So much to see, so little time…

We landed at Kuala Lampur International Airport on a chilly evening, as pretty as a picture. I immediately dashed through the airport’s duty-free to purchase mochi of my favorite flavours; mango, green tea and bubble tea. I also purchased a pack of fresh, sour mangoes for our two-hour cab ride to Melaka City, a vibrant city on a riverbank in southwestern Malaysia. 

We started off with a late dinner served by a pleasant community of street-cooks, just around the corner from the hotel we stayed at. In the morning, we set off to explore the Melaka Straits Mosque, one of the most magnificent masjids I have seen, overlooking the Malacca Strait. Bearing a true testament to Malaysian and Middle Eastern craftsmanship, the façade was embellished by stained glass windows that feature traditional Islamic motifs, a lovely shade of gold colored the dome, and the minaret resembled a lighthouse from old storybooks.

As much as we love to immerse ourselves in tranquility, the Jonker Walk was one of the highlights of our trip! Although we found ourselves in a human mosh pit, the night-market retained the flavour of the city as it came alive with an array of stalls, friendly and polite hawkers and live music coursing throughout the area. We ate so much, laughed so much and blasted O’ Wazan through the hushed streets of Melaka as we rode in a bicycle rickshaw, adorned with flashing lights and cartoon characters. At midnight, we breathed ourselves out of the noise and strolled along the riverside, overlooking its’ serene beauty, captivated by  the water’s ripples.

 
There is something very romantic about taking your lover’s hand and strolling without the hustle-and-bustle of city life in the background, and journeying through Melaka immersed us in imprints from the past that the city has preserved; the coming and going of various people, beliefs and systems, and what remained from it. Declared a historical city in the year of 1989 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, the past was built into it. Melaka recalled a simpler time, had a soul of its’ own, and something for everyone.

We spent most of our last day in Melaka at its’ riverside, once known as the ‘Venice of the East.’ The river was crossed with delicate bridges and cheery bougainvillea woven into their sides. We strolled along its’ sidewalks and had lunch from the riverside restaurants, serving the finest local meals. For me, the riverside is the pulse of Melaka. Buildings painted in the brightest colors surrounded us, with large murals covering the walls. It was bittersweet, though, seeing old houses renewed by street art.

We took a break from sightseeing to visit  the gruesome Ghost Museum of Melaka, one I had been looking forward to visit. We encountered ghosts from all walks of life, and Faih had a blast exploring all the rooms whilst I maintained a safe distance from the “ghosts”, spooked.

As we returned to the riverside, I stood hand in hand with my beloved and imagined generations of women gathered at the river to scrub their laundry, as the crisp breeze stirred in the wind. Under the flare of the sun and skies, the city was beautiful, yet there is always something about an old city or town like Melaka that feels so melancholy to me. However, there is so much more beauty and enjoyment tucked away in Melaka’s narrow back streets.

With that, we headed to Kuala Lampur.

Upon our arrival at the Capital City of Malaysia, I immediately felt the energy. There was jabber between sellers and buyers, old friends catching up, new friends made. It was busy, but the hustle and-bustle brought a life to the city I definitely wanted to be around.

The view from our bedroom!

The first thing we did after unpacking was head out for dinner at Sushi King. We helped ourselves to 11 plates with a side of Shizuoka Cha. From there, we took a walk to see the Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers. After years of admiring the skyscraper on pictures, I was so happy! There, we were greeted by a swarm of locals, tourists and overly enthusiastic photographers. Nevertheless, Faih was equipped with his own 360 Camera for this moment, and and did not hide his dismay when I asked him to pay RM 10 for a ‘professional’ photo of us. However, he was rather pleased with himself when I reported that his pictures were much better than the one taken by the photographer who just used my iPhone paired with his own flash of spotlight. 

We loved the hive of activity, yet found a quiet spot every now and then to feel the serenity once more.

Our favourite pieces in the National Art Galary, Kuala Lampur

Fusion food was the way of life in Kuala Lampur, and we ate so much! I often wondered that once upon a time, people would have walked down the same streets we did, stopping at the hawker for warm bread and pastries in the morning, and the butcher and fromager for carefully weighed meat and cheese. We experienced Chinese noodles, Thai stir-fries and Indian curries harmoniously together. Tofu, soy sauce and dried mushrooms were beautifully combined with Malaysian herbs and spices. Faih’s favourites, roti canai and shawarma became an everyday breakfast essential, and the aroma of their cuisine tantalised our tastebuds and sparked our imagination everywhere we went. Amidst our food-ventures, we slipped ourselves into every crowd, not wanting to trade the anonymity for anything.

Our thrilling ride to Genting Highlands!

I will always fondly remember our day at Genting Highlands. Being the theme park fanatics we are, we always search for one and Malaysia truly delivered. Faih loves trading in the calmness of being ground level for the chance to be tossed through the air, and I love going on rides which are one the more-safer PG-rated side. We were lifted off to this hill resort on a very thrilling cable car ride, and I somehow found the courage to get on a nerve wrecking ride on a daring hang glider, filling me with trauma. My legs were shaking when Faih guided me to a teacup ride adorned with colourful parrots, and later on, a spinning ride with flower and hummingbird seats that immersed me in a fairy garden.

Kuala Lampur is a city of wide avenues and small corners to sit and eat as folks went about their day. The skyscrapers in the centre were once thousands of homes which now took up less ground space than the malls scattered across the city. My favourite things were the markets housing antiques, books and food that flowed through the city. Amidst its’ own chaos, the Kuala Lampur was alive. We passed hundreds of strangers, speaking languages that were completely foreign to us. Each one of them were living a life as complex and vivid as mine, populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines and worries. With this, I felt homesick – and eager to return back to my own routine. And here I am, back in the comfort and coziness of my home, sharing this delightful experience with you.