit. I made list and tell him which places I wanted to visit. Those were Malacca Straits Mosque, Jonker Walk and Old Church near Jonker. He agreed. 

Andres is a British guy who worked in Malacca that time. He used to live in Indonesia for few years and married an Indonesian. He converted to Islam too. But he planned to move and work in Singapore that time.

Our first stop was Malacca Straits Mosque. I have been thinking about to visit this place since long time ago. I like the location because it's located in the longest strait in the world, Malacca Straites, which separated mainland of Malaysia and Sumatera. It took around 15 minutes drive from the hostel I stayed. Andrew didn't follow me to the mosque, he stayed in his car and agreed to wait until I finish.

Malacca Straits Mosque

Some of Tourist in the Mosque

Once I finished the mosque tour, I came back to the car where Andres was waiting patiently. I told him that I wanted to go to Jonker Walk but he offered me to visit a place called Portuguese Settlement. I agreed and he drove to that place. After around 10 minutes drove from the mosque, we arrived in a housing complex. It reminded me to a housing in an old Indonesian film. He told me that the people there is mixed between Malay & Portuguese.

"Handsome and beautiful," he said.

He parked his car in a field near the Jesus statue. The statue look like the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"Are we in Rio de Janeiro?"
"Yeah we are!"

Portuguese Square Gate

Jesus Statue in Portuguese Settlement

Andrew Looked Around the Square

There were some Portuguese restaurants there. But they would be only opened in the evening. Andrew said, in the evening that place would be so beautiful, full of light and music. During my visit, that place was so quiet, there are only few people outside because that day was so hot. 

Once we finished the tour, we headed to Jonker Walk. When we were on our way, a receptionist in the capsule hotel called me through my friend. She asked whether I have dropped my wallet around the mosque. I was in panic and checked my bag. Yes, I couldn't find my small wallet where I put the pod's key and ringgit. 

"What's inside your wallet?" Andrew asked me.
"My pod's key and all of my ringgit," I answered still in panic.
"How much?" he asked.
"It's around two hundred ringgit," I almost cried like a kid and he laughed at me.
"Why don't we pick up to the mosque?" he suggested me.
"No, the lady will pick it up there as she said and we have to wait at the hostel."
"Alright!"

I was really sorry to him that he had to drive back to the hostel and waited quite long. I was really thankful to the lady that she picked up my wallet in the bloody hot day with her electric bike. I received my wallet back, everything was complete. I was shocked that my credit card was there too. Million thanks aren't enough. I meant to give her money for tip but she refused politely and really made me so embarrassed. 

"If you want to give money, put that on the charity box, they need it much more than me," she said which made me more embarrassed. I nodded. I did it and went back to Andrew. He then drove to Jonker Street. 

That day was Idul Adha (Hari Raya Haji), means it was holiday for Malaysia. I didn't imagine if the Jonker Street would be that crowded. I had been thinking I could walk and tried some nice foods there. But the reality? Most of the restaurant and stalls were so crowded with very long queue. Some of the Muslim's restaurants were closed due to Hari Raya. The day was sunny and walked quite far made me so sweaty. We kept walk through the crowd of Jonker to the church complex. 

"Are you sure will be able to climb to the church?" Andrew asked me.

"Sure, why not, I am curious," I answered confidently. 

After few steps of climbing, I was so exhausted. I asked Andrew to stop for a while in some points. Andres just laughed at me. I was so embarrassed. 

St. Paul's Church 

Finally we could climb to St. Paul's Church. This church was built in 1521 located in St. Paul Hill and now as a part of the Malacca Museum Complex. It took around 15 minutes to climb to this church from the red church yard. I was too exhausted because of the weather and unfit body (yeah I know I am fat haha).

There were many people on that day there. You don't have to worry, there are some stalls which sell mineral water around the church. You can find them selling hat too. You can buy to protect your head from the sun. 

Andrew Looked so Happy after Climbing

After took rest, I went down the hill and headed to the museum complex. Walking in that day was exhausting actually. I walked through the museum buildings. We could see some people enjoyed horse carriage riding, pedicab with pinky accessories and many more to enjoy there. 

I stopped at Menara Taming Sari. This is 80 meters height tower with a tube which can carry around 60 people up and the tube will rotate 360 degree. Everyone can see Malacca City from above. This is so beautiful. I told Andrew I want to go. He said okay and he waited for me in the waiting area. 

Ticket price for foreigner was RM 23.00 and they gave me a bottle of mineral water. I entered the tube which was still so quiet. I walked inside to get the comfortable seat. I said hi to Andrew through the glass. He smiled at me. 

Once I sat down, one by one people came in to fulfill the seat. Once the tube was full, it started to rotate and went up. Some of girls in a group were screaming but I didn't know why they did because it was not that scary. I can even enjoy every time the tube went up and up until the highest level. 

A woman on the speaker will explain every spot that we saw from above. I couldn't even hear what she said clearly because the girls beside of my kept screaming huffhhh.. 

But I really enjoyed the view from above. It was so beautiful. The day was clear as well. 

Malacca city & river from above

Once I got down from the tower, I told Andrew I want cendol. We walked along the river and went back to Jonker Street. I tried to find cendol stall but failed. Some of the stalls were closed for Hari Raya and some stalls were crowded with very long queue. I didn't want Andrew to wait for me just to get a cup of cendol, ha..ha.. 

"Did you get the cendol?" Andrew asked. 

"No, the queue is too long."

"So, what is the plan now?"

"Going back to the hostel," I answered grinning. 

"Alright!"

Again we walked through the crowds of Jonker Street. Honestly my eyes kept searching the cendol stall ha..ha..

I visited a chocolate and dodol stall to buy something for my family & friends. We finally reached the place where Andrew parked his car. Andrew still asked me about the cendol. 

"Okay, we try to find it on our way back to hostel," Andrew told me as he knew what is in my mind. 

"It's okay Andrew, there is still next time."

Andrew's eyes kept searching while he drove his car, but still failed. We reached the hostel around 4 and I really thanked Andrew. We said goodbye to each other and really wish to see each other again soon. 

By the time I am writing this script, Andrew is in Singapore. He moved there around October 2019 to work. If I can see him in future, I really want to bring him for snorkeling in Batam or Bintan (he loves snorkeling). 

Once I reached the pod, I enjoyed a cup of bubble tea & chips with my friend. I told him about that beautiful day. Such a good day I had spent in Malacca. Thank you Andrew.

Nos vemos,

Kirei Khan