#stadthuys

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/02/21/cendol-business-back-normal-stadthuys-building/

Cendol business back to normal at Stadthuys building

MALACCA, Feb 21, 2015:

The cendol business at Stadthuys Building is thriving again after the Historical Malacca City Council (MBMB) returned to reinstall chairs and tables at the premises since last Sunday.

The cendol business there, which has been passed down from generation to generation since more than 60 years ago, fared badly recently following MBMB’s decision to allow only ‘take away’.

The ‘take-away’ concept for the cendol business there was introduced last Feb 10 on the grounds of cleanliness.

Mohammad Kassim Abdullah, 30, who inherited the cendol business from his father, said the move by MBMB to reinstall chairs, tables and umbrellas at the premises helped to save his business.

“Most people who come here wants to enjoy the scenic view while having cendol, and allowing them to eat the cendol here also livens up the place as it draws more people,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Hotel Puri provides a breakfast buffet. They had a nice selection, in my opinion. I wasn't disappointed. They had an egg station, eggs cooked the way you liked them - scrambled, fried, omelets. Although, in my experience, it is rare to get fried eggs over hard. It's a good thing I do not mind gooey yolks even though I prefer hard ones.

Time to tour Malacca.

House across from Hotel Puri

Queen Victoria's fountain on the town square. They call the square, the Red Square or Dutch Square

Christ Church Malacca. 18th century Anglican Church

We sat down for a while by the fountain. A local tricycle driver sat down beside us and showed me a laminated picture of a tour he can give us. It wasn't unreasonable and riding one of those decorated tricycles seem to be the thing here. I thought that we can walk around since the sites aren't that far from each other. However, I overestimated my stamina under the hot Malaysian sun. After we walked around the church into a Dutch graveyard, we decided to head back to the town square to score a tricycle tour.

Information board in the graveyard

We were heading up the stairs into the Stadthuys Museum when another tricycle driver started negotiating a tour with me. After bargaining hard, we settled on a price. A bystander who was eavesdropping on our conversation told me I was a good bargainer. Athough, really, I didn't even bargain that hard. It was the same price the first driver offered when I refused the first time. I really wanted to take the tour so didn't push for any lower by this time. If the tour was in my "nice-to-do-but-can-live-without" list, I would have really pushed for a lower price.

Off we went in our Hello-Kitty-mobile.

Our ride

First stop - some old ship. You pay to get in. I decided, not worth it.

Right - Transport plane that the Royal Malaysian Army used. An old plane from the (UK) Royal Air Force. Left - The driver said it was a car train from Japan

Smurf-mobiles

A Famosa. ruins of an old Portuguese fortress. The Porta de Santiago is all that remains.